Food Dehydrators

Mark Thorson said:

Any suggestions on what to do with them?

I've seen much wisdom on the subject in rec.food.preserving

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot)
com

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 22:50:19 GMT, Mark Thorson <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking it might
be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat and cheese.

Dried cheese? Why?

The almond/hazlenut thang can be done in the oven since
that process can tolerate a higher temperature - plus
you'd want them too dry quickly - food dehydrator is
really low and slow.

-sw

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" wrote in message - I've been thinking about
buying a food

dehydrator. I'm tending toward the Excalibur, probably the 9
tray model.<

Quoted message said:

It costs about $200. Anyone have any opinions on
dehydrators? Any

suggestions on what to do with them?<

Quoted message said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a

flavor coating. I've been thinking it might be fun to
experiment with drying sliced meat and cheese.<

Okay, why the cheese? Why the nuts for that matter. When you
keep nuts around for too long they dry up losing their
essential oils and suck big time. Meats, yes. Dried fruits,
yes. Mushrooms, yes. Probably other things as well but nuts
and cheese sound disastrous.

Suzan

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been thinking about buying a food dehydrator. I'm
tending toward the Excalibur, probably the 9 tray model.
It costs about $200.

Anyone have any opinions on dehydrators?

Any suggestions on what to do with them?

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking it might
be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat and cheese.

Excalibur is the way to go-BUT get the model with the timer
on it-it'll shut off when done (I have the older one w/o the
timer). As to drying cheese-sounds silly to me.

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 22:50:19 GMT, Mark Thorson <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I've been thinking about buying a food dehydrator. I'm
tending toward the Excalibur, probably the 9 tray model. It
costs about $200.

Anyone have any opinions on dehydrators?

I had one about 20 yr ago. It doubled my electric bill. Plus
after a while, I lost interest :>.

Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

I have a lovely "ronco " food dehydrator circa 1983. it
works great, when I use
it. Some simple dehydrators are as simple as a "screen and
the sun", but I have seen dehydrators using a lighbulb
in an enclosed space.

Check out the library for a book called "dry it - you'll
like it." by gen macmaniman. It includes recipes.

take care Liz

Mark Thorson said:

I've been thinking about buying a food dehydrator. I'm
tending toward the Excalibur, probably the 9 tray model. It
costs about $200.

Anyone have any opinions on dehydrators?

Any suggestions on what to do with them?

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking it might
be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat and cheese.

Reg <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Mark Thorson said:

Any suggestions on what to do with them?

I've seen much wisdom on the subject in
rec.food.preserving

I'd use a food dehydrator to dehydrate food....Probably
won't work well as a cement drying tool or a slow cooker.
Possibly on veggies or fruits that I like maybe even on
beef jerky.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on
nothing but food and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

Steve Wertz said:

Mark Thorson said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking it might
be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat and cheese.

Dried cheese? Why?

It's an expeeerrriment.

To boldy go where no man has gone before, if you need a
reason.

Quoted message said:

The almond/hazlenut thang can be done in the oven since
that process can tolerate a higher temperature - plus
you'd want them too dry quickly - food dehydrator is
really low and slow.

Except that these are high-capsaicin-flavored nuts, and
capsaicin is volatile. Slow and low heat is better than
fast and hot.

Orion said:

Quoted message said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a

flavor coating. I've been thinking it might be fun to
experiment with drying sliced meat and cheese.<

Okay, why the cheese?

It's a FREAKIN' EXPERIMENT

Quoted message said:

Why the nuts for that matter.

Because the nuts are WET after applying the flavor coating,
and I'd prefer that they were FREAKIN' DRY.

Quoted message said:

When you keep nuts around for too long they dry up losing
their essential oils and suck big time. Meats, yes.

I wasn't planning on entombing them with any FREAKIN'
PHAROAHS.

Quoted message said:

Dried fruits, yes. Mushrooms, yes. Probably other things
as well but nuts and cheese sound disastrous.

