# Dehydrating question



## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

Hi All,
I got an Excalibur earlier this year. I recently dehydrated celery and the egdes of some of the leaves were brownish. I did some green peppers last night and some of them are the same color. 

My Dehydrator Bible said to do both at 130 degrees, that's what I did.

The question, is this color "normal"? They look like maybe I had the heat too high. Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Moose


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

It certainly does sound like it might have been a bit high. And if you leave them in after they have dried they will darken.. 
Have you taken a small thermometer and checked the temps.. I checked all my dehydrators and most are ok but one (I marked it down on tape on the bottom) was 10 degrees too high. that is the one that I will use last after I kill the others...(which I hope is a long time away).


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We bought an Excalibor too last year .Still learning about it. So fa I think the marshmellows did ok.:2thumb:


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

Hi Emerald,
Thank you, I'll bet its a combination of the two things. Too much heat, and leaving them in too long. I'm so afraid of not getting them dry enough I leave them in even after I think they're done. I'll have to work on that and check the temp too. Thanks for the tip, I do appreciate it. I'm still getting the hang of the whole dehydrating thing.
Take care,
Moose


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Moose33 said:


> I'm so afraid of not getting them dry enough I leave them in even after I think they're done.


Veggies should be crisp and snap when when you bend them. I do peppers at 130° for 7-8 hours.
Fruit can be a little pliable. Peaches and pears I do at 120° for about 10 hours. Apples at 120° for about 8 hours.


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## JustAPrepper (Apr 15, 2011)

I'm in a high-humidity area. I've found, through trial and error, that drying most things around 110-115 for a longer period works best for me, especially during the summer months. Keep experimenting. You'll find the sweet spot.


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

Celery leaves are fine if dark in colour. Try blanching your peppers and see how they do. I have done them both ways. I dont mind a bit of discolouration as long as they taste the way they should.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Just a heads up on potatoes when you dehydrate them.. They dry a bit darker than the store bought types. I've read online that the companies that make the box kits bleach them somehow (I don't think with real bleach lol) so that the dried taters stay whiter.. 
My adventures win potato dehydrating I have had them dry nice and creamy white to a nice yellowish color and I have over done a few and they turn a dark amber yellow(tasted fine but didn't plump up like the others so I try not to "over do" them like that again.. had the temp up too high and left in too long) I have a feeling it is due to all the potatoes being different types from waxy frying potatoes to baking potatoes(like russets) to combo type potatoes like yukon golds. I also just lucked into some more citric acid on clearance as I like to add a bit of that to the final rinsing water to keep them from turning black in the dehydrator.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

*New dehydrator here too!*

I just got a dehydrator myself second hand, its in the dishwasher right now.
It has no temperature settings or even a power switch. I am gonna try it out this weekend, but without a heat setting, I figure a 'guide' wont do me much good. 
I guess I just have to learn by experimentation?
Im gonna try to make jerky first since all I have growing right now is lots and lots and lots of various peppers, and from what I read it seems pretty easy.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Immolatus said:


> I just got a dehydrator myself second hand, its in the dishwasher right now.
> It has no temperature settings or even a power switch. I am gonna try it out this weekend, but without a heat setting, I figure a 'guide' wont do me much good.
> I guess I just have to learn by experimentation?
> Im gonna try to make jerky first since all I have growing right now is lots and lots and lots of various peppers, and from what I read it seems pretty easy.


With that type of dehydrator you just have to kinda experiment-put a layer of different stuff in and just check once an hour and write down how long each thing took. they work ok but if there is no fan in it you might want to rotate the trays from top to bottom halfway thru, so that things get the same amount of time near the heating element and dry more evenly. Plus you get to find out if you like using it.. if you like how stuff turns out in that one you can be safe in buying a nicer one down the road. and peppers dry very well in a dehydrator and when you grind them down to powder they are wonderful for spicing stuff up and seasoning.

