Kielbasa and Italian Meatballs in HarvestRight Freeze Dryer (disaster)

Batch number three was a funny disaster in our new HarvestRight freeze dryer. The meatballs were store bought and were not very good right out of the bag. But they were especially disappointing once freeze dried. They didn't reconstitute at all after 1/2 hour of soaking in water. We didn't bother soaking them any longer and threw them out. Janet said they weren't even fit for "Willie K" dog treats!
The Kielbasa was interesting. It turned out similar in texture to a pepperoni stick. Although they did come back to a some what normal texture after soaking them in water overnight (in the refrigerator), they still retained a firmer consistency than when they went into the freeze dryer.
Now for the funny part. Although the Kielbasa was browned and drained of fat, this batch ended up coating the entire inside of the freeze drier with grease! Clean up took so long, I've decided not to try sausage again.
So sit back and enjoy another fun adventure with the Epicenter crew and our HarvestRight home Freeze Dryer!
Benefits of Home Freeze Drying:
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Introduction to the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer:
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Details and Prices:
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[@gardenlove261]

I'm so glad you guys are testing all this stuff out for us! I really want a harvest right but haven't decided if it's "worth it" for us yet. I love the trial and errors and thanks for your honesty! :)

[@deadfish86]

I am not doing hard sausages like you are, but I am doing lots of sausage patties (i.e. Jimmy Dean, local brand Purnell's, or the Best - Goolsby's). My method is to fry them a little more done (to make sure they have crunch) than you normally would. Drain them according to your preference, then put them in a bamboo steamer for a while to further let the fat out. Turn them often during the steaming to make sure no grease is pooling and it all drains to the bottom. When I feel that they are done, I go further to rinse the patties in hot water in a strainer. My sausage patties then freeze-dry beautifully.

[@pstoneking3418]

Sounds like a lot of work, but if you want freeze dried sausage patties then it's worth the extra work. Do they have any flavor left after your process? And after all that, do they rehydrate well?

[@annmacbride3100]

I did a few batches of members Mark (Sam’s club) meatballs. They are about the same size as yours. I cut them into 1/8’s. Packaged them with freeze dried spaghetti, sauce and parm cheese portions. All rehydrated fine. Key is to cut them up while frozen, then freeze dry. You definitely need more surface area to hydrate dense stuff.

[@nasmitty5261]

I love you all, that's awesome testing.

[@kiricalo]

you guys are awesome. I could not stop watching ur videos.

[@EpicenterBryan]

Thanks! More videos on the way...

[@seanwilliamson9600]

You push boundaries, EpicenterBryan

[@EpicenterBryan]

We try. And are having fun!

[@squishy312]

The best meatballs I've ever had, were the ones from Food Services of America. The pizzeria I managed used them for meatball subs. I haven't been able to find a comparable meatball since. They are way better than even Costco ones. I think Cash n' Carry might carry them. If I remember correctly, they were Roma brand. If they don't have them, I know that CnC has Philly style cheese steaks that are amazing. 0.5 ounces Pre sliced. It was over 10 years ago when I worked there... so my memory of brands is somewhat fuzzy.

[@lelliott39]

I make 15 bean soup with Kielbasa and freeze dry it. It turns out excellent! Never have a fat issue doing it that way, could be because the Kielbasa is cooked for a long time in water and the fat is rendered out, but the consistency of the Kielbasa after cooking it that way and freeze drying it is delicious. Give it a try! BTW, LOVE that you make these helpful videos. Thank you!

[@EpicenterBryan]

I'll have to try Kielbasa again. I really do like it. I've got an awesome crock pot recipe that uses Kielbasa, potatoes, onions, sauerkraut, cheese and cream of celery soup. Rib sticking good! Bet that would work in the FD'r.

[@pstoneking3418]

​@@EpicenterBryan That sounds like the answer for the kielbasa fat problem. I also love it with sauerkraut and potatoes. I saw your sauerkraut freeze dry and seemed to rehydrate well.

