11 Things You Shouldn’t do when Using Dehydrator

by | Guides & info

things you shouldnt do when using dehydrator
Dehydrators are the perfect home device for people who are concerned about eating healthy. These simple devices will produce healthy foods and snacks you can usually find in stores and supermarket. These foods are processed in a natural way, which means that they don’t have any extra sugar or salts added.

The food that was processed in a dehydrator can also be stored for a long time. These devices are not the cheapest, but the benefits they offer exceed their prices. You should always put your health in front everything else.

Even though using these devices is pretty simple and straightforward, you should know that there are some things you have to stick by. Otherwise, you may end up with unwanted results, and your unit can stop working as it should.

Here are the basic rules of food dehydration.

If youā€™d like a ultimate list of foods that you might not want to or foods you shouldn’t dehydrate check out our Foods You Should Avoid to Dehydrate post.

Don’t Mix Herbs And Fruits In The Drying Process

Combining herbs and fruits in the dehydrator is not a good idea because of the difference in smell. The fruit can absorb the smell of the herbs, which will spoil their flavor, making them unfit for cooking.

Cut The Veggies And Fruits Into Similar Sizes

The food you put into the dehydrator should be cut to similar proportions. Cutting the ingredients into uniform size will yield the best results because all the pieces will dry out at once. If the pieces are not of the same size, you will have to check on the progress all the time.

If you put apples and bananas into the unit at the same time, you should also monitor the progress because they don’t dry the same. Keep an eye on the progress and take the fruit that’s dried first out in time.

Dried Apples

Dry Similar Foods Together

When you decide to dry food, make sure you dry foods of the same family together. Some fruits and veggies have to be dried on their own, while others can be combined. If an ingredient has a completely different taste and smell, don’t mix it with the other ingredients.

For example, if you dry hot peppers and tomatoes, the tomatoes will end up tasting spicy. The same goes for garlic, onions, and other similar veggies. Ingredients with a strong aroma must be dried separately.

Blanche The Foods Before Dehydrating To Get The Best Results

Blanching the food before putting it in a dehydrator is a very good idea, but it’s not mandatory. If you decide on taking this step, know that the blanching process destroys the enzymes in the food, making it last longer when stored. The shelf life of veggies and fruits is drastically improved by blanching.

The food also tastes fresher in case you want to rehydrate it later on. Blanching is done by boiling the ingredients for a couple of minutes and putting them in cold water after that.

Don’t Overlap Vegetables And Fruits

Placing the pieces correctly on the drying trays is critical. Make sure you don’t overlap fruits and veggies because it could interfere with the drying process, especially if your dehydrator dries the food vertically. The heat from the base won’t be able to make its way up at the same rate, which will dry your food unevenly.

The dehydrating process will take more time this way. That means that they will use more power and increase your electricity bill. Make sure you place the trays with even spaces between them, and everything should work out just fine.

great-for-large-familes

Don’t Use The Device In Rooms With No Air Circulation

Keep in mind that this device has to be used in a well-ventilated room. The drying process creates a lot of moisture. Sometimes the smell finds its way outside of the unit if the ingredients have a strong aroma. For example, drying hot peppers releases oils that can irritate your eyes if the room is not vented. The same goes for onions and other such veggies. Open the windows and make that air circulate before using this device.

Don’t Add Any Sugar

When you want to dehydrate fruit leather, don’t use sugar granules, honey or corn syrup works much better. The syrup will be absorbed by the ingredients, while the sugar only crystallizes on the outside of the fruit. The taste is there, but the cleaning process will be much harder if you use sugar.

Don’t Sprinkle Lemon Juice Over All The Vegetables

Lemon juice is great for food preparation before you shove it in the dehydrator, but it doesn’t work well with all food types. You should avoid using it with veggies that have a lot of leaves or if they are green. The citric acid from the lemons will turn their color into brown, and you don’t want that to happen.

Dehydrated-Food-Recipes

If The Food Is Marinated In Alcohol, Don’t Dehydrate It

Before you put a food marinated in alcohol into the dehydrator, check the manual. Some manufacturers state that their devices can’t work with alcohol and that you should avoid it at all times.

Never Store Dehydrated Foods In The Open

If you want your dried food to last longer, you need to store it in dry containers. The food lasts for longer after the dehydration process because it doesn’t have any moisture in it. If you don’t save it correctly and if moisture gets inside the containers, the food will spoil much quicker.

Store everything in sealed plastic or glass jars. Also, make sure you check on the stored food once in a while, to make sure it is still safe for consumption.

Don’t Touch Any Hot Parts of Your Dehydrator With Bare Hands

Get a couple of mitts before you remove a tray from your dehydrator because they can be very hot and you can hurt yourself.

Conclusion

Having a dehydrator around the house is great because you can always make sure you’re stocked up with healthy foods. These simple tricks will help you get the best results and the tastiest dehydrated ingredients you can later use in your cooking. You’ll keep the flavor, but you will also get a much longer life with one of these devices.

12 Comments

  1. Craig
    Craig on July 14, 2019 at 2:03 am

    I just purchased a 9 year old model 10 tray STX Deh-400 600 watt dehydrator but the front where you slide the trays in and out is open. There is no door. Was that common in older models, and is it ok to use it that way.

    Reply
  2. Mary
    Mary on July 28, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    I’m only drying one sheet of fruit leather do I need all the trays in or just the one?

    Reply
    • Paul Woods
      Paul Woods on August 13, 2019 at 11:09 am

      I don’t think you would need all the trays if you’re not using them.

      Reply
    • las
      las on February 5, 2021 at 5:09 am

      no you do not I have a 10 tray professional. But I just remove a tray, load it then shut the door, all my trays start in place. My unit is stainless steel with wire trays

      Reply
  3. Jean
    Jean on September 18, 2019 at 5:17 pm

    I like your definitive procedure. Have you ever used maple syrup with Italian plums? I have a lot on hand and a lot of plums.

    Reply
  4. Emily
    Emily on June 9, 2020 at 6:57 pm

    Can I use the dehydrator outside when the weather is dry ? Iā€™m in New Orleans LA. Thanks

    Reply
    • Paul Woods
      Paul Woods on June 17, 2020 at 6:37 pm

      I see no reason not to. Just keep it dry and you should be fine šŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Florence Barratt
    Florence Barratt on August 19, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Where can I get a heating element for my dorrex dehydrator?

    Reply
  6. bar
    bar on August 23, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    how hot my kitchen will be with all night on? Living in verg hot area.

    Reply
  7. cai howard
    cai howard on January 8, 2021 at 6:14 am

    can I make crackers on parchment paper and dry homemade paper in my excaliber dehydrator at the same time?

    Reply

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