Best Foods From Costco You NEED To Get In Your Freeze Dryer!

[@reneekorgie3500]

You are a life saver. Thank you for clear instructions when programming the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer before and after - you saved me, and we now use our freeze dryer! Thank you for blessing us with your gift of teaching. You’re my favorite channel for freeze drying!

[@debmerrill9798]

I bought a Harvest Right. Within 1 year, multiple breakdowns and a trip back to Utah now for the second time. It is 15 months old and they tell me they know what is wrong but do not have the part needed to fix it right this time and no ETA. I am not the only person having difficulties. The freight man who picked the machine up told me that he has had to return quite a number of them for others. My crops now have to be canned, dehydrated or conventionally frozen and who knows when I will get this machine back. Channels who will advertise for them get a freebie but this was a huge financial commitment for me and all I have is frustration to show for it and a monthly bill on the loan I took out to buy it. I love the process- it's fantastic...WHEN it works.

[@judyblaise1639]

I showed my husband this video….trying to get him on board to freeze drying and meal prep. Thank you for the video

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@judyblaise1639 oh awesome!! It really helps me with meal prep - it’s great for emergency food too but I use my freeze dried food all the time for fast meals 😄

[@shawnbeard5104]

My wife asked for a year,after watching videos for the year, I bought her one and it has run non-stop for over three months.

[@joant8641]

You will not regret getting one. I love this machine.

[@laureengetskow6579]

I love freeze drying Costco brand frozen corn & peas. They are so convenient to add to soups/casseroles.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@laureengetskow6579 oh great idea!! I love being able to toss FD veggies into recipes

[@SlowLivingWithAutism]

The hand-held vacuum sealers work fine. My favorite Costco item to FD is the wild blueberries.

[@harleyrenegade8035]

I call what you are doing a Freeze Dried Grocery Store! I always have whatever I need in Freeze Dried Food to make whatever I want like Chili with Freeze Dried Onions & Freeze Dried Ground Beef, Etc. I have Freeze Dried Garlic, Chicken, Ham, Ground Beef, Pork Chops, Etc. My Freeze Dried Grocery Store 😁

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@harleyrenegade8035 I love that!!! It is like a grocery store in your pantry

[@reneebeam426]

I have that portable vacuum sealer and it worked great on wide mouth jars for a while, regular jars for just a few times, now it pulls the lids off every time. Happy Birthday 🎉

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@reneebeam426 oh no 😬 it seems like such a convenient thing!! I’ll have to see how this one holds up. And thx for the bday wish 🥳

[@sn-dlouwhothatswho180]

Look up on KZbin how to make your own vacuum sealer. There's a guy that uses a 5gal metal bucket and a vacuum pump to make a multi jar/multi size jars with different lids (like jelly jar lids, olive, pickle jar lids)

[@janetchisolm-richard6225]

Happy Birthday to your husband. Love the idea that the Christmas lights and the Halloween deco are up. I usually wait until October for Christmas and then am still doing it unto December. Smart move.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@janetchisolm-richard6225 it’s much easier to hang the Christmas lights before the snow and cold sets in 😂 they’re usually up from Sept - Feb (in Alaska they leave lights on until the annual Iditarod race is over in Feb bc it’s so dark here it’s nice to have the extra lights! Thx for the bday wish!!! I want to get the LED color changing lights so I could do Halloween colors during October then switch it to Christmas colors. That would be so fun

[@bryansteen2219]

You can seal any size jar in the harvest right, by doing a vacuum test. Just touch the leaf and you can see vacuum test

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@bryansteen2219 that’s super cool I’ll have to try that! Do you remove the shelving unit or just put your jar to the side of it if it fits?

[@SilverTopMom]

I have a freeze dryer and have dried lots of vegetables and fruit. I need to start on my meats and ready cooked meals for convenience. Thanks for the motivation!

[@isabelladavis1363]

Thank you for this video I have done the ground beef but never any other meats and love the option of other meats and the rehydration … great recipes… great energy on your channel…stay blessed

[@kathySwan-c5q]

That portable vacuum sealer is amazing.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@kathySwan-c5q yay I can’t wait to try it

[@iwillitryican]

Another great thing about Harvest Right tray lids is they can actually be used as trays in the freeze dryer.

[@scarleenswalker7923]

I have the little portable lid sealer. Got it at Target. I love it. Works great! I learn SO much watching you! Keep up the good work! Georgia hugs!

