I came across an article that suggests how you might put a food dryer to use for tasks other than drying food. The terms of use for the article require that I not change a word in it. However, I want to point out that the author clearly has an agenda to get you thinking there’s something special about a particular brand of food dryer. Never mind that. The suggestions for how to use a food dryer are both creative and useful.

Please enjoy this article about practical uses for a food dehydrator:

Actually… when I published the article, Google immediately trashed the ranking of my Food Dryer blog. This has become a recurring problem for articles I’ve republished from article services. So… I’ve taken down the original article and have paraphrased it below. Because of this recurring problem, I will no longer publish the full text of previously-published articles in this blog.

I hope you’ll still visit; I’ll continue to post information about drying fruits, vegetables, and meats, and about the equipment available to help with these projects.

My Spin on 11 Ways to use a Food Dryer

An eZine articles piece describing 11 odd but practical uses for a food dryer offers… well, eleven suggestions for how you might use a food dryer. Please visit the original article for details. Here are the suggested uses:

1. DRY PASTA: When you make your own noodles, your dehydrator can dry them quickly.

2. MAKE INSTANT PASTA: Have you ever eaten Ramen noodles? They’re actually dehydrated cooked noodles. This explains why they cook so rapidly. If you dehydrate your own cooked noodles, they’ll rehydrate quickly in boiling hot water.

3. REFRESH CRACKERS: When crackers get soft or a bit stale, revive them with a stint in your food dryer.

4. HUMIDIFY: A food dryer pulls moisture from food, and blows it into the air. If your house is dry, you can add moisture to the air by dehydrating several plates of water.

5. MASK ODORS: Do you want to get that fishy or deep-frying odor out of your house? Run a few slices of orange, lime, lemon, or grapefruit in the dehydrator for several hours.

6. AROMATHERAPY: You can use your food dryer as an aroma therapy diffuser: use your favorite scented oils and herbs, place them in a small open container, and set it on a rack in the dehydrator for the duration of your aromatherapy treatment.

7. MAKE BREAD CRUMBS: It’s easier to make bread crumbs from old bread if you dry the bread thoroughly before grating it or processing it in a food processor. So, first leave the bread in your food dryer until it gets particularly arid..

8. MAKE POTPOURRI: The sky may be the limit on what you include in your own potpourri. Dry citrus peels, herbs, flower petals, and grasses, then mix them in your own blends.

9. MAKE FIRE STARTERS: Apparently, dried citrus peels contain enough oil that they burn very nicely. When you peel an orange, dry the peels thoroughly and add the finished product to your emergency survival kit.

10. SNACKS FOR YOUR PETS: Buy parts of animals that you’d never eat, such as ears, snouts, and feet. Process them in your food dryer, and they make terrific chew-treats for your dogs.

11. VEGETABLE AND FRUIT POWDER SEASONING: An Indian dish I particularly enjoy calls for mango powder, which isn’t available in stores where I live. I can buy whole mangos, slice them up, and dry them in my food dryer. Then I process them to powder in my food processor and I have mango powder. You can do this with any fruit or vegetable to create great seasonings you can’t buy in a grocery store’s spice section.

Technorati Tags: dehydrator, dehydrator projects, food dryer projects

If you are a chronic food dryer, you might not be aware: the industry seems to think that making jerky is a seasonal activity. Stange as it may seem, we’re just now coming into the jerky season. And, while a lot of food dryers as busy preserving fruits and vegetables for the coming winter, why not load up the dehydrator and crank out a few trays of delicious beef jerky as well?

I’ve lined up several jerky recipes for the coming months. This one is a bit exotic. I hope you enjoy it!

Hawaiian Beef Jerky

Delicious Hawaiian Beef Jerky Recipe

By Caleb Liu

When you think Hawaii, you may think of tropical. And when you think tropical, you think of pineapple. But that is just one of the many tastes associated with the Pacific Island state. Hawaii is really a melting pot of a state and a melting pot of cultures; much of their food has a blend of flavors.

When it comes to a beef jerky recipe with a Hawaiian flair, it’s no wonder then that there are a variety of flavors that will create a luau inside anyone’s mouth!

