Get Outdoors - Tips and Techniques: Dehydrating Foods at Home

Preserving food by drying is as old as mankind. Laying meat and berries out served people well for thousands of years, and the technique still works.The process can be as simple and rudimentary as hanging fish in the sun, as the traditional Inuit people did, or laying meat on a rack above a smoking fire.

I heard of a woman who dried fruit for her next outing while she was off on the trail. She made sure to park her car in the sun at the trailhead, then placed trays of cut-up fruit on the shelf beneath the back window. By the time she returned, all she had to do was pop it into bags!

While the basic concept hasn't changed since early man, helpful appliances have multiplied dramatically. You can choose to start simply, as simply as using the sun as your oven, and evolve as necessary. There is no need to jump into a full-fledged food drying program, with all the hardware, until you're sure of your commitment.

If you're a builder, and want to be economical, consider constructing your own appliance. A friend of mine made a dehydrator the size of a walk-in closet, capable of drying hundreds of pounds of produce at a whack.

I'm not a confident builder, and I figure that the years of design work that go into making an efficient, commercially marketed dehydrator are worth the expense.

Before you choose, ask yourself the following key questions:

What are my needs? Will I use dehydrated food on weekend jaunts three times a year, or am I ambitious enough to require large quantities?
As my needs expand, will the dehydrator's capacity easily expand as well?
How energy efficient is the machine?
How much of my time and energy will it require (rotating trays, repairs, cleaning)?

Low-Tech/No-Tech Options

Sun-drying - the original solar technology.
Prepare food as for any dehydrator and lay it on screens. Place the screens at least 8 inches off the ground in direct sunlight (south-facing exposure) where air can circulate freely around the food. Keep an eye out for insects, birds, and neighborhood pets. (Netting may be required.) Turn the food 2 or 3 times during the day. If the food isn't dry by nightfall, bring it inside to protect it from dew.
Oven-drying.
Nothing wrong with using the same oven you bake in as a food dryer. The racks are already there, and you can use cookie sheets for liquids. Most ovens can be set as low as 140 degrees F, which is a little too warm for fruits and veggies, but okay for liquids, meats, and dairy. Use an oven thermometer to check the setting. Prop the oven door open several inches to encourage some air circulation and moisture release, place the tray of food in the center, and you're in business.
Room-drying.
Some things, such as herbs, chilis, snow peas, and green beans, will dry nicely if you simply hang them in the open air indoors. A fan to circulate air is helpful, but not essential.
Buying a Dryer.
Over the long haul, the advantages of a store-bought dehydrator make the burden of its initial expense seem pretty puny. For $50 to $300 you can purchase a dehydrator with all the hardware to handle years of food processing, and bypass many of the shortcomings inherent with other methods.

Advantages of Commercial Dryers.

Efficient airflow pattern powered by a fan.
Exact temperature settings over a wide range.
Even temperature distribution.
Minimal need to rotate trays or turn food.
Solid trays, mesh inserts, yogurt dishes, and other made-to-fir accessories.
Fast drying without regard to weather.
Energy savings: as little as 3 cents an hour to run.

Shopping Tips.

A round design tends to ensure a more even airflow and temperature distribution.
Check for the capability to expand drying capacity by adding trays.
The walls and top should be insulated to minimize heat loss.
Thermostat and fan are essential.
Inquire about accessories for different drying tasks (solid inserts, quick-cleaning screens, jerky and yogurt makers, recipes and instructions, etc.).