I like using a bit of soy, a bit of lea and perrions, a bit of liquid smoke and garlic and franks red hot sauce on my meat and then when it goes in the dehydrator I grind a bit of fresh black pepper over it. If you like your jerky softer.. I have put a bit of brown sugar or molasses in the marinade. I do dry my jerky to "dry, dry dry" cracker dry! I also pat off any melted fats as the fats tend to go rancid. (well would if jerky lasted longer than a week here )


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Emerald said:


> With that type of dehydrator you just have to kinda experiment-put a layer of different stuff in and just check once an hour and write down how long each thing took. they work ok but if there is no fan in it you might want to rotate the trays from top to bottom halfway thru, so that things get the same amount of time near the heating element and dry more evenly. Plus you get to find out if you like using it.. if you like how stuff turns out in that one you can be safe in buying a nicer one down the road. and peppers dry very well in a dehydrator and when you grind them down to powder they are wonderful for spicing stuff up and seasoning. )


Emerald, I have the same type of dehydrator. I've had the thing for 20 years and have not used it much at all. Today I bought a 2 lb. package of mixed vegetables to dehydrate tomorrow. If all goes well, this will be way cheaper than those in a can. Kroger had a sale this week on frozen Birdseye mixed veg. 10 for $10.00 (10-12 oz) According to my calculations, the Wal-Mart Great Value brand in the 2 lb pack is less than half the price. I thought I would start them in the morning so I could watch more closely. Thanks for the tips:wave:


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

LilRedHen said:


> Emerald, I have the same type of dehydrator. I've had the thing for 20 years and have not used it much at all. Today I bought a 2 lb. package of mixed vegetables to dehydrate tomorrow. If all goes well, this will be way cheaper than those in a can. Kroger had a sale this week on frozen Birdseye mixed veg. 10 for $10.00 (10-12 oz) According to my calculations, the Wal-Mart Great Value brand in the 2 lb pack is less than half the price. I thought I would start them in the morning so I could watch more closely. Thanks for the tips:wave:


You're welcome! I haven't dried tons of different stuff but I have been drying what I do dry for quite a few years and had pretty good luck. One word of advice-Never start your dehydrator full of habenaro peppers in the house! Always put it on a tv tray outside for about an hour or you will choke everyone in the house!


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks Em! There is no fan, only vents. It does have seven (whoo hoo!) trays, so I guess I have plenty of extra space to help deal with heat control factors, I could leave some bottom trays empty.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Immolatus said:


> Thanks Em! There is no fan, only vents. It does have seven (whoo hoo!) trays, so I guess I have plenty of extra space to help deal with heat control factors, I could leave some bottom trays empty.


Well, I've been watching my dehydrator all day with the mixed veggies - 12 hours in, only 3/4 of 1 tray is dry. I had to put waxed paper in my trays so that the peas wouldn't fall through and forgot to punch tiny holes. I just rotated the trays (trying out a couple of 'taters cubed up in one tray) and have the vents almost closed. Maybe in the morning, they will be done

Mine is very similar to yours, but I only have 5 trays. At least with all the posts and encouragement, I'm finally giving it a try.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

For small veggie/herbs I had a few of the mesh inserts that came with mine but not enuf for all the layers, so I made some from the plastic yarn mesh-the kind that you get for 3 $1 at the craft store... I stuck with the clear ones and cut them to fit.. I don't like plastic but after inquiring about their safety(food wise) from the company they said that they had, had other people ask as they were making bowls out of them for a party.. and that they were food safe. I use them quite a bit. But that was three computers ago so I have no idea if I still have the email from them.
I would also check with a thermometer to make sure that it is heating up enuf tho.I am wondering if a small battery operated fan(like from the dollar store) would help things along.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

2.5 hours into my first jerky after marinating the stuff all night in soy sauce, garlic, pepper and a lil honey.
Gf says I went too strong on the garlic, but she knows thats not possible with me.
Just rotated the trays, which clearly needed to be done. Some of the thinner pieces are finished, but Im gonna give em a little while longer.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

try using screen door screen, the medal type. also if you freeze or can hamburger patties, try using parchment paper between layers.


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

This is the screen I use for my replacements and other stuff.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#plastic-mesh-screens/=e7idfy


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Emerald said:


> For small veggie/herbs I had a few of the mesh inserts that came with mine but not enuf for all the layers, so I made some from the plastic yarn mesh-the kind that you get for 3 $1 at the craft store... I stuck with the clear ones and cut them to fit.. I don't like plastic but after inquiring about their safety(food wise) from the company they said that they had, had other people ask as they were making bowls out of them for a party.. and that they were food safe. I use them quite a bit. But that was three computers ago so I have no idea if I still have the email from them.
> I would also check with a thermometer to make sure that it is heating up enuf tho.I am wondering if a small battery operated fan(like from the dollar store) would help things along.


I'll try the plastic mesh. After all day and all night, the veggies still were not all dried and smelled funny, so I threw them away.  I did do some potato slices today, though, and they dried OK. I haven't tried to rehydrate them yet. I need to do that before I jump off the deep end and dry a bunch.


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