9 answers

A.R. asks from Keller, TX on January 05, 2012

Food Dehydrator - What Should I Dry Out? :)

I got a food dehydrator for Christmas and it's been going pretty much non-stop for a week, lol. I've done the basics and am looking to branch out a little. Here's what I've done, and the results:

Bananas - yum
Apples - yum
Zucchini - yum
Tomatoes - yum
Venison jerky - yum
Fruit roll-ups - so so, still working on those
Green beans - not so good
Potatoes - gross
Sweet Potatoes - gross
Carrots - so so

So - what are your favorite things to make with your food dehydrator? Any tips/tricks/recipes you care to share?

Thx!

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So What Happened?™

Thanks everyone! I've tried a couple of fruit leathers, they haven't worked out too well yet but I know it's just user error, lol. The tomatoes were easy, just sliced some Roma tomatoes and put 'em in the dehydrator! Did some cherry tomatoes halved as well, they turned out like candy, chewy and tangy. We've done the formed jerky strips & sticks (dh has a jerky gun) and they've been really good, need to try with sliced meat.

Can't wait for summer to try watermelon and strawberry! Strawberries are too expensive right now for me to justify dehydrating them.

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F.H. answers from Phoenix on January 05, 2012

My mom only does beef jerky in hers...she gets the really expensive meat when it goes on clearance and marinades it and gives it to all of us. Yum. Have fun experimenting!!!

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B.. answers from Dallas on January 05, 2012

When watermelon is in season, you HAVE to do that. It's like candy!! So very delicious!!

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F.H. answers from Phoenix on January 05, 2012

My mom only does beef jerky in hers...she gets the really expensive meat when it goes on clearance and marinades it and gives it to all of us. Yum. Have fun experimenting!!!

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M.P. answers from Minneapolis on January 05, 2012

venison jerky YUM... It would take a long time to post the recipe but you can find hundreds of them on the internet

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C.T. answers from Santa Fe on January 05, 2012

If I had a food dehydrator I would make my own fruit leathers (those healthy fruit rollup type snacks). My kids LOVE those things. I am sure you could find a recipe online but perhaps you just blend up the fruit into a paste and then spread the paste on some wax paper to dry???

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T.F. answers from San Francisco on January 05, 2012

I have to say I'm a big fan of the beef jerky too! That said, my husband is vegetarian and we have an apple, cherry, peach and plum tree. I've driec peaches, appels cherries but the best is the apple fruit roll up. I make it by steaming the apples cut into quarters (not peeled or cored) then run it through a seive to remove the peels and seeds. I add a little bit of honey to this mixture that is the consistancy of applesauce. Then I make fruit leather. My Daughter LOVES them. Our apple tree is wierd, the apples are ripe mid summer but we still have a little bit of the fruit leather left in the fridge. Have fun!

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E.S. answers from Dayton on January 05, 2012

I buy these at Trader Joe's...Pineapple! Delish!!! Strawberries! Super yum! :)
Others that might be yum...
apricots
kiwi
peaches
other berries
HTH! I want a dehydrator now! Lol! ;)

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W.R. answers from Roanoke on January 05, 2012

Sounds like you already tried all of our favorites - jerky, apples, and bananas. We also did strawberries once that turned out pretty good. Would love to know how you did tomatoes because we always have too many of those in the summer!

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G.M. answers from Phoenix on January 05, 2012

I was going to suggest fruit. :-) Fruit chips are yummy! That's about all I would try. lol

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E.A. answers from Atlanta on January 05, 2012

Peaches! We buy about 25 lbs a year in the summer when they're ripe and dry slices, then toss in the freezer for later. It makes them so peachy tasting!

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