I used to have a LOT of questions when using a food dehydrator.
I know how complicated it may look to beginners.
But this article could also help advanced users may find new exciting hacks that are not stated in the manufacturer’s manual.
This is why I compiled a list of 11 things you should know when using a food dehydrator.
Food Dehydrator with Timer: 3 Important Facts
If you prefer doing all the cooking at the front and just sitting back to watch later on, then a timer will do the job of waiting for you.
When choosing a food dehydrator model, you should first inspect if they have an automatic shut-off feature.
This means you don’t have to return home during office hours to pull the plug-off machine.
Image 1.1 Food Dehydrator with Digital Timer
Indicate the time on when it will end, and the machine will take care of you.
“You don’t need to worry about the time anymore.”
This functionality is best for early-morning employees who want to load their food in the tray and return after 5 pm with a fresh batch of crunchy apple slices waiting for them.
Advanced Food Dehydrator Hack: You can cook different types of food simultaneously.
Benefits of Food Dehydrator with Timer:
It is helpful if you want to cook multiple food types in a single day and not wait to prepare the next bundle.
“Dehydrate any two ingredients (e.g. beef jerky and vegetables) at the same time.”
The latter would undoubtedly be dried faster than the former, but you don’t need to separate them into two batches anymore.
Place them both in the food dehydrator, then set the timer to when the vegetables would first finish cooking, around 2 – 4 hours. The automatic shut-down feature will look after it to prevent overheating the machine and, at the same time, save on electricity costs.
Then once you return from work, remove the vegetables while simultaneously proceeding with the beef jerky to cook until it’s ready. Doing this prevents you from cleaning the trays twice and offsetting the cooldown period between batches.
However, the timer features are only included in expensive models.
If you are planning to save some money on cost, a cheaper alternative is buying a separate manual timer.
Image 1.2 Kitchen Manual Timer
But doing this might be a hassle since you need to synchronize both the manual timer and food dehydrator at the same time.
“Look for installment plan options.”
So if having that feature is vital to you, some appliances offer an installment plan to selected consumers. Check to see if they are legitimate and if their food dehydrator is not just some cheap knock-off.
Related Article: Best Food Dehydrator Under $150 (Tips Before Purchasing)
Food dehydrator with Temperature Control: Why is it better
Ideally, you want a food dehydrator that has a wide array of temperatures to choose from. But the more consistent a machine can reach extreme temperatures, the higher its price.
Here are the recommended drying temperature settings:
| Type | Drying Temperature |
| Fruits | 125°F – 130°F |
| Vegetables | 115°F – 130°F |
| Meat/Jerky | 160°F |
| Herbs | 95°F – 105°F |
However, temperature control is a hot topic.
Our team of full-time researchers has encountered up to 3+ products that don’t have an accurate temperature reading.
There are numerous cases of brands that blatantly state a higher-than-average temperature in the packaging to capture the customer’s attention. They were successful with that stint except for the part that it’s not true.
The temperature indicated in the box is just a deception.
It caused outrage from many buyers driving them to demand a refund from the company.
To avoid landing in a similar situation, you might want first to check the reviews of a business.
Food dehydrator with Fan: Why should you have it?
The primary function of any fan is to circulate the heat throughout the food dehydrator evenly.
It reduces the wet content of your food and jumpstarts the drying process.
Image 1.3 Food dehydrator with a fan
Without a fan, the machine becomes like your standard toaster oven.
Instead of drying out your apple slices, it will just cook them, which isn’t our goal in the first place.
Ideally, you want a fan located at the top or near the wall. Not the bottom.
A fan below will be much harder to clean since it is open to any scrap and remains of your food.
Pros vs. Cons: Food dehydrator with stainless steel trays
Using stainless steel trays means you won’t have to panic whenever a tray cracks — a common issue most plastic trays share.
Image 1.4 Food dehydrator with stainless steel metal tray
For stainless steel trays, fans are the easiest to clean since most metal models have fans located at the sides.
It can also withstand the hottest temperatures, meaning you can cook foods like beef jerky without worrying about any health risks.
A significant factor that prevents people from using plastic is the possibility of mixing harmful and inedible ingredients into your food. It is why it’s vital to inspect if it’s BPA-free before using.
