dehydrating

[Peanut]

@Peanut did you take the pit out? Then would cut at least in half.

Don't remember, several years ago...

Got both dehydrators running after lunch, loaded with apples and rice.

Then a friend stopped by, she'd picked jalapenos this morning and brought me a bowl full. I stuck them in the fridge for now. I'll dehydrate them when the rice is done in a few hours.

 

[Peanut]

I got the apples out this afternoon. I just put 3 trays of sliced jalapeno's in the Excalibur.

I like dried apples as a snack. I intend to vacuum seal them in half pint jars, small portions. Anyone have another preference?

 

[Dani]

I got the apples out this afternoon. I just put 3 trays of sliced jalapeno's in the Excalibur.

I like dried apples as a snack. I intend to vacuum seal them in half pint jars, small portions. Anyone have another preference?

I have vacuum sealed in bags, just so my jars are still available for canning purposes.

 

[Tommyice]

Like Dani, I like to keep my canning available for canning. How about jars like this for other food storage?

They are from Ikea. They ship if they are not near you. They are about $6 for a pack of 3 4-ounce jars. I use some of the larger sizes for storing my oatmeal, brown sugar

 

[Dani]

Like Dani, I like to keep my canning available for canning. How about jars like this for other food storage?

They are from Ikea. They ship if they are not near you. They are about $6 for a pack of 3 4-ounce jars. I use some of the larger sizes for storing my oatmeal, brown sugar

I like those for staple items like flour, sugar, etc., but not for dehydrated items. Too much air is not a good thing.

 

[Peanut]

@Dani @Tommyice Thanks, I might put them in bags… I buy 1/2 pint jars by the case. I use a lot of them with herbs. Always, have plenty on hand. Sealed under a vacuum in a jar they stay fresh more than a year.

I’m a dummy! My jalapeno’s had been in the dehydrator for a couple hours, in my herb room with the door shut. I went outside to check the rains and noticed my Thai pepper plant had put on some more, a handful, (they are pretty small).

Anyway I harvested them and went to put them in my excalibur. I couldn’t breath in the room, those jalapenos are potent! Guess I’ll have to air out the room when I’m done.

 

[Amish Heart]

I've done tons of apples. I put them in a freezer gallon ziplock with an oxygen absorber, squeezing the air out first. Then fill up 5 gallons buckets of those ziplocked apples. They've been fine.
I filled two excalibers with blanched green beans today. The freeze dryer has pork and sliced peaches in it. That'll take awhile.

 

[snappy1]

Have a gallon of okra in the dehydrator with a sprinkle of salt. First time for this. Planning on dehydrating eggplant when it is ready.

 

[LadyLocust]

Got a couple more jars of cabbage done - last batch should be ready when I return home tonight.
Then moving on to onions.

 

[Peanut]

Got a couple more jars of cabbage done - last batch should be ready when I return home tonight.
Then moving on to onions.

Forgive the clueless... what do you do with dried cabbage or onions? How do you store the results?

I sometimes use onion powder when cooking. Don't really care for it, especially when I can use fresh onion.

 

[LadyLocust]

Forgive the clueless... what do you do with dried cabbage or onions? How do you store the results?

I sometimes use onion powder when cooking. Don't really care for it, especially when I can use fresh onion.

Cabbage is great added to pot-roasts and soups. I cut it in strips then dehydrated it. Once dry, shoved it in quart mason jars and vac. sealed. The onions: some I will cut in half then slice (so like half of a slice that you would put on a hamburger) and others I will dice. Minced onion can be added to all sorts of dishes: chili, egg dishes, HB dishes, taco meat whatever. I don't care for onion powder either. The dehydrated slices will be used for soups/stews etc. but can also be rehydrated for in meat dishes or stir-fry like dishes. I am trying to keep some fresh also since I have lots, but we don't have a great place to store them so the dehydrated options are next up. I will also put them in mason jars and vac. seal them - keeps almost forever.

 

[LadyLocust]

Have a gallon of okra in the dehydrator with a sprinkle of salt. First time for this. Planning on dehydrating eggplant when it is ready.

Then do you rehydrate to make eggplant parm? or do you use it in something different?

 

[snappy1]

Then do you rehydrate to make eggplant parm? or do you use it in something different?

That's one plan. Also to put in other recipes. I wonder if it will make as good of snacks as the okra.

 

[LadyLocust]

That's one plan. Also to put in other recipes. I wonder if it will make as good of snacks as the okra.

I've not tried to make it, but have it if we go to our little local Greek restaurant.
https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/mousakas/

 

[Peanut]

Happened to check my peppers in the garden. This is my first harvest of jalapenos (the ones the other day were a gift from a friend).

Anyway, all of these were stunted by the June drought. One is the size of a marble. I'll get them in the dehydrator this evening.

