Freeze Drying 50 gallons of Milk 🐄 Freeze Drying Pantry Series #1

I am stocking up my freeze dried food pantry items starting today. Today we are freeze drying several gallons of milk in the XL freeze dryer. We will see how many gallons can be freeze dried per cycle in the Harvestright XL freeze dryer. Once we have the results per cycle, we can figure out how many gallons of milk can be freeze dried per month, per year etc. We are also able to put together a freeze dried milk rehydration formula for easy rehydration.
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#freezedriedmilk #freezedriedrecipes #freezedryingcookbook #freezedryingrecipes #freezedrieddairy

[@amysherk]

I turn mine into powder and do 1/4 C powder to 2 C water. Tastes perfect. Fresh cows milk preserved. ❤

[@beverly4551]

Thank you for this. I power mine fine which affects the volume. Instead of weighing everything (probably the best), I was taste testing. I'll try your recipe.

[@MariannaKatz17]

Thanks for your video. I had no idea that the large unit held so much product! Wow. I buy raw whole milk from farmers. 10 gallons at a time. I get about 1 1/2 gallons into one batch in a medium freeze dryer. If frozen in advance, it's done in less than 20 hours. When it comes out of the freeze dryer, I put it through the hand held blender 3 cup attachment and blend it to finer powder. It reconstitutes better that way. It's about 1 oz of milk powder to 1 c of water. Before I freeze the trays, it sometimes will have to go through the blender because the milk fat has begun to accumulate to the top. This will make a hot mess when trying to reconstitute it. It also makes it impossible to reduce it to powder-it gunks up. If blended well, it won't gunk up the blender to reduce it and it will have a much longer shelf life.

[@live.life.simple.]

Good info, thanks

[@spockmcoyissmart961]

did you weigh your milk powder on a digital scale for 1 oz or is the 1 oz by volume in a dry measuring container? thanks!

[@AlexXHitchcock]

We have an XL and until you are actually filling it it's hard to understand just how much it holds.

[@mountainsidefarm8357]

I have the medium and I milk goats. This is so helpful!! Thank you! My first run was 43 hours because I didn’t pre freeze. I will prefreeze from now on. Thank you!!

[@Jarvis30]

I package my FD Milk in smaller portions of 1 quart and 1/2 gallon to size to the canning jars i rehydrate and chill in. So size your storage portions to your serving container and you won't have to deal with measuring cups & scales every time, it becomes discouraging and you drift away from it. Its the same reason most people just don't bake their own breads.

[@gereshomeE]

REALLY useful information! Thank you from an Englishman 🇬🇧 watching from SAUDI ARABIA! ☺

[@live.life.simple.]

Thanks for watching!

[@SemiReTired]

I did my first batch. I blended it down but packaged individually for my grid down bread recipe.

[@stacybarnett554]

Thanks for all the information you share about freeze drying! Just bought a medium through you link!! I look forward to more tips and tricks and insights!!!

[@aarontshaffer]

Thank you for this! I would like to see you try the same with whole milk, because last week we did a load in our XL and filled one of the trays with whole milk (other trays had fruit). Everything dried as expected except for the milk. It kind of bubbled over and filled parts of the dryer with a white foam-like substance. Is there just that much difference between 2% and whole milk? It doesn't seem like you had that issue at all with 2%!

[@johngriffin618]

For me it was more cost effective to freeze dry milk powder. I got a lot more powder per tray, it took about 24 hours per cycle, and still pulled liquid out of the powder.

[@codybruno7605]

So it was already dry?

[@kathymc234]

​@@codybruno7605it sounds like it. But pulling the remaining moisture out by freeze drying should also extend the shelf life.

[@Mark-em5zm]

I thought powdered milk was already freeze dried?

[@goober239]

​@@Mark-em5zmit is lol

[@mattstoltz5535]

@@goober239 To make powdered milk, milk is evaporated, not freeze dried. Some liquid is left in the process that's why it only last two years not decades like freeze dried milk. 🙂 A 50 pound of whole milk powder can be purchased from azure standard for about $4 a gallons worth of powder. This would save a lot of time and electricity to do it this way.

[@kimmididwhat]

Yes!!! Thank you Brian!!!

[@greyballer1671]

Great video and information! Wish I had an XL instead of a medium...lol

[@live.life.simple.]

Just get both 🤣. The medium is more practical for day to day.

[@amysherk]

I have the xl. 7 shelves. We do 1/2 gallon a tray. 3-1/2 total, 7 trays.