Below is a recipe for Hawaiian beef jerky. This recipe, as mentioned above contains several different flavor bursts. There is some ginger for spice. Some brown sugar for sweetness. Some pepper and Cayenne pepper for a little fire. Some soy sauce for saltiness. And we can’t forget that pineapple.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean meat, thinly sliced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 crushed garlic clove

• 1/4 c pineapple juice

• 1/4 c soy sauce

Directions:

1. Slice meat in thin strips.

2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients of marinade and mix well.

3. Place meat 3-4 layers deep in a container, spooning sauce mixture over each layer.

4. Cover tightly and marinate 6-12 hours in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.

5. Layout on trays, 24 to 36 hours in dehydrator (or follow directions for oven).

Now all you need is a grass skirt and some coconut milk!

REVIEW: Not sure if you can make your own?

Analei V. of Salem always wanted to go to Hawaii. At least she got a taste of Hawaiian beef jerky when she tried a piece of her friend’s Holston Mountain Hawaiian Beef Jerky. The website said that the jerky is sweeter than its other flavors. Analei agreed saying, “There was a real hint of pineapple, which was an interesting combination for beef. I am so used to pineapple being on ham. This was a unique jerky. I didn’t even know you could have fruity jerky! The piece of jerky was huge, too. I am used to thin sticks, but this was an enormous piece. A little hard to chew.” The Holston Mountain Hawaiian Jerky is available on their website in three sizes from $8-$21.

If you found this information on hawaiian beef jerky useful, you’ll want to read this article about beef jerky seasoning salt.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caleb_Liu
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hawaiian-Beef-Jerky—Delicious-Hawaiian-Beef-Jerky-Recipe&id=554277

Technorati Tags: Beef jerky, dehydrator, making jerky

The embeded video shows an industrial-strength solar food dryer. If you’re mechanically inclined, there’s enough in it that you could design and build your own. Of course, you don’t have to go to such extremes to make a solar food dryer. A quick search of the internet can turn up plans for several smaller dryers. The video is only a minute long. Please enjoy it:

Solar Food Dehydration

Ron Berezan, The Urban Farmer describes how his simple home made solar dehydrator works.

Duration : 0:0:57

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Technorati Tags: dehydrator, drier, drying, food, how-to, solar

Store-bought beef jerky comes in many varieties, and some are very tasty. However, jerky you make at home is likely to be far tastier than any you buy in a store. Today’s post explains how to make beef jerky and includes a recipe for a simple jerky marinade.

Making Beef Jerky at Home

Simple, Inexpensive, & Delicious!

By Warren Ransom

Beef jerky is nothing more than dried meat, a shelf stable and nutritious, tasty treat. As moisture is removed, flavors concentrate, and any additional seasonings added to the meat take on a life of their own. Making beef jerky at home is an incredibly simple process, and requires no special equipment. Beef jerky can be stored for long periods of time without going bad, and makes for a healthy, tasty snack any time. Most people think beef jerky is only found in hermetically sealed bags in the grocery store, however making jerky at home, out of any meat, is accomplished with just a few steps and may be tailored to any taste you prefer, from smoky, to sweet, to spicy.

Before modern food processing, man made jerky out of any available meat, with no more than the sun or a campfire. As long as the meat is lean and prepared properly, it can easily be made into jerky. These days, a person can better tailor the results to any taste preference, and making jerky at home is as easy as preparing the meat, marinating it and setting it out to dry. These days, jerky is surprisingly popular, and every grocery store seems to carry some. It can be found in convenience stores, and in some areas it is even sold by the side of the road. Store bough jerky can be an expensive item, however, and often the meat has been treated with additives. Also, any time you buy a prepared item at the store, you should expect to pay a premium over home made items. An easy way to keep costs down, and ensure your jerky is just the way you want it, is to make it yourself. Jerky is also an easy way to preserve game meat such as venison or elk, which many people may hunt and find themselves with an abundance of meat.

Making jerky at home is easy. There are a few simple rules of which you should be aware to ensure both a safe and tasty product.