Food Dehydrator and Fruit Leather: How to Make It.
Most moms bake fruit leather to replace their kids’ complaints when it comes to eating healthy lunches.
Image 1.5 Fruit leather (or fruit strips)
They serve as an excellent alternative to your usual sweet treats and cookies that contains unhealthy amounts of sugar.
There are multiple types of fruits that you could use to create the flat paper-like material that you’re aiming for. It includes raspberries, blueberries, and even mango.
To begin the process, slice the fruits into small manageable pieces (if needed) before placing them inside the blender. It’s optional to add some sugar, but you opt not to if your goal is only using natural ingredients. Activate the juicer or blender of your choice to resemble something like a pureed mixture. It would only take 1 – 2 minutes with a “high” blend mode.
Next, spread the pureed fruit mixture evenly on the tray. Avoid any lumps by making sure that the surface is clean and flat. You can try placing it on parchment paper if you don’t want the mixture to be directly placed in the food dehydrator tray.
Then place it in the dehydrator machine with a temperature of 140°F (60°C) for 8 -12 hours. One common mistake that most beginners make is opening the lid of the device to check the status of the fruit leather. You want to avoid doing this since it interrupts the drying process and prolongs the initial time needed.
“It should look like leather.”
To find out if everything is okay, check if the texture resembles a leather-like piece. It won’t be sticky to touch since it has been dried for quite a while. But if it happens to be glued to you, one way to fix it is to add more hours in the food dehydrator.
One effective way to store fruit leather is by cutting them with the parchment papers placed earlier at the beginning of the tray. Doing this prevents them from sticking together.
It is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your kids start including fruits as part of their diet.
Food Dehydrator and Meat
There’s not much difference between drying meat, fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Image 1.6 Drying meat using a food dehydrator
The same procedure is followed from:
- Cutting them into even thin slices
- Make sure they don’t overlap (to promote even drying)
- Long hours in the food dehydrator.
Nonetheless, some extra parts are necessary to be done.
It includes removing the fatty parts along with the meat. Avoiding this means that your dehydrator might circulate excessive oil to the other food.
The ideal temperature for meat is over 160°F.
It will help kill off the bacteria and microorganisms that are present.
One reason extreme temperatures are required is that the meat may have built some resistance to the heat during the trying process. By cranking up the temperature higher, it will make sure that there are no harmful microbes that stay on the surface of the food.
“Meat should be thawed first before drying.”
Before placing them in the food dehydrator, you want to ensure they are thawed first. But you don’t want to leave the meat alone in the kitchen until it’s fully defrosted since that method is prone to deterioration.
You may want to monitor it to prevent mosquitos or flies from continuously could get attracted to them.
Food Dehydrator and Vacuum Sealer
It is only applicable if you are the type of person who wants to plan far ahead and not eat what they just made within a few months.
The relationship between the two factors allows for more preservation time where expiration dates would last as long as two years.
While a food dehydrator might place a temporary “pause button” on the food, a vacuum sealer ultimately stops the expiration indefinitely.
You also don’t need to worry about any flavor changes.
After dehydration, the same taste of what it would be will still endure when you open the sealed packaging.
Image 1.7 Vacuum sealing meat
It’s an excellent way for campers to store their beef jerky or fruit slices for months ahead of time.
Instead of drying them the week before the adventure, they can do it months before. So that when the need comes, they can pick it up and the food ration will be ready to eat.
“They have a less weight load.”
They also take up less backpack space making it a must-have item for many backpackers worldwide.
Another benefit of vacuum sealing is its ability to keep moisture outside the bag.
Image 1.8 Meat placed inside a vacuum-sealed packaging
It should place away from light and heat as they can undo the preservation process. You can also put them in a fridge to further elongate the shelf life (if it’s not already enough) with a temperature of 60°F or 15°C.
There is more than one type of food that could be vacuum-sealed which is not only limited to fruits. You can also vacuum-seal food items such as beef jerky, vegetables, and herbs.
But avocados are not recommended to be dried since they are classified as high-fat foods, meaning you can’t dehydrate them in the first place. You should avoid placing nuts in the dehydrator as they can lead to a sour taste.
Image 1.9 Large bundle of chips
One way to save money on groceries is by buying a large pack of chips and then repacking them into smaller items. But the repacked products will follow the vacuum sealing process to ensure long-lasting food.