[@melodyreeder9762]

Here an idea to try out when using the large trays that don't fit in your freezer to freezer before hand. *Use the small trays to freeze the milk- place your tray dividers into the small Trays. Once they are frozen arrange the squares into the large trays into the freezer dryer to do the cycle. (Pre frozen )

[@JoanWakefield]

I am looking for a book with the setting for different foods in the freeze dryer. I thought I saw one from harvest right that had something like 5 trays of the same item with freeze cycle at so many hours, dry time tray or shelf temperature and how many hours. When trying to see a preview my internet was interrupted and I lost that page. For about a week I have tried to find it again but haven't been able to, can you help me or recommend another one.

[@blueraven2345]

Would we be able to freeze dry half-and-half, or whipping cream, or is that just too much fat in that?

[@chuckwilson1176]

many thanks for all of your work. question... what kind of milk? no fat? 2% or whole milk? thanks

[@stevemeyer1235]

He said it was 2%

[@OvcharkaShepherd]

Please do full fat milk, buttermilk, butter, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta and soft cheeses like brie and mozzarella

[@live.life.simple.]

I have videos on all of those things👍

[@aarontshaffer]

This is a great one on cheese: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2Kkm6J7pdGrq9k

[@beverly4551]

Butter??? I thought butter didn't work. Please educate me.

[@Whispertactical]

So what are the settings for milk in the XL

[@Maleezza]

What setting did u put the FD on to start & what temp plz? Thanks you subscriber & will be ordering supplies from you for Harvest Right medium FD.

[@Moroni105]

I think 1 oz powder + 7 oz water is 1 cup (8 oz)

[@jeschinstad]

What kind of electricity prices do you have?! Sounds insane that freezing that amount of milk should require so much energy?

[@zoningzone]

Hi there, can it freeze dry butter? If so, can it not dry the butter too dry? I was wondering if we can control the dryness to what we desire? Thank you in advance.

[@Still.In.Saigon]

To pre freeze the trays I use the test cycle to freeze the trays. It takes about 10 hours (5kWh) to Freeze. Then wait 5 mins for the compressor to equalize then run the cycle.

[@heatherhutchison7847]

Hey Brian, question about goat milk. I've heard that freezing goats milk changes the texture. Would you recommend freezing it prior to freeze drying or just putting it straight into the freeze dryer? Thanks

[@live.life.simple.]

Howdy. I have never tried goat milk. I do know that pre freezing can change things for the better or worse. You may want to search in our Facebook group with keywords search. Retired at 40s freeze drying group

[@kjnz2804]

How long of a shelf life do you think it would have with 2% ? Thanks for the video.

[@lazzatbastar3497]

All freez dried can last up to 25 years if vacuum sealed. If kept in cupboard in jar can last up to half year(or year) may be. Need to find out what other people say I have dehydrated (not freeze dried) milk powder. Its shelf life is 2 years according to producer. I kept it in jar(air tight) in cupboard for a year. Main thing is not let it touch humid air, otherwise bacteria (in the air, everywhere around us) start eating it. Milk/dried milk has lactose (milk sugar) in it. There are bacteria that process protein too I guess. My dried milk should be rehydrated in 1:7 ratio. So 125mg dried milk plus 875ml water gives 1 liter of milk in the end.

[@lazzatbastar3497]

I just watched the video to the end, and realized that rehydration proportion is the same in video i.e. 16 oz powder plus 16 cups of water equals 1 gallon of milk Namely 473gr milk powder plus 3.5lt (roughly) water equals 3.9lt milk. Which means 1:7 ratio (milk:water) too. Dried milk which is sold commercially is said to ndergo vacuum drying (either cold or hot type). I guess cold type vacuum drying is our freeze drying method here.

[@AlJapairai]

Just weight the whole tray then subtract the tray weight then divide by 14

[@roelfkarsandalicejanssen7773]

Were those extra large trays with lids on them on the table beside you?

[@live.life.simple.]

No. We have not developed XL lids yet. We may in the future if the demand is there.

[@cheryls3777]

Not sure why we can FD heavy cream and not homemade butter from the same cream.

[@beverly4551]

You can freeze dry cream? Do tell all, please.

[@cheryls3777]

@@beverly4551 yes milk and ice cream and sour cream and yogurt

[@reneebeam426]

Cottage cheese too

[@lindastephen-seaver6345]

Would raw milk that still has the full cream in it freeze dry successfully

[@live.life.simple.]

Depends on gat content. I have done heavy cream and half and half and they did not appear to fully freeze dry because of the fat.