Oh, well then. Don't do it because the WORLD'S GREATEST
FREAKIN' GENIUS has already decided it won't work.

Riiiiight. If everybody thought like that, we wouldn't have

Quoted message said:

Suzan

I'm sure life with you is a blast. Not.

Kswck said:

As to drying cheese-sounds silly to me.

Oh yeah? After I make a billion dollars as "The King of
Dried Cheese", we'll see who's silly then!

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Orion said:

Quoted message said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts
after giving them a

flavor coating. I've been thinking it might be fun to
experiment with

drying

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sliced meat and cheese.<

Okay, why the cheese?

It's a FREAKIN' EXPERIMENT

Quoted message said:

Why the nuts for that matter.

Because the nuts are WET after applying the flavor
coating, and I'd prefer that they were FREAKIN' DRY.

Quoted message said:

When you keep nuts around for too long they dry up
losing their essential oils and suck big time.
Meats, yes.

I wasn't planning on entombing them with any FREAKIN'
PHAROAHS.

Quoted message said:

Dried fruits, yes. Mushrooms, yes. Probably other things
as well but nuts and cheese sound disastrous.

Oh, well then. Don't do it because the WORLD'S GREATEST
FREAKIN' GENIUS has already decided it won't work.

Riiiiight. If everybody thought like that, we
wouldn't have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Suzan

I'm sure life with you is a blast. Not.

I don't think it's worth getting all excited about. Just pay
your $200 and dry your cheese and almonds. The end.

Dora

On Sun, 27 Jun 2004 04:45:48 GMT, Mark Thorson <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Steve Wertz said:

Mark Thorson said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking it
might be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat and
cheese.

Dried cheese? Why?

It's an expeeerrriment.

To boldy go where no man has gone before, if you need
a reason.

Quoted message said:

The almond/hazlenut thang can be done in the oven since
that process can tolerate a higher temperature - plus
you'd want them too dry quickly - food dehydrator is
really low and slow.

Except that these are high-capsaicin-flavored nuts, and
capsaicin is volatile. Slow and low heat is better than
fast and hot.

I never met an oven that wouldn't do 140F. I do nuts like
this all the time (usually pepinos/pepitas - shelled pumpkin-
like seeds) with a cornstarch, salt, celery seed, hot pepper
slurry and it works just fine for drying out the coating.

-sw

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Orion said:

Quoted message said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts
after giving them a

flavor coating. I've been thinking it might be fun to
experiment with

drying

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sliced meat and cheese.<

Okay, why the cheese?

It's a FREAKIN' EXPERIMENT

Quoted message said:

Why the nuts for that matter.

Because the nuts are WET after applying the flavor
coating, and I'd prefer that they were FREAKIN' DRY.

Quoted message said:

When you keep nuts around for too long they dry up
losing their essential oils and suck big time.
Meats, yes.

I wasn't planning on entombing them with any FREAKIN'
PHAROAHS.

Quoted message said:

Dried fruits, yes. Mushrooms, yes. Probably other things
as well but nuts and cheese sound disastrous.

Oh, well then. Don't do it because the WORLD'S GREATEST
FREAKIN' GENIUS has already decided it won't work.

Riiiiight. If everybody thought like that, we
wouldn't have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Suzan

I'm sure life with you is a blast. Not.

comments or suggestions, if not guess posting on a newsgroup
opens you up for that.

Moron.

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Kswck said:

As to drying cheese-sounds silly to me.

Oh yeah? After I make a billion dollars as "The King of
Dried Cheese", we'll see who's silly then!

Uh-huh.

On Sun, 27 Jun 2004 04:45:48 GMT, Mark Thorson <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Steve Wertz said:

Mark Thorson said:

My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts after
giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking it
might be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat and
cheese.

Dried cheese? Why?

It's an expeeerrriment.

To boldy go where no man has gone before, if you need
a reason.

