Drying Food at Home: Using a Dehydrator
Simply put, a food dryer or dehydrator is, in fact, a low-temperature oven with a fan. They are made up of a container in which food can be placed, a fan that distributes the air that has been heated by an element inside. Certain dehydrators push hot air around the container horizontally, while others vertically, but they all allow for different amounts of food to be placed in them.
Preserving most of the nutritional value of the food you eat by gently drying it in a dehydrator or food dryer is important to some people, especially if they lead a very active and healthy lifestyle. However, for the raw foodies among us who want to avoid damaging their food with excessive heat, this has been standard equipment in their kitchens for some considerable time.
In addition to the people we’ve already mentioned who use dehydrators, so do people who grow their own produce and gardeners. At the most important time of the year (harvest time) they use them to preserve what they have grown and make more space in the freezer and also reduce the amount of food they waste. Additionally, a large number of chefs around the world find dehydrators useful when preparing certain dry delicacies, garnishes, and seasonings that they incorporate into their recipes. Also, when you want good-quality dehydrated foods for hiking outdoors or on an expedition, your best bet is to make your own rather than buying dehydrated foods from stores.
Yes, energy prices are skyrocketing, but you’ll still find it cheaper to make your own dehydrated food with an electric food dehydrator instead of buying pre-made. Most people who own a dehydrator tend to use it to dry various types of fruit, including more exotic varieties such as bananas and mangoes. Without a doubt, if you have children and want them to eat healthier, fruit skins or rolls made with fresh dried fruit puree are an excellent option.
When it comes to what nutritious foods can be made in a dehydrator, there are plenty. Of course, we’ve already mentioned fruit leathers and bagels, but for the outdoor enthusiast, you can make whole dehydrated meals or trail mixes and snack bars. For others, they can use it to preserve fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes grown in their gardens. They can also use it to make vegetable chips, mango or pineapple slices, and of course, not to forget chewy or crunchy plantain chips. Also, some people use it to make beef jerky and other types of natural snacks.
In addition to dehydrators used to preserve food, this is popular equipment among craft enthusiasts who like to create potpourri or dried flower arrangements. As the drying process of the plants is very gentle, a large part of the essential oils they contain are preserved and the aromas are preserved for a longer time. Additionally, hunters in the Norwegian Arctic and Canadian Rocky Mountains use this gear to help preserve meat. While the dried wild mushrooms that you gather for free can also be placed in a homemade food dryer.
Having food that is packed with lots of nutrients but doesn’t take up too much space is crucial for Arctic explorers and dog mushers like Gary Rolfe. These people regularly burn the same daily amount of food as a marathon runner when out. Men like Gary use the American Excalibur Dehydrator to allow him to take calorie-laden, protein-rich beef jerky on his expeditions along with plenty of good-quality canned fruits and vegetables. But it’s not just people like Gary who use dehydrators to help meet their dietary demands when going on extreme adventures, mountaineers and expedition groups do as well. In fact, it is important to have a good nutritional diet in extreme conditions, as it could make all the difference when it comes to living or dying.
The American-made Excalibur Dehydrator is popular because the company has built a reputation over the last 30 years for making these good quality household and industrial stainless steel dehydrators that are of good quality. However, in recent years, the popularity of the Swiss-made Stockli, which is an expandable food dryer, has increased because it is considered reliable.
During the 21st century, nutritional health is a hot topic and we are all learning about the benefits of eating foods that have been naturally preserved. In the UK, if you want more information on where to get dehydrator kits and more information on drying food, there are specialist online health retailers such as UK juicers who can help. When it comes to learning more on the subject of food dryers, the most important book to buy is the one published by the makers of the Excalibur dehydrator and it’s called “Preserve It Naturally.” Also, if you want to learn more about this topic as it relates to outdoor activities, there is a book by Linda Frederick Yaffe called “The Backpack Gourmet” that you will find extremely helpful.