[@shellic5166]

I have seen a few people talk about freeze drying their raw milk....but I would still skim off some of the fat for butter and freeze dry the rest. Then you don't have to worry as much.

[@runeguide827]

Do you have a fat ratio to stay under for long term storage?

[@live.life.simple.]

My preference is less is more. Others may disagree.

[@Angie-ii6vp]

any one know why whole milk bubbled over?

[@beverly4551]

Freeze before putting in freeze dryer.

[@OvcharkaShepherd]

The XL is a tool for hardcore preppers. We F/D dairy products just not on this scale.

[@marilynweber7957]

If I don't prefreeze the milk poofs all up - yours didn't???

[@live.life.simple.]

no poofing for me. It may depend on your type and brand of milk

[@lazzatbastar3497]

My question is about milk price per liter. If 5+ gallons milk (nearly 20 Lt) cost around 21$, then 1 Lt milk cost just a bit more than 1$? Oh my gosh. That is the price of whole/skim milk in my country in Asia (third world country), where minimal salary is 200$. On average people (not highly qualified) earn 300-500$ per month after taxes. I wish freeze dryer was sold in my country. I would love to freeze dry milk and eggs first of all to make stocks. I am on zero carb/zero fiber diet (aka carnivore). Dried eggs as well as dried milk is much needed in recipes in the future. I would buy dried milk and dried eggs, but we have loose or no state control due to total corruption and weak/no democratic values in our political system. All diary products that are sold in our supermarkets are fake. Milk, heavy milk, cheese are all fake, although in ingredient list you see whole cow milk only.. All of them use palm oil in milk, heavy milk and cheese. Because they are not made from whole/skim milk, but from dried milk powder (bought from China), low quality palm oil(almost technical grade not food grade) and water and stabilizing agents. From this milk they do heavy cream, cheese etc.. So not poison myself I buy whole milk from farmers, heavy cream and cheese (soft one) make myself from bought whole milk. 1 liter of whole milk (from farmer) costs 1$, and 2.5 or 3.2% fake milk costs 1-1.3$ (since in tetra pack most of them) in supermarkets per liter. Our cattle farming/agriculture is not developed, not subsidized by government.

[@beverly4551]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Truly sorry.

[@julienieman5505]

Curious about fat content in milk and how it would affect shelf life. We drink whole milk, what is your opinion on how well that would freeze dry and store?

[@MariannaKatz17]

No it shouldn't. I buy raw whole milk from farmers and freeze dry it. Provided that the milk is blended in well, there should be no problem.

[@live.life.simple.]

An earlier comment mentioned blending the milkfat thoroughly before freeze drying

[@joannechirigotis3040]

Hand blender works very well to mix milk!

[@cherylcarlson3315]

Other videos have said fat decreased shelf life of meat, wonder about milk. Wonder about raw v pasteurized. Would have been nice to add in rotation of consuming, cheese making when had dairy goats in high production

[@terryharris1856]

I'm new here Working on buying extra shift at work

[@live.life.simple.]

Thanks for your support!

[@abecoulter8550]

What about whole milk fresh from farm

[@fredbecker607]

We get about 2 gallon per day from our goats. We also will try freeze drying the colostrum.

[@kathymc234]

How wonderful.

[@jlcain100]

How did it work on the colostrum?

[@Rosethatwantstomove]

I'm running my 1st batch of eggs through the machine right now. I can't wait to do the milk.

[@KitchenFairy61]

What kind of milk (ie; 4% whole milk) did you freeze dry?

[@Bea19652]

Can this be done with skim milk?

[@jameshuett2559]

I like to do ingredients also. More versatile, I think.

[@DIYfreezedry]

I love how you break down all the numbers - thanks for doing the math for us 🙏

[@live.life.simple.]

You got it!👍

[@usamom]

Will you also be doing updated pantry series with medium size freeze dryer? I know I will not be getting the xlarge due to power and space requirements. Thank you.

[@live.life.simple.]

The freeze drying pantry series was started so no matter what brand or size freeze dryer you have, you can follow the recipe using bulk loose freeze dried ingredients.

[@lorencolt]

You have 14 cups of milk per tray. Take one of your portions put it in a measuring container and add water to your desired proportions. I have a quart container with a mixer paddle that you add the dried milk to then the water, bang done. Do it by volume not weight for a liquid.

[@beverly4551]

Volume changes depending on how fine the milk powder is. 😮

[@JanuaryLisa]

Brian, thank you! I LOVE the updated videos! What kind of milk did you use for this? 2%? Skim? Thanks again!