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@scarleenswalker7923 thanks so much 🥰 I want to visit Georgia someday! I love the south but have only been to south/North Carolina….. i want to see more!

[@scarleenswalker7923]

@@DIYfreezedryI live about three miles from Berry College. Look it up on your computer. As a new freeze dryer, I Learn more from you than any other source. Would love to talk with you face to face! You’re amazing with the freeze dryer.

[@petiepoo45]

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATE! BTW… your lovely wife is awesome, and I love watching her freeze drying videos!

[@JoanWakefield]

I have 3 vacuum sealer gadgets, the big vacuum bag sealer, two hand jar and bottle sealer and a hand pump, all work great.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@JoanWakefield awesome good to hear they’re working great!

[@GuyOnYouTube]

Great video, love the tips! Though as an FYI - Wagyu ground beef isn’t the greatest option, especially for freeze drying. The main appeal of Wagyu beef is for the superior marbling and fat throughout the steaks. When you make ground beef, you’re basically losing that benefit. Plus, the 3 lbs package is basically 1/3rd fat. So you’re essentially losing one of the packages during cooking. The meat and juices also retains higher amounts of fat content (which doesn’t do well in freeze dryers and should be avoided if planning on long term storage). If it wasn’t much more expensive than the regular ground beef (maybe within ~10%) it isn’t entirely a ripoff and down the personal preference on the fattiness and flavor after cooking, but if it’s much more than that, I’d pass. Just get a good quality grass fed ground beef, ideally lower in fat for freeze drying and shelf life (ground sirloin can be 90% lean, but sometimes can find ground beef blends that are 96% lean). We also actually often use ground turkey for freeze drying, because the fat content by nature is lower / more lean, and after seasoning, it’s very difficult to tell the difference between cooked ground turkey vs beef. One of the most popular things we get at Costco are the bags of organic mixed vegetables (they have a few different varieties, the newest stirfry one has quickly become our favorite). We usually do a run of those vegetables with rotisserie chicken and then pre-make gourmet ramen (also including other freeze dried or shelf stable spices, herbs, flavorings, etc) with the noodles in a vacuum sealed wide mouth mason jar. Have a few at work and at home, just heat up some water, pour it in, shake and enjoy. Doesn’t even have to be Ramen either, can basically do this with any soup. Heck, even the meal you did in the crock pot could have been freeze dried and portioned into the mason jars and just add warm water to reconstitute and eat!

[@carebear8146]

Happy Birthday Nate. Loving the food prep for dinner!

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@carebear8146 thanks!!! It’s so nice to have

[@Britwithmals]

I bought the portable and I love it! Have you ever used your machine to seal the jars?

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@Britwithmals oh sweet I can’t wait to try it. Are you talking about using the freeze dryer to seal them? I’ve heard of people doing that but I never have!

[@Britwithmals]

@@DIYfreezedry yes to use the actual freeze dryer to seal. I think it’s give it a better seal but I’m nervous to try it 🤣

[@cassiesmith6315]

Wow so many tips! I definitely need some of those trays! And what I really need is some of that freeze dried meat 🥩 you have done it again free dry nation!!!!!!!!

[@whataboutvegas]

I'm also obsessed with Halloween 🎃 Happy birthday Nate! Thanks for the inspirational videos!

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@whataboutvegas he says thank you! Thanks for watching 😄

[@EvergreenGlassCrafts]

Happy bday! Love the videos! You taught us how to do candy in our freeze dryer, thanks!

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@EvergreenGlassCrafts thanks for the bday wish and I’m so glad I’ve been able to help from my videos 😁😁😁

[@cherylb.9766]

I just did this again with the chicken. I get 4 chickens and it fills all 5 trays with enough left over for dinner. Then I make a slow cook chicken bone broth to can the next day.

[@Swampsquatchstomp]

I've learned for long term after you cook the ground beef rinse it thru a strainer several times first before you freeze dry it

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@Swampsquatchstomp good tip, I didn’t rinse it this time just drained, will rinse next round 👏

[@harleyrenegade8035]

I Rinse mine with the Hottest Water then Boiling water through a Colander. My Ground Beef will then last 10 to 15 years for sure.

[@SlowLivingWithAutism]

That's why I don't like to FD ground beef ... it's tedious and messy. But, I still do it. Like others have said, I first pat as much fat out as possible, and then rinse a few times. Usually I just pressure can the ground beef ... it doesn't last for long term, but will for a year or so. (Fat content = shorter shelf life.)

