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MCaver
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PostSun May 06, 2007 11:05 pm 
I'm seriously considering buying a food dehydrator, but I know virtually nothing about them. There seem to be several threads here about ideas for dehydration, but I don't see anything about the hydrators themselves. Anyone have any recommendations for type, brand or a good place to buy one? Anything I should know before I get one?

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nuclear_eggset
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PostSun May 06, 2007 11:41 pm 
when I did research for one, I ended up going with an excalibur. more expensive, but better temperature control, longevity, durability, and air circulation. the square sheets are nice too. smile.gif

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henrysunset
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PostSun May 06, 2007 11:45 pm 
valve Village
Try Value Village. they often have cheap ones for 5-10 $ Try a few batches before spending More $. If you are like me you will only use it a few times a year

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Andrew
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PostSun May 06, 2007 11:49 pm 
You can try Alton Brown's contraption similar to this method. Instead of poultry netting, buy the 3M furnace filters and stack. Attach with short bungees. cool.gif

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snowflake
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PostSun May 06, 2007 11:56 pm 
They all work good, even the cheapies. The better one's have a heat adjustment level, and thats better. They are available at your better thrift stores for around $10 or brand new at Fred Meier for around $30.

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Starjumper7
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PostMon May 07, 2007 8:25 am 
I use this round type with stacking trays. There are a lot of different brands that use this style and it seems like a really good design, the brand I have is American Harvest, which has been good. It should have a temperature selector, and I keep mine at 95 degrees. If the temperature goes much over 95 then you start destroying enzymes and flavor so the food ends up not being as nutritious or good tasting as it otherwise would. Some brands no doubt have quieter fans than others.

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Yana
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PostMon May 07, 2007 8:46 am 
I have an American Harvest Snackmaster (runs about $60). It's pretty simple, but you can adjust the temperature, which is a very important feature in dehydrators. It comes with four trays (you can buy more), and you can stack as few or as many as you need in order to optimize the drying process. I recommend taking a look at this book. I actually don't really use any of the "recipes" in it, but it has an excellent discussion about food dehydrators, how to choose a good one, what foods can be dehydrated and how, the optimal way to dehydrate, etc., etc. It will give you an idea of whether or not dehydrating would work for your needs.

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
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MCaver
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PostMon May 07, 2007 9:34 am 
Good info, guys! Thanks! So how long does dehydrated food last? I'm thinking more of fruits than anything else right now. Weeks? Months?

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Yana
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PostMon May 07, 2007 9:45 am 
It depends on how well you store it. In my experience, if you keep it in a cool, dry place, appropriately packaged, and well protected from sunlight, it can last a couple of years (though the books will never suggest keeping it that long). Some people also stick it in the freezer or fridge to extend longevity (but that can backfire if you have a self-defrosting freezer).

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
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sarbar
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PostMon May 07, 2007 11:43 am 
Nesco Snackmaster is a good choice. Amazon often has good buys on them. A top blower works better. Storage? A year with no issues, as long as you store it right (tightly sealed, away from moisture/light). Meat items you want to freeze after drying, and try to use up in a couple months.

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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Locutus
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PostWed May 09, 2007 12:12 pm 
Anyone know if this one's any good?

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sarbar
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PostWed May 09, 2007 12:21 pm 
Locutus wrote:
Anyone know if this one's any good?
It will do just fine. Btw, parchment paper cut to fit is reusable for lining trays smile.gif

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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Locutus
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PostWed May 09, 2007 1:24 pm 
sarbar wrote:
Btw, parchment paper cut to fit is reusable for lining trays smile.gif
That's an excellent idea. It'd probably have taken me several annoying clean-outs of the trays before I thought of it. Thanks!

I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.
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sarbar
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PostWed May 09, 2007 1:45 pm 
I know I could go buy real liners for the trays, but that takes effort and time and me spending money biggrin.gif I think my current batch of parchment paper liners are on their 10th round of drying. I use them when I do stuff like canned beans, hamburger, vegetables or anything liquidy. Pretty much, I use the liners 90% of the time. It makes cleanup easy, and all I have to do is pick them up carefully and dump the dry food into a bag for storage.

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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Starjumper7
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PostWed May 09, 2007 4:54 pm 
I've never tried drying meat before, but is that hamburger you're drying cooked or uncooked?? inquiring minds want to know. I imagine the meats are things you dry at the higher temperatures?

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