I even turned down an offer for a FREE freeze dryer from a company because it is now my mission to keep finding more ways to keep it less costly. The more I do, the more I find a freeze dryer totally UNnecessary. It is more just a lavish expense so people can freeze dry things like ice cream and candy - luxury items.
Regarding freeze dryers such as, harvest right. The responder said, freeze drying certain foods & consuming them as is, ie. not adding them into another product, can harm the enamel of teeth, as well as cause other oral issues. I decided to stear away from purchasing a freeze drying for that purpose , also cost is $3,000.00 + accessories + oil motor+ $$$$$ . you need a bucket to drain the water out once used as the freeze dryer interior gets a ring of ice that has to be removed from each batch. 😊
I have three Nescos that I now use for dehydrating herbs in my shop off the garden. I later got a 9 tray Excalibur then thrifted a smaller 5 tray Excalibur locally. This year Im using my Ninja Foodie air fryer oven and it has a dehydrate setting. That is perfect for small batches like doing extra cooked pinto beans and handfuls of herbs and its always in my kitchen. I got a super heavy duty Origami folding rolling cart for the basement dehydrating and pantry. It has a hardwood cutting board and two lower shelves. This cart is a game changer for being able to move all of the heavy jars around, organize and serves as a stable counter for prepping. Investing in an efficient food preservation station is really worth it. My space is not as beautiful as yours but still serviceable. Love your setup!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 God is good, all the time! 😉
Thank you for sharing your knowledge on dehydrators. I want another way to preserve food besides using canning and freezing. I have seen the freeze dryers that some of the other channels use, but the expense is out of reach for me. I have watched your videos on dehydrators vs freeze dryers and I believe that the dehydrator is the way to go for me. Also, you have so much information on dehydrating foods. I have never dehydrated anything, but I feel comfortable using that process. Another thing...I see that freeze drying foods will last 20-25 years. For me, being 66, I don't know why I would need something like that. Thank you Heidi for sharing!
One thing they often do not tell you is that dehydrated foods can last just asl long if properly stored though there are a few that will lose a lot of quality, most will not but they base that "information" on the few that do not just to make their product sound more appealing
Wow girl. I always wondered how you managed dehydrating EVERYTHING you use. I have trouble managing what very little I do. But I am in awe of how you manage everything you do anyway. You are such an inspiration to so many of us. I haven’t been lucky enough to score any used equipment. Guess no one around here have been into any of the homestead principles. There is a town about an hour away that has big flea markets on sundays but haven’t been this year. Forgot about it so plan to go next year when they start up again. More rural and farm oriented.
One of my customers gave me an American harvest garden master, and I already had the snack master from the Goodwill for $3.99. My other dehydrator is from a church rummage sale for $2. I’ve never bought a brand new one yet. Right now I’m canning crab, apple, butter, crab, apple, pie filling, and crab apple glaze. There are still so many crab apples on the tree that it doesn’t even look like I took any! I may harvest some more and dehydrator into fruit leather! To me, this taste better than applesauce, because I like extremely tart apples!😊
Oh my God thank you for all you do. I have been watching some of your videos and this one made the decision for me. I am a second year gardener and want to be able to preserve my food other than freezing. I purchased a pressure cooker last year and will be using this growing season. Hoping to use a lot of produce from my garden. I did not know so many things could be dehydrated. Now I know I can purchase this unit put on a stand and sit outside on my covered porch. So much less expensive than a freeze dryer. Again thank you.,
I got a very good deal on my excalibur that I really like except the door. I upgraded from a old Ronco dehydrator that I used for years. Tomorrow I am going to harvest plantain leaves to make salve that I really thank you for teaching me how to make!
Because of dog hair I've put a double layer of cheese cloth on the back to act as a light filter, it doesn't restrict air flow but does catch airborn particulates quit well. As soon as I see soom color I change the cheese cloth. Thanks for your videos. I'm very Happy with my Cosori.
Those Cosori’s are so nice! I’m using a Nesco but would really like to ‘upgrade’ to Cosori soon. Your videos started me dehydrating a few years back. That was the start of my small homesteading journey. Thanks, Heidi!
