Dried tomatoes - make your own dried fruit
Some things come back into fashion after a few years. I remember, my grandmother still had her. The dried apples. From the own garden. She has dried them either in the sun or in the oven. Long is that. Meanwhile, there are dehydrated tomatoes. They are contemporary. Because home-made foods become "in" again. Because they are healthier and because many consumers are suspicious of the food industry.
We wrote you a guide to automatic dehydrators. In this you will learn how a dehydrator works, what options you have, what you should consider when drying and what you can dry - or what not. Have fun with your own creative new opportunities! - Dehydrated tomatoes - healthy snacks that everyone likes
Recommended reading: You will find many guides on various topics in the advice section !
Dehydrated Dairy Dehydrated Fruits
What is a Dehydrator?
A Dehydrator is actually based on one Oven with convection Function. He is only much smaller and thus much more economical. Depending on the model, you can set the temperature very precisely and also how long it should be allowed to dry. On different levels, which are on top of each other, your dried fruit and other delicious things are gently dried. The only thing the machine needs is a power connection. Not more. Already it can start with the dried fruit do it yourself. The operation of the device is very simple. You decide how long the device should dry at how many degrees.
Material
Stainless steel or plastic? High quality appliances rely on stainless steel. This is robust, easy to clean and very hygienic.
Plastics are also easy to clean, but some people may not like the heat with the plastic. BPA is not without criticism. They are cheaper for that. Since plastic does not tolerate so much heat, it is well suited for a dehydrator between 30 -75 ° C remains. Some devices create over 90 ° C.
Temperatures
Ab 30 ° C begins a gentle drying. From about 40 ° C Vitamins such as vitamin C start to break down. Not everything flutes at once. But the decay begins. Therefore: dry slowly to get all the vitamins and minerals.
The devices are all very easy to adjust. They work very carefully. This is another advantage over an oven that does not always keep one hundred percent of the set temperature.
Also important: leave the device alone during the drying process.
Volume
Three compartments bring all the fruit dryers, the very big models over 10. Some good devices are also expandable. This is useful if you need to dry more food at seasons.
Your need will be important here as well. If you have little to dehydrate, then you only need a dehydrator with little volume. The device will heat up the entire interior and this goes back to your electricity bill.
Energy
Many small fruit dryers with 200 W are economical and drying a load of fruit will not cost you a whole Euro. Industrial devices with up to 1000 watts are considerably expensivebut also have to do more.
Of course, if you're a dried fruit junkie you can save a lot of money here.
For whom is a Dehydrator suitable?
The modern herb witch next door may already own one. And otherwise?
- You can dry your own tea leaves or wild herbs quickly and easily
- And make delicious spices and mixtures
- As a snack in between, dried fruit are just as suitable
- Such as eating away when hiking, camping or for school and work
- Also meat can be made so durable
- You can also dry snacks for your animals
- Sweet recipes are always a welcome change
- Dehydrating offers a great alternative to canning, as most of the ingredients are preserved and you can do without much sugar
- Your gut benefits from the dried fruit
- Dried fruits and vegetables can be wonderfully processed in the kitchen
Various possibilities
You have the choice between:
- the size of the machine
- how much volume (m³) the interior has
- how many sheets are available to you
- how big these sheets are
- how the temperature can be adjusted
- and also the time
- Plastic or stainless steel
- the power (watts)
Tip: if you are looking for a fairly new innovation then maybe you can try out an infrared dehydrator. Infrared has the advantage that it does not need to preheat. It's almost immediately at work. Why? Infrared is, so to speak, the sun from the socket and is at Grills used as well as at Infrared cabins, The radiation penetrates into the material and warms from the inside. This makes the whole work of the machine very even.
Temperature
Your new device should have the lowest possible temperature if you want to dry your food gently and healthy. The Most devices start at 35 ° C and that's enough.
In general, the lower the temperature, the longer the process takes.
Duration of drying
The duration of drying depends on the food you want to preserve.
Apple slices need about 7-10 hours and 50 ° C, Longer, of course, if you do not want to exceed the 39 ° C limit. Cut your slices as thin as possible, it will not take that long - but it will take more space.
Depending on the machine, switching may be useful and necessary. Details can be found in the operating instructions of your device.
Meat can be dried at a higher temperature - can. Does not have to. What's left are valuable proteins. But even meat only lasts 10 hours, on average.
** Tip: You can either check the content of the water in your food by removing the dehydrated from the apparatus and divide it by two parts. The profiles of the cut surface should no longer be weeping - rather dehydrate too much than too little.
You can, if you have a scale, also go the calculation way.
As an example we take 5 kilos of tomatoes, which have a water content of just under 95%.
Calculate now 5 kg: 100 x 95 = 4,75 kg.
This 4,75 kg are the water in the 5 kilos of tomatoes.
For vegetables, the water content should be not more than 5% lie.
So you have to continue calculating:
5% x 4,75 kg: 95% = 0,25.
This value plus the difference (0,25 kg) of the water content gives your dry weight, ergo 0,5 kg.
Only when 5 kg of tomatoes become 0,5 kg tomatoes are they dry.
