Took the plunge, now need input
 

After two and a half years of waffling, I finally took
the major plunge and ordered an Excalibur dehydrator...
the *big* one.

It should get here next week.

So folks, got any hints, tips, recipes, suggestions on
what to do with this thing?

I've got 3/4ths of my garden built and planted. Lots of
tomatoes, onions, shallots, lettuce, green beans, broccoli,
baby limas, cukes...you get the picture.

It's just little ole me, so I'm not looking to stock up
for an army or nuttin, just want an alternative preservation
method so all of the garden goodies don't go to waste.

TIA!

Nyssa, who would be out finishing building the last two
garden beds but the rains ran her inside

On 02 Jun 2005 10:08:10 EDT, Nyssa > wrote:

>After two and a half years of waffling, I finally took
>the major plunge and ordered an Excalibur dehydrator...
>the *big* one.
>
>It should get here next week.
>
>So folks, got any hints, tips, recipes, suggestions on
>what to do with this thing?
>
One key is to slice everything in a batch to the same thickness.

One non-powered tool for this is called a mandolin slicer, makes quick
work. Just watch the fingertips!

Keep good records, to fine tune your process, and to be able to
recreate the good stuff.

Get a quality thermometer if not part of the unit.

Lots of recipes around to try.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
--
At the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

Nyssa wrote:

> After two and a half years of waffling, I finally took
> the major plunge and ordered an Excalibur dehydrator...
> the *big* one.
>
> It should get here next week.
>
> So folks, got any hints, tips, recipes, suggestions on
> what to do with this thing?
>
> I've got 3/4ths of my garden built and planted. Lots of
> tomatoes, onions, shallots, lettuce, green beans, broccoli,
> baby limas, cukes...you get the picture.
>
> It's just little ole me, so I'm not looking to stock up
> for an army or nuttin, just want an alternative preservation
> method so all of the garden goodies don't go to waste.
>
> TIA!
>
> Nyssa, who would be out finishing building the last two
> garden beds but the rains ran her inside

I find that a quick wipe with canola (or mild) oil-dampened paper
towel will help sticky stuff not stick so much and makes it lots
easier to clean.Or use a sprayer dealy.
I also bought a plastic drawer set which was broke at the home center
place. Threw away the broke part and now have a square "bucket" just
the right size to soak the shelves & screens. I store the extras in
there. If you leave the extra shelves in the Ex~, you'll of course
have to wash them too if they get drippies or stickies on them.
Nobody said we *had* to make life hard!
I rotate the shelves 180 degrees and half on top to the bottom about
halfway thru the drying time. It seems the items closest to fan and on
top dry quicker.
Edrena