5 THINGS I WON'T DEHYDRATE AGAIN AND FIVE THINGS I LOVE : My favorite dehydrating projects

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Share your favorite and least favorite things to dehydrate! I'd love to hear what you love! How could I forget PLUMS!? Probably because I don't have any left! Mushrooms, pears, canned pineapple...the list is LOOOOONG for favorites and pretty short for non-favorites.

[@mikenix2368]

Hey there, my favorite thing to dehydrate is yellow squash and eggplant sprinkled with sea salt before I dehydrate them .

[@lancemoreno8194]

Mmmmmm mushrooms

[@gkcollard2]

My favorite is okra. Works best if previously frozen. I sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and cut into bite size pieces, and dehydrate. It’s like fried okra! Least favorite yellow squash (doesn’t rehydrate well) and bananas.

[@maryruthmonahan5180]

Whats in the green powder? Anything green or something in particular?

[@shirleysmith3961]

I love to dehydrate sweet potatoes, pineapple, mango & russet potatoes. I'm definitely going to try your caramelized onion suggestion. I have to watch sodium intake & dehydrating gives me that option. Thank you for you suggestions & your channel.

[@bamasher4384]

As a stage 4 cancer surviver, one of my staples is veggie juice. I use a centrifuge juicer which separates juice from pulp. I drink the juice, then I dehydrate the fruit and veggie pulp, then grind it into powders. I make lots of powders and use to boost nutrients in my other dishes.

[@lolitabonita08]

great idea!

[@samieparadise9316]

Genius

[@sallewellyn0]

that is brilliant!

[@bamasher4384]

@@sallewellyn0 thank you. There are so many uses for the powders. I make soups, veggie burgers, dips, delicious muffins and rubs for chicken with my fruit powders. Veggie powder uses are endless!

[@willblundell2250]

Is that how you got cancer?

[@peggyp3680]

I found myself laughing when you said grapes were on your "won't dehydrate again" because I have dehydrated more grapes than most people would eat in a lifetime. It all started with my mom. She was a famous baker and used raisins in a lot of her recipes. She didn't like the fact that commercial raisins had so much sugar in them and really, not much taste. After trying a few types of grapes, she settled on seedless red grapes for her raisins. She would scope out the sales ad until she found the lowest price and then call me. I would pick her up and we would just about clear the store's display of grapes. People would stare at us and many would ask what on earth we were planning to do with all those grapes. Mom happily gave verbal instructions on making your own raisins. First, we were just making enough for her baking. Then she started giving them to friends and family. I was the only person who was willing to work with Mom to make her raisins. We would sit and pluck them off the stems for hours. We would tell stories and laugh and have a great time plucking and washing them and filling the trays. I had a bigger dehydrator than Mom did so of course, I always had to bring mine to her home to use at the same time hers was running. She kept promising raisins to all these people and that meant more and more work for me. Eventually, when Mom was in her mid-90s she moved into my house with me. She just wasn't up to doing her annual baking anymore, so I would turn her recliner around to face the kitchen and she would talk me through her tips and tricks to making all of her many Christmas cookies. She always made trays to give to family, friends, and her doctors, the newspaper guy, the mailman, etc. You get the idea. Prior to the Christmas baking, I would be running load after load of raisins through my machine, partly to keep aside for our baking but mainly because everyone wanted to be given bags and bags of them. I suggested we just give dehydrators as Christmas gifts with instructions on what they needed to do to make their own darned raisins, but Mom loved to be helpful to others so I always made them for her to give away. She would write little cards and tie them to the bags of raisins and I would take her to deliver them. Mom died a few years ago and I can't tell you how much I miss our raisin-making sessions. I still do a few batches for myself. I like them in my oatmeal and in my chicken salad. And I still get teary-eyed when I start the process though. My second favorite thing to dehydrate is thinly sliced chicken breast. I have a dog and the price of buying dehydrated chicken strips in the stores versus what I can make them for is shocking. So at least two or three times a year, I am running chicken strips through my dehydrator. I always say I am going to grind some up for myself to use in various things, but I end up giving every last tidbit to my dog. I haven't found anything that I won't make again. I'm sure I will, but haven't done so yet. Although there was a time I would have said GRAPES right before sitting down to make the dozens and dozens of pounds that Mom wanted to make. I am new to your channel and I have subscribed and will look forward to watching all of your older videos as well as new ones that come out.

[@loritrotter6354]

@ Peggy P - Thank you for sharing this story. It literally made my day. My dad died a few years back, so I fully understand the teary-eyed episodes. Sometimes I'm in tears and smiling or laughing all at the same time. I would love to know your process if you are willing to share. 💗

[@Dezbie]

​@Peggy P My heart was touched by the story of you and your mother dehydrating grapes. Both of you were so blessed to have that special & memorable time together. She sounded like a loving, generous and beautiful lady.

[@robynm7221]

@@loritrotter6354 Me too, I'm preparing to order my 1st dehydrator & I have 12 pint sized jars ready to pick up & 6 -32 oz amber jars. I have a Fresko Vacuum Sealer (I've had double wrist surgery & I can't do as much as I once could, I'm not a quitter 😁) & the attachments to vaccum wide & regular mouth jars & the 2 different sized WEVAC Vacuum bags (8" & 11" X 150') with the built in cutter. I got tired of not being able to find organic produce already dehydrated or freeze dried to buy & once I did the price was high. I am excited to get started & I want to do a lot of produce powders to make soup in a jar. I also want to dry my own herb mixes & powdered pasture raised eggs. I will subscribe 🙆‍♀️ I have so much to learn! 😁👍🙆‍♀️❣ I'm off to bed ladies, have a great week & a better weekend❣ God bless, Robyn 😊

[@hortondlfn1994]

My jaw dropped when I read your response, because I, too, laughed out loud when she said “no grapes,” since I grew up on homemade raisins. Mom usually used seedless white grapes, which may have contributed to why I thought they were so much better that “store-bought.” My dehydrator arrived yesterday, and grapes were among the first things I purchased to start processing. I also bought strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, blueberries, and pineapple, but I was especially excited about the grapes, because I knew what to expect from them! Although I sometimes helped Mom slice the grapes for the dehydrator, I never thought, until yesterday when I was doing it on my own, how much love she must have had to go through so much just for our benefit! Makes me miss her more than ever, and to wish that I could go back in time to give her a huge hug and a “Thank you!”

[@honeybee3317]

Thankyou for sharing. I was able to hear the joy your mum brought into ur life. Beautiful!

[@wendirodewald2676]

I just started dehydrating and my favorite thing to dehydrate so far is lemon peels, to make lemon powder. I have been using it in place of lemon zest and it it amazing because you get the flavor, but not the bigger peel pieces in recipes. I freeze the juice from the lemons to make ice cubes for my water.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Sounds great!

[@JeannetteShoreland]

What a great idea!

[@bstr-ey6wl]

you need to buy bergamote lemon and cedar fruits. delicious!

[@sth.777]

I also love DIY lemon powder; I have lemon, lime, and orange - I use it in Persian cooking, Asian, and also in deserts and even on salads, in chicken dishes, and - Aw, heck, basically on everything! ;-)

[@msjkramey]

Thats so clever!

[@susieq2544]

My brother John and I dehydrated some black grapes one time. However, they never made it to the end. The reason being, when they were half dehydrated they were out of this world and we had eaten them all before they had a chance to completely turn into raisins.

[@annmc3878]

I take extra large zucchini (grown in the garden that got away from us), cook it in pineapple juice, then dehydrate it. It taste like dried pineapple.

[@angelseightsix]

Oh my!!! We ALL love pineapple. I bet I will get my hubs & son to eat zucchini this way!!!!! THANK-YOU, for this tip!!!