Dehydrator Vs. Oven and microwave
What advantages does a dried fruit machine have over a microwave or oven? A food preserving machine as they are called, in contrast to an oven is much smaller and therefore more economical. It may pick up a bit if you stock up on the whole oven. But there is still the accuracy of the temperature setting and the lowest temperature setting. Many ovens can only be used at 50 ° C. Too hot, if you want to get as many vitamins as possible.
Basically, a microwave is also good for preserving food. The radiation heats the water, which then evaporates. Sensitive vitamins leave through the radiation. That's not the goal of a healthy diet.
Recommended reading: You will find many guides on various topics in the advice section !
What can be dried in a Dehydrator?
Many delicious things can be dried in a dehydrator:
- Fruit (apple, banana, mango, strawberry ...)
- Vegetables (tomato, onion, potato ...)
- Fish
- Meat
- Nuts
- mushrooms
- Herbs
Tip: You can also produce fruit leather. You simply take fruit, sugar (or dates) and some grated nuts, mix this with a dough and paint it on a tray for the dehydrator. After about 6 hours at 46 - 60 degrees, you have a solid mass that you can then divide into pieces. Ready is the sweet and healthy snack.
| # | Preview | Products | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Tiastar Food Dehydrator, Dehydrator with 5 Removable Tiers, 240W...* |
49,99 €
45,58 € |
Watch now! | |
| 2 |
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Lehmann LHOFD-4525 dehydrator stainless steel 450W | Dehydrator for...* |
46,99 €
42,99 € |
Watch now! | |
| 3 |
|
TurboWave BIO dehydrator completely made of metal, 14 liters, 5x...* | 59,99 € | Watch now! | |
| 4 |
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WMF Küchenminis stainless steel dehydrator, dehydrator with 5 ... * |
99,99 € |
Watch now! | |
| 5 |
|
ADLER AD 6658 food dehydrator, 550W, automatic dehydrator,...* | 41,47 € | Watch now! |
Health Dehydrator
Is the effort worth it? Is that all much healthier now? Yes. A definite yes, to be precise. You have full control over:
- your ingredients
- the temperature
- the degree of dryness
- save money
- know with certainty that no sulfur was used
- know where your food comes from
Of course, fruit from our own garden is gently dried and healthier without sulfur.
What you should not dry
The process removes the water content. The food is reduced to a fraction of the size. What remains is a compressed and nutritious matter. Therefore, you should only take fruits and vegetables from your own garden or from organic farming. Pesticides used are otherwise present in your food.
Also, do not take fruits or vegetables that already have mushy or rotten spots. It has to be mature, but not overripe. You can also cut out appropriate places if that's possible. They just do not belong in the machine.
What you can get from the 2024 bestseller: The best and most popular in the top 10 comparison | You should pay attention to honest tests of a dehydrator
What are the essentials for you when buying?
★ How often do I use the apparatus?
★ And how much m³ of space do I need?
★ How much money do I want to spend on this?
★ Do I enjoy these things and also enough space for the machine and the dried ones?
★ Is the fruit stick easy to clean?
★ Or maybe even dishwasher safe?
★ How hard is he? (sometimes a 8 kg machine is not easy to put in the cupboard)
★ Can the unit dry all that I imagine or does it have its limits?
Advantages and disadvantages of a Dehydrator
Let's get to the advantages and disadvantages that such a food preserving machine can have:
Advantages Dehydrator
✔ You have full control over your food
✔ You can save a lot of money over time
✔ the drying itself is relatively cheap
✔ You can try a lot of recipes
✔ continue to process the dried food in the kitchen
✔ and also make snacks for your animals
More economical than an oven and healthier like a microwave
Disadvantages Dehydrator
✘ high quality equipment may be more expensive to purchase
✘ a lot of preparatory work is necessary. You have to wash things and cut small or prepare differently
✘ and then store it properly
Conclusion - dehydrator
A dehydrator is incredibly handy and saves you money if you would like to make dry fruits yourself. You always have healthy snacks with you, which you know what's inside. Good for you, for the kids and also your pets. Different recipes can be combined and further developed and processed.
Own types of tea, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, nuts, herbs ... Meat, fish and vegetables can even be delicious before dehydrating. That makes things even more exciting. You have to bring some love and patience if you want to try dying and time. But that's worth it! Without sulfur, without pesticides without plastic. Instead of canned fruit you can make delicious dessert from dried fruit. The purchase does not have to be expensive. Practically already!
Discover the top 10 of the best and best-selling dehydrator products in 2024 on honest tests. We show a selection of the most popular items that have great customer reviews and value for money. Find the perfect dehydrator product for your needs now!
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On Honest tests you can find some tests (including pool, Fitness, Home & garden) & Guide (including Smart Home, Beauty, Handcraft) who can help you further.
Tip: An Gift Idea or Birthday gifts should never be cheap products, don't give away anything that you wouldn't use yourself in terms of quality.
Lots of positives Buyer ratings are often a sign that people are happy with the dehydrator product.
Recommended reading: massage gun, Fitness Bike, product testing
Sources:
https://www.klarstein.de/special/Ratgeber-Doerrautomaten/
https://xn--drrautomattest-vpb.de/was-ist-ein-doerrautomat/
* Product images & links | Source: Amazon PA API | Last update on 17.04.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX | * = Affiliate links | Prices quoted on this website may have changed. The actual price of a product can be found on the seller's website. Real-time updates are technically not possible. Prices including VAT plus shipping costs
