The Top 12 Food Dehydrators for 2022

Whether you like jerky, dried apple, or mango, utilizing an electric food dehydrator is the simplest method to guarantee that you always have a low-cost supply on hand. The food dehydrator has begun to replace oven drying since it not only consumes less energy but also keeps the kitchen cooler.

There are several types of dehydrators available; some are perfect for family-sized eating, while others are more compact and appropriate for occasional or low-volume drying. Some feature fixed temperature settings, while others enable you to change the temperature. To assist you in selecting the finest food dehydrator, this article not only provides information on some of the most popular dehydrators on the market, but also explains how to use them at home for simple dried foods.

Considerations When Purchasing a Food Dehydrator

The Benefits of Dehydrating

Dehydration is an ancient technique of food preservation; dried food is less in weight and volume, making it simpler to store. Dehydrated foods are simple to cook with; you can frequently simply toss them in the pan without first reconstituting them, but if you must, a brief soak in water for 15 minutes or so will typically restore them.

Several varieties of dried meals also provide nutritious low-fat snacks for the whole family, making them great for camping and other outdoor activities. Dehydrating is also a great method to use up the last of your fruit and vegetable harvests, or to purchase local products while they are in season and dehydrate them for later use.

A Food Dehydrator’s Operation

An electric food dehydrator employs heat and a fan to circulate hot air around the device, decreasing the water content of food over a lengthy period of time at a low temperature. When water is eliminated from food, it cannot deteriorate as readily and pollutants such as germs and molds cannot thrive.

Dehydrated food retains the majority of its vitamins and minerals, as opposed to cooked food, which may lose a significant portion of its nutritional profile. While most of the nutrients remains in dried meals, there is a loss of vitamins such as B and C as compared to fresh foods since they are water-soluble and heat sensitive.

The temperature you require and how long it will take to dehydrate depends depend on what you are drying and the brand of dehydrator you are using; the manufacturer will normally provide instructions with their product. Dehydrating timeframes might vary by up to 26 hours depending on the kind of food, the size of the dehydrator, and the humidity. Since humidity affects dehydration timeframes, set the dehydrator in a warm, dry location away from any windows or vents.

Advantages of Using a Dehydrator Instead of an Oven to Dehydrate

Both processes dehydrate food in the same manner. Yet, since ovens are meant to perform better at higher temperatures, maintaining a steady lower temperature in an oven might be more challenging. This means that the oven door may need to be kept open to keep the temperature down, which may make the kitchen even more uncomfortable in the heat.

Since air has to circulate around the food, a fan oven is the most efficient; if it is not a fan oven, the door must be opened often to allow excess moisture to escape. Ovens take longer to dry food than dehydrators and use a lot more electricity.

Foods to Avoid Dehydration

Fruits from orchards, berries, bananas, and even melons can dehydrate. Fruit leather may be made by pureeing it, spreading it on trays, then dehydrating it. Dried fruits may be eaten as is, added to salads, trail mix, granola, or reconstituted and used in sweets such as cobblers.

Except for onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes, all vegetables must be blanched before dehydrating. Other veggies that dehydrate well include carrots, potatoes, squash, peas, celery, broccoli, pumpkin, and beets. You may eat them as chips or add them to stews and soups. You can even dehydrate your stews to save space on the route! Many people like dehydrated yoghurt, as well as the ever-popular jerky.

Several dairy items, such as whole eggs (egg mix should dehydrate at 160F or above), butter, cheese, and milk, are not suited for home dehydration. Olives and avocados are likewise unsuitable for dehydrating, and although nuts may be dried, their shelf life is limited.

Food Preparation for Dehydration

Before dehydrating foods, they must be properly prepared. Using gloves during preparation will help prevent pollutants from getting onto the meal. Fresh vegetables should be ripe since dehydrators do not ripen them.

Fresh items should be inspected for signs of mold. Anything that seems to be moldy should not be dried, and any damaged pieces, as well as seeds and cores, should be removed. Keep a watch out for damaged skins on fresh fruits, since this might indicate the presence of insects or larvae within the fruit.

