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DEHYDRATING


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Umm, Question! In my dehydrator instruction booklet, & in the 200 page book I purchased, they say not to dehydrate, kiwi fruit , but they dont say why. Can someone tell me?? I cant figgure out whay they would say so, I know we used to bake kiwi onto a platers edge as a decoration for some menu items, and they were dry, but not bad looking! Baked at 450.

 

 

Thanks

 

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I don’t know the answer to your question, Kevin B 123. However, the Missouri extension has instructions for drying kiwi.

 

http://extension.missouri.edu/stcharles/qf...ying_Fruit.html

 

Quote:
...Drying Kiwi

 

Select soft, ripe fruit. Peel and slice in ¼-inch slices. Small fruit may be cut in half. Place on dryer sheets and dry until pliable and leathery. You might also like to heat the slices in heavy sugar syrup for 1-2 minutes before drying for added flavor.

 

Kiwi fruit makes excellent fruit leather. Mix strained pulp with sugar to taste and pour in a thin layer on plastic sheets and dry in a dehydrator, or oven. It can also be mixed with other fruits such as pineapple, strawberry, apple and pear.

 

For additional kiwi recipes, check this web site from Oregan State University Extension Service. Preserving Foods: Kiwi Sp50-832

 

http://osu.orst.edu/dept/ehe/preserve/fruits/50-832.pdf

...

 

 

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I tried an experiment today while dehydration orange slices. The last batch I dried, took around 30 hours to get to the place where i thought they could be stored, ( very juicy up till 27 hours). So, this batch I decided to put some "Sure Gel" on to see if that might help. or even if it would affect anything. I have some Sure gel on hand, but don't make my own jellies or Jams, & I thought I'd give this a whorl. When This batch is done, I'll let you folks know the results.

 

I used some of the last batch, cut up well in a Cranberry Orange bread. I RE-hydrated in buttermilk, that I used in the batter. My it was indeed good!

 

 

Gee I am having fun with this contraption!!

 

 

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Here are the results of using Fruit Gel, on orange-slices before placing in the dehydrator.

 

The very thin 1/4" slices are practically stone, but very pretty. They remind me of stained glass, light actually passes threw them.

 

The ½" slices are pliable, tastie, have a pleasant appearance, and otherwise look no different than the ones I dehydrated last week.

 

So Im not sure at all weather the Fruit Gel did anything at all, but maybe cut the time back a bit? These orange-slices were ready in 14 hours, whereas last weeks were, 30 hours. (?) But I did try, and my contraption affords me lots of entertainment, and good food.

 

 

I cut the orange peal and dehydrated it, it should make good flavoring down the road, icings, even in breads, pork sausages.... Oh now I’m hungry!

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Tonight, i am trying a 3rd batch of orange slices, Im also trying in recommended cinnamon, and I using the "Fruit Gel". This time I used a toot-pick and pierced the orange slices after I powder then with the :Fruit Gel”. After three hours, I can see they’re firming up well, tho not yet dry. They feel like candied fruit, to a small degree: I think next time I’ll section the orange, and THEN slice, powder and cinnamon!

 

 

Thanks for all the help folks!

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I just slice them whole, peel and all.

 

We eat them plain, or crumble them into porridge or bake them into crumbles. Sometimes I crumble up a few and toss them into quince or apple jelly while boiling. You can also grind them up and use the powder in milkshakes and smoothies or as part of the flour in cakes.

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Some of my Orange slice have the peals intact, and are good. Going to dry some tangerines too.

 

Must get some broccoli to dry and make a Broccoli-cheese soup mix.

 

Going to try Potato cubes too, and make dry potato soup mix..

 

 

I am expecting a rough winter, this year, so Im getting ready. Even if the winter is mild, I’ll save several trips to the store anyway!

 

I wonder IF I can dehydrate COOKED bacon to add to a dry soup mix? Risky? ? ?

 

Thanks again for all the comments in all the forums I have inquired in.

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doing some Broccoli tonight, I cut the very top "bud" and am trying that: I have heard that often Brocoli dont turn out so well..... But I watched a Utube viedo, where someone cut the last 1/8 of an inch below the "Buds".. and claimed they had really good success!

 

I see on-line stores selling dehydrated Broccoli, and it looks GOOD. But I suppose they have industrial dehydrators with huracane fans..........

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  • 5 months later...

I have been reading this about how long it takes to dehydrate orange slices and really think that personally I would just drink the juice and dehydrate the rest of the orange for use dried. It just takes too long and too much electricity to dry the slices for it to be cost effective. There are alot of nutrients in the white part of the peel and that should be saved instead of just grating off the rind but trying to dehydrate the juice sounds like it just takes too long. Even when I am dehydrating tomatoes I usually cook them down and make leather instead of trying to dry slices unless I have Roma or that type of meaty tomato.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Phew I just read through the whole thread.

 

For bananas, I've tried a couple things already but spraying with lemon juice has helped them keep the color best. A spray bottle top screws right on the lemon juice bottle and I can just go to town when they are sitting on the trays (remembering to pick the tray up and spray from below).

 

I haven't had good luck with potatoes either. Mine went brown and I've only been using them in blended soups because they'd ugly up any other dish. I'm told if you cook them all the way through instead of just blanching they should turn out fine. I'm going to try later this week.

 

Right now I have spaghetti sauce going in mine. I just poured the bottles onto oiled fruit leather sheets. They are sure going to take up a lot less cabinet space this way. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to leave them as leathers or dehydrate until hard so I can turn it into a powder. I'd think powder would keep longer?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I don't know if anyone else has seen these videos but they have taught me alot when it comes to dehydrating:

 

She has a series of about 14 or so videos.

Enjoy.

 

 

 

Michelle in middle Tennessee

 

Thank you Michelle for this link - the videos are so well done and the videographer does such a great step by step job of instructing. Very well done :thumbs:

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Gramma lois & Stephanie you're very welcome. ;)

I'm so glad to know that they will help someone else.

When I came across her videos a few months back, I had to sit down and watch all of them.

 

Since then, I've rewatched them all about 3 times each.

It seems each time that I watch them I find something that I missed before. :lol:

 

As for deyhydrating, I think that I might try some lemons.

Kroger has them on sale for .39 cents each right now and I think they would be great to have to use in iced tea or like she shows, to use the slices to bake with fish.

 

Another easy way to get into dehydrating is to find your favorite frozen veggies on sale and then just dump the whole bag onto your trays.

I've done peas, carrots, green beans (as already mentioned), pea & carrot mix, etc., this way and they've always turned out really good.

I'm watching for another sale so that I can get some frozen broccoli to dehydrate.

These are excellent to use in veggie soups! :thumbs:

 

Oh! Someon above mentioned onions. Everything that I've read says to do them outside because of the smell. The same with hot peppers.

I think for the trouble, I'll continue to just buy them in bulk from Sam's Club.

 

 

 

:wave: Great to see you here, Lynn!! :hug3:

 

 

Michelle in middle Tennessee

Edited by cheles2kids
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