Thank you for the tip on the cloth! I used old flour sack dish towels when drying herbs and they dried a LOT faster! When I'd dried herbs without them I'd been running off my solar generator and it drained it before the herbs dried. I didn't want that to happen again, so when I dried them on cloth I plugged in to the wall, but it was so much faster that I COULD have used the solar generator. I also put the dehydrator on a table outside when it's hot, which also means I can be charging the generator as I'm using it - except when smoke from Canada's wildfires creates an issue, in which case I move everything into the garage. I have an Excalibur, and I can tell you that the removable door becomes an issue when carrying it from place to place - I wish I'd found your channel before I bought it, and I would have gone with a Cosori.
I bought my Cosori about two months ago. I really like it. Works wonderful. I also use my Sun Oven to dehydrate. Have to watch to make sure it doesn’t overheat the herbs though. But it works well too and no energy used. Love your videos. ❤🙏🏻✝️
I've been a subscriber of yours forever and have always loved your videos. All the knowledge I've learned from you has helped me expand my self-sufficiency, and while I may not do exactly what you've shared, you have guided me with learning new skills and cooking/baking more from scratch. And for that I thank you! I have two of the Nesco dehydrators, but recently gave my youngest daughter one as she's starting to can, garden and preserve too. My husband bought me an Excalibur a few years ago, and I love it.
Perfect timing!! I just seached for a dehydrator, and Cosori came out with great reviews. Our house is very old, no air, very damp. I tried to dry my squash seeds, they molded! So, thank you!! Off to buy my Cosori!
The Nesco has been great. My first one actually had a different name but it was the same dehydrator and made by the same company. The only difference is the top was teal
Thank you for the video. I've learned to broaden my horizons on dehydrating... not just for fruit. Pre Y2K we found an Excalibur at a thrift store. A few years later I found another 9 tray Excalibur at a thrift store.! We've loved it because you can easily repair it... company carries replacement parts pretty inexpensive. I ordered the brown trays... they are great. I've been blending up our sea buckthorn, dehydrating it on the brwn trays and then powdering it 😊.
It looks all fancy and professional and expensive stacked like that, very nice! You have so many projects, though, you needed (and deserved!) more room. I love both your and Pat's projects. Also good to know about how soon those two brands die out or last. I'm definitely in mind for spending extra for something that is going to last longer, and bonus for more room. I don't have an official dehydrator, but I use my 12-in-1 air fryer to dehydrate (have figs in there right now!), and I can actually get a pretty good amount of stuff in there depending on what I'm dehydrating. Looking forward to all the new dehydrating experiments you try!
Thank you, Heidi, for another great video on dehydrating. As you know I have Excalibur and I have the brown silicone sheets you told me about and I love them. Thank you
Thanks for your great information on dehydrating, Heidi. You inspired me to start dehydrating a couple of years ago. I have a system that looks like the Casori, maybe a Canadian version. Can't say for sure, but they look exactly the same and I love it. I have quite a stock of dry goods as a result of your inspiration and helpful tips.💖You are so dearly appreciated by me!💖
I’m starting my foraging adventure. I harvested usnea yesterday but I used too high of an alcohol for my tincture. 🙈I used everclear. Oh well. I’ll harvest some more when we have another storm and it should blow some more down. Then I’ll use some 80 proof instead. Thank you for so many videos to help me out!
@@RainCountryHomestead will do! My son gets strep throat almost every single year. I’m hoping to keep this in hand for treatment. I’m thinking of getting a mini glass spray bottle to put some in.
@@marilyn5208 My favorite solvent is a blend of homemade wine and raw honey, it is mostly all I use except for those items that truly need a higher proof alcohol to properly extract
Thank you once again for your videos. I have an Excalibur, I am satisfied. I would like you talk about the laundry room and teach us about laundry powders and old equipments used to wash clothes without using electricity. Have a good weekend ❤😊❤
I already have videos out on that: Laundry powder: ruclips.net/video/FB4LDBZLoIU/видео.html Off Grid Laundry: ruclips.net/video/TDs2Amdxd-Y/видео.html 5 Tips on Laundry: ruclips.net/video/fjKRsOIMNgg/видео.html
Your Awesome! I found u thru American homestead. I have struggled w/ whether I should get a freeze-dryer. It's extremely expensive and maintaince---What happens when grid goes down or is spordic-will I get my moneys worth?? . U helped me decide that dehydration is the way to go for me. Thank u for all the GREAT info and I am Now a new subscriber. Im off to binge watch ur videos! T hank you and Gods Blessings!
