The WE2's Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Had someone gift us with a whole lotta green bananas! :-) We put them in paper grocery bags with an apple for about 4 days, and today they were ready for the dehydrators. The peels were still a bit green but the flesh was perfect. Not a bit squishy. Also caught chocolate mint patties at $Tree so was able to put back 3 quarts of them, with a 300cc OA. We'll enjoy them when the snow's aflyin' Quote Link to comment
Jeepers Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 That's a tall dehydrator you got going there! I'm still trying to talk myself into getting an Excaliber dehydrator. I've had it in my wish list at Amazon for a few months but I'm having trouble justifying the cost. I want a new dehydrator because I need one with a thermostat on it. I could get a Nesco with a temperature setting for close to $100.00 with added trays. The Excaliber on my list is $200.00 and it's the last one I'd ever have to buy. I'm really having trouble finalizing the sale. Quote Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) The box type dehydrators that have trays that fit into a cabinet [as opposed to the round stacking trays] can be used for making yogurt. If that tips the scale toward Excalibur? MtRider Edited December 15, 2015 by Mt_Rider 1 Quote Link to comment
Daylily Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 OT but..WE2, you said it would taste good when the snow's a-flyin' reminded me of my grandma. When I was a young girl and was helping her prepare food for canning, I would get tired and want to quit. She would always say, "But think how good this will be when the snow's a-flyin'!". Now my family uses that phrase when we're canning and wishing we were doing something else! Quote Link to comment
Twilight Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 If you dehydrate potatoes not long enough they will smell just like rotten potatoes because that is what they are. Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 OT but..WE2, you said it would taste good when the snow's a-flyin' reminded me of my grandma. When I was a young girl and was helping her prepare food for canning, I would get tired and want to quit. She would always say, "But think how good this will be when the snow's a-flyin'!". Now my family uses that phrase when we're canning and wishing we were doing something else! Does that date me? LOL Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 I don't even try to dehydrate potatoes :-) Tried it ONCE when I got my first dehydrater and even spraying with lemon juice, they turned black. Yuck! Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 Yep, there's a lot of trays on both dehydraters :-) Eleven on one and Fifteen on the other. I have several dehydrators...one is none ya know? Quote Link to comment
Jeepers Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) :frying pan: I finally made up my mind to order the blasted Excaliber dehydrator and ...IT'S SOLD OUT! Serves me right for stalling around. I guess I'll look at some others. That was a 9 tray one. Maybe I'll look at the 5 tray ones. A 7 tray one would be perfect but I didn't see any. I made a list of all the things I want to get dehydrated this winter and decided a one time purchase for the Excaliber was worth it for me. Sigh. I checked out the 5 tray ones. They cost about as much as the 9 tray. Edited December 16, 2015 by Jeepers Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 :frying pan: I finally made up my mind to order the blasted Excaliber dehydrator and ...IT'S SOLD OUT! Serves me right for stalling around. I guess I'll look at some others. That was a 9 tray one. Maybe I'll look at the 5 tray ones. A 7 tray one would be perfect but I didn't see any. I made a list of all the things I want to get dehydrated this winter and decided a one time purchase for the Excaliber was worth it for me. Sigh. I checked out the 5 tray ones. They cost about as much as the 9 tray. I've heard from several people, be SURE to order all the trays, mesh liners and leather liners that you'll need for the number of trays your unit will hold because they're hard to come by. Just tellin' ya what I've heard :-) I know we had a time finding the right ones for our big dehydrator. But I've got what I need for it. The other one I use consistently has enough trays but I'm going to have to make a visit to WM to buy the mesh so I can just make my own for it, and will use parchment paper for the leather trays. The one that's never been opened? guess I should check to see if the trays for my little one will work on it :-) Quote Link to comment
Jeepers Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I bit the bullet and ordered one. I got the extra liners with it too; the ones for making leathers. The model is the next step up. It has a timer where the other one didn't. I would have been satisfied without one though. It was the only one left. I'm thinking lots of people must be getting a dehydrator for Christmas this year! It was almost $50.00 more but since I didn't have to run my air conditioner this summer and I haven't had to pay the snow plow guy yet and this winter has been kind to my gas bill...yeah, I'm justifying. My son used my other one for drying hot peppers so I'll just let him have it. Merry Christmas kid! Quote Link to comment
