5 Quick Tips to Speed Up Your Food Dehydration Process

[@sueelliott3206]

Thanks Darcy! Its good to see you. I pray your healing is going well. Take care.

[@graysgram]

Shredded! Why haven’t I thought of that before now? Thanks.

[@mpennington27]

So glad to see you back. You look good. Hope your recuperation is going well.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I'm not back :) I still have about a week and a half or so - I pre-recorded things so that there would be videos while I was gone - but thank you!!

[@raw1915]

Your tips are greatly appreciated. I have a dehydrator that I only use for garlic and onions, and outside the house, for smelly reasons.

[@tizmehere492]

Hi, Darcy! Hope you are well on post-op journey. Good to have you back. ❤

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Not back, yet! I pre-recorded some videos so there would be some...still have some recovery time to go...

[@tizmehere492]

@@ThePurposefulPantry I thought it may be pre-recorded. No matter, great and appreciated as always. Take your time. 💐🌸🪻🌺

[@mscatnipper2359]

I was surprised and delighted to see you back so soon!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I'm not back, yet :) I pre-recorded about a month's worth of videos so I'd have time to heal and give myself a soft return.

[@jozeedz9549]

TY so much, Darcy! Definitely gonna do the frozen veggies before my garden veggies come to fruition . Also, never thought of rotating my trays. Great tip 👍🏼

[@Lee_Proffit]

Hi Darcy, I tend to let my frozen veg defrost for a bit before I stick them into my stackable machine as first time I did frozen veg, I nearly drowned my machine. Maybe here in the UK we have a higher water content in our frozen foods 😞 cos my machine didn't like it. Guessing that you are now in the healing stage, so take care and look after yourself ❤

[@janiehendricks3722]

I defrost completely, and drain.

[@denisedonaldson5825]

Great info! Thanks Darcy. I’ve got quite a few bags I’d like to rotate out of freezer and have an Excalibur. Can’t wait to start🤗

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Sounds great!

[@GardensLadyBug]

I try dehydrating as much as possible in the winter; any fresh or frozen foods plentiful at the time. Made too much of a one pot meal? Dehydrate and vacuume seal. Can't use fresh ingredients in time? Do the same. (Spinach and mushrooms are great for adding to hot broth or raman soup from package) Dehydrating in summer's high humidity? I have to use a dehumidifier anyways, so why not near the dehydrator? (Also helps dry clothes on drying rack.) Thank you for getting me interested in food preservation. 💞

[@mssixty3426]

I've been dehydrating for awhile now, don't know why I never thought to dehydrate meals as you suggest, thank you! I'm used to cooking large batches for six, been freezing smaller portions for later use - dehydrating would save so much freezer space. 😄

[@lcm0578]

Great tips!! Thanks so much!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You are so welcome!

[@forestfirelight]

Just wanted to say I love your videos and so thankful! We are going on a big canoe/portage camping trip this summer. So we bought a dehydrator to pack lightweight meals and I have learned so much from you! Thank you!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Have fun!

[@mscatnipper2359]

I didn't know about the correlation between higher heat and case hardening. Thanks, Darcy! I'm always learning something relevant and/or delightful from you.

[@maryriffeyperkins6267]

I use silicone flexible inserts on my trays. I fold them up & soak them in soaoy water then rinse shake them out & hang them by small clasps on my fruit basket that hangs above my sink.

[@59kuphoff]

Great tips! Just getting ready to de-hydrate lions mane mushrooms. Will shred first

[@lisaneff9024]

I’ve been using dried raspberry powder in my green tea. So delicious!

[@karendrummond877]

New to dehydration, love all your tips

[@elizaC3024]

We all can use tips and tricks to help make our prep time go faster. 😊

[@ginger7102]

Great tips!!! Thank you!! Hope you are feeling better.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I am!

[@kimk3842]

So smart! Thank you!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Glad it was helpful!

[@denagarcia6628]

I agree with your family on the cooked carrots. It is a texture thing. I have been shredding them for years.

[@Candy-le5wk]

I know you said heat destroys vitamins but I put some in the microwave as per directions to cook, then I immediately put them in the dehydrator and it took less time to dehydrate.

[@karenb.9247]

Thank you!! Love these!!

[@marilynparmelee]

Thanks!