[@live.life.simple.]

This was 2%

[@jaysunny420]

Shelf life?

[@live.life.simple.]

20+ years

[@thanksplease9108]

great video what brand is best how to order?

[@live.life.simple.]

I have used Harvestright Freeze Dryers for 7 years. You can see them at: affiliates.harvestright.com/416.html

[@sweett4rt]

I'm doing my burn in today! Yay!

[@live.life.simple.]

Congrats!

[@Bama_J]

Morning

[@jameshuett2559]

Are you in Alabama? I am, Southeast, peanut country.

[@Bama_J]

@@jameshuett2559 I am. NW

[@chrismullin8304]

Morning. Northern California here, and the weather is amazing right now!

[@jameshuett2559]

@@Bama_J Cool! Near the home of the group "Alabama". Have a great day! Role Tide!!

[@jameshuett2559]

@@chrismullin8304Good morning! I was stationed in North Cali for a while, near San Francisco. My uncle was at Beale AFB.

[@cassandraschepperle1429]

I freeze-dried skim milk without freezing first. The top two trays bubbled up to the pads above, so I had to take the trays out and clean the machine. What a mess. What could have caused that to happen?

[@live.life.simple.]

What type and brand milk were you using?

[@cassandraschepperle1429]

@@live.life.simple. skim milk from Smiths.

[@beverly4551]

Freezing first, should have no problem

[@stevenallen2530]

I don't FD milk because I prefer maximize my FD time by Freeze-drying solid food. Any milk processed are incorporated in the mashed potatoes. Fruit is a favorite especially fruits that are not native to my area. The fruit and berries I grow take priority in the freeze dryer. After freeze drying your fruit try blending it into powder. Make a smoothie using water or powered milk and water, maybe blended ice. A good gift idea this xmass...

[@rahwn3001]

Hi. I had the heat temp problem with my harvest machine, couldn't reached the maximum heat temp even half. Would you please tell what is the indication? Hope anyone read this and spill the option. Many thanks

[@The_Priory]

what settings do you use when freeze drying milk?

[@richardrybicki749]

Mary here while on the milk subject does raw full fat milk freeze dry without changing texture and taste.

[@billpunch265]

14 cups x 6 trays = 84 cups per cycle. 84 divided by 16 cups = 5 gallons + 1 quart of milk for 31 dollars.... with that being said, you can by a 5 lb bag of milk powder for around 40 dollars (10 dollars more because of inflation) that makes 7.5 gallons of milk... and you can throw as many of those into your cart that you want to, and free up your expensive freeze drier for items that are not easily and cheaply accessible. it was good that you did this experiment though, as to show milk as a low totem pole product. keep up the good work. i have been with you from the beginning and you are my go to source for these things

[@live.life.simple.]

Not a fan of milk powder. It just doesn't taste the same to me. It's probably full of gnarly additives and preservatives as well. It would be better than nothing though.

[@kathymc234]

The shelf life of milk powder is not nearly that of freeze dried milk.

[@beverly4551]

​@@kathymc234Do you know the shelve life of dairy?

[@beverly4551]

I dislike store brought powder milk. It tastes like chemicals to me. I really prefer whole milk freeze dried. ❤

[@ammmurch3413]

Can I freeze dry whole milk

[@farmerhomestead]

Do you vacuum seal your Mylar bags. Also do you still put the o2 packets in when you vacuum seal?

[@live.life.simple.]

Not on all products. It will squish some fd foods too much. I still.use an absorber

[@jmstk]

How long will that Keep ?

[@angelinakorneychuk6685]

How is that 50 gallons? You were able to fit Almost one full gallon on a tray. And there are 6 trays

[@live.life.simple.]

50 gallons per month if you watched the whole video.

[@johnnada1222]

👍thanks

[@estherstone4860]

Nice to know!

[@marjorieswift5124]

Hi there I just used my freeze drier today and it didnt work? I did not receive a cover for the front door and all the videos I watched have one? I purchase a large harvest right from Juicerville, they have not relied to any of my questions regarding the front cover. The temperature could not get cold enough, the plexiglass on the front kept dripping with condensation. I have taken the food out and now defrosting but I don't know whether to put the food in the freezer or let it thaw? Can anyone give me some advice?

[@beverly4551]

I had that problem with the Harvest Right large. I had to update the program with their help. I don't know about your company, but this is not a front cover problem. Something is wrong with either the program or hardware. It could be an easy fix if it's the program. You should keep on with trying to get a hold of customer assistance. Sorry this is happening to you.

