PossumGirl Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Does anyone have one of these, and if so what brand and what do you think of it?I want one that does meat products. Mostly because I use dried chicken breast filets as training treats for the dogs and I think in the long run it would be cheaper to make my own rather than buying it. But most of the ones I've seen available in France talk a lot about fruits, vegetables, etc. and don't mention if they are good for doing meaty things.I'm really interested in any of your experiences. I really can't see doing them in the oven because I think the amount of bottled gas we'd have to go through would make it impossible to keep the oven running long enough.PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 How about a nice homemade one ??? they do work ....http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/dehydratorstryder.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Interesting, but that's a paranoid, and possibly not very nice, man running that website!Apart from the OP's purpose (and being a must for a paranoid survivalist 'not going far from home after September 01') what purpose does a dehydrator serve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 When you're in your French idyll, going back to nature and producing more vegetables than you can possibly eat in your lifetime from only one packet of seeds, a dehydrator will help reduce 30Kg of courgettes to 1Kg of ickle tiny crispy courgettes, and save you having to build an extension to house all those chest freezers and Kilner jars. I imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I quite fancy having a go at that, for fruit and veg anyway, not sure about meat..........See what you mean about the paranoid bit, anyone who's favourite tool is a Kbar is highly suspect in my opiniion, mind you, my favourite tool is a Leatherman so what does that make me ? [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I've never given home-dehydration a thought until now. Each year one of our last tasks before we return to the UK is to give away mounds of vegetables to friends and neighbours. There's no point in freezing them because they wouldn't survive the journey home.Do those of you who've used these things think it would be a good idea if I dehydrated my French produce and brought it home ?Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 [quote user="Puzzled"]I have bought freeze dried liver from here www.holisticpetsupplies.co.uk I can't remember if its organic or not.I bought in bulk to save postage. If you would like me to send you a piece ( they come as a fairly large piece that you break up yourself and boy is it hard!) pm me. I don't have any connection with the company BTW [:)] just a satisfied customer.[/quote]Great site, Puzzled. I need to go and look further. I already order our food from Germany (only food I can reliably give Maggie) so ordering treats isn't a problem. I just got a recipe for some homemade treats from a friend and I bought some saucisse seche which I'm going to slice up thin and try.Still, I like the idea of doing things like drying tomatoes, making beef jerky, etc., so I may still look into a dehydrator.PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 [quote user="Hoddy"]I've never given home-dehydration a thought until now. Each year one of our last tasks before we return to the UK is to give away mounds of vegetables to friends and neighbours. There's no point in freezing them because they wouldn't survive the journey home.Do those of you who've used these things think it would be a good idea if I dehydrated my French produce and brought it home ?Hoddy[/quote]I think it would be a great idea, Hoddy. Think of the money you'd save over the winter months! Not to mention the enjoyment of eating your own produce when everyone else is going without!PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan le Fey Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I've never even heard of one but they sound interesting. In the meantime for training treats, I used to slice liver quite thinly and then microwave it, long & slow and it became dry and a bit leathery but still kept its livery smell for the dogs. They loved it.[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Well I'm going to shove some tomatoes and mushrooms in my timber drying kiln on it's next cycle and see what happens! Three weeks or so of dehumidification should have 'em as dry as a ducks wotsit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusheslake Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I have one ( a gift from my student son 2nd hand...) never used it....no instructions...cant imagine what a bunch of students wanted it for...hmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanneclaire Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I bought one last year it is called L'equip. I really liked it and dried lots of tomatoes and cherries. Must say that I have not tried meat as yet! I believe you can buy them in Pont Vert, though I bought my through the internet, but cannot remember who I bought it through.Jeanne Claire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 jeanne clairemay i ask how much it was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I had a go with a foil lined cardboard box and a 100 watt lightbulb yesterday. I had some tomatoes which were a bit past their best so I cut them in half and put them on a wire rack above the bulb. Switched it on and about 8 hours later I had lovely dried toms. The flavour is very intense and yummy. I put them in a jar with olive oil but I don't think they will keep very long, I cant resist raiding the fridge for 'just one more'.The toms directly above the bulb got a bit too crispy so next time I'll either make some sort of baffle or not put them directly above the light. I think I could really get into this - I'll be keeping a lookout for 'specials' in my local markets for gluts of anything that can be dried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Those of you that are blessed with the best FREE dryers in the world : The Sun and the wind.... haven't you tried to hang out thin strips of meat inside one of these larder type boxes which has fine mesh sides so that the flies don't get to what's inside. (I remember those boxes from my Gran's home, she used to keep her cheese in it, in the cellar of her house) Hang this outside in a very sunny place and you should have dry meat after a couple of days. I remember going through a small village/town called Lion's Den (on a trip to Zimbabwe) where the local butcher was hanging strips of beef meat to dry in the sun and his wife was selling it. The nicest biltong I ever tasted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 "larder type boxes which has fine mesh sides"This is a much better idea Missy, but can you still buy them ? In the UK they've all been bought up by the the designers of shabby chic and cost more than a dehydrator, although they are, of course, cheaper to run.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 It would be a simple matter to make one, the mesh is available cheaply in Bricos as anti mosquito netting, put it around a simple frame and bingo! I will have a go at this in the summer but for now it is so damp and foggy I could probably hang up a strip of dried meat and a few hours later have the whole cow re-hydrated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanneclaire Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I have tried to find the receipt, but no such luck, I am not really sure it is a box type with five trays and sheets of plastic on the trays for making fruit leathers, I think they have them in Pont Vert. Sorry I cannot be more helpful.Jeanne Claire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Those box type cupbaord with the fine mesh are called : garde-manger. Literally keep-eat... They are about 2ft tall by 16/18in across and deep (approx) and have at least one if not 2 internal shelves. The door just has a little bolt. There is a hook to hang it from a beam and they should have 4 little stumps of 'feet' to rest on a shelf if not hung...So when on your next trip to the wonderland of Bricotruc-machin or Jardiland.Another place where I know they sell lots of 'retro' stuff for the home is Résonances. They have a few shops in France and a website.Pheww... took a while to find the website... It would have been much easier to go to that shop I often go to, situtated in the shopping precinct below the Louvres Museum!!...Anyhow there is an english page! be it mostly in French!! where you can discover the delight of : 'Bath of Pleasures' ...and... 'The Culture to be Well'........[Www]http://www.resonances.fr/index.php?main_page=products_all&cPath=758&level=6&oldlevelID=70&disp_order=1&page=8&language=enAfter browsing the site... no such thing as a garde-manger in the kitchen department... Sorry[:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Thanks very much for that Missy. I think you've just saved me money. I had no idea that they were still produced.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 yes, thanks missy. i'll have to have a good scout round next time i'm over. jeanne claire, i have had your pm and i hope you got my reply ok."bath of pleasures"....perhaps i could get one of those as well. imagine having a "bath of pleasure" whilst scoffing dried fruit! oh, and a glass of chilled white to sip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Garde-manger: Nature et jardin, Masy Père & Fils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocccie Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I got an Excalibur dehydrator off Ebay - easy to use and cheap to run.Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now