Most importantly, the meat should be lean. Fatty meat will go rancid and will not dry properly. Fat in the meat will result in a subpar product that won’t last very long out of the refrigerator (or even in it). Commonly, beef is used for jerky, in which case the best cuts to use are flank steak or round steak. Various game meats such as buffalo, elk, venison, caribou, and many others can also be used as long as lean cuts are chosen.

Some people swear by a dehydrator, which is a multi-tasker than can be used for much more than just drying meat. While a dehydrator can make excellent jerky, it is by no means necessary and an oven will easily suffice. A smoker can also make excellent jerky, while imparting a stronger smoky taste, which many people appreciate. Sun drying is possible, but risky if proper safety measures are not taken, and can also take a much longer time to dry your meat effectively.

The easiest way to prepare the meat is by freezing it to the point of firmness but while it is not yet fully frozen. Cut the meat into strips no more than a quarter of an inch thick, half to three quarters of an inch wide, and six to eight inches long for the perfect working size. You should cut the meat across the grain to ensure a proper finished texture, and again, make sure than all visible fat and gristle has been removed.

Seasonings are multiple and varied. In the olden days, beef was merely treated with salt and pepper and dried, which actually results in quite a satisfying end product. Meat is more commonly marinated these days, however, but there are still many dry rubs and other methods used that can make great beef jerky. Some folks engage in what is called a ‘quick cook’ method to start the process, whereby the meat strips are dropped in a pot of boiling water for a minute or two, which may kill any bacteria that may be on the meat and prepares the meat for a dry rub. While this is one method, often simply marinating the meat for a period of time results in more depth of flavor and is just as safe; however both choices produce tasty beef jerky.

Making Beef Jerky

Most dehydrators will come with instructions for drying jerky, and they usually vary from machine to machine. For most people, the oven is a convenient way of making jerky at home, and is simple and readily available. For this, you will need a wire rack for the meat to dry on and a cookie sheet or low pan underneath to catch the drippings. Generally speaking, set your oven to 140 degrees and let it get to temperature. Prepare and marinate the meat according to your instructions (a great, simple beef jerky recipe will follow this article). Place the strips of meat on the wire rack and place in the oven above the sheet or pan and leave the door of the oven open a crack. The beef jerky should be ready in six to eight hours, and you will know when it is done when it has turned very dark, and when it is bent, it will slightly crack but not break.

If you happen to have a smoker, this is a good option as well since the additional smoke flavor from the smoker will enhance the taste of the jerky in a way that liquid smoke just can’t. Only a small handful of coals should be fine or eight bricks of charcoal if you don’t have any wood handy. Remember to keep the heat down to about 140 degrees as you are not trying to cook the beef, just dry it out. You may have to add some coals as time goes on, as it should take six to eight hours for the beef jerky to be ready.

Storing your jerky

When your jerky has dried, let it cool completely before removing from the rack. Then place it in zip-lock bags or air tight jars. It will keep many weeks in the refrigerator, and will last years in the freezer. Just grab a piece for an anytime snack, or put it in a pocket or bag for an on-the-go treat. Beef jerky is simple and inexpensive to make at home, and a highly nutritious treat for anyone, anywhere.

Easy Basic Beef Jerky Marinade:

1 1/2 lb Lean Boneless Beef
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1 ts Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 ts Onion Powder
1/4 ts Ground Black Pepper
1/4 ts Garlic Powder
1/4 ts Liquid Smoke
Vegetable oil cooking spray for rack

In a medium-size glass, stoneware, plastic or stainless steel bowl, combine soy sauce, Worcestershire, onion powder, pepper, garlic powder, and liquid smoke. Stir to dissolve seasonings. Add meat and mix until all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until next day, stirring occasionally; recover tightly after stirring. Dehydrate according to instructions above.

If you are looking for beef jerky recipes, jerky making tips, and easy how-to instructions, The Jerky FAQ at http://www.jerkyfaq.com is a complete guide to making jerky at home, or finding beef jerky online.