[@keithrepace118]

Good afternoon, I just ordered my large FD. I have a question can u make homemade breadcrumbs with the freeze dryer

[@beverly4551]

I would try it and see what happens. Let us know the results, please.

[@marilynweber7957]

I am looking at the extra large. So, like I use toaster oven trays in the medium to save $'s - is there a way to use the medium trays to freeze foods and then lay like 2 on the large tray? Help us please because all the extras would put us out of getting one - thank you!

[@live.life.simple.]

There are a few smaller baking pans that may work. 2 mediums will not fit. You can watch my XL review video where I place the different size pans next to each other and gauge the tray size.

[@Thingsandcosas]

Lol you don’t freeze dry liquids, you spray dry them. It’s so much more efficient.

[@live.life.simple.]

Yes it sounds very cost efficient for home preservation LOL

[@AdonaiEphraim]

I used to wonder how milk powder is made🤦🤦🤦am really so blessed with your videos👏👏👏

[@live.life.simple.]

👌

[@Angie-ii6vp]

whole milk bubbled over in freeze dryer does antone know why?

[@beverly4551]

Freeze first

[@MR-mv8sv]

Sorry, newbie question….. can you use whole milk?

[@beverly4551]

Yes, this is all I do! Tastes the best.

[@Maleezza]

Can u freeze dry whole milk or just low fat or 2% milk? Thank you

[@beverly4551]

Whole, this is all I do. Tastes the best

[@christycarlson9784]

Did you use any kind of tray liner? TY! Love your products and videos! ❤

[@iladyjedi3864]

@christycarlson9784 I just completed my first batch with both Retired at 40’s liners (which have a ton of ‘stiction’, as my son would call it), as well as the HarvestRight brand. I also did a pre freeze 🥶. Unfortunately, the use of both liners has resulted in them ending up in the middle of a milk sandwich (somehow the milk got underneath the liners 😂). Hope this helps!

[@crystalchillura9614]

Could you freeze it in an ice cube tray and then put the cubes in the FD?

[@live.life.simple.]

Yes or use tray dividers from www.freezedryingsupplies.com to freeze and then freeze dry. Those will also give you portion sizes

[@lorihone7478]

Thanks so much for your channel. I just found u!!

[@live.life.simple.]

Welcome!!

[@darrenswanson3995]

Nice work. Can you freeze dry cream?

[@live.life.simple.]

I have a video where I freeze dried heavy cream. 1/2 and 1/2 and all sorts of other dairy

[@runeguide827]

It looks like you used 2% milk? I know the freeze dried stuff you can buy is nonfat, how many years would 2% store in Mylar without going bad due to fat content? Or a guess

[@live.life.simple.]

Your guess is as good as mine.

[@308sniper3]

Everything I’ve read about food storage says that fat is the killer of long term storage. It can go rancid even with oxygen absorbers. What I FD is for long term emergency use so I wont take a chance. When I put up ground beef I rinse with hot water to remove all the fat I can.

[@kellyharbaugh9391]

Thanks I enjoyed it very much

[@live.life.simple.]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@Justmegd]

Quick question…Does it have that weird drymilk smell and taste after rehydrating?

[@marilynweber7957]

Does not taste anything like commercial full of chemicals dried milk - so gross in my opinion. It doesn't have the ball texture either - it is flaky until you blend it into a powder. I have a cow and fd milk and cream at least once a week - it comes out smelling like cream for sure. . . Nothing tastes like commercial fd foods because you are using fresh ingredients without additives - it is just the food.

[@live.life.simple.]

I have not noticed any difference in taste from fresh. It definitely does not taste like gross powdered milk

[@Justmegd]

Ok TY Both for your rely. You just sold me on buying a fd

[@AllisChalmersMN]

I enjoy your videos. You’ve always got a lot of great information in them. I also like how you include rehydration in them and trying it after it’s been rehydrated.

[@cholland3440]

How do I find you on rumble

[@wannabefarmgirl9595]

@live.life.simple I just tried doing raw goats milk in my large HR for the first time. 🫠😬 Like somebody else mentioned above, mine has turned into this bubbly foam all over and made a huge mess. Since almost all milk videos I saw people just poured into their trays while in the machine, I didn’t pre-freeze my milk, just both added my trays and poured in directly right after the initial chamber cooling as normal. I put a quart of milk each tray, pretty much like what I see others online do. Any idea what went wrong?

[@nadiariaskoff4543]

Try lower drying temperature and longer time.

[@beverly4551]

Freeze first