[@noralewis4712]

I allow several zucchini to grow as large as possible. Then just before fall freeze, harvest, bake, remove from the skin and it makes the best Ketchup you've ever had. My kids weren't fans at first because it was green. That all changed when green ketchup became the fad in the 90's (I think it was . . . a long time ago!! :)

[@Clynn57]

@@noralewis4712 how do you make Ketchup from zucchini?

[@noralewis4712]

@@Clynn57Using any ketchup recipe, substitute baked zucchini for the tomatoes. Zucchini is rather bland and takes on the flavor of the spices. You may want to add a little bit more red pepper flakes or hot sauce. The recipe I used was in Better than Storebought by Helen Witty & Elizabeth Schneider Colchie. Great cookbook to have by the way!!!!

[@joellynbross2033]

I slice the zucchini with a potato peeler, boil in juice(we like cherry, pomegranate and apple) then dehydrate for "fruit leather"

[@melindawolfUS]

I'm a big fan of the caramelized onion powder! It's a rich flavor that's versatile and really adds some nice complexity to simple veggie soups and dishes. Pro tip- cook the onions with water and not oil so they are shelf stable for much longer. I add a bit of water to the bottom of a pan, cover and let the onions steam until soft, then I take the lid off and continue cooking the onions on low/med heat until they're all brown and gooey. The water speeds up the process by about half and adding a splash of water every now and then keeps them from burning

[@cherylinoklahoma9624]

Thank you!

[@jerrysmigiel7998]

A slow cooker works well too.

[@jovitavillalpando2827]

Ok so then you dehydrate?

[@robynm7221]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge ❣ This is going to be added to my dehydrating tip journal 😁❣🙆‍♀️

[@AubreyAaden]

I’m going to try this!

[@mnsheila616]

I dehydrated a bunch of eggplant last year. I used them in lasagna without rehydratng first, in place of noodles. My lasagna wasn't runny. It was excellent!

[@lauram1145]

Great idea! I need to try that

[@darleneboyd7941]

@@lauram1145 I do the same thing with yellow squash for squash casserole that isn't runny

[@Lisa-un1fq]

Blanched ? Sliced chunked

[@americaneden3090]

Thats fantastic!

[@americaneden3090]

@@darleneboyd7941 did u blanch

[@JaniceCrowell]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE dehydrating greens. I add 1/4 tsp to dog food every day. This equals several leaves per meal. Studies show most old dogs eventually get cancer, and vegetables make a huge difference!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

you can do pumpkin that way as well.

[@RealBradMiller]

Thanks for the tip!! My 12 year old Border Collie mix won't even notice!

[@Dancer864]

What greens do you dehydrate?

[@sunshineroyal494]

I want to make my dog some food, any good recipes?

[@cjboac9864]

My family doesn’t like dehydrated banana’s either! So I wouldn’t waste all those I dehydrated, I ground them all up into a powder. It works great in smoothies, pancakes, cookies, breads, cakes, etc. anything you want a little banana flavor! 👍❣️

[@theseeker4700]

Try Plantains

[@76asha]

I made the mistake of dehydrating bananas and wondered what I can do with them - smoothies! Thank you.

[@galinda98]

I absolutely love dehydrated bananas! Much better than store bought ones! But when I get my freeze dryer, I'll be doing them in that.

[@charlesdevier8203]

Freeze Dried bananas are one of our favorite treats.

[@rik80280]

My son LOVES them. I thought I was going to be able to have them for smoothies when I was out of fresh ripe bananas, but no. He eats all of them in like 2 days. 😂

[@aiminghigh3162]

I'm 67 years young and have always loved eating my vegetables. I also love broths, vegetable or otherwise. I was purchasing vegetable powder from a health food store but they discontinued it. So now I dehydrate whatever veg I have on hand, add onion, garlic and a few herbs - then grind them to a fine powder. A heaping tablespoon in a cup of hot water, a pinch of Himalayan salt or Braggs Aminos, a dash of cayenne - and I've got a delicious, nutritious pick-me-up! I love your channel Darcy - so interesting and informative! Thank you!

[@ME2too2022]

I love to add V8 juice to tomato soup - now that you mention, this can all be done with powder too. Great for emergencies, even SHTF situations, to have on hand. 👍

[@anjbum]

You just gave me a great idea! I do like broth, but I don't like that it's so salty. This will be fabulous! Thank you!

[@aiminghigh3162]

@@anjbum My pleasure! It can be as delicious & nutritious as you want it to be and its fairly inexpensive. Here's to your good health! Enjoy!

[@doriepennington9848]

I grow and dehydrate catnip for my kitties. Before I moved out of state, I used to make up packets and donate to the vet to resell with the proceeds going to helping lo-income folks pay for vet services. 25 cents for small 2" x 2" baggy in a gallon jar on the vet's counter!

[@kitty9392]

What a good idea! Bless you. Low income people need help paying vet bills- they will do without the care they themselves need to pay for their animal's care.

[@theupwardspiral1580]

Oh my gosh this is the best idea Ive seen so far!!

[@cabingrub1244]

You are so awesome!!! That's amazing!!!!

[@shellyrichards7455]

I hmm only imagine the scene of you get pulled over for speeding when delivering to the vet office! 👮🍃🤔 😅

[@Denise63333]

Catnip tea is very relaxing, you could also at a bit when making your own tea. And for dogs, catnip is a relaxant also. I will soak some of the leaves in water and then have my dogs drink the water before going in the car. Makes them calmer and seems to settle their stomachs so car sickness is not a problem.

[@rwjingo4955]

I'm not very adventurous, although we've had dehydrators for years. My all time favorite and one of the easiest though, is potatoes. I don't even peel them. A quick wash, slice in the food processor (store in a bowl of fruit fresh or lemon juice in water as you go) blanch, pat dry and dehydrate. They re-hydrate great to fry, put in casseroles or even mash. And I can easily store 20-40 (fresh) pounds in relatively small airtight containers in my long term pantry. Being just my husband and I, we can't go through even a 5# bag of fresh before they start to sprout, so we might eat 1 or 2 meals from the bag, then I'll dry the rest.

[@mims503]

Man, I really needed to hear this! Thank you so much RW!

[@americaneden3090]

Do u rehydrate overnite in fridge? Tfs 😁

[@rwjingo4955]

@@americaneden3090 it only takes about 10-15 minutes to rehydrate.

[@nygardenguru]

Thanks

[@jeffcole1914]

I like the green idea I spend 25 bucks on green and also beet powder

[@peggygreenhill494]

I dehydrated spinach. Used in sour cream for veggie dip along with some onion powder. It was amazing 💖

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Sounds great!

[@donnaparks1919]

Dryed spinich can go in many thing & dryed onions.

[@ritakus9871]

Wow, you have fantastic comments! What a great audience you have captivated. You have the ability to get people engaged, and to leave very helpful information. They are also energetic and love their families. I can tell because they talk about what their children and grandchildren enjoy, such as the zucchini or green ketchup. Plus so many of us learned some great ideas such as carmalized onions, marshmallows, and pomegranates. I also learned from two of the comments about dehydrating rose petals and marigold petals. I loved a comment left from a woman's story about her daughter dehydrating liver for the dog, but dehydrated it out in the garage due to the smell, only to find out all the neighbors were grossed out by the smell, including her dog, who also refused to eat the liver.😂. Thank you 💯

[@rondenniel2894]

Really i got over 20 steady customers. They all crazy for it. I tried it on over 50 dogs and not one did not like it. I also do cow heart.

[@twinfin8571]

Wow. I’ve only done vegetables and infrequently because I didn’t like all the work involved with blanching. But I heard frozen veggies worked well so I fired up my dehydrator and went online and watched your videos. I’m going to make most of the things in this video.....except marshmallows. Another channel had great ideas for creamed soups with all powered veggies. Ha. My dehydrator sat unused for 10 years and has been running now for 3 days. I’m enjoying it tremendously now. Thanks for you great information.

