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Dehydrator 101 questions

Hi everyone,

My beloved bought me dehydrator today and I'm confused already.

I thought the simplest thing to do would be to start with basic fruits. The instrustions state that I should start out on 130 degress. I have apples and plums now going at 95 degrees. Is this safe? I wasn't able to find the information on google. Maybe I should be dehydrating fruits at all? Good grief!

Also, I bought sweet potatoes for the dog to dehydrate later. I'm okay with setting them on a higher temp (the dog isn't quite raw yet and it saves buying her usual expensive "Bishon Fries" :) ) but could vegetables be dried at a lower temp too? Maybe dehydrated veggies are gross anyway?

One more, I saw the loveliest receipes for crackers on another discussion. What temp do they start at and approximately how long does it take?

Thanks everyone. I'm pretty new to this but so willing to learn. :) I'm so glad you all are here.

Have a wonderful day!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by bitt on October 18, 2009 at 12:24am

There are a lot of debates about what temperatures to dehydrate at. Most people agree that enzymes are killed at about 115 degrees give or take. But lots of raw chefs have said that you can crank the heat up to about 135 or so for about an hour without getting the food to that temperature.

As for dehydrating apples, unless you slice them really thin it will take awhile to dehydrate. Things with a lot of water can take a day or two. My main mistake at first was taking things out too early.

For crackers, you want to spread pretty thin and dehydrate at 115* until really dry. Usually overnight then cut then maybe a few more hours. Plan ahead!

* I have a thermometer and even when I set the temp at 115 the air is still only about 110.

Permalink Reply by Mari Safari on October 19, 2009 at 11:16pm

Thanks ladies!

I bought a basic Nesco American Harvest dehyrator. I know the Excalibur is the one to lust after but I've been trying to keep the raw thing as quiet as I can. I have golf clubs and tennis rackets used twice, if you know what I mean. :)

Nothing came out delicious, that's for sure. My 'cracker' were a fiasco. I just mixed soaked flax, juice pulp and salt. The term I used to discribe them was "lawn clippings". I think I really need to look at reciepes. I only cooked once in my life (from the Help! My apartment has a kitchen cookbook) so I'm really new to the kitchen. Still optimistic though!

I think I need as few trays too. This only came with one.

Permalink Reply by bitt on October 20, 2009 at 1:48am

at first i tried to make stuff up too. then i learned to go to recipes that everyone LOVES. start there.

Mari Vigesaa said:

Thanks ladies!

I bought a basic Nesco American Harvest dehyrator. I know the Excalibur is the one to lust after but I've been trying to keep the raw thing as quiet as I can. I have golf clubs and tennis rackets used twice, if you know what I mean. :)

Nothing came out delicious, that's for sure. My 'cracker' were a fiasco. I just mixed soaked flax, juice pulp and salt. The term I used to discribe them was "lawn clippings". I think I really need to look at reciepes. I only cooked once in my life (from the Help! My apartment has a kitchen cookbook) so I'm really new to the kitchen. Still optimistic though!

I think I need as few trays too. This only came with one.

Permalink Reply by Mari Safari on October 20, 2009 at 11:00am

Lol. That made me feel better.

Anyone have a basic reciepe to start out? The more ingredients, the less likely I am to do it. The ones people listed on this site look intense!

Permalink Reply by Cathy*A on October 10, 2010 at 12:32am

Julie: Thank you for sharing your banana recipes. I'm definitely going to give these a whirl. They look delicious!

Permalink Reply by Terri on January 21, 2011 at 11:08am

Dehydrating tip: do not use wax paper.....What WAS I thinking?? I was being my usual obsessive self - wanting make as much pre-prepared food as possible so I was never tempted to eat S.A.D food... I was dehydrating tortilla's and also making the Almond Flax Crackers....only the tortillas took up all my teflex sheets so I USED WAX paper...be warned everyone!! WAX WILL NOT WORK in the dehydrator!! All my lovely ALMOND FLAX MIXTURE STUCK to the wax paper. I was trying really hard to pull off the wax and salvage any portion. I could only salvage enough to TEASE my taste buds...I will be making the ALMOND FLAX Crackers again this weekend - they are DDDDelicious!! So, I know am a silly girl and just have to laugh and move on! Can't wait to find time to make these crackers again...hmmm....yuummmmm....can't wait....... I wasn't sure where to post this!

Permalink Reply by Terri on January 21, 2011 at 11:42am

YUM!! Thank you for sharing this, Julie!

Julie said:

Bananas are easy to dry and so yummy. I use bananas that aren't green but not too ripe either. Slice about 1/4" spread them around and set on 115 or so. I usually check them and at some time when they can be peeled off and turned over I do that. But if you forget thats ok too. I don't know how long I dry them, overnight is probably enough. You'll know when, they aren't gooey anymore. I put them in a big jar on the counter good for when you are having sweet cravings.

And along those lines I also mash up bananas (can be riper than the above ones) with chopped up pecans and cinnamon, even some raisins if you have them. I spread this thick stuff on dehydrator sheets in little pancake circles and dry @ 115. Flip and dry more. Take them out and roll up - they aren't real pretty but they taste just like banana bread! You can play with this recipe - maybe add a bit of grated zuchini (zuchini bread!) or grated carrot (carrot cake!) vanilla bean, crated coconut etc.