[@carolclarkson4859]

We did costco meatballs in our freeze dryer (cut in half). Turned out awesome! Rehydrated with hot water in about 20 - 25 minutes.

[@EpicenterBryan]

Thanks for the tip Tom. Did you have any issue with fat on the inside of the freeze dryer? I'm looking forward to trying those!

[@Noclevername00]

Great video! Keep them coming!

[@candicekingpalgut9947]

my freeze dryer is on order. I had a good laugh at your video, and I am quite sure I will have my own comedy of errors in the near future

[@kwischun]

Please forgive if this has been addressed in a previous post as I haven't had the chance to read through a good chunk of the comments or suggestions, but I am a big user of the Instant Pot pressure cooker, and I am curious if pressure reconstituting meats like this would better help re-hydrate something like the kielbasa. Thoughts? Really great video.

[@pstoneking3418]

I believe that might be the answer. My Mason jars of pressure canned meat has all the fat solidified, so you could just freeze dry the kielbasa. I'll have to give that a try. I just got my freeze drier and eventually plan on freeze drying all my pressure canned meat to increase their shelf lives. At present they are just about 1 year old so would be a good time to freeze dry them.

[@pstoneking3418]

I love kielbasa sausage. Thought that might be great. I think I'll pressure can some kielbasa so all the fat is extracted and solidified in my jar and then freeze dry it. I believe the fat content is why it wouldn't rehydrate well. Others have said they've used it in stews and removed the fat prior to freeze drying and rehydrate well after freeze drying their stew.

[@meddler69]

you ever rehydrate things in beer??

[@EpicenterBryan]

We haven't yet but will be doing that for chicken fried steak soon.

[@BrendaBodwin]

No store bought meatballs. Gotcha 👍🏼

[@zenvarley]

I'd be hesitant to use any prepared meat in your freeze dryer. I know it would be more work but I think you would have much better luck making your own meatballs. Also with sausage, I don't know if you can ever get away from the fast, at least with any pork sausage as usually you have to add extra fat when you make it. Or use a cut of meat with a LOT of fat. At least that's what I had to do when I've made sausage in the past. I wonder if a lean cut of beef, like round or sirloin, or lean pork chops would work? Say cubed and grilled over indirect heat so any fat in the meat drains away as you cook? I bet if you brined some meat with a brine with honey and salt and some seasonings, then grilled the meat, it would turn out tasty freeze dried.

[@maryjane-vx4dd]

That sounds great. I'll have to try it if my back ordered freeze drier ever comes in

[@pstoneking3418]

Just for future reference dawn diish soap is fantastic grease remover.

[@dennisalexander771]

I have one of these dryers and have processed many loads of various types of food. the only issue I have had is trying to do hot dogs. I got the same result as Epicenter Bryan. I boiled the hot dogs first but the interior of the dryer was covered with fat after the drying process was finished. I have done chicken, pot roast, pork chops, stew and all kinds of other stuff without having this happen.

[@EpicenterBryan]

Interesting, thanks for sharing that! I wonder at what fat content it becomes an issue? You know, like doing raw 80/20 hamburger patties? Have you done steaks yet?

[@dennisalexander771]

No, I have not done steaks yet. I don't like to dry and store raw meats so I have stayed away from them. I have done 88% hamburger and 93% ground turkey without issue but I brown them first.

[@swtmuzik1]

i've done pork chops and NY Steaks. The fat on the steaks didn't do so well... I had to cut it off carefully and there was a disaster in my FDer! But the pork chops came out great. Both were raw. I've been searching for video's of others FDing COFFEE... haven't found one yet. So, that will be my next mission... gonna try a tray of black coffee vs a tray of prepared ( 1/2 & 1/2 and brown sugar) and see if it works.

[@watcherwatchmen7785]

Pressure cooking/canning would be a better process for meat unless it is very low in fat content. Think beef jerky.

[@mikec8679]

yknow... it could have something to do with it being processed food to begin with, such as it being smoked meat. Maybe something in the smoking process causes this.

[@jsutherland777]

Might want to try pressure cooker to rehydrate.

