My adventure with a freeze dryer

[00nissanguy]

Picked up a small harvest right freeze dryer a month ago when costco had em for $800 off retail. Figured there wasn't much info on this board so I'd post up as I go and learn

1st barch i did was an assortment of berries and a tray of milk. The berries got grownd down to a power to add to water for a flavored drink

 

[00nissanguy]

Next was a batch of mac n cheese, it wasn't the best to start, not sure if the recipe sucked or used the wrong cheese but it was kind of gritty after cooking

 

[00nissanguy]

Did a few batches of garden tomatoes to make powder for soups n sauces. Each tray holds 1k grams wet. After drying 4000 grams wet turned to 250 grams dry

 

[00nissanguy]

Stole some of the kids Halloween candy. Skittles did great, needs didn't do anything, chocolate based candy made a big mess and the gummy bears puffed up bug enough to get on the heaters and made a mess also, the air heads expanded probably 3x their size and were pretty good

 

[00nissanguy]

5 lb of lemons and 3 lb of limes. Blended whole, pretty wild all 8 lb can fit in 3 mason jars when done. Add a spoon full of powder and some red salt for s diy electrolyte/lemonade drink

 

[00nissanguy]

My favorite meal made so far. Made a pot of clam chowder. Added 30 clams since I hate chowder that lacks clams, was able to get 8 servings, i tried out a mason jar last weekend, added about 12 oz water and had a soup same as the day I made it

 

[00nissanguy]

Also did apples, bananas, mangos, and pine apple. The bananas n apples turned out amazing. The mango and pineapple are kind of hard and slightly tart

 

[cervelorod]

Looks good! My daughter and I split the cost of one awhile back, but I have only gotten to use it once. If I need or want something, I drop it off and she runs it. It’s like any other hobby, takes some doing to get it right. I had her do biscuits and gravy for hunting, and it was great for a no clean up hunting meal. My daughter wants to get back to homesteading and does a lot of preserving using the freeze dryer.

 

[00nissanguy]

Looks good! My daughter and I split the cost of one awhile back, but I have only gotten to use it once. If I need or want something, I drop it off and she runs it. It’s like any other hobby, takes some doing to get it right. I had her do biscuits and gravy for hunting, and it was great for a no clean up hunting meal. My daughter wants to get back to homesteading and does a lot of preserving using the freeze dryer.

Biscuits n gravy is on my list to do too. I'm not in it for end of the world prepping but making healthy snacks for the kids and convenient meals for camping and car trips is what I'm excited for

 

[dwygrsshpr]

Curious and will follow! Can it work like a normal dehydrator, i.e. can you make jerky?

Assume it comes with a recipe book as well? I have an interest but no reason to buy one, but it does seem like a neat hobby. Funny how things that our grandmothers and grandfathers used to do out of necessity are now considered "hobby" level activities: canning, drying, gardening, reloading, wine/beer & distilling, baking, animal processing, etc. etc.

Good problems to have and I like doings things with some old school skills but enhanced with modern tools.

 

[00nissanguy]

Curious and will follow! Can it work like a normal dehydrator, i.e. can you make jerky?

Assume it comes with a recipe book as well? I have an interest but no reason to buy one, but it does seem like a neat hobby. Funny how things that our grandmothers and grandfathers used to do out of necessity are now considered "hobby" level activities: canning, drying, gardening, reloading, wine/beer & distilling, baking, animal processing, etc. etc.

Good problems to have and I like doings things with some old school skills but enhanced with modern tools.

It cannot do dehydrator style food, freeze dry only. Technically you could do beef jerky but it would be rock hard and have to have water added back to be edible.

It came with a basic book but really not needed, as long as it's not too fatty, or chocolate it can freeze dry most items

 

[dwygrsshpr]

Gotcha - thanks.

Freeze dried eggs are a staple on my hiking/camping/canoing trips so that sounds like a thing to try. Throwing some bacon bits into the pouch and some hot sauce makes things civilized. I guess you could make your own freeze-dried coffee from fresh beans but that is so readily available already it would only be for the lark of it.

Interested in how the tomato works out in sauces - guessing you will be experimenting on re-hydration ratios... I can imagine that potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, peppers, all sorts of spices/aromatics, can all be goofed with.

I laughed at the candy experiment. I figure packs of skittles will be right next to the twinkies after the armageddon so make sure to hit up the 7-eleven/Circle K for that sugar boost - no need to freeze-dry them

 

[00nissanguy]

Gotcha - thanks.

Freeze dried eggs are a staple on my hiking/camping/canoing trips so that sounds like a thing to try. Throwing some bacon bits into the pouch and some hot sauce makes things civilized. I guess you could make your own freeze-dried coffee from fresh beans but that is so readily available already it would only be for the lark of it.

Interested in how the tomato works out in sauces - guessing you will be experimenting on re-hydration ratios... I can imagine that potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, peppers, all sorts of spices/aromatics, can all be goofed with.

I laughed at the candy experiment. I figure packs of skittles will be right next to the twinkies after the armageddon so make sure to hit up the 7-eleven/Circle K for that sugar boost - no need to freeze-dry them

Eggs is on my list too but the damn chickens have cut egg production in half with these short cold days.

 

[00nissanguy]

Did a batch of cheese cake slices and ice cream sandwiches. Freaking delicious