dehydrating

[Dani]

To Peanut...Did you dry those cayennes whole? I have pile on the table and was thinking I needed to seed them?

I have dried mine whole, just took the stem off first. They turn out fine. I store them in mason jars.

 

[DWinCO]

Thanks for the replies...my project just got much easier for tomorrow!

 

[Bacpacker]

I've never done cayennes in the dehydrator. I always run a needle and 4lb test fishing line and string them up from harvest until near Christmas. Good and dry. Easy to grind and use for red pepper flakes.

 

[Peanut]

@Bacpacker Which grinder do you have that can make pepper flakes? I have a mr coffee electric grinder, mostly for grinding cinnamon. It does fine if I want powder but can't do flakes.

I've looked at a few hundred on amerzon but none say "pepper flakes". I'd like to get hand crank box grinder but have no idea what I'm looking at. Suggestions?

 

[Terri9630]

If the peppers are good and dry you can crunch them up with a mortar and pestle. That's what hubby does. I had to buy a new one just for him so I didn't have spicy onion ad garlic powder.

 

[Bacpacker]

Mortar and pestle

 

[Peanut]

I could pick another mess of cayenne, plenty still in the garden, but I'm calling this chore done.

I took this batch out of the dehydrator today. I packed them tightly in 1/2 pint jars and vacuum sealed them, 6 jars total. I have plenty to give a couple of jars out at christmas to folks I know love cayenne. I'll still have plenty to last me until next year.

I'm going to let the rest go to seed in the garden, plow it under in November. I have my rows marked with flags, maybe I'll have some come up volunteer next spring.

Edit to add... 1/2 pint jars work really well from me. Several years ago I'd have sealed all the cayenne up in a quart jar. But... I'd have to re-vacuum seal the jar every time I took some out to use. This way I never have to reseal a jar, just open it up, grind contents and use. When I need more I'll open another jar.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Herbs have been growing better than the veggies so far but veggies are starting catch up.
Had to give some of my herbs a haircut.
I've dried:
1 tray of oregano
1 tray of sage
1 tray of basil
1 tray of dill

Next up are my 3 different thymes ( which all smell the same to me), spearmint and my lemon balm.
One of my oregano looks like it needs cut again too
Rosemary needs a small trim soon

Once the herbs are done then I have to do strawberries before they're all gone at the farm market

 

[Amish Heart]

My onions tops are due for a second haircut, and my sage is needing cutting, too. Thanks for the reminder. We eat the basil fresh alot....a slice of tomato, a slice of mozzarella on top, and a basil leaf on top of that. A little drizzle of olive oil. Grandkids eat it, too.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Have 6 trays of strawberries going today
I only bought 4 quarts at the farm market this morning because I don't have room in the fridge lol
If there are more left next week I'll get more to dry and to freeze.
I plan to make some strawberry butter this winter for on pancakes and muffins and such *drool*

 

[Peanut]

My dad would be so upset seeing this... He messed up. I gave him my burgess seed catalog in January. I didn't get involved, let him order what ever, his business. I did tell him to order early, explained seed shortages etc.

Evidently he snail mail ordered strawberry plants in Mar. He can over a couple weeks ago upset. Said Burgess processed his check on 09apr. Said no one there answers their phone. Wanted to know where his order was.

I started calling, just busy signal. I started emailing them everyday last week, sternly worded, basically saying give me a phone number where I can speak to someone about this matter.

His strawberry plants came yesterday, 60 days after they processed his check. 25 plants, pitiful looking. I doubt half will even live. He also ordered several packets of various seeds. Only one little packet arrived.

Even today when I called, nothing but a busy signal like it's been for 2 weeks since I started calling.

Fair warning... There is a big problem at Burgess Seed company. I'll never order or let dad order from them again.

 

[goshengirl]

Fair warning... There is a big problem at Burgess Seed company. I'll never order or let dad order from them again.

I've had problems with them, too. Actually, just one time, but that was enough. First order went swimmingly, so on the next order I felt comfortable placing a larger order. It never arrived, never arrived. And there's no way to reach a real human being. Try sending an email and just get a form letter back (that clearly shows they never fully read the email). Finally the order did arrive, but so late as to be seriously problematic - you just can't ship bare root trees late in the season. The experience showed me that they're great if the order doesn't have a glitch - but if there is a glitch, there's no communication and no resolution.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Funny how those 6 trays only filled up a quart canning jar half way.
Have the rest drying so that should fill the jar to the top

Also dried some dill and basil
Oregano is going crazy so I'll have to dry more of that which is good because I use a lot of it

 

[jazzy]

i really enjoy dehydrating things, mostly veggies. i dont use cayenne but i love green chile so i dry them. i have a big excaliber i use for vcertain things but it can really raise my electric bill also have a couple of the mesh hanging drying racks and they work great for my area--its dryish here. i dpo alot of onions, carrots, squash, celery, green beans, snow peas as i lile to have it for the winter when i practically live off of stews and can just grab some of each, soak for 30 min then toss in the pot.
i need to do more fruit.

