47 Food Dehydrator Recipes! - The Organic Goat Lady (2024)

FAQs

What foods can you not dehydrate? ›

Many contain ingredients that should not be dehydrated (oils, fats, eggs, or dairy) or are loaded with sodium or preservatives. If you want to dehydrate condiments, make sure you read the label.

Avoid overlapping foods and overfilling the trays. Lay foods flat on the dehydrating trays. Check dryness after 6 hours, then check every 2 hours until crisp, pliable or leathery depending on the product. Check foods to make sure they are completely dry before removing.

Lean, tender cuts of meat are best for making homemade Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator. Ask your butcher if you're not sure what that looks like. In the past, I've had great success with the following cuts: Brisket, Rouladen, Top or Bottom Round, Eye of Round, Sirloin Tip or Flank Steak.

Drying or dehydrating is one of the oldest ways to preserve foods. It makes them last longer and keeps them safe to eat. Nutrition-wise, food stays mostly the same, although the drying process can destroy vitamins A and C. And the calorie count can rise as the food shrinks and nutrients become more concentrated.

Yes, items can be over-dried and as a result are more difficult to rehydrate. There is a balance and experience will provide answers. High indoor humidity, air conditioning or breezes may alter the time needed to dehydrate foods. Ideally, find a dry, warm place away from air vents and windows to set up your dehydrator.

Citric Acid Pretreatment: Citric acid is available in the canning section of many supermarkets. Stir 1 teaspoon of citric acid into 1 quart of cold water. Add the fruit and allow it to soak for 10 minutes, then remove it with a slotted spoon, drain it well and dehydrate it.

The danger in dehydrating meat and poultry without cooking it to a safe temperature first is that the appliance will not heat the meat to 160°F and poultry to 165°F — temperatures at which bacteria are destroyed — before the dehydrating process. After drying, bacteria become much more heat resistant.

Salting the steak before dehydrating could help the steak retain some of its internal moisture. I primarily care about reducing external moisture, so a quick dry cure could reduce unwanted water loss. So I salted one hour before cooking. Temperature control in a dehydrator is not as efficient as sous vide.

165 degree (F) is very close to ideal dehydration temperature for meat anyway (150–160), which does kill harmful bacteria. It's best to make thin cuts and rub salt as well which aids in eliminating any bacteria. Note that you should dehyrate at this temperature throughout the process.

What is the best fruit to dehydrate? ›

Some fruits and vegetables suitable for drying include apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, celery, corn, green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. Fruits can also be dried as fruit leathers and rolls.

Yes, you can leave a good dehydrator on overnight. Some things, like rosemary, can take 8 to 10 hours to dry. I'll set it up in the dehydrator before I go to bed, and it is usually done when I get up in the morning.

Arrange sliced potatoes in single layers on drying trays. Dry at 140 degrees F (60°C) in an oven or dehydrator. If necessary, turn large pieces over every 3 to 4 hours during the drying period. Vegetables can scorch easily toward the end of drying, so monitor more closely as drying nears completion.

What Foods Can You Dehydrate? Most food can be dehydrated at home, with the general exclusion of dairy products and high-fat items. Unlike fruit, meat and most vegetables should be cooked first before dehydrating. Once you have a variety of dried ingredients, you can assemble them into meals.

Although most fruits and vegetables dehydrate well, avocados do not. Due to their high-fat content, avocados will quickly turn rancid after dehydration. Instead, try freeze-drying avocados for long-term preservation.

The key ingredient that causes dehydration in this item is sodium. While popcorn is tasty, sodium causes dehydration and may impact the success of your exercise or workout regime. If you can't resist grabbing a bag for a movie, opt for no sodium.

Some studies suggest that they don't cause dehydration. One study in 72 people found that short-term urine output did not differ after drinking coffee, tea, or soda compared with drinking water. That indicates that these beverages don't cause dehydration ( 2 ).