50+ thread

When you do your dehydrating ( which I know little to nothing about) Do you purchase your fruits and such locally wash cut and dry them or do you go directly to farms and such to purchase so you do not have as much risk of contamination etc. Does your stuff come out pretty much like what you buy commercially with less crap in it but the same shelf life ?

Cypher

 

On call this week and sure enough as soon as I went to get up, got called. Just finished getting the system back up and cooked some eggs. Now I'm wore out and thinking a nap wouldn't be a bad idea but that is just the full stomach talking. Might check the eyelids for any light leaks for a little then pull the truck down to the garage and put the half shelf platform back in place.

 

I buy both places, just depends on price and selection. Apples and pears are trucked in, but if I'm out of town and there's fresh stuff, it's usually cheaper so I can buy more for less.

I don't use any preservatives so it's tastes and textures areusually a little different than store bought. Apples are crisp and have short fibers so they crunch like a chip. Pears have longer fibers so they are softer and chewy. I like to use the term "dried" since all that's really happening is the water is being removed. They do have a stronger flavor since there is (basically) no water. Meat textures can change with the same piece of meat just by how you cut it. If you cut it across the grain it's easier to break or bite off where as if you cut it with the grain it's chewier and takes longer. I do the longer, with the grain cuts. Thickness has a lot to do with the final result and drying times of everything. The foods with more water I cut thicker because they tend to shrink more. I don't use anything on meat except a medium grind pepper. A friend of mine uses marinades. Those you have to watch. The meat being so thin it doesn't take but a few seconds to get a decent, predictable flavor. Longer than that and it's over powering.

But I just wash, cut and dry. Pepper on the meat.

Another tip on the meat, the less fat the better. You can use just about any cut, but the more marbling, the less shelf life. I refrigerate everything until I pack whatever in my lunchbox. I've had jerkey in my lunch box for a week and have had no problems. But with summer heat about to kick in I'm only going to pack enough for a day.

Water is a must. As you eat dried food, it rehydrates in your body and suck up water in your system. So drinking water helps with digestion and less stomach ache, gas discomfort.

 

Please don't mention on call - I've got it for the next two weeks in a row.

 

Hope it is quiet for you! I get off at 0800 in the morning ours is a week long. But not complaining I usually don't get that many calls. Especially compared to some of my old groups where I used to call it hell week. Now I hope I didn't just poke that sleeping bear...

 

Shelf life is way longer than fresh, since I didn't answer that. It'll all last for months if refrigerated. Also nothing gets bruised or beat up in your lunch box, it weighs less and, you can just eat a couple slices if that's all you want and, with fruits like apples, you don't get sugary juice all over.

 

I'm always on call so just leave that bear alone!

 

I have eaten dried fruits and meats but all made by processors not home. The only dried beef I have not found yet except in Wisconsin and even they changed after a few years was a really thick cut jerky a little tough on the outside but tender as hell in side. The strips were 3/8s or so thick and 3/4 to 1 inch wide. I used to order it a few times a year but not since they changed over Gad Cheese was the place there. New Braunfels Smokehouse TX had some stuff that was close but they changed too :{ I can get ok stuff here from the Amish for dried fruits and veggies, I have looked at trying my hand at it found a few texts on it one from a college even just not committed to doing it yet.

Cypher

 

Ours is usually one week also -- well, one week as secondary and the next as primary, but nobody ever calls the secondary unless it's All Hands On Deck. But I'm covering for a coworker who had to make an emergency trip to India for family stuff.

 

Tooling is the key. I have a banjo slicer for the firmer fruits. Getting meat cut to a desired thickness at a meat counter/butcher saves time so all you do is slice. Keeping knives sharp is also key. Also getting drying times figured out. I have a small 5 tray dehydrator. I cut everything so I'll have drying times about the same for all of it. I'll do everything at night so it's done in the morning. I might spend 15 minutes washing/cutting/arranging/stacking. Then I just plug it in and go to bed.

 

Nice , I am a pretty decent hand in the kitchen so lol I do have al the sharp and prep stuff . My problem is not wanting to spend the money on a quality dehydrator gather the food stuffs and try it myself. I despise wasting money if I could figure out how to make that beef the same as I had before I would do it in an instant .. I probably will eventually or find someone here locally who does it and test it out just spending the money for the material and not the dehydrator :} Then buy a dehydrator always better to know the out come before the out lay of money :}

Cypher

 

There'll always be some subtle differences. Humidity is probably the biggest one.

I'm really thinking about getting a bigger dehydrator so I can do more at once.

You can look at Goodwill or places like that. They occasionally have them. Ebay. That'll cut your cost. I bought mine 5 or 6 years ago and just didn't make the time or have good enough reason. I think I paid around $40 for mine.

Other than prep, I do my best to not go out of my way for the rest of it.

 

I just woke from food coma.

 

Basspro has a cheap one. Works well for me.

 

I am trying to hold off from a food coma lol I ate a late breakfast ie 0930 getting hungry now :{ If I eat now I will be hungry about 10 :{

Cypher

 

I'd like another taco in a fresh homemade corn tortilla.......

 

Thanks bud... You are so helpful ...NOT!!

Cypher

 

Yup. Just finished shopping, I did NOT buy this, although I am tempted



A friend is coming over to clean, she needs a few extra $$$ so I will gladly trade. My kid is in full blown lazy mode, so time to kick his ass off the couch. "why? Because, that's why"

 

What's a matter you scared your will power won't hold :}

Cypher