[@teresachilders4506]

Most things don't really have to be blanched.

[@twinfin8571]

Turns out I did do marshmallows. I hate marshmallows. Haven’t bought them since my kids grew up 20+ years ago. I don’t know what possessed me to try it but, I like dehydrated marshmallows. I went back and got a big bag. Lol. I eat them right out of the jar but I still don’t like them right out of the bag.

[@daphneraven6745]

Twinfin: You raise an excellent point about that. When the weather is hot and humid, it’s especially miserable to have to do blanching. I’ve discovered that my neighbourhood grocery store has bulk bags of vegetables that are already peeled and diced and blanched. So I watch for them to go on sale, and then pick up bags that are about 2 kg apiece. I get enough to stuff my dehydrator full, and let them run all night and possibly part of the next day if necessary. I can get onions, peppers, carrot, turnip, potato, and other things cheaply that way. The other thing I do, if humidity has anything to do with your reason for not doing vegetables with the blanching, is designate one small room, that has a window to open as the dehydration room. It’s also a spot where I can wheel in the dehumidifier and close the door if it seems like things are starting to get humid in there, so my whole home doesn’t get humid, and it doesn’t cost much to keep at a reasonable humidity level. That same shop has those bags of onions ready to dehydrate. Seriously no more tears! So I save those to do on nice days, where I can put the dehydrator outside. Yes, I know that the manufacturer recommends that we don’t use it outside, but we’ve all smelled onions dehydrating or garlic for that matter. So if I need garlic or onions done, it may get done in that small room, but by far the preference for me is to take them outside in the fresh air. It’s a great way to stock up while things are less expensive, without steaming (and stinking in the case of onions and garlic) the whole house out. You know, it occurs to me that a lot of people like to have a barbeque outside. It sits there all the time. So if you’ve got a piece of meat on the grill, usually that doesn’t take up the entire surface of the barbeque grill. It really isn’t much of a hardship to use the other side of that grill at the same time, to do some of that blanching outside. And the barbeques already fired up, so even if it uses a tiny bit of extra energy to turn on the element on the other side of it, it won’t cost nearly as much as if you were making a special run the barbeque just for blanching. If you’ve got your potatoes washed, it doesn’t take more than a few minutes to put them through the food processor, if you have one, four minutes blanching, and you can lay them out on the trays while you’re still outside. At four minutes per batch, if you have quite a bit of potatoes ready to go, really you could have one batch sliced up and sitting in one of those nestled pots, that has the inside pot basically a colander. So, you’ve got your four minute blanche, And you could just lift that carefully off the pot of boiling water and dump the blanched potatoes into a tub of ice water while you reload your colander. The re-loaded colander could be put back into the boiling water, and by the time it comes to a boil and you get your next four minutes and, you’d pretty much have your ice tub emptied out of potatoes, and ready for the next batch. They could even sit there in the ice water while you eat your steak, and you could finish loading the rest of your trays after that. If you have a deck, all the better because you can just put your dehydration unit out on the deck, and let the heat of the sun, and the wind help the unit do a great job. I hope that helps. This is pretty much the cheapest time of year to get produce, at least where I live, and with all the weird stuff happening these days, it might be nice to have a little extra buffer of food put aside that doesn’t depend on refrigeration techniques, as it is given me to understand that in some places, electricity has been less than stable and it’s been very expensive in other places. So this might be one way to get around so much of that. I hope this helps take some of the misery out of it, and maximizes your awesome storage! :-)

[@twinfin8571]

@@daphneraven6745 . Thanks. All great ideas. I found blanching potatoes in the microwave works easily. And I do that for broccoli now as well. Other then that, I never use my microwave. Lol.

[@neldapatison2447]

@@twinfin8571 I assume this was the tiny marshmallows? Could you tell me what heat I should use for that and how long it took?

[@kimbacak2577]

We like dehydrated bananas. But we also love dehydrating the banana peels. We then powder them. Use them in the soil when planting our tomatoes!!

[@frootfarms8124]

That’s a great idea for a soil additive!

[@lesliebeaumont9512]

Cool idea!

[@michellerose6721]

I dehydrate the peels too and powder them for the garden.

[@shawnplowman7924]

Me too!

[@dddd7934]

That's awesome!

[@Bgraytful]

One of the things I do with fruit powders (like the berry powder you showed) is to rehydrate a small amount of it with a small amount of hot water and then add stevia (or any other favorite sweetener) to make instant low-carb "jam." Instant fruit spread for toast, etc. Yummy

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

That's a great idea!

[@welderprincess133]

Oh could use the fruit powders to flavor gelatin and make homemade jello perhaps??

[@Bgraytful]

@@welderprincess133 what a good idea. I will try it. Also could use veggie powder in a tomato based "aspic."

[@welderprincess133]

@@Bgraytful thank you!! Yes a savory gelatin would be tasty as well!

[@you2tooyou2too]

I use dried citrus juice & powdered zest instead of salt: mostly lemon, lime, grapefruit, & orange. Also good on water, ice cream, some puddings, & cookies, for a surprise tang.

[@RoseFelton]

I like dehydrating mushrooms. Fresh ones go bad so fast in the refrigerator that I started dehydrating them usually the second day after I bought them. I usually try to use some fresh the first day, but I don't like keeping them undried after that.

[@alisyngarza2768]

I'm so happy to hear this works I LOVE LOVE mushrooms.

[@Brineytoes]

I cannot eat cooked mushrooms because the rubbery sliminess makes me gag, but dehydrated powder is wonderful! Umami.

[@tional5266]

Tips on rehydration?

[@margaretsoper4319]

@@tional5266 I put more than a handful of dehydrated sliced mushrooms in a bowl, and warm not hot water enough to cover almost (they float). Leave for 20-30 minutes so good, use the water if you can too - also very good. Rehydrating not necessary if it's going in soups or sauce. They rehydrate there.

[@tional5266]

@@margaretsoper4319 mine got moldy I had to toss them must not have gotten them dried out, I had them in a ziplock with an oxygen thing but they molded anyhow, I’ll have to try again, thank you for the advice

[@susanjohnston1077]

I just discovered this today. I have been dehydrating for decades (I am 68 now) because my parents did. My dad made his dehydrator and he made one for each of his kids when they grew up. I have a commercial dryer too but haven’t used it much. Bananas: my kids LOVED these! We have a bucket of commercially dried, that were sliced into coins, and my kids wouldn’t touch them. I split the bananas lengthwise into thirds. If you stick your finger carefully into the stem end of a banana, it will split naturally into thirds. We dehydrate them in these curved “fingers” and then I had to “ration” them or they would be eaten faster than I could dry them. They never got crunchy like the commercial ones are. They were still pliable but keep beautifully. I filled two or three 5 gallon buckets with ziplock bags of bananas. Bananas were much cheaper then…sigh.

[@S-Lewis]

I dehydrate garlic. I grow a lot in my garden. The difference between store bought and homemade is astounding. I use my food processor to mince, then dry it like that. I only powder a small amount at a time to keep it fresh longer.

[@roslynmotter7523]

I just bought a dehydrator so I can make black garlic. It does take weeks to make however. You put the unpeeled garlic knobs in a bottle. If you don't use the bottle then they recommend that you wrap them in plastic and foil. Dehydrate at 80 degs. Pour off the fluid that gathers in the bottle every couple of days. And don't do it in the house as the smell fills the house. Do it in the outside shed. But black garlic is extremely healthy for all parts of your body - your heart, your circulatory system, your blood sugar levels and more.

[@shereentimmerman4164]

I dehydrated garlic and was lucky to not get kicked out of the house.

[@S-Lewis]

​@@shereentimmerman4164 ya, it does smell up the house! Have to open the doors and windows and run a fan. Dehydrating onion is similar.

