Concerning Food Dehyration

I just got an Excalibar dehydrator for my birthday and have been having fun trying to experiment. I'm trying to follow the recommended temps and times for each fruit, but some of my stuff is coming out brittle, and some I take out thinking it's done but it's not and therefore ends up oxidizing and going bad. How do I really know when my fruit is sufficiently dehydrated? Does it just take a lot of practice and experimentation to know? I don't mind experimenting, but I just feel bad for the food and labour (and electricity) waste when something doesn't come out right. Can I get some tips and from experienced dehydrators on this matter? Please, and thank you so much :)

Comments

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    I understand your dilemma and frustration!!! I have the stainless steel sausage maker and I have never followed any recommendation from the company... I have used my insight from reading recipes here on goneraw...

    Usually I put my concoctions in the dehydrator early in the afternoon, can turn them over at bedtime and they are usually ready the next morning or afternoon... Except the raisins I made and they took a week...

    The temperature may also be a problem as I have never had anything to get crispy/brittle... Usually I start out around 120 degrees and turn it back after an hour or two depending on the thickness of the concoction...

    I am NO expert, these are my experiences and I hope in someway they are of help... smile

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    I go by the Excalibur temps only the highest I go for the first couple hours is 130 then down to 110. It may also depend on the food too. Waterbaby is right. It will depend on the thickness, and also moisture content. Plus, the humidity in your own environment.

    To find out about texture of the food, I bought a book on dehydrating which gave that information. A library should be a good place to look, as you wont need most of the other information.

  • Thank you both! I noticed in the Excalibur instructs that they didn't say anything about turning the temps down after a few hours, just maintaining the high temp all the way through. I went through one of my raw books and they say just keep it higher for the beginning and then take it down after a couple of hours. From the sound of it from you and some others, that seems like the right way to go.

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    You are WELCOME, tell us what you are making in that "X", have you posted the recipe???

  • I just made some flaxseed crackers that came out really well! (just good old water and flaxseed) and some apricots and banana chips =)

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