[@cjblack5925]

Have you considered slicing and boiling the fat out of the sausage ? I would do that and then place paper towels down on the trays, place the sausage on the towels and then place paper towels on top. I am thinking that would control any mess and also help it to not turn out like jerky. It is just a thought. Thank you for all your fun and interesting videos.

[@fleebin2794]

Don’t use straight vinegar to clean your drum. Not unless you wash it out REAL well. Otherwise, you will get an insufficient vacuum error until you wash it all completely out. The way you test for vacuum is to spray carb cleaner around the fittings during a vacuum test. I guess the vinegar acts like the cleaners, and the gas will drop the vacuum pressure. What is so difficult about this diagnosis is that it passes the vacuum tests, but will fail a batch run after it reaches the vacuum freeze cycle.

[@MidnightBabe54]

I tried freeze drying the Schwan's beef Italian Meatballs and they turned out great! No greasy mess.

[@EpicenterBryan]

Awesome. The Costco meatballs worked fine too.

[@m.walker7907]

Love costo meatballs

[@Kellbell2109]

Great video! Those meatballs didn't even look good i cant imagine that they would taste or smell good lol.

[@thirtythree160]

2:00 What happens to the fat that it gets all over the inside of the freezer?

[@nerys71]

I imagine you can't store the FD Kilbasa since it has fat in it that would go rancid in time?

[@hewkoj]

"Crunchy meat", classic

[@Thisisit120]

I so wish you would make more freeze dryer videos. I know some of your crew and the videos have moved on to other places but you can do it.

[@EpicenterBryan]

We are back.

[@PenntuckytheCrag]

good tip on the alcohol

[@michaelwest9311]

Grayveeee!!!!!!

[@mordeys]

try boiling and draining the water off to get the fat out of the sausage first then fry and freeze dry.

[@zenvarley]

Also, put any meat in a colander and rinse it off under a faucet while it's still hot. I do that and it seems to really get rid of all the fat.

[@itsmetoo2414]

CHEWING ON SAWDUST

[@enerzise3161]

I wonder if you have meat that does not want to re-hydrate, can you re-hydrate it in an Instant Pot? Maybe put it in the basket with 1/2 cup of water, set them as Baked Potato. I would try to re-hydrate in 6 or 8 minute intervals. Pressure Re-Hydrating has to do the job, it is forcing steam into it.

[@stvsanders]

How long will freeze dried meat with some residual fat last for once freeze dried?

[@MaN-pw1bn]

I wonder if it would be better to freeze them after cooking?

[@EpicenterBryan]

That's what we did. Just too much fat.

[@MikeK2100]

How about doing away with the fat? That means you would have to make your own smoke sausage using only lean meat and I an thinking some large bread crumb binder. Then upon rehydration, you also mix the weight in oil in addition to the water. It would then tend to navigate to the binder for that smoked sausage effect.

[@EpicenterBryan]

That is the best option. Since then, I remove as much fat as possible from any cut of meat I use before hand.

[@plhartley]

I wonder if you put a paper towel over and under the Kielbasa if that would work to soak up the grease and keep it from splashing all over? Or would that be a fire hazard?

[@EpicenterBryan]

Fire hazard no. Paper towel above and below has worked for me for other things - but the kielbasa was WAY over the top on the fat content. What I have learned is to only try to FD meat that is low fat, or remove as much as possible.

[@RyanSmith6644]

thoes driers would be great if it had a wash cycle kind of like the krueg.

[@NWforager]

have you considered a pressure cooker to rehydrate ? i would think its the opposite process of dehydrating .

[@EpicenterBryan]

Good point. We should give that a shot.

[@roberthatfield2165]

@@EpicenterBryan You will lose some nutrients with any high-heat process, but I'm curious if you've tried this yet.

[@jbaldwin3092]

To stop the fat splatter, have you tried doing them in 'grease proof paper sandwich/toasters bags?

[@EpicenterBryan]

No. Perhaps that's an idea...

[@esandquistSr]

I wonder if putting parchment over the meat would prevent fat splatter?

