What are you dehydrating?

[jansman]

Three questions. Are there any special preparations for drying mushrooms? What temp. do you dry them at?
Regarding frozen veg,whats the best way of drying that,thaw first?

[Deeps]

For mushrooms I destalk them, blanch them in the microwave (put a load on a plate, pour a small amount of water over and cover with a bowl) for about 45 seconds. Then put them on the tray, I use baking parchment under a couple of the trays so they catch any wee bits falling through, 2 so I can swap them round periodically for a more even dry.

I slice the stalks and do the same but apparently they are more 'woody' so I keep them separate to grind for mushroom powder for soups etc.

For frozen veg, I just put it on the trays (baking parchment to stop the bits falling through), its already blanched. Not sure if its better to let it defrost, I'll be curious if anyone does it differently.

[jansman]

Thanks Deeps. I like the blanching idea!

[Deeps]

Trying something different today, I'm making chicken stock so going to try and reduce it enough to go 'gloopy' and then try it on the dehydrator to see if I can get it to a 'leather' stage or even powdery. I suspect it will take a loooooong time to do and probably not cost effective but I'll let you know how I go. Anyone tried something similar, I'd appreciate any steerage if you have.

[ForgeCorvus]

Trying something different today, I'm making chicken stock so going to try and reduce it enough to go 'gloopy' and then try it on the dehydrator to see if I can get it to a 'leather' stage or even powdery. I suspect it will take a loooooong time to do and probably not cost effective but I'll let you know how I go. Anyone tried something similar, I'd appreciate any steerage if you have.

Pocket Soup
"Skim the fat " is the main instruction I've managed to pick out of the different methods I've read.

Let us know how it goes

[Deeps]

Trying something different today, I'm making chicken stock so going to try and reduce it enough to go 'gloopy' and then try it on the dehydrator to see if I can get it to a 'leather' stage or even powdery. I suspect it will take a loooooong time to do and probably not cost effective but I'll let you know how I go. Anyone tried something similar, I'd appreciate any steerage if you have.

Pocket Soup
"Skim the fat " is the main instruction I've managed to pick out of the different methods I've read.

Let us know how it goes

Thanks for getting back to me mate, Fat is the enemy when dehydrating and I forgot that. I thought about that AFTER I put it on the dehydrator. This is batch one so still at the experimental stage, I'll see how it goes, if its even moderately successful I'll use it sooner rather than later and have another go, its not an expensive process. I cut down some takeaway cartons to fit in the dehydrator and poured it in, findings to follow.....

[D&DD]

I've made a mash up of mushroom stalks with a few onions,garlic and seasonings (chilli works well) fry them all lightly and blitz then dehydrate and it makes a great leather.Break off a bit to add to soup and stews or you can powder it down to use as stock.

My scally is currently doing some apple puree and blackberry and apple leather again!

[jennyjj01]

Gutted to discover that my jar of dehydrated leeks have seriously deteriorated in just a few months.

I'd sliced and dehydrated without blanching them. Half the jar-full of leeks have started to go a horrid tobacco brown colour.

I don't feel inclined to keep them and next lot will get blanched.

I never blanch onions either but have never had such serious browning with those. Maybe i should.

[Deeps]

IMG_20191023_180230.jpgGutted to discover that my jar of dehydrated leeks have seriously deteriorated in just a few months.

I'd sliced and dehydrated without blanching them. Half the jar-full of leeks have started to go a horrid tobacco brown colour.

I don't feel inclined to keep them and next lot will get blanched.

I never blanch onions either but have never had such serious browning with those. Maybe i should.

I don't blanch leeks and haven't had any problems, you've maybe been unlucky. Onions, carrots etc, yes.

[jennyjj01]

I don't blanch leeks and haven't had any problems, you've maybe been unlucky. Onions, carrots etc, yes.

Strange: The internet consensus is that Leeks and onions don't need blanching. Carrots do.
Maybe I'd not dried them enough. Other leeks at the bottom of the same jar, from an earlier batch, were still white.