[@tammybrazeau1213]

Great tip, girl! I have problems with fruit leathers, cant seem to get the timing right. They end up crispy. Hope you're healing well.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Just check on them sooner...they're 'dry' long before you think they are!

[@Mardi-LovetheLandHomestead]

Wow!! Love these tips and I'm so excited to try them, thank you for sharing ❤

[@leascism173]

Great tips THANK YOU! O X❤

[@cuppajavaplease]

Great advice. Thank you!

[@rhondaallen4309]

Thanks ❤

[@marygallagher3428]

Great tips!

[@DutchAlaskagirl]

Just a note on what you said on parchment paper/ fruit leather sheets: I have a stackable one, and the fruit leather sheets cover only half. They need to be alternated from left to right (rectangular) as you stack them. The trays are not designed to be covered completely ☺️

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

That will really depend on the machine. Many machines are designed that the fruit leather covers the whole tray - even my Nesco stackable, because the inside channel and the outter channels are the air movement.

[@TM-ev2tc]

If i am dehydrating beef jerky and banana chips, which one would you put on the top of a stackable dehydrator.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I wouldn't do them together at all.

[@kippertoo]

Hi Darcy…have you ever tried to dehydrate seitan? I’m not vegetarian/vegan, but I’m sure others that watch your channel are. I enjoy it time to time and since its not made with fat, it is a great alternative to chicken flavoring. Just wondering if l can make it shelf stable w/out making jerky. TIA 🙏🏻💙🙏🏻

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

No- I don't eat it, so I've never tried it.

[@gailreese4699]

Darcy when you dehydrate frozen fruit does it drip on the bottom of the dehydrator?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I leave a plastic fruit leather tray on the bottom of the machine to make cleanup easier. It depends on the fruit - and you can always use fruit leather sheets.

[@gailreese4699]

@@ThePurposefulPantry Thank you Darcy

[@markhemond3818]

Hey Darcy. Hope your feeling well and recovering for your health issues well. So I started my dehydrating journey this weekend. I started with apple chips and strawberries to try it out. Its been 23 hrs and they still aren't dry yet! I'm just wondering how economically feasible it is to dehydrate food for storage? How much electricity am I using to dry a couple handfuls of strawberries and maybe a quart jar of apples? I got a cabinet style dehydrator as I learned they were better than the cheap round ones. I understand dehydrating is a long slow process, but is it worth it? I could can the fruits in less time with less energy used.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Did you let them cool off before testing? I don't know where you live so can't speak to the cost of electric in drying, but in my area of the US it's about .75/1.50/day to run a full dehydrator for 24 hrs. Your apple slices should have been dry within 18 - but if you aren't checking once samples are cooled, warm apples will always feel like they aren't done.

[@markhemond3818]

@@ThePurposefulPantry I did let them cool before checking them. I live in the Northeast {Vermont) so power is relatively inexpensive. Temps are in the 50s to 60s right now with humidity around 65%. I just expected the apple chips to come out crispy, but their more like leather. I ran them for 30 hrs at 131 to 149 degrees and still not crispy.

[@paulahensley9583]

I like to thaw frozen veggies and drain to help with drying time.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Sure - but I think it's the same amount of time....I'd rather just get them going.

[@maria_w311]

Hi Darcy 👋🏻

[@LauraNielson-b3g]

Is it okay to use my dehydrator under my porch with a roof?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Read your manual first. Many times they recommend not using outside to cover their own liability, but I use mine outside all the time.

[@roseandra1]

Darcy, I hope you are pampering yourself. I “see” you in a big fluffy robe, with your feet up, drinking a big ol cup of hot cocoa. Hopefully, you are doing something similar. Take care, Darcy. We are praying for a speedy recovery. Thank you for putting out another great video! 😊

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

hahahaha - well, I certainly don't want to burst that bubble for ya!

[@roseandra1]

@@ThePurposefulPantry *laughs* you sound like me. Always “doing” no matter, what. 😊

[@tessa35]

💙

[@cookiewilcox5082]

The carrots...do you blanch them before shredding for the dehydrator?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

It is recommended to blanch first, yes. However...my last video about carrots I talked about how if I knew that I wasn't going to be storing for long, I don't bother...but I use them up within two months.

[@lyndatullett5319]

Hi Darcy, I pray you're doing well in your recovery. I have a 12 tray stackable hydrating machine that rotates on its own. It has 2 fans, so do I need to rearrange my trays? Thanks😊

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

No