[@EpicenterBryan]

It might. I'm now in the habit of just making sure I do lean meat and eliminate as much fat as possible.

[@barbarakegebein1800]

I have used both parchment paper and paper towels, both top and bottom. Paper towels is my choice although I sometimes add parchment paper under the towels. Works well for keeping the machine cleaner. I do rinse the fat off after I cook the meat. Also, I plan on cooking almost everything before FDing it. Easier to fix it in case of a disaster, which is main reason to fix for long term. Also will be wonderful and easy for those days I am too tired to cook!

[@arstrahan]

Is any of this stuff tested after long term storage? I want to know if some of the good stuff you freeze dried went rancid after 6 months to a year.

[@EpicenterBryan]

We have been freeze drying for 3 years now. Lather this year we will start trying the oldest items.

[@sundayscomrad4877]

omg...i did bratworst and beef hotdogs, bad bad bad!! nxt time i will try the 97% fat free dogs

[@EpicenterBryan]

let us know how those turn out...

[@enerzise3161]

National Lampoon's Griswold Turkey Meatballs All I could think of is how that meatball sounded like the Griswold's holiday dried turkey. Is it just me or does John remind anyone else of Bill Murray?

[@jimbonniekabler1346]

Maybe try FD kielbasa in sauerkraut.

[@ARhere]

Your videos are fun. Ever think about selling your own freeze dried food, specifically the steaks?

[@EpicenterBryan]

Not at this time. We would need to contract a commercial packer to do that in their FDA approved facility.

[@gerardhaubert8210]

Is there a list of things Not to Freeze Dry

[@EpicenterBryan]

Yes and no. I should work up a list some time but here are a few... Peanut butter, honey, mayo (anything oily in general).

[@RhodeToPrepping]

Has anyone has tried cutting up the sausage into smaller pieces and browned then rinsed off before FD?

[@pstoneking3418]

I pressure can a lot of meat and always seem to get all the fat out by doing that. I might give sausage a try in my pressure canner. The fat should solidify in the top of the Mason jars like all the other meats that I've pressure canned.

[@akush55]

petty much vacuum out the fat in freeze dryer

[@Itsbuckjames]

What if you freeze dried the kielbasa before cooking it?

[@EpicenterBryan]

I think we would have the same result. The issue seams to be fat content. Since then I either trim fat from meats first, or if I cook something like ground beef (start with lean) I drain and rinse to get rid of as much fat as possible. No issues since.

[@thirtythree160]

How do you preserve fatty foods like bacon?

[@heyheynowinga9972]

hey bryan is it legal to ship frezezedryed meat from home to another country

[@EpicenterBryan]

That's a tricky situation. Sorry but I don't have an answer for you.

[@jennifershores3717]

HEMPOILSOLDIER 4EVER you could label it home made snacks. The only reason meat itself is tricky is because of mad cow disease and things gov is worried about like that...

[@johnsmith-dm2tq]

so, kielbasa=no meatballs=no... but bacon freeze dry's?

[@richardd6669]

What would happen if you freeze dried some whiskey ? Whiskey crack maybe?

[@jimbonniekabler1346]

Whisky doesn't freeze.

[@oscarmayer2143]

now you have DIET Kilbasa!! :)

[@christophernegus]

Have you tried freeze drying hotdogs

[@EpicenterBryan]

No. But I heard other people ran into the same grease issue we had with the keilbasa.

[@anthonybarefoot6744]

Okay. I watch your videos all the time. What do you all do. Theres a lot more that freeze drying.

[@sandysmith3462]

you can't even put sausage in a food dehydrator because of all of the fat

[@Beirdo1]

Those meatballs even look not so great. I do like Costco ones though.

[@mikec8679]

lol theres no way it tastes that bad lol. especially to say even the dog... theyd be out of business.

[@jacquelenelively189]

You spent a lot of your time and our time talking about bad meatballs. I enjoy your videos but let's cut some of the crap we don't have time in our life

[@RyanSmith6644]

meatballs suck ehh lol