[@cheri3434]

I have been dehydrating all my cherry tomatoes. They can be blended to make a great tomato powder to add to eggs, chili, etc. BUT my grandchildren ask for them to snack on and they won't eat fresh tomatoes. They are tangy, sweet and chewy. And if my grandchildren like them, ill keep making them!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

What a great grandparent you are!

[@Jomama02]

@C Bach, toss some salt, pepper and garlic powder on them and just a touch of balsamic vinegar on them and dehydrate them! BEST snack ever!

[@welderprincess133]

@@Jomama02 oh sounds divine!! I just dehydrate them plain and add to salads and soups! I have to try this!!

[@Jomama02]

@@welderprincess133 when I do them like this they don't make it to soups and salads or sauces. They are more addicting than potato chips and so much healthier!

[@welderprincess133]

@@Jomama02 awesome!! Can't wait until payday so hopefully I can find some flavorful cherry tomatoes at the store!!

[@welderprincess133]

I dehydrate peppers of all heat levels and grind them roughly in a mortar and pestle. I love adding this to everything!! The flavor is complex and spicy!! But, not overwhelming. My next project is to perhaps smoke the peppers briefly to impart smoky flavor then dehydrate and grind!!

[@peaceandquiet1983]

I got a tray of bells goong, plus serranos. Do you keep them whole? I sliced mine in half but i considered keeping whole!

[@welderprincess133]

@@peaceandquiet1983 no I slice them up so they dry faster then grind them in my morter and pestle. I also put them in a cheap old black pepper grinder.

[@dianebergschneider4028]

I dehydrate hot peppers of all kinds and then use a coffee grinder...to pulverize them into a powder..the coffee grinder is for the hot peppers only. I also use the dehydrated peppers...not pulverized and make them an ingredient for jellies...great appetizer on a soft cheese.

[@jdp6ofus]

I needed some smoked salt for a recipe I tried. So I mixed a couple teaspoons of liquid smoke with 1/2c salt and then dried the salt. Wow! I wonder if you could soak the pepper pieces in liquid smoke and then dehydrate them for a hint of smoky flavor? I was thinking of trying that because I don't have a way to smoke anything and wanted to try to make smoked paprika since I can't find it in the stores near me. Hmmm....

[@Z-LightfulMemories]

Great idea! We love to get those mini peppers but we never seem to eat them fast enough. Might have to try this.

[@mac7406]

I never thought of dehydrating the vanilla bean "pod" after scraping out the beans seeds. Great idea!!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

It's so good!

[@OliveCityOasis]

Yes, I never would have thought of this idea even though I've made my own vanilla. Definitely going to try making the powder soon! 😊

[@jomolo5777]

Leave as powder or mix with sugar for vanilla sugar. I replaced sugar for monk fruit and use it as my coffee sweetener. Wonderful stuff.

[@BeingReal1]

@@jomolo5777sounds like a fantastic idea!

[@daphneraven6745]

The Purposeful Pantry: You may have set out just to discuss principles and experiences related to dehydration of food stuffs, but are you certainly more than make your contribution to society, when you look at the quality of comments that you also generate the supplement the actual presentations that you make. Your videos are not flashy, and I suspect that’s one of the things that attracts the people that follow your work. They tend to be people of substance and experience of all ages, who share generously of what they know, Kind of like you are doing. Thanks very much for the hard work that you do. It’s important to offer thanks and acknowledgement when somebody does this kind of thing. I hope you always are this excited about the Important things in life like this, and continue to put yourself out there so that there will always be more of this growing body of information freely shared in one place.❤️ You sure make a difference. That’s not small.

[@hollykidson]

I know this is a little late, but one of the things that surprised me was how delicious dehydrated cantaloupe is! It's so sweet, just the best. I wasn't a big fan of dehydrated strawberries, but just about every other fruit I've tried has been a hit. Apples, pineapple, pears, persimmons, plums, peaches, blueberries, mangos... all so good.

[@GabrielWood-tg7qr]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, love 💚 , and peace all over the world 🌏. I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust so as time goes on it will bring something great for us in the future, hope you don't mind? I'm Gabriel Wood from Brooklyn New York, where are you from if I may ask?❤

[@HB-yk4ut]

I’m late as well but I love to dehydrate catfish nuggets. A natural snack for doggies and an incredibly delicious human treat so well! Getting ready to put power greens on for my ‘green tea’.

[@sunflowersue5112]

I do tomatoes. When you want to use them grab a handful throw them in a blender or food processor, add some water, grind them up and let them sit for a while and you can make any kind of tomato sauce.

[@jacquiemoppett2391]

I have just bought my first dehydrator at the age of 73 wish me luck.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Awesome! Can't wait to hear about your projects!

[@kmiller6002]

Good luck 😃😃🤞

[@hecatesdaughter2207]

Far out! Go for it🌹👍

[@bigsilver51]

I am 69 and also just bought my first dehydrator! So EXCITED 🤗

[@newmyr-2556]

I bought my first dehydrator at 67, a year ago. You won't need luck so I will wish you the fun healthy addiction that develops.

[@lindachandler2293]

I love the convenience of storing dehydrated foods. Smaller storage space and no refrigeration required.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

YES!

[@muddyfeetaussies]

Yeh.. also freezer space.

[@you2tooyou2too]

Dry, crush, vacuum pack, & freeze, all help for longer lasting flavor.

[@midsouthhomestead7527]

Hi from Southwest TN. Favorite things to dehydrate: 1. Italian Seasoning- equal parts rosemary, sage, marjoram, basil and oregano. 2. Mint and Stevie Leaves Tea 3. Fruit - Apples, Strawberries, and Oranges. 4. Plantain Leaves and Calendula petals for slaves. 5. Dill for pickling. 6. Cayenne peppers for pepper flakes. Things I won't do dehydrate again: 1. Blueberries- took awhile. 2. Dandelions- they stay green year around. 3. Lemon Bee Balm- apparently it is bad for thyroid medicine. Thanks for sharing! Rhonda

[@kathyd7374]

Our first endeavor at dehydrating was the marshmallows. Oh MY GOSH! Our grandkids loved loved loved them! That's definitely a do-again! We have now done beef jerky, strawberries and mushrooms. All worked out great. Next is frozen mixed veggies! We are sold on dehydrating, especially now when prices are so high and we are stocking up. Thanks for the informative videos for those of us who are new to the whole dehydrating thing!

[@kathylund5959]

Is there a trick for dehydrating marshmallows? I had never heard of that! And I would love to try this…

[@litestreamer]

I shudder to think of the food I wasted, when with just a little forethought, would have saved by dehydrating! Lesson learned! PS you have a GREAT website. New subscriber!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Thanks so much!

[@meazlesgolf3455]

Don't think about the waste but focus on what you will save and the great adventure and discoveries you will make.

[@mims503]

@@meazlesgolf3455 Yes, focus on the positive!

[@gowest5145]

Yes I am realizing this too. As times get more difficult you can use all parts of the food that we normally throw away. Red beet tops and carrots tops can be dried and ground up into powder. Dry the skins of all vegetables, potato peels dried in the microwave with melted cheese is good. Cucumber peels make a good relish in a blender. That is just a few I've discovered. Just get creative!

[@cathleenpierce984]

@@gowest5145 Would you please consider making a list of all your scrap things? Thank you.

[@Bgraytful]

A surprise "will do again" is dehydrated homemade humus. I cook the chickpeas, blend in tahini, garlic and lemon to make standard humus and then spread to dry. (I would bet commercially prepared humus would also dry as well). It comes out light and crunch either as clumps or powdered and rehydrates quickly into a very passable instant humus. My sons are loving it for taking along in backpacking.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

It's great for short-term storage that way - but if you wanted it for long-term storage, you could leave out the tahini and just add it when you rehydrate it if you choose it make it a dip. The reasoning is the rancidity of oils in long-term storage. But yes - i totally agree!