Daylily Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 You must have learned that phrase from your grandma too! Quote Link to comment
WormGuy Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I don't even try to dehydrate potatoes :-) Tried it ONCE when I got my first dehydrater and even spraying with lemon juice, they turned black. Yuck! Did you blanch them first? John Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 I don't even try to dehydrate potatoes :-) Tried it ONCE when I got my first dehydrater and even spraying with lemon juice, they turned black. Yuck! Did you blanch them first? John Yep, and they still were white in the middle and black or gray around the edges (cubes). I now just buy potatoes, bake them, then freeze them when they're cool....or I simply can them :-) Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Twelve trays of diced tomatoes. Four more cans to go (ran out of trays & mesh trays) then we should have plenty of tomatoes for the winter and into plant/harvest time. Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 Got the dehydrating done for today :-) Still have 4 more #10's of diced tomatoes to do though, but...they'll wait. Gave us 9 half pints of dried produce :-) Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 Got a pleasant surprise yesterday :-) Three trays for my big dehydrator had slipped behind the shelving unit so I know why I was 3 short! LOL Quote Link to comment
Daylily Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 LOL! Glad you found them! Quote Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Those dehydrator shelves.... sneaky! I lost all but one of my "fruit leather" trays. They never did show up again but at least I've got everything else after being reunited with my dehydrator and a lot of other stuff after our stint on Maui. MtRider ...glad yours came home! Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 I keep a white trash bag with the pull strings for the trays, mesh & leathers for the big dehydrator (it's 16 shelves) and a large Cabelas bag for the smaller dehydrator and it's mesh & leathers (12 shelves...?) but somehow these slipped out and behind. I'm thinking in my hurry after washing and drying them, I just sat them on top of the bag :-( Won't do that no mo, no mo! Quote Link to comment
The WE2's Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Had some left-over diced tomatoes that I used in my meatloaf session, so they're in two trays of the dehydrator :-) Quote Link to comment
RoseMarie Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) My online friend that sort of talked me into the excalibur has had hers since the early 80's and I have seen where so many folks say they have had theirs 25 and 30 years. Just so worth it when something last that long. Hubby and my daughter got me mine for Christmas and I have had it going almost the whole time. I have dehydrated loads of stuff now and am trying to clean out my old old freezer because I worry about losing my food if it goes bad. I dread when it finally goes out because from what I hear these they're making now a days don't last but around 10 years. This one is almost 37 years old. Anyway I am slowly but surely getting my food out dehydrating it. 4-5-6 bags at a time. I am Deh. corn, peas, and blueberries now. Deh. blueberries, okra and corn yesterday. Edited January 31, 2016 by RoseMarie Quote Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 My blueberries in the freezer were many years old. Found them near the bottom. They were SO dehydrated from being in there so long. I simmered them with sugar/water for a while. They plumped right up. Then added a bit of corn starch and had the best topping for pancakes. MtRider .....assume it would work for blueberries that you've INTENTIONALLY dehydrated too. Quote Link to comment
Jeepers Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 I've had my Excalibur for a couple of months now and really love it. I've only had time to do some frozen corn but it is working out great. I figured it will be the last dehydrator I'll ever have to buy. I like that I don't have to keep flipping the trays around to get things to dry evenly. I also needed one with a thermostat. I know I'll be using it a lot more this summer.Time just hasn't been on my side lately. I've read where fresh blueberries need to either be stuck with a pin or blanched before dehydrating because they have a natural waxy coating on them. I've never done them so I'm not sure about that. I have frozen them and they are good to eat frozen. Pop them in your mouth and let them melt a little then chew. Quote Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I've heard that about dehydrating blueberries too.....the waxy coat thing. A quick dip in boiling water could be easier than nicking them. MtRider Quote Link to comment
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