[@Swampsquatchstomp]

@DIYfreezedry also buy a piece of beef and have it grounded up. Less fat in it. And it's coming from 1 cow. Not hundreds of cows.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@Swampsquatchstomp that’s smart! I’ve never done that. I hope to find a cow farmer here where we can purchase a half cow or something and just be stocked with good quality beef

[@10xshooters]

Happy Birthday Nate! Another great video 👍

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@10xshooters thanks for watching and the bday wishes 😄

[@dianawatson28]

Happy birthday!!! My whole living room is already decorated for Halloween too!! Only have one thing outside so far but there will be way more before the month is over!

[@Nannyangie34]

I also love Halloween and I like that he already has decorations up, go Nate

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@Nannyangie34 oh he’ll love hearing that!

[@hgw90026]

Consider Aldi's Grassfed Organic beef. Very affordable when on sale.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@hgw90026 I wish we had Aldi in Alaska - it needs to come here!! They have great stuff

[@castleberryjamien]

Happy Birthday funny man! Hope your day is/was amazing.🎉

[@joinmeinthedirt5186]

Have you used your Avid Armor to seal your jars? You just lay the jars down and slightly loosened lid and it’s instant. Happy Birthday 🎉

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@joinmeinthedirt5186 I don’t think I’ve tried that, my chamber is pretty small, but I do think the smaller mason jars would fit sideways like you said. I’ll have to test that!

[@joinmeinthedirt5186]

@@DIYfreezedry Mine is the 32 and a pint and quart fit it.

[@DonofrioPetTV]

I have the Avid Armor Cellar Series: Reserve Chamber Vacuum Sealer I can vacuum seal - Two half gallon jars (on the side) Or - Six quart jars Or - 12 half quart jars At one time kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2ankmSGq6hnkJo

[@pde442]

Awesome video….learning so much, Thank you!

[@lulamamie8524]

Happy birthday Nate 🎉 I love your Halloween 🎃 👻 front door decoration 👻, and it’s not too early to put up Halloween decorations. Many people in my neighborhood have theirs up as well 🎃

[@KellyMcgahen]

I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL! ❤

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@KellyMcgahen you’re the best thank you!!

[@firebrew739]

Happy B Day!!!!!!!!!!!

[@corinnemaldonado439]

Happy birthday Nate. I hope you had a great day

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@corinnemaldonado439 he says thank you!!!

[@DangerZone-w6y]

Great Job!

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@DangerZone-w6y thank you 😊

[@joant8641]

Happy Birthday Nate!!!

[@kathyduncan6227]

Happy Birthday Nate!

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@kathyduncan6227 thank you 😊

[@shawnbeard5104]

Happy Birthday Nate from Virginia. I am retired Air Force.

[@sandyhollis9834]

It always looks like your packaging everything right away. Do you let it cool first or just go right into the jars? I noticed that with the candy as well.

[@patrickridler8688]

You do easy to follow things with freeze drying. Harvest Right has had too many 'faults', so I bought a StayFresh. Got a CALL from them in less than 2 hours after asking questions online about their freeze dryer. They have a much better quality machine. So, your husband is early on his Halloween decorations ... YET, look at those Christmas lights on the house @11:12??? Hahaa.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@patrickridler8688 I have been curious about the other freeze dryer brands! I may need to get my hands on one. Hahaha yes the lights he refuses to hang in the cold so those go up in September too 😂 but we wait to turn them on until November lol!

[@Canadianduke23]

Nice work

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@Canadianduke23 thanks so much 🥰

[@cherylb.9766]

What I would like to find out is has anyone freeze dried their broth? How did they do it, pre freeze? I don't have the freezer space for that so will it work just going in liquid? And how does it turn out?

[@andrewgibson6051]

Halloween in September? What about those Christmas lights?

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@andrewgibson6051 we hang those in September too bc my husband doesn’t want to do it in the cold 😂 we just don’t turn them on until November ish. Then in Alaska they stay on until February (it’s tradition they are left on until the last musher in the Iditarod race crosses the finish line) and it brightens up the streets in the dark months. So much to learn moving to Alaska 😆

[@texasnurse]

Happy Birthday!

[@gayeknight]

Wagu tallow from the ground beef drippings?

[@kayakbandits9894]

Just got a freeze dryer and still trying to understand the stages. Whats the extended dry time? Im thinking I need to extend it because so far all the foods Ive done by the time I get home from work the trays a frozen and not warm? The food is still dry so I put them in the bags. Hope theyre good? thx!

