Canning jars and lids are still as scarce as hen's teeth around here, so my dehydrators have been working overtime.
I got 4 large bags of hash browns dried over the weekend along with 8 lbs. of carrots.
I tried something different with the carrots. I have lots of dehydrated diced and sliced carrots, but wanted some on hand that would be easy to use in baking carrot cake or muffins or bars. So I peeled the carrots, cut them into about 1 inch pieces and ran them through my food processor. The result was ground carrots that were about the same as coarse sand. Using the mesh liners, I spread the carrots out on 9 trays, keeping the thickness to about a quarter of an inch. At a temperature of 135 degrees, they dried in about 8 hours. I find they rehydrate quickly in boiling water and should work well in baked goods.
I wish I were one of those people who could keep a kitchen clean while working on a project, but sadly, I am not. Today will be spent finding the top of my kitchen table and the counter space so that I can dehydrate 10 lbs. of potato slices tomorrow.
Apartment dwellers seem to be always hunting for space for our food and supply storage. I have a rather large overflow of dehydrated vegetables and nowhere to store them. I think I have found a solution.
A while back I experimented with turning some of my dried veggies into powders. I ran dried celery, carrots, bell peppers and mixed veggies through my little coffee grinder. Since then I have found that I can add flavor to other foods just by adding a teaspoon or two of the vegetable powders. I still like the whole dried veggies for soups and stews, but the powders are handy for flavor without the need to rehydrate. And the powders take up much less storage space. So I believe that is my next project.
I am eternally grateful that storage space is a problem instead of not having enough food. Finding storage space for food is a first world problem, but necessary as we dive headlong toward third world status.
Keep on prepping!
Hi Vicki,
ReplyDeleteI'm just thinking about powdered carrots. It seems like a really good idea--they'll rehydrate more quickly and have a much better texture for using in soups, muffins, and cakes. I'm going to try some out!
Have you ever rehydrated dehydrated hash browns? Do they fry up as well as frozen? Good luck on finding the tabletop and counter. If it's anything like my kitchen, you could be entering dangerous territory.
Jennifer...I have powdered carrots as well as other veggies that I use for flavor. The ones I dried yesterday are tiny pieces like coarse sand and I think those will work well for baking, giving a bit of texture as well as flavor.
DeleteI use the dehydrated hash browns all the time. Just soak in water for about 15 minutes, keeping in mind that rehydration doubles the volume. I drain them in a strainer, pushing out any excess water and then fry as usual. I can't tell any difference between dried and frozen.
I like a neat and tidy kitchen, but it sure doesn't stay that way very long. Dangerous territory - yup!!
That's why the old timers did it--it worked!
ReplyDeleteSeems to me, Gorges, that it might be a good idea to pay attention to what the old timers did.
DeleteA good afternoon to you Vicki. Veggie powder is a great idea and a good way to hide it from kids and some adults. I've got another lot of veggies drying and am trying shredded has browns. Tomorrow we will be grinding beef for burger. The Checker at the Bulk Store looked at the veggies and asked was I canning soup, because that's what her Grandmother was doing. I told here they were being dried. It seems Grandmother is doing that also. I told her to have her Grandmother show her all the things she knows how to do and what not to do. It's getting stranger by the day out there. I pray for sanity, clarity and strength. Red
ReplyDeleteRed...Frozen hash browns is probably my favorite thing to dehydrate. No blanching needed. Just spread out on mesh covered trays. They rehydrate quickly and taste great when fried.
DeleteI started making the powders when I couldn't get dried celery to rehydrate well. Now I am keeping whole the veggies I use in soups and the potatoes and am making powders out of the rest. Today I made a chicken macaroni salad and sprinkled celery and onion powder over it for flavor. That worked just fine. The bonus is that the powders free up storage space for other things.
My generation learned canning and sewing and bread making because it was just a way of life. I would love to see the younger generation take an interest and there are a whole lot of Grandmas out there who would be happy to teach the Grandkids how to do stuff. With the country headed off into the weeds at present, knowing how to do stuff is more important than ever. Take good care.
Red, I know I wish I had learned all my grandmother had to teach when she was still alive.
DeleteBut I was young and stupid, thinking I knew it all and didn't need to learn it.
I can relate to what you said about the kitchen work areas.
ReplyDeleteI've found that keeping the workshop and the workbench clean during and after projects, has not been successful.
Your post about dehydrating contains much knowledge, and in other words, dry wit.
Oh, John...I have the ability to trash a kitchen in record time! It does get cleaned but only until another project has begun. I can understand how a workshop could easily be just as problematic.
DeleteJohn strikes again with 'dry wit.' (Insert huge grin here!!)
I may have asked you this before, or you probably told us and I forgot, but what brand of dehydrators do you use, Vicki?
ReplyDeleteBe safe and God bless.
LindaG...Both of my dehydrators are Nesco brand with the heating element and fan in the lid. The trays need to be rotated during the drying cycle to insure even drying, but they work very well for me. I suppose, like everyone else, I think an Excalibur type of dehydrator would be nice to have, but I can't justify the cost for one when the ones I have do a good job. Take care.
DeleteVicki, I do believe you have come up with another great idea! I bought frozen hashbrowns today and will be dehydrating them soon. Thank you for the information. CW
ReplyDeleteCW...I can't take credit for the idea of dehydrating frozen hash browns. It came from the YouTube channel "Dehydrate 2 Store." Typing 'hash browns' in the search bar on that channel will give you her video - there are two of them - about drying frozen veggies. The hash browns dry well and rehydrate back to the original. And drying them saves freezer space, which is at a premium these days. Have fun and take care.
DeleteA few weeks ago, I saw 2 lonely boxes of off brand regular size canning lids at WM and had to have a stern chat with myself after later realizing I could have used those for non-canning purposes and save the name brand lids for canning. DUH! Haven't see a box of lids since.
ReplyDeleteFor those wondering about how well dehydrated hash browns or other vegetables rehydrate - look how many packaged soups and skillet meal starters in a box use them, and they work fine. If they didn't, those items would not take up so much space on grocery shelves.
Well, Gail...that's two more boxes than have been seen around here! I have had my kids looking for lids and jars for months without success. The biggest mistake I made in prepping was not buying a boat load of lids when I had the chance.
DeleteThe hash browns are great and I will be drying more of them soon. I have found that some veggies rehydrate well and others take time and patience, but all rehydrate really well in soup or stew or a casserole in the crock pot. I sometimes grind up dehydrated sweet corn to use in cornbread and in experimenting with the powdered veggies, I am finding I like that use as well. Dehydrating is another good option for storing food. But you know that, don't you. :)
A very happy Saturday --- I was looking on line for a Canadian source of Tattler lids and found that my local-wannabe-TargetStore called Canadian Tire has canning lids. No limits on regular size, a limit of two boxes for wides. But no limit on wides when the lid and rings are purchased together.Cha-ching...I ordered a 'few'..
ReplyDeleteThen I checked with my grocery store where I get deliveries and found wide lids available with no limits. I showed restraint and 'only' ordered two boxes from the grocers.
Feeling hopeful that supplies may be getting into the stores.
Have a safe and sane Saturday.
Cheers, SJ in Vancouver BC Canada
Soooo, for an update. The 'wanna-be-TargetStore' just delivered the regular lids and the boxes of wide rings/lids. No boxes of just wide lids. And nothing from the grocery store. But every little bit helps and I'm grateful.
DeleteCheers, SJ in Vancouver BC
Thanks for the update, SJ...It is good to know what is happening with the canning supply shortage. Still nothing on the shelves here, but I will try again in two weeks to see if our store has them again. Take care.
Delete