However, It’s not only limited to chips. You can also vacuum dry baking ingredients such as flour to prolong their use further.
Lastly, you can also vacuum ready-to-eat seal meals. You can cook foods in advance and dehydrate them later to be quickly eaten. This method could be used by most camping enthusiasts if eating apple slices is getting tiring.
But it won’t be guaranteed to work for every meal; one option could be dehydrating each ingredient separately before eating, such as separating the sauces from the main dish.
Important FAQs on Food Dehydrator:
1. Cheap Food dehydrator: Is it worth it?
Short answer, no. You don’t want to buy a machine that is only good for 1 – 2 uses, and then it falls apart.
It would help if you kept a close eye on items priced less than $50.
Read some of the customer reviews first to see if there are some problems that they usually encounter.
Image 2.0 What a cheap food dehydrator typically looks like.
There is an 85% chance that there will be some negative reviews for this type of lower-end product, so it’s essential to verify if they are legitimate or not.
Most cheap food dehydrators will be made of plastic,
Plastic models aren’t necessarily the best material for preparing beef jerky.
Usually, plastic trays are brittle and won’t stand the required temperatures that jerky meat needs to dry out thoroughly.
2. Commercial Food Dehydrator: Is it better?
Yes, if you plan to use it every day of the week.
They would typically have a higher price tag, but with this comes a range of features that a standard food dehydrator would struggle to meet.
Image 2.0 What a commercial food dehydrator typically looks like
It includes some examples we shared earlier in this article, such as the timer and automatic shut-off feature.
They would also have the most significant size capacity, best used for starting a business selling dried foods.
“At the end of the day, it depends on your usage.”
These commercial food dehydrators have more than enough trays to use, making it overkill for parents who want to dry up some apple slices for their families.
So if you think a commercial one is better, go for it. No matter what happens, we can rest assured that it’s made of good quality, unlike other cheap food dehydrators.
3. How to use a food dehydrator for dog treats
The common question we get here is, “Why should I bother dehydrating dog treats if they can eat them directly?”
The answer depends on your dog’s overall health.
Dog treats shouldn’t contain preservatives that may damage your pet, and the meat supplier is trustworthy.
Dehydrating food will also help eliminate all the bacteria in the meat and serve as something new for your dog. They will be able to enjoy the unique crunchy texture of the food.
Image 2.1 Dehydrate dog treats
Contrary to popular belief, there’s not much preparation for it.
You need to thaw the meat and cut accurate slices to each meat.
It is also less costly compared to buying store-bought dehydrated food.
A few grams of raw meat may be much more affordable.
Lastly, you only have to clean a few dishes. Unlike baking treats for your dog, where many pans, flour packaging, and stirrers are used. A dehydrated dog food involves wiping the machine and the pet bowl.
The time it takes to dehydrate a dog treat varies depending on the meat slice and type.
It will roughly take between 6 – 28 hours to dry out thoroughly.
If your pet dog is looking for a crunchier snack, then it would mean more hours on top of this.
One option to save time dehydrating is doing them in bulk. Once dried, you can have it vacuum-sealed to prolong its shelf life. Then proportion them into separate days.
4. What is the heating element in a food dehydrator?
They are what power up and make the air warm in your food dehydrator.
If you feel like the machine is not heating up as it usually needs to, you might check out replacement parts from the manufacturer.
“Don’t immediately pull the trigger and make a purchase!”
You don’t want to rush & buy a new machine. It’s essential to have the food dehydrator inspected to find the main factor causing the problem.
If repairing it or replacing a small part proves to be much more affordable than buying a new one, try restoring it with the help of a technical expert.
“If a new part is cheaper than sending it for repairs, purchase a new one.”
Usually, they are easy to maintain. Most heating elements are built to heat any kitchen appliance. They are versatile and could fit varying kilowatts to match your food dehydrator needs.
Most machines won’t break down easily and will last for 1 – 2 years before you meet any issue. If the situation arises, have them inspected.
Bottom Line:
Here are a few tips we shared to dehydrate your foods best. If you have some uncommon suggestions that prove to work effectively, we would love to hear your thoughts on them.
I hope that this guide might be somewhat helpful to you, even just a little bit.