Cutting food into consistent halves, strips, or slices can help it dry faster. Additionally, dehydrate items that need the same amount of time and avoid any strong taste combinations, such as garlic and banana!

Blanching veggies in steam or hot water, as if preparing them for freezing, is recommended. They may then be spread out on the drying trays and dehydrated after being thoroughly drained. Vegetables, like fruits, often dehydrate at temperatures ranging from 130F to 140F.

To lower the danger of foodborne infections and to suppress any enzymic changes that cause foods to decay, soak vegetables and fruit in a citric acid solution. For fruits, a pre-treatment dip of a teaspoon of ascorbic acid in a quart of water or something similar may be appropriate.

After the procedure is finished, the foods must be 95% dehydrated or greater. If you inspect them and they feel sticky, soft, or spongy, they will need more time. Meals that shatter, harden, or become crunchy are normally done; veggies will feel brittle, while fruits will feel more like leather. Seeds and nuts must always be thoroughly dry before storing; otherwise, they will rapidly get rancid and moldy.

After dried and chilled, meals may be conditioned by putting them in a jar at room temperature for a few days and shaking them up on a regular basis. This will assist to equalize the leftover moisture. If any condensation forms, return it to the dehydrator for continued drying.

After that, store dry goods in sealed containers such as mason jars or airtight freezer bags in a dark spot at temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Check and shake the jars or bags after a few days, then again after a few weeks, for any signs of moisture or mildew. If moisture does develop, it is possible to re-dehydrate.

If you dehydrate a lot of food or intend to, you should consider investing in a vacuum home sealer, which may significantly improve the shelf life of dry goods. Otherwise, dried goods will last between two and twelve months, depending on the kind and how they are stored.

Dried vegetables and meats may be preserved for up to six months, however jerky should be kept in the freezer otherwise it will only last one to two months. Dried herbs and fruits may be stored for up to a year.

While it is not required to keep dry foods in the refrigerator or freezer, save for jerky, doing so will increase their shelf life, particularly if you live in a high humidity climate.

When opening dried goods to use them, always perform a quick check for mold, and if there is mold or anything else that you are uncertain about, just discard it.

Jerky can be safely dehydrated.

Any animal or fowl may be used to make jerky, although beef is the most common. Whichever meat is utilized, it should always be lean and in good condition. Even if marinating, the meat should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to dehydrate.

Trichinella is present in pigs, and although drying pork does not kill the larvae, chilling meat prior to dehydration does. Trichinella may also be found in carnivores and wild boar, however freezing these meats will not destroy the larvae. Danger may be reduced by only using meat from reputable sources, or by dressing game appropriately. If you are unsure, do not use it for jerky and instead cook it in another method at a high and safe temperature.

Sanitize your equipment before and after producing jerky, just like you would with any fresh meat preparation.

Bacteria may survive dehydrating jerky at temperatures ranging from 130F to 140F. The USDA presently recommends that meat be roasted to 160°F and poultry be heated to 165°F before dehydrating. Pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 may be killed using moist heat, particularly if the dehydrator does not reach these safe temperatures. Moreover, when bacteria are dried out, they become more heat resistant and may survive dehydration, which means they can still cause foodborne disease when the jerky is consumed.

As the meat reaches 160F or 165F, the dehydrator should maintain a consistent temperature of between 130F and 140F to guarantee not only that the meat dries out rapidly before spoiling, but also that enough water is eliminated to prevent germs from forming. If oil collects on the surface of the jerky, it must be removed during drying. This may be accomplished by patting the area with a clean paper towel. If the oil is left on, the jerky will go bad sooner, even if thoroughly dehydrated.

Conclusion

The food dehydrator is great for creating jerky, dried fruits and vegetables, and other items for eating at home or on the go. A food dehydrator offers various benefits over the traditional oven technique, and depending on the type you pick, its usage may be limited only by your culinary creativity.

Whether a big variable temperature family sized model or a smaller single temperature design is the finest food dehydrator for you, we hope that the information in this article will assist you in making the best decision for you and your family.