Warren Ransom is a personal chef and manages a number of websites devoted to food and dining.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Warren_Ransom
http://EzineArticles.com/?Making-Beef-Jerky-at-Home—Simple,-Inexpensive,-and-Delicious!&id=1407414

Technorati Tags: Beef jerky, dehydrator, food dryer, jerky, making jerky

While the embeded video in this post lacks some detail, it gives you a decent overview of equipment that seriously simplifies your life if you like to make jerky. The deli-style meat slicer lets you cut thin slices that dry quickly. Thin slices also make more chewable jerky.

Note near the end of the video the cabinet-style food dryer. It consists of a chamber that holds removable trays. This design sets a specific limit on how many trays you can process in one drying.

How Cheryl Merrill Makes Jerky

From meat cutting to marinade, I show you how I make beef jerky. A long-term food storage strategy of mine, after drying the meat in

Duration : 0:4:3

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Technorati Tags: Beef jerky, dehydrator, excaliber dehydrator, food storage, meat storage

Use a hanger, a food dryer, or your freezer to preserve herbs. Whether you grow them in your garden, raise them in containers, or buy them fresh from the grocery store, your herbs will never go to waste if you dry them or freeze them for later use. Today’s post explains the fundamentals:

Preserving Herbs

By Rachel Paxton

An overgrown basil planter can provide ample clippings. If you don’t use all of them in-season, try freezing the spare or dehydrating it in a food dryer.

Harvesting Herbs:

• Harvest in the morning of a hot and dry day–wait until the dew is off the plants.
• Snip off the top growth–about 6 inches of stem below the flower buds.

Drying Herbs:

• If the leaves are clean, don’t wash them–oils are lost in the washing process. If they are dusty, wash briefly under cold water.
• Shake off excess water and hang the herbs, tied in small bunches, in the sun until the water evaporates.
• Hang the bunches (upside down) in a warm, dry place that is well ventilated and free from strong light. To prevent dust from accumulating, put them in a brown paper bag that you’ve punched some holes in to increase circulation.
• If you don’t hang them up, remove the stems and dry them on baking sheets, window screens covered with clear sheeting or cheesecloth, or even on a towel.
• You can also dry herbs in a food dryer. For the best flavor, the temperature in the dryer should stay under 105 degrees F.

Storing Herbs:

• Leaves may be crushed before they are stored away, but they retain their oils better if they are kept whole and crushed right before they are used.
• Herbs should be stored in a cool place, out of strong light, either in dark glass jars, in tins, or behind cabinet e-mail box every Fridays. It’s best to throw them out after a year and resto

Freezing Herbs:

You can harvest sage throughout the season for cooking… or for preserving in your freezer or in a food dryer.

• Blanch herbs before freezing them. Hold them by their stems with tongs and dip them in boiling water briefly, swishing them around a little. When their color brightens, remove them from the water. Blot dry with towels. Remove the stems, chop if you wish, or leave the leaves whole. Lay the dried herbs out in a single layer on wax paper and roll or fold the paper so there is a layer of paper separating each layer of herbs. Then pack, paper and all, in freezer bags or wrap in freezer-rated plastic wrap. To use, break off as much as you need and use frozen. You can also thaw them out in the refrigerator–they will keep for about a week.
• You can freeze individual portions of herbs by making ice cubes out of them. Prepare your herbs by removing the stems and chopping, and then pack them into ice cube trays. Cover with boiling water (to blanch them) and freeze. When frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and store in freezer bags.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more gardening, recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Paxton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Preserving-Herbs&id=112105

Technorati Tags: dehydrator, food dehydrator, herbs

I’m not a fan of mushrooms, but like them or not, this video provides a great look at a food dryer in action. All popular convection food dryers use systems of perforated drying trays – some are round as these are, others are rectangular. You can apply the methods shown in this video to many vegetables and fruits as well.

Dried Mushroom Chips

These are plain white mushroom chips made in a food dehydrator. They are great as a snack as is, or can be used in other recipes

Duration : 0:4:47

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Technorati Tags: chips, dehydrator, dryed food, mushroom, mushrooms

I love the dry humor of this video. It gives you some idea that dehydrating your own produce isn’t rocket science. Still, you can make it as complicated as you like. Please enjoy:

From grapes to chocolate raisins. Home built food dehydrator.

Duration : 0:9:58

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Technorati Tags: chocolate, dehydrator, food, raisins