 

[Peanut]

I wish I could remember the details of how sun drying was done when I was a little kid. We usually dried peaches and apples. We'd set up saw horses out in the front yard (south) and lay pieces of tin across them. We had a big roll of brown paper about 3ft wide. It'd be rolled out across the tin and cut to length. There were lots of saw horses and several pieces of tin to cover.

The fruit was then peeled and sliced. Next it'd be spread out on the paper for drying. I can remember a powder being sprinkled on some fruit. I've no idea what was used... That's it, all the tips and tricks that went with this process were above my head when I was 6 or 7. There is always tips and tricks, things to watch for etc.

 

[SheepDog]

citric acid will keep the apples and pears from turning brown.

 

[Neb]

I wish I could remember the details of how sun drying was done when I was a little kid. We usually dried peaches and apples. We'd set up saw horses out in the front yard (south) and lay pieces of tin across them. We had a big roll of brown paper about 3ft wide. It'd be rolled out across the tin and cut to length. There were lots of saw horses and several pieces of tin to cover.

The fruit was then peeled and sliced. Next it'd be spread out on the paper for drying. I can remember a powder being sprinkled on some fruit. I've no idea what was used... That's it, all the tips and tricks that went with this process were above my head when I was 6 or 7. There is always tips and tricks, things to watch for etc.

How did you keep the bugs off them while drying?

Ben

 

[SheepDog]

silly boy, bugs add protein!

 

[Neb]

silly boy, bugs add protein!

They will earn you bonus points as we

Off-topic

I was at summer camp and had to endure the "macroni picture" day. After doing a flower I bored and captured a butterfly that was flitting around. I embedded its feet in the glue.

I won a model car prize when the judges noticed the butterfly flapping its wings on the flower.

Ben

 

[Peanut]

How did you keep the bugs off them while drying?

Ben

Don't ask me... I was 6 or 7. I'm sure bugs fall under tips and tricks I don't remember.

 

[Terri9630]

How did you keep the bugs off them while drying?

Ben

Window screens. That's how my aunt used to do it.

 

[Bacpacker]

Peanut that sounds like they may have been doing sulfur apples. I saw a episode of the Heartland Series ( a local show of old things in appalchia) of a woman doing that one time. Old time way of perservation.

Dave's Kitchen - Sulfuring dried fruit

 

[Peanut]

I never thought I'd be using my dehydrator for this...

Over the last 7 days I've gotten 6.42 inches of rain. You know the humidity is high in your house when the rice in your salt shaker is soggy. The salt? The shaker clogged up 3 days ago. Anyway, I had to wash and clean both salt & pepper shakers. I put the rice, salt and pepper in my dehydrator for a couple of hours this morning along with both shakers. I ran it low, about 100 degrees.

The sun is finally out this morning and no rain in the forecast until Saturday.

 

[WVDragonlady]

3 quarts of sweet cherries
6 trays in the dehydrator

 

[angie_nrs]

Wow! That must've taken some time to de-pit all of those. Cherries don't usually make it long enough around here to be able to dehydrate them, but that's a great idea. the next time they're on sale I'm going to stock up and give it a try.

 

[Amish Heart]

I have a pitter, and Aldi has them on sale this week. Maybe.
Filled dehydrator with sage, need to empty it and fill with zucchini

 

[WVDragonlady]

Wow! That must've taken some time to de-pit all of those. Cherries don't usually make it long enough around here to be able to dehydrate them, but that's a great idea. the next time they're on sale I'm going to stock up and give it a try.

I have one of these. Its a German cherry pitter. Makes it easy and pretty fast. Found it at the Goodwill years ago

 

[LadyLocust]

I have one of these. Its a German cherry pitter. Makes it easy and pretty fast. Found it at the Goodwill years ago

View attachment 68861

I have an antique metal one. I'll try to remember and post a picture of it. Hubby tried it out with 3-4 to make sure it worked then ate the rest of the cherries

 

[winds-of-change]

I have one of these. Its a German cherry pitter. Makes it easy and pretty fast. Found it at the Goodwill years ago

View attachment 68861

My favorite yogurt maker is from a thrift store.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Those 3 quarts of cherries filled a quart mason jar to the top

Now I have 4 trays of basil going
Gave my basil a summer haircut lol
Noticed they smell really strong. yum