dehydration question... help!

I am using my dehydrator for the first time, attempting to make the “green popcorn’ from cauliflower. In that recipe, it does not say how high the temp should be, nor how long.

I put the temperature at 105 as to not kill the enzymes, but it’s been in there now for 12 hours and is still kinda squishy. I just upped the temperature, but now I worry about spoilage.

Anyone know when its not safe to eat something? How do I know that it hasn’t fostered microorganisms?

Comments

  • rawmamarawmama Raw Newbie

    Hi Annabelle77 I normally keep mine between 105 and 110 and let it go overnight.

    Did you do bite size pieces, about the size of popcorn once popped?

    Philip’s site only says to let it go overnight, and if you go to his site and leave a comment, you might get more answers from him. You can also eat it raw without heating it. The heat is to make it softer so I believe it will only get more squishy.

    http://www.lovingraw.com/blog/2008/6/14/green-p…

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    Hi I make the cauliflower about half the size of popped pop corn. Yes, it does take time, but cut the dehydration time. Then I put the temp. on for 2 hours at 130. After 2 hour it goes down to 106 or there abouts, until they are like clam nuggets. Oh yes, I don’t use the green stuff, but next time I am going to put some kelp graduals on them.

  • rawmamarawmama Raw Newbie

    Beany, Did yours actually get a hard shell on the outside and soft inside like real popcorn? Thanks :)

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    Hummm. Thinking in progress….. The nutritional yeast got crusty and the cauliflower was more chewy. Thats why it reminded me of clam nuggets.

  • rawmamarawmama Raw Newbie

    LOL…clam nuggets, perfect description, and with the kelp granules it will taste more like them too :)

  • Annabelle77Annabelle77 Raw Newbie

    Cool, thanks! But… if it stays all clam-nuggety in texture, meaning that it’s not thoroughly dry, then can’t it go bad?

  • achin70achin70 Raw Newbie

    Do you have an Excalibur? It’s recommended to dehydrate at 145 degrees up to 3 hours, and turning down the temp to 115 for the remainder of the process. This way, you limit the chance of bacteria or mold contaminating the food. When you dehydrate at 145, the temperature on the surface of the food will be 20-25 degrees less because of the moisture. The temp at the core of whatever you’re dehydrating will be even less. This method only applies to the Excalibur, though.

    Another thing to keep in mind is that dehydrating at a lower temperature for too long can also destroy enzymes.

    Good luck!

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    To the texture. Not all dried foods are crisp. Look at fruit leathers, they are pliable. You know maybe we should ask others who have made the pop corn what texture theirs turned out like.

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