[@emmalondon3114]

Thank you for suggesting this. Love hummus. Make a huge batch then redehydrate as needed. Add a little olive oil and you're set. Brilliant.

[@Bgraytful]

@@ThePurposefulPantry Yes, I was concerned about the tahini because of the added oil and possibility of rancidity. I have it stored in vacuum sealed canning jars (cool and dark place) but I don't expect more than 1 year shelf life. (hopefully). I am also drying roasted eggplant with garlic powder and lemon with which to make yummy rehydrated baba ganoush. I have not yet found out how well that will work. . just drying it this season out of an excess of eggplant.

[@latriciacagle4873]

Oooo...one more thing to add to my list of things to try. Sounds good!

[@cleotaylor1860]

With the apples, we have a peel/core gadget. It slices them just perfect. After soaking them in lemon water dust them with a little salt, cinnamon, powdered sugar or leave them plain and then dehydrate them. Absolutely wonderful.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Chazticus09]

I use the peels and cores to make apple butter. I found a recipe for making it online. When it was done, I dehydrated it. Every now and then, we break off a piece and eat it. Sooo yummy.

[@nancylourose]

@@Chazticus09 great idea

[@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123]

Yes, tossed in cinnamon and sugar then dehydrated is my favorite ??❤️

[@yolandas.6193]

I will try this.

[@dflor50]

My favorite thing to dehydrate are herbs from my garden. I never have to buy them from the store and I love that. I don’t dehydrate bananas as I’m just not a fan, but I love them freeze dried. I do have to buy my freeze dried foods as I don’t have a freeze dryer. I love your channel.

[@darlenebounds5910]

cranberries are one of my favorite to dehydrate. I stock up on them during the holidays and dry and powder them. I like to mix the powder with black pepper to use in place of lemon pepper. Its also good sprinkled on yogurt and in water.

[@kaybigpet3645]

So flipping cleaver to make veggie & fruit power to add to things. I love the idea of buying frozen veggies to dehydrate, so much easier.

[@billieblake6227]

Look at country of origin!! They aren't from America any more. Even peppermint is sent here from ykw

[@jeffcole1914]

Frozen veggies are the best already washed blanched etc You can also can frozen as well in soups stews etc

[@patwagner9308]

Hi. I dehydrate celery so that it's always on hand. I tried wrapping fresh celery in foil to make it last longer but that didn't work for me. Dehydrating does. If I get in the mood to make something that requires celery, I don't want to have to make a run to the grocery store first. Also, I dehydrate fresh mushrooms we get when we see them clearance priced....so that's another food item I can have at the ready. As for watermelon....neither my husband or I likes it & he is not a picky eater. There are very few things he doesn't like...but watermelon is one of them. I agree....just buy raisins. I won't bother dehydrating grapes. I make vanilla extract, too. Thanks for some dehydrating ideas I hadn't thought of ! I subscribed . Dehydrating is an interesting topic to me .

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I'm glad I was able to give you a few more ideas!

[@pep_z780]

if you keep your celery in a cup with a little water it will last for a really long time, my mom has had celery out on the counter for about a month and 80% of it useable and ive only changed the water out (because im the one who told her about it) for her once even though i should do it more

[@patwagner9308]

@@pep_z780 I just don't use celery often enough to do that. But it sounds like a great idea for anyone who uses celery a bit more often than I do . 😄

[@malaurel3]

I had trouble getting the dehydrated celery to rehyderate. Don't know if I dehydrated it too long or had slices too thick. Or what

[@patwagner9308]

@@malaurel3 Sometimes I just toss dehydrated celery in what I'm making...especially soup. It doesn't go back to full size.

[@chellisherwin924]

Rose petals from my organic garden roses. They make a lovely addition to herbal teas, granola and desserts. Also do a green powder, loaded with cruciferous veggies and another as a liver tonic, with artichoke, milk thistle, dandelion leaves in particular. Once did a caramelised onion, slow cooked in oil. They didn’t fully dehydrate and the oil from the cooking smelled rancid. Never again. Would love some recipes for pet foods.

[@dlsdyer9071]

Do you have a channel with medicinal tea recipes?

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

This is so exciting! I’ve done the rose hips. Roses 🥀 are my favorite flower. Never eaten one.

[@katwilliams2950]

Do your onions in water only. They will carmelize and won't go rancid

[@timmmmmmmmmmy1]

@@dlsdyer9071 fig leaf tea is 1 to look into and fig trees are grown in most zones.

[@dlsdyer9071]

@@timmmmmmmmmmy1 have one growing out in my raised bed garden. Bought several books for the medicinals.

[@TheJaymarcyhigley]

Didn't like blueberries, just a husk left! Love dehydrating my herbs for cooking and tea. Marigold flowers and mint leaves make great tea and dehydrate really well!

[@CChurchill7723]

Marigold flowers! Thanks for the ide.

[@lrfiola]

But make a powder out of those blueberry husks and voilà! It's wonderful in yogurt or sprinkled on oatmeal... so many uses!

[@eatiegourmet1015]

Dried Marigold petals sprinkled on soups are quite lovely. (Fresh ones cut onto salads, too.)

[@sherryswarensquade3716]

I would throw a handful of dried blueberries in the steel cut oats I make in my instant pot. They plump up and add some flavor and nutrition to the oatmeal.

[@victoriareynolds581]

Freeze the berries before you dehydrate them to break the cell walls. They are much quicker this way. Also do not buy the big berries as they take forever to dry.

[@AnnePhillips-s9e]

I just started dehydrating. I couldn't find celery flakes in the spice section of the grocery store. Spices cost an arm and a leg anyway. For $8.00, I picked up a gently used dehydrator at Goodwill, with the instruction manual. I have made my own celery flakes from the leaves and celery slices from the stalks. My granddaughter made kale powder to put in her breakfast smoothie because she doesn't like veggies but she knows she needs them. Better than a pill. In high school, she has worked in the community vegetable garden and now wants to dehydrate lots of good veggies and fruits. Thank you for making these videos for us to follow.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You're so welcome! And it's awesome your granddaughter is getting in on it, too!!!

[@whiskeywomanwhisks]

Why haven’t I thought to do veggie & greens powder😱. My boys and husband hate green veggies- I know what the heck is wrong with these people🤪. I’m gonna dehydrate and sneak it in!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Be prepared to do a ton :D We go through a lot of it.

[@Tammyho1977]

Once I grind the dehydrated veggies up how much can I add to my food? Such a great idea! My girls are not big on veggies…haha

[@whiskeywomanwhisks]

If it’s a mild dish just a couple tablespoons cause they will notice it but in spaghetti sauce/ meatloaf/sloppy joes/or something that’s hot (the heat will disguise it) you can put more-just taste it until you notice it-cause we don’t want to get caught cheating🤪😂

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

I'm working on my my veggies powders.

[@samme1024]

I tried sneaking in shredded zucchini into brownies once. It failed, but the powder might work.

[@terrymluton]

Love to dry bananas by blending into liquid then drying. Can be either fruit roll-up or I grind to a powder. It doesn't take as long as sliced banana and easier to grind to powder.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Thanks for sharing!

[@StormyNight777]

Sounds like a good idea. Maybe I will try bananas one more time this way. Thanks for the tip.

[@latriciacagle4873]

Sounds like an excellent idea! My adult son likes strawberries and bananas in his protein smoothies. The powdered form will be more convenient and will be a great addition to his holiday gift basket.

[@peggynichols6191]

I will try this , I have bananas in my freezer . thanks for the tip.

[@cellolady100]

The way we enjoy dehyddrated bananas is to put sliced bananas in lime juice, and then put them on the tray. It add a tangy yummy taste to them!