I also learned... one plant I thought were little banana peppers are actually Tabasco peppers. I guess some kid at the green house thought it'd be fun to swap labels. I'm actually happy about this development.

Most hot peppers go from green to red as they ripen, like jalapenos.

Tabasco peppers turn a distinctive orange color before going red (pic 1). I've seen ghost peppers the same orange color and I've grown tabasco peppers before.

 

[Bacpacker]

My jalapenos are kicking. Loaded down and huge. Starting to turn red too. Gonna make some nice stuffed ones this weekend.
Serannos are close to done, so are the bells. First time I've tried pablanos, they are hugely productive. Still trying to figure out how to use them

 

[Amish Heart]

You can make a rellano out of the Serannos, they do that in Ks. Took a while to get used to, I was used to the Big Jim peppers for rellanos in New Mexico. My serannos don't have peppers yet, just flowers. But the Big Jims, yellow banana, and jalapenos are loaded. I have alot of dehydrated peppers and pepper powder I made from them already, and no room in the freezers, so I'm trying some freeze dried. And husband wants some poppers maybe this weekend.

 

[snappy1]

I've not tried to make it, but have it if we go to our little local Greek restaurant.
https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/mousakas/

Never tried that, but will add it to the list. Thanks!

 

[Peanut]

That sounds so good! Ain't no greek eaten places herebouts. Closest thing to a gyro is Lebanese. Pretty good lebanese but... there was a great greek restaurant in buffalo, ny. Walking distance from the hosp. When I was going to have a long night working on the ct I'd have a substantial meal just before closing. Too long since I've been to a place like that. Best lamb I've ever had.

 

[Peanut]

Okay, I now have a full quart of dried jalapenos. I had to put some Serrano peppers in the dehydrator afterwards. They weren't hardly ready.

Dad was trying to help me, bless his heart. He ran the bush hog over some of my late watermelons and tore down some peppers. I salvaged these. There should be more serranos in a week or two.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

12 heads of Sui Choy

 

[Amish Heart]

I just keep running chopped tomatoes. Have lots and lots

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

You are fortunate. I had to buy canned tomatoes. I will re-can them into glass when the cold weather arrives. They last many years and don't go tinny if you jar them.

 

[Amish Heart]

That's a good idea. One thing I can grow here is an abundance of tomatoes. Especially the larger cherry variety. Don't care if it's cherry or slicing, I still chop the cherry ones and dehydrate. I was making tomato powder, but don't even bother anymore. That can be done if I want powder them later. Otherwise it's chopped. I think I'm up to 5 each of the 5 gallon bucket full. Haven't bought tomato sauce in a very long time, but I will buy a large can of spaghetti sauce if I can get it for a dollar. Ha Ha. Not lately. I canned a whole shelf of chopped tomatoes, and don't need to do anymore of those for awhile. I've stopped doing the fancy stuff...canning with the seasonings for sauce, or products with a specific use. Just doing tomatoes as a base ingredient now.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

I don't do fancy either. Just base ingredients, like you. Dehydrated cherry tomatoes make great snacks.

 

[snappy1]

12 heads of Sui Choy

Is that like Bok Choy?

I'll be doing potato slices in a few days.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

The other name for it is Nappa cabbage. It looks like a cross between savoy cabbage and lettuce. It's elongated in shape with a crinkly fine light texture.

Sliced thin and added at the end of making chicken noodle soup, it does wonders for the broth. My soup is completely homemade including the chicken, broth and noodles.

I don't normally can potatoes, but I will be canning 50 lbs next week. I am feeling Topsy Turvy with the way the world is conducting itself these days.

 

[Amish Heart]

Must be in the air today. I'll be making chicken and noodles for supper tonight.

 

[Smalltimefarmer]

That's a good idea. One thing I can grow here is an abundance of tomatoes. Especially the larger cherry variety. Don't care if it's cherry or slicing, I still chop the cherry ones and dehydrate. I was making tomato powder, but don't even bother anymore. That can be done if I want powder them later. Otherwise it's chopped. I think I'm up to 5 each of the 5 gallon bucket full. Haven't bought tomato sauce in a very long time, but I will buy a large can of spaghetti sauce if I can get it for a dollar. Ha Ha. Not lately. I canned a whole shelf of chopped tomatoes, and don't need to do anymore of those for awhile. I've stopped doing the fancy stuff...canning with the seasonings for sauce, or products with a specific use. Just doing tomatoes as a base ingredient now.

Amish, If I ever buy spaghetti sauce, I like the Hunt's. It is $1 or $1.25 at Dollar Tree and Dollar General. I have some in my preps. They have Traditional, Garlic and Herb or Meat.

 

[Smalltimefarmer]

I don't do fancy either. Just base ingredients, like you. Dehydrated cherry tomatoes make great snacks.

I love dehydrated tomatoes. Theye don't last long here. Same for dehydrated watermelon.