Simple Food Dehydration to Store and Preserve is a great way to cut storage costs, save storage space, extend shelf life, save money and utilize your garden to the max!
We have a large chamber we converted to use for curing tobacco and it now is used for a large dehydrator. It is as big as the now extinct “telephone booth” . It is great for large batches but not so great for those small picking that are common in a garden’s early life and later towards the ends.
We bought a cheapy model from Ebay for $37 and it does great! I will not say how long it will last but so far it is doing what we wanted it to do.
How does dehydration work?
Dehydration removes the water from the object being dried and does so at a temperature that discourages mold from forming during the drying process. Mold and bacteria need water/ moisture to flourish and spoil our foods. Removing the water to a safe level extends the shelf life of the dried foods.
How long will dried foods last?
They will last in most cases well through our desired goal which is from season to season but properly done they can last many years! Google the “prepper” and “homesteading” sites for more detailed information.
How much space do they save in your food pantry?
LOTS! We dried 12 cans of whole kernel corn and 2 cans of carrots and the result fit into 1 quart mason jar! We also dried 10# of roma tomatoes and had a little over 1 pint of tomato paste!
What is the taste of the dried product?
Very similar in taste and texture is sometimes noticed but not a problem. You can add directly to stew and such or re-hydrate to be used similar to fresh
What other way does dehydrating foods help me?
- Dehydrated foods do not require electricity to store
- They take up less space to inventory
- They save you precious time when cooking
- You can introduce your family to healthy snacks like banana chips
- You can make your own jerky for a fraction of the cost of store bought
- You get the pride that goes with doing something yourself