[@jenniferr2057]

My family eats literally bushels of skin on apple slices yearly. Now, I've never made the skin off variety so don't tell them it's an option...😬

[@samme1024]

The skin has many great nutrients. If they like it, I would leave it on. Plus it's a major time saver. Win-win.

[@gu3sswh075]

i'm pretty sure right underneath the peel is where all the nutrients are. I don't think there any nutrients at all on the inside, I think it's just sugar…

[@Gruene2010]

Enjoyed your video. I like to dehydrate tomato skins when I’m canning tomatoes. After it is dehydrated, I put it in the blender to make a powder and then place into a mason jar and vacuum seal. I can use it in place of tomato paste to thicken sauces or to soups.

[@Bahbahlatje]

Some great ideas. I dehydrate sprouts and add them to my protein powder. It's a great way to get more nutrition. Because the sprouts are thin and small, the dehydrate fast.

[@annacolson3399]

I just came across your channel and I am grateful! I bought a dehydrator a couple of years ago and dehydrated everything. I had to stop because my child, with Autism, absolutely refuses to eat anything that she sees that’s different to her. Your ideas of vegetable powder and other powders is a game changer! I can’t believe that I never thought of it. Thank you so much for this video!

[@arlene7057]

One of the best things I ever ate as a child was FROZEN dehydrated watermelon! My Grandmother made it. It was still pliable (not brittle) and frozen it was better then candy … I can’t say anything about my personal dehydrating because my Cosori is on it way from Amazon right now…but I’ll probably start with frozen veg 😀

[@Anna-vj6qf]

I never thought I would love a video about dehydrating. I am just so fascinated and reading all the comments. Have a huge list of suggests I’m going to try. Been dehydrating here and there but will definitely be running my dehydrator on over drive this weekend.

[@megan2176]

Oh my gosh, so much wisdom in these comments!! I need to come back and read them all, and take notes when I have more time!! 👍😁 📝

[@jillsmale5333]

I'm from the UK, I grow lots of strawberries so I dehydrate lots for the winter to sprinkle on my yoghurt. I grind them to a course powder, so I get a little strawberry hit. This is the first The Purposeful Pantry video I have watched, I really enjoyed it, so am off to watch some others..thank you.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Thanks for sharing!

[@maxsdad538]

Where I live, we call liver "bait". And back in the 60's, freeze dried/dehydrated apples and bananas were just about the only fruits available for backpackers. I couldn't stand them back then, and I can't stand them today. BTW, I'm expecting my new dehydrator to be delivered tomorrow, my first in 20 years. I'm only 67, I have plenty of time to learn how to dehydrate marshmallows.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Have fun with it!

[@kaceeboxers3580]

Same here on the bait. Coming from having dogs in the show ring, the bait of preference was dehydrated liver. The handlers ( people who know how to do a good job presenting the dogs) would hold the bait in their mouths until needed. Yuck - I could NEVER do it.

[@AudreyEWrobel]

Rosemary tops my list, as it smells awesome, like growing it I would run my hand through it just to smell my hand, and it’s true for me you cannot do that without smiling. It’s minty goodness in shortbread cookies is a must-try experience, just as sprinkling it on a beef roast is delicious! It’s something bugs, deer and such hate, too. I really missed growing it this year, but I still have some from last year I had vacuum packed and kept real cold. Thinking to open that soon to check and grind it if still good. It is medicinal too, and has neural effects .

[@Lifeassolly]

Just bought a small dehydrater online to do my peppers... girl you have opened my eyes and I want to do it all. Never thought of doing berries and such.

[@delene121]

I dehydrated picante and salsa yesterday and it turned out Awesome! My grandmother had a ranch in the Texas hill Country and we spent summers and holidays there throughout my childhood. Picante sauce, salsa and tortillas were pantry staples. I still use them in so many things and my kids and grandkids do too. Thinking of putting it on zucchini chips and dehydrating them together to see how those came out. If it isn't great, I will just put them in with my ongoing add-to veggie soup jar. Your videos are always helpful, and I appreciate your "Darcy humor" and the generous way you share your skills.

[@DC-S]

Caramelized onion crunchies and caramelized onion powder in chicken salad‽ That's the best thing I've ever heard! I'm salivating!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Hope you enjoy

[@brendagracie7522]

So glad in found your informative site! Thank you. I love partially dried "cherry" type tomatoes. The flavor is so intense! As for bananas, I blend them with some cinnamon and and lemon juice and dehydrate into crepes which I serve with Cashew cream and fresh fruit. Delish!

[@mermer58]

I like the idea of powders to add to things, especially fruits for ice cream or sorbet. I do not like home dehydrated bananas either. The caramelized onions sound great! Right now Vidalia onions are coming in and they're delicious. One time I tried to pressure can them, but they lost flavor. I'm undecided on which dehydrator to buy so I'll be freezing sliced onions until I get one. Tip: for less mushy onions, slice from sprout to root instead of in rings.

[@jasminewilliams2878]

I love the dehydrated onions as well! Felt so bad my husband went to work in uniform smelling like onions the next day. Oopppssss😬. I also can onions in broth and add it for flavoring dishes in places I would normally add water or another liquid in, especially soups. 😀

[@emmahardesty4330]

Thanks for your smart info, as ever. Favorite to dehydrate: pitted kalamata olives. Wow.

[@AngelaM-y4e]

Hello, just found your channel and i am so amazed at all the information that you gave. Definitely going to be trying out the marshmallows. And i will definitely be looking back at your videos. I am so excited to browse through all your videos and see all the things that i can do! Thank you so much for sharing and have a wonderful weekend!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Welcome!

[@loritanner4478]

My favorite thing to dry and use is spinach. I have dried 2 gallons so far. And my hubby just found me 3 more cases of half gallon canning jars at walmart! I had used up all mine for all my dried stuff. I use the dried spinach in our frittata and lasagna and I put them in my eggs for omelets. Options are endless. And the best thing is they dont make things soggy like fresh or frozen does. Also love drying swiss chard and kale and lettuce. They all cook in whatever foods you put them in.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@coolstamper]

Do you rehydrate the spinach before adding it to scrambled eggs?

[@loritanner4478]

@@coolstamper no I just add it dry when the eggs are first put in to scramble or in frittatas. Same with lasagna. It rehydrates really fast. And I don't steam it or any cooking before I dry it either.

[@coolstamper]

@@loritanner4478 TY 💕

[@loritanner4478]

@@coolstamper your very welcome. I also dry kale and chard. Works the same way.

[@Yopchagee]

My fave so far is sweet potatoes cut like thick french fries. Delicious! It's a popular Japanese snack, but really expensive to buy at my local Japanese market.

[@debkerkhof1404]

Do you cook the sweet potatoes first?

[@gowest5145]

I've been making pickles with cucumbers out of my garden. I've discovered the leftover cucumber seeds are good to dehydrate. The seeds usually are soaked in the pickle brine. I just tried dehydrating zucchini seeds, they were pretty good too but very sticky. I just ended up eating them after I dehydrated them. Too sticky to store and they were also cooked in brine too. Just experimenting.

[@lnytita6763]

I'm a beginner and haven't even tried 5 things yet. I just purchased a dehydrator. So far, I've only dehydrated (peeled) apples to use as a snack for my 97-year-old grandma (who helped with the peeling process). She loved them. Before the dehydrator arrived, I used her oven to make a small test batch of ginger powder = great results (Bonus: keeping the house warm for her on a really cold night). So now, I will be using the dehydrator for more ginger and onion powders (maybe split the onion supply to try some caramelized onion powder). Soon, I will be up to 5 things 😄

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Glad you're both enjoying it!

[@joanbischoff5972]

Wow ! I think you’ve converted me! I love the powder idea and making my own things like onions! I’m vegan & I have noticed that a lot of my spice powders are pretty flavorless, even though I go through some of them very quickly! Thank you !

