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Tips on Using a Food Dehydrator

Food Drying Techniques for Succesfully Making Jerky, Dried Fruit or Dried Vegetables

By food-dehydrator.com

Use these food dehydrator tips and techniques to successfully make dried fruit, dried vegetables and jerky.

  • If a food dehydrator has removable drying trays, prior to food drying, remove any trays that are not being used to hold food. This will concentrate the heat and air flow directed at the food and improve and shorten drying times.

  • It is best to simultaneously dry foods that require the same drying times. If drying foods that require different dehydrating times, start the longest drying foods first and then add the shorter drying foods aiming to have all foods finish drying at approximately the same time.

  • Place juicy or dripping fruits or meats on the lowest trays of the food dehydrator to avoid drips onto other drying foods.

  • Especially for juicy or dripping foods, consider lining an empty, bottom tray with parchment paper to avoid messy drips or spills onto the bottom of the food dehydrator thus making cleanup easier.

  • If dehydrating foods of different sizes and shapes, like cherries and potatoes, arrange the foods by shape by food drying tray. This will make checking whether the foods are properly dried much easier.

  • After removing dried food from the dehydrator, allow it to cool off before placing it in a storage container. Warm foods can sweat a bit while cooling and otherwise leave some moisture in the container.

  • Place dried food in airtight storage containers that have tightly sealing lids. It is best to fill up the storage containers and not leave ample space within.

  • In order to monitor dried food shelf life, leave a small paper note on the storage container listing the dehydrated food type (jerky, dried fruit or dried vegetable) and the storage date.

    Published 8/17/2009 12:00:00 AM

    Tags: Shelf Life, Drying Time

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