[@MisterEMystery]

@kayakbandits9894 In Brooke’s video she shows where she adds more dry time. You can add up to (I think) 24 hours of extra dry time (at least 12 if not 24). If you don’t think you’ll be home when the drying is done, you can always add more time, it doesn’t hurt your food to add more dry time. After the machine has reached what it believes is enough time for drying (it only guesses, it doesn’t know-machines are stupid after all), it goes into “extra dry time” mode and after that the pump turns off the drying, but the machine keeps freezing. This is why your food is frozen when you get home. Part of “freeze drying” is Freezing while Drying. Turn off the drying part and the freezing continues. Your food may have gotten some water back into it as part of the freezing. I would check it. It may spoil. It’s always best to interrupt the “extra dry time” and check the weight of trays (not just one in my opinion) and continue for another hour or two and re-checking the weights. If the weight has changed, it’s either not done drying (weight going down ) or water is creeping back in (weight increases). Don’t stop the process until the tray weight doesn’t change. If you hear the machine running, don’t assume it knows what it’s doing. Check in on it. If it’s in extra dry time, check the tray weights. Remember! Empty your water bucket before opening the drain valve. The drain valve sucks air in when the vacuum is releasing, if water is near the hose’s opening it could pull water back into your machine and ruin your food.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@kayakbandits9894 yes after the machine sense it is done, it then cools back down and freezes it. I usually add extra dry time bc I’ve found alot of times the machine thinks food is done when it’s really not and it needs extra time. I also hate pulling out cold trays 😆 so I do my weigh test during the extra dry time to just make sure it’s done. Hope that helps!

[@RhondaBoston-yq5wc]

Please let us know how the ground beef turned out.

[@JoanWakefield]

Cooked beef is great, so are cooked hamburger patties.

[@RhondaBoston-yq5wc]

@@JoanWakefield I havent tried the wagyu ground beef yet. I'll have to try it. Thank you.

[@standingbear39]

If you vacuum seal the jars you do not need to use oxygen absorbers also.

[@AddictOfLearning]

You should weigh all of them instead of just one because one might hold moisture more than the others

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@AddictOfLearning that’s very true - I got lazy 😅 but yes all 4 would be better for sure

[@galaxyaj2938]

I've heard the rotisserie chicken that Costco has in the hot area in bags are really bad for you because of the heat and not food safe bags....that's what I've seen.

[@jo-annjewett198]

Hope you saved the chicken skin for your broth. Makes it so tasty.

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@jo-annjewett198 oh I didn’t think of that! Next time!

[@55carolann]

Happy birthday 👻💀☠️👽

[@DIYfreezedry]

@@55carolann thank you for the bday wishes!!!

[@brianschindler1511]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@MisterEMystery]

I’m concerned that you’re only checking one tray’s weight. Each shelf dries at a different temperature. If the machine is set at 120 degrees, the middle two shelves reach that temperature, but the top shelf may have only reached 115 and the bottom shelf 110 degrees. The weight of each tray could be different and one could be dry whereas another might not be. Placing the trays back on the same shelf just means that shelf worked correctly. You should change the trays up. Place the top and bottom trays in the middle and the middle two on top and bottom. Weighing all 4 (and keeping track of them all) could show one is dry but another is not, especially with different product on each shelf (chicken can dry faster than beef or vice-versa). This is if you were prepping for years (decades?). Since you’re not, you’re probably fine. 🤔 Another channel just dries everything for 40+ hours. I’m not sure if that’s extra time or not, but it works for him. His is a 2017 model and he doesn’t have candy mode, so yes he’s freeze drying candy for 40 hours!! 😮 Happy Birthday Nate! You’re NOT weird putting up Halloween stuff in September. If you were to leave it up year-around…well.. then you would need help🤣! It’s funny how Brooke says “and you don’t have to cook it” after cooking a bunch of meat 😂! I know, it’s on future uses, but hearing it in the video sounds funny. Speaking of “weird” does someone have a problem with tapping fingers on just about everything 🤣?

[@carolb5677]

The plastic bags that the Costco chicken comes in has not been tested for safety.

[@jenniferv6429]

Most of the food we eat hasn't been tested for safety. Never mind the packaging

[@SilverTopMom]

Happy birthday Nate! Hope you had a great one! 🎉🎉

[@sandyhollis9834]

It always looks like your packaging everything right away. Do you let it cool first or just go right into the jars? I noticed that with the candy as well.