[@franceshenderson1334]

I love dehydrated pineapple, it's so sweet and tasty.

[@shaza6547]

I love dehydrating my home grown ginger root for tea.

[@villagesteader3552]

I live in apple country...so apples are a must, no skins please! We also love peppers of all kinds from sweet to heat. Potatoes too. But no bananas here, I made them and they were so good I ate them...all of them myself. Shame on me, never again. Pooh, forgot to mention my experiment with Pinto beans. My husband is a backpacker and he was buying powdered retried beans. They were quite pricey so I cooked up some pintos, dehydrated them then powdered. It took a little a couple of times to get the seasoning just right but they’re a hit! ♥️👍🙏🇺🇸🤓

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

HA!!!

[@bonnieeberhardt9518]

Can I have your seasoning recipe? Please.. I can't get it right..thanks

[@villagesteader3552]

@@bonnieeberhardt9518 I don’t measure but I can tell you I use salt, black pepper, cumin, and garlic. If you like a Smokey flavor use a little smoked paprika. Good luck, it is a time saver and a money saver!

[@catdeeann]

When I was sick with the Covid, I ate a lot of Cup O’ Noodles because my taste buds didn’t taste a lot foods. It reminded me of when I was going through chemo and learned that pretzels / Cup O’ Noodles were sustaining me. Because I had dehydrated veggies in the pantry, my husband was able to add them to my noodles. What a Godsend! Love your channel!! Keep on keepin’ on, my friend.

[@mylenedunn8832]

I just finished almost 200 lbs of onions, they are a must every year at our house, we use so many. My dehydrator goes into the wood room (or stinky room as the grandkids call it during that time) and is on until we are finished. I have dehydrated so many things and now have a freeze dryer as well. Thanks for telling people about green powder, I use it for a lot of things as well, I also forage around our farm for purslane, plantain and lambs quarter to add to it.

[@judyofthewoods]

I forage for wild greens too, including plantain, but have not been able to dry the plantain without it going black, even if I cut the leaves for faster drying. I dry solar and over the wood stove, so not well regulated. It looks off, but maybe that is normal. What's your experience?

[@anathema7687]

Mango is great dried, so sweet.

[@littleredhen602]

Listening to your experience about dehydrating liver made me laugh! My daughter decided to dehydrate liver coated in garlic powder. She'd read about it in some dog magazine and decided to make it herself. Fortunately, she put the dehydrator out in the garage, but the odor of that "lovely" combination left the neighborhood reeling! It was so awful!!! Just writing about the experience makes me gag! Then, after going through that obscene smell, we found that our dogs wouldn't touch the stuff and we had to throw the whole batch in the garbage. Never, never (did I say "never") again!!!

[@sharyn208]

I’m just picturing the neighbour hoods reaction to the smell. Lol. Priceless

[@austenhead5303]

Good grief. And garlic is one of those things you aren't supposed to give to dogs (it's toxic to them, thank goodness your dogs weren't tempted by the liver), so that whole episode sounds like an excellent lesson in source evaluation.

[@eatiegourmet1015]

I didn't season it At All, but my dog Loved it. (Don't want to give them too much, it can cause a toxicity in large amounts.) Then, the "dust" it left on the parchment or flex-thingy sheet I'd save and sprinkle on his dry kibble.

[@kimmitchell7239]

I boiled my livers in water and then ground it into dog food and my dogs love it

[@canadianrain]

I regularly dehydrate Kale to use for smoothies, sauce, and soup. We've also dehydrated habaneros and then grind them with salt to make habanero salt, which is phenomenal. Next adventure is an enormous amount of spring onions and beets that are clogging the freezer from last year and this year.

[@fraslavko1]

beets don't hold over when dehydrated, they turn brown after a while and lose their flavor.

[@annazotter9468]

I will always dehydrate zucchini, pumpkins, sweet potatoes & greens. I use them a lot for food I prep and when I make dog food. A tip on the liver, 350 degree oven on a parchment paper lined baking sheet flip once. It comes out leathery and my dog loves it! It is not shelf stable. I store in the fridge or freezer and serve it to my dog regularly.

[@Andreea.sGarden]

You can dehydrate the apple peel also and make powder from it. 😊

[@jodygoodman916]

I love drying my herbs, especially parsley and mints. But I have to say your idea for caramelized onions is GENIOUS! I'll definitely be doing this. Thanks for the list. Oh, and marshmallows. Will try this too.

[@chanchan5349]

I dry pomegranate skins for tea. Great antioxidant, can add other fruits like lemon or orange skins + violet flowers.

[@playinatlife5778]

One of my favorites is shredded, cooked chicken. It makes a great sack. I agree with you on bananas. Love to do frozen veggies because they're so easy.

[@dianaarmeswallace1947]

Well I’ve just started dehydrating. And what I’m dehydrating right now is Elderberries! I have run out of freezer space with all my blackberries this season, so I decided to dehydrate the Elderberries. I figure I can take a cup of dehydrated berries and add water to reconstitute them, then go ahead and throw them into whatever I want.

[@sachih1712]

Another great video Darcy!! Thank you!! I just picked up a Nesco from a garage sale for $5.00, & am going to follow all your great advice! I did orange slices drizzled with chocolate sauce. Crispy, tasty & easy. I heard persimmons come out really good as well. Thanks again, & blessings to you & your family.❤ The greens & the onions are a great idea!

[@gracef244]

Oh my goodness, THANK YOU for leaving that "hi Darcy" bloooper! Made me laugh!!

[@carriehorn7660]

I thought that was cute too. What a good sport!

[@nancyhjort5348]

I laughed also. I appreciate that you are authentic and didn't cut the scene.

[@queenbrooksie]

For dumping things, I bought a stainless steel bowl set at Sam's, you get three bowls for only $15 and the biggest bowl is really big. Totally helps me with my spilling abilities, because I am capable of spilling anything LOL

[@tojthenry]

I'm new to dehydrating but loving it so far. I've done onions but haven't tried the caramelized ones. Will definitely want to try that. My family don't like mushrooms but they love mushroom powder in soups and my caned red sauce. Thank you for all your work and letting us be a part of it. It has helped me so much.

[@rebeccalarrabee2342]

I have only dehydrated 1 thing but I've done it twice. It has sparked an interest and that's how I came across this video. It was carolina reaper hot pepper. I mixed some of the powder with salt. Ive made spicy Ritz crackers substituting 1tsp of the reaper powder for 1 Tblsp red pepper flakes... the crackers were even more delicious. Im looking forward to dehydrating other things as well!

[@kathysheaffer1095]

So many great ideas! I just replaced my 30 year-old dehydrator, & am looking forward to trying many of these suggestions. My least favorite, so far, is orange slices. The rind was bitter & the flesh was tasteless. I had never tried them before, so I may have not processed them correctly. But, I've always had great success making fruit leather. I use a 46 oz jar of applesauce & add 3 or 4 containers of different flavored baby food fruit. It adds a little extra flavor. My kids are adults now & still request it. I love it, too.

[@nellcovington4001]

So many great ideas here in the posts, as well as the videos that Darcy does. I am copy - pasting a lot of the ideas that sound good. I put them in a word doc and save for reference, since my memory is terrible. Thanks to everyone for sharing your great ideas!

[@chelseajane9626]

I love how everyone's tastes are so different! Apples are the thing I can't dehydrate enough of I do a batch of 15 apples once a week and the next day they are gone. I'd never heard of dehydrated marshmallow so we defiantly will be trying that! We love making fruit leathers in the dehydrator. My little one loved puree fruit but went off it over night and I had loads in the freezer so defrosted and dehydrated and bam they where gone!