Someone has already gone there. Sorry!

Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Steve Wertz said:

Mark Thorson said:

Except that these are high-capsaicin-flavored nuts, and
capsaicin is volatile. Slow and low heat is better than
fast and hot.

I never met an oven that wouldn't do 140F. I do nuts like
this all the time (usually pepinos/pepitas - shelled pumpkin-
like seeds) with a cornstarch, salt, celery seed, hot
pepper slurry and it works just fine for drying out the
coating.

I've been using my PIECE OF [censored] Toastmaster convection
oven, though after about a year of light, occasional use the
fan motor has trouble starting up. I'm just about to dump
it, and a dehydrator seems like what I should have gotten in
the first place.

The Excalibur dehydrators appear to be on sale currently,
possibly due to a major model change. The new ones have
all-polycarbonate construction (as opposed to ABS in the
older models). I'm not sure whether I should go with the
older or newer models. Anyone have an opinion which is the
better plastic?

What's the purpose of the cornstarch? My coating is 1 part
sugar dissolved in 5 parts soy sauce, then after the sugar
is completely dissolved add 5 parts Dave's Insanity Sauce.
Obviously I care about not losing any capsaicin.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Steve Wertz said:

Mark Thorson said:

Steve Wertz said:

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 22:50:19 GMT, Mark Thorson
<[email hidden]> wrote:

>My main use would be to dry almonds and hazelnuts
>after giving them a flavor coating. I've been thinking
>it might be fun to experiment with drying sliced meat
>and cheese.

Dried cheese? Why?

It's an expeeerrriment.

To boldy go where no man has gone before, if you need a
reason.

Quoted message said:

The almond/hazlenut thang can be done in the oven since
that process can tolerate a higher temperature - plus
you'd want them too dry quickly - food dehydrator is
really low and slow.

Except that these are high-capsaicin-flavored nuts, and
capsaicin is volatile. Slow and low heat is better than
fast and hot.

I never met an oven that wouldn't do 140F. I do nuts like
this all the time (usually pepinos/pepitas - shelled pumpkin-
like seeds) with a cornstarch, salt, celery seed, hot
pepper slurry and it works just fine for drying out the
coating.

-sw

Deyhdrators use less electricity and don't heat up the
house. That's a real consideration during the summer. :-)

K. (who loves her $40.00 convection dehydrator...)

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

Quoted message said:

,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

cgi6.ebay.comeBayISAPI.dllOpen ↗
&include=0&userid=katra

Nobody so far has pointed out that frost-free refrigerators
will dehydrate anything that isn't wrapped in plastic. And
so, for that matter, will the freezer compartment,
eventually.

Surely the way for preserving capseicin.

I have made duck breast "ham" in the fridge. It needs
experiment to get the salt, time, etc. all to taste.

Rodney Myrvaagnes Opinionated old geezer

Brutal dictators are routinely reelected by 90+% margins.
Only in a truly advanced democracy can one win an election
by a negative 600,000 votes.

On Sun, 27 Jun 2004 17:30:56 GMT, Mark Thorson <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Steve Wertz wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I never met an oven that wouldn't do 140F. I do nuts like
this all the time (usually pepinos/pepitas - shelled pumpkin-
like seeds) with a cornstarch, salt, celery seed, hot
pepper slurry and it works just fine for drying out the
coating.

Quoted message said:

What's the purpose of the cornstarch? My coating is 1 part
sugar dissolved in 5 parts soy sauce, then after the sugar
is completely dissolved add 5 parts Dave's Insanity Sauce.
Obviously I care about not losing any capsaicin.

It makes the spices adhere to the finished product better -
more like those Planters dry roasted/seasoned peanuts.
Doesn't rub or shake off, Provides a nice texture. I do hot
nuts, and Spike(tm) nuts - sugar only makes up maybe 4% of
my "nut rubs".

Spike is a commercial seasoned salt sold in bulk (or
bottles) for really cheap.

-sw