[@jansimpson8918]

As far as bananas go, I dehydrate smashed bananas as a fruit leather....you can add your favorites seeds or nuts to it as well. I absolutely love them...they roll up sticky or if thinner they have a great sweet crunch to them. I eat 2-3 bananas a day so having banana available year round is important to me.

[@mooncatandberyl5372]

2 or 3 a day, hope you dont get ill from potassium overdose.

[@karenabrams8986]

I like to make enough basil powder and a pesto dressing to get through to the spring when I get new basil plants going. Preferably multiple varieties. Oregano too. I am totally trying onions next. I love planting them.

[@leelaural]

I love dried apples.....I dip them in lemon and then I salt them.......delicious....can't keep them around.......I've made tomato powders, pepper, and dried onions.......I have a very simple dehydrator but it does the job...

[@jenniferwright621]

Apples & Kale are my favorites. My freezer is full with blackberries as a gift from the Amish and I don't want them to get freezer burnt or hog all the freezer space from my hubby, so since I loved your Fruit Powder video they will be going into the Dehydrator soon. I love the taste of Honey Crisp apples dehydrated but I don't care for other varieties of apples. And Tomatoes!

[@monaengen7792]

I dehydrate canned pineapple rings & save the juice to dip banana slices & sliced apples in before dehydrating them. Friends & family love them.

[@jenniferwright621]

@@monaengen7792 Thanks Mona, that's great information!

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

An alternative to dehydrating berries like blackberries, blueberries etc is to turn them into wine. Defrost the fruit before adding your sugar, water and yeast. Use a fine mesh brewing bag for easy removal of fruit remnants and seeds. Remove fruit after 3 days to a week. Siphon off the sediment that forms at the bottom once fermentation is done and repeat the siphoning off as needed every few weeks until clear (adding pectic enzyme 24 hours before adding the yeast will help the clearing process). Bottle and store away for 6 months to a year, and either enjoy as is, or use in cooking. To ‘up’ the fruity flavours of a wine, you can always add dehydrated fruit in secondary (when fermentation is done) as well. Add the fruit remnants to your compost.

[@danidunavant6978]

My absolute favorite thing to dehydrate is canned peaches! They are so VERY delicious to munch on. So far I haven't found anything I would never dehydrate again. I do love dehydrated bananas though, lol! I like the leathery stage. I know it's not for long term storage but really enjoy them that way. Thanks for sharing your tips. My dehydrating is relatively new but I've done most everything at least once! I am learning a lot!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

That's great!! Leathery is fine for long-term storage as long as it's the dry leathery stage. But you can go further if you'd like.

[@carlas.7877]

I tried the canned peaches but I guess I did something wrong. They were so stick that they stuck together in the jar and were hard to get apart. Did I not let them dry long enough?

[@danidunavant6978]

@@carlas.7877 They will be sticky. Probably not for long term but they taste amazing.

[@megan2176]

So many great ideas here!! We're new to dehydrating, just banana and apple chips so far. Loooove the idea of powder from greens and berries!!! Mind is blown actually, i hadn't considered that at all!! You mentioned berry powder for icing, and that got me excited!! I'll definitely be buying a bag of presliced strawberries next shop, and I need to try watermelon at least once as well!!! Thanks!!!! 👍💕😁💕

[@coleenblack4577]

I have had a dehydrated for 8 years and never used it, just my husband he would make beef jerky. This year our garden gave us so much for just two people that I started dehydrating. I had filled up two small chest freezers vacuum packing a lot. Then I started canning. Now I am dehydrating. Had so much that we gave away to neighbors, family and hubby works at walmart so he gave to some of his co-workers. Never had a garden do this good before. I love dehydrating the most. I love the thought of doing powder out of veggies, will try this. Thank you so much for all your info.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

What a blessing that is!

[@michaelmelling9333]

I have a dehydrator on the way from Walmart, and so I'm looking forward to getting started with this new adventure! Thanks a million for making all of these very helpful videos!1🙂👍 August 1, 2023

[@Pausereflectandbreathe]

I like dehydrating herbs to mix with lipton tea. I also like to dehydrate vegetables for the instant noodle soup to make it healthier when we are in a hurry. Works like a charm! 😊

[@latriciacagle4873]

New (1 month)to dehydrating and I’m loving it. I’m a single senior and have minimal freezer space so this is a way to store more food in a non perishable form. I vacuum seal everything in canning jars. I’m not a fan of Mylar or plastic bags. So far I’ve done: lots of fresh and frozen vegetables for soups; ground meats (beef for me and rabbit for the dog); beef jerky, pineapple and cooked chickpea pasta. The only thing that didn’t turn out well was diced tomatoes but I like to try things three times before I give up. At this moment I have cooked rice and more mushrooms in the dehydrator and will start some more jerky tonight. Various types of cooked beans, and other meats (mainly turkey and chicken)are on my list. I do plan on drying fruits and bananas, apples, and berries are on the list. I just bought some bananas so I will see how they turn out.🤷‍♀️. I love, love, love the marshmallow and vanilla powder ideas and will definitely be trying those soon. They will make great additions to my holiday gift baskets.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Glad to see you're doing so much with it so quickly!

[@peaceandquiet1983]

I would like to learn more about dehydrating groundbeef. It fan be done?! Please share

[@latriciacagle4873]

@@peaceandquiet1983 There are plenty of videos with good instructions on dehydrating ground beef. I bought the leanest ground beef I could and browned it thoroughly in a frying pan. I drained the grease and then put the cooked ground beef in a large strainer. I then rinsed it thoroughly and removed as much remaining moisture with a towel (I used a clean cloth dish towel because I don’t use paper towels). It’s important to remove as much fat as possible to avoid it going rancid. I spread the ground beef on my dehydrator trays. I used the temperature setting recommended with my dehydrator. The manual did not recommend a time so I started out with 12 hours and rotated the trays half way through. That seemed to be sufficient time and it’s possible I could have used a shorter time. I put the dehydrated beef in a jar with the lid on. I watched for signs of moisture, such as condensation, in the closed jar. Once I was satisfied that the beef was sufficiently dry I vacuum sealed the jar. I have the foodsaver hand held sealer and both the regular and wide mouth jar accessories. So far, there are no signs of spoilage. I don’t use the dehydrated beef in my daily cooking. I’m saving it in the event I’m unable to get meat at the stores. I have tried using dehydrated items to determine whether or not I would like the reconstituted versions. For example I made a small batch of chicken vegetable soup using only dehydrated ingredients, water and seasoning. I also reconstituted dehydrated, shrimp, pineapple, peppers, and onions on a bed of reconstituted mixed rice blend. I’ve made a few powders from dehydrated fruits and vegetable. The strawberries were a success but the bananas were a failure. The diced tomatoes that I wasn’t happy with made a great tomato powder so nothing went to waste. Again, I recommend watching some of the video that are out there on dehydrating meats. It’s been a game changer for me, especially during the pandemic.

[@libbylandscape3560]

@@latriciacagle4873 this is great, thanks! ❤

[@shadetreesandwarmbreeze3312]

My family's absolute favorite dehydrated food is apples, but we agree only peeled! We use a peeler/slicer to prepare the apples, we use it outside for easier cleanup because it sprays apple juice everywhere. We also dehydrate greens, zucchini and winter squash. I'm not sure I'll ever dehydrate tomatoes again, they take forever!

[@libbylandscape3560]

Thank you so much for this video…and the 2.8 thousand comments! I really need to get more nutrition into my diet and I’m thinking this just might be the way to do it. So thanks again. ❤

[@marygray9002]

Since I have only been doing this for a week, I am going to make soup in a jar with dehydrated cooked beans, carrots, celery and onions! All you need is broth and your soup will be done in ten minutes! I would love to make lemon powder but don’t know how! So much to learn and you are my best teacher ever! Thanks for being there for us!