Great set up! I’m dehydrating onions right now. Unfortunately, some of my tomatoes turned black while dehydrating…not sure why. Great videos, thank you
I had this happen to me twice this year with both dehydrators but I believe it was because humidity in the air was causing them to take too long to dry as this all happened during the heat wave we had. While they oddly tasted more tart than it seems they should, they were still good and did not taste burnt so I went ahead and saved them in a separate jar. I made some sauce where I use mostly un-blackened tomatoes and put a small amount of the black ones in. It darkened the sauce a little but the taste was really good. Several have said the same thing happened to them this year, which is really odd as it has never happened to me before.
Thanks for your reply Heidi, I did the tomatoes during the hot streak too. Glad to know they are still safe to use. I read it can also be caused by low acid varieties.
I purchased a Magic Mill dehydrator and have three of the little round stack dehydrators and will likely buy another Magic mill and stack them like you did
Thank you Heidi! One of the things I really like about this style is that it's so much easier to get whatever from the trays to jars for storage. The circular ones are just clumsy. If/when I get another dehydrator, I'll get the square type. Blessings!💜
Yes to all of your statements! My Excalibur is out in our new shed, which has a floor. Our spare gas oven/range is out there, too, and I'll be canning tomatoes out there shortly. It's not a whole outdoor kitchen, but may be one day. Nothing fancy, but I put a t.v. out there, and I can clean tack, keep an eye on the pressure canner, and watch something while the dogs and cats and chickens run around the driveway, LOL! While the house stays cooler. You mentioned you want a waterproof cover, and you may know about Splash fabrics already since they are in Seattle. These folks have a small family business where they laminate cotton. She used to be a park ranger and has three boys, so wet and muddy clothes were a problem! She'll send you free samples if you like. There isn't a huge selection of patterns, maybe 12 or 15, but I've made bags for swimsuits and water bottles, etc. out of them. It is softer than buying the clear plastic from JoAnns. But...I've also covered things up with cheap tablecloths and shower curtains. :)
Thanks for the fabric info but I do already have some camo PUL on hand that I will be using to make the cover. I have worked with PUL a lot in making diapers and feminine napkins and it is great stuff for that
I bought a Magic Mill about the same time you bought the Cosori. The trays are the same size and they are similar with the fan in the back and the door that opens from the side. The cons of the Magic Mill now that I’ve been using it over a year are 1- the temperature can only be set in increments of 10, from 95-165. 2- It has shut down by itself twice now in the middle of a drying cycle 3- Sometime last night the temperature went from 125 to 165, making my yogurt turn brown. I don’t know if I will be able to salvage this batch. When I buy again, it will be a Cosori. Many Blessings!!
@@RainCountryHomestead whatever it is (and you’re probably right, it probably is the computer) it’s annoying and disappointing. I just wanted to throw that out there for anyone considering a Magic Mill. Spend the extra few bucks on the Cosori- it will save you money in the long run!
Hi Heidi,Love the limped silicon sheets I do raisins and they are messy to dyhydrate but with the silicon sheets you can roll the sheet most will come off in a few roils and clean up is so nice, thanks for showing them to me Pam from Rochester
I really like my casori too😊 I am using it to dehydrate potatoes today. Here in Michigan, it is getting chilly at night, so running the cosori helps warm the kitchen. Win, win, in my opinion. I do have a question for you Heidi, my instructions say not to place anything on top of it. Do you know of a reason for this?
It probably is because of the heat and to also protect themselves from any liability. However, with proper spacing and making sure whatever is on top is not too heavy, it should not be an issue. now the top Cosori is on the heavy side but the weight is all placed on the strongest points of the one below it, right on the corners so I am not concerned. I have one of mine full of potatoes today as well :)
@RainCountryHomestead thanks, I kind of figured it had something to do with air flow, which is on the side. I have been tempted to purchase a second Cosori. Maybe this winter, so I have it to dehydrate chicken, burger, etc. Garden is the first priority
Would you ever dehydrate cooked meat without freezing it first and if so what is the consistency of it? Also, I don't know if you knew this, but NESCO does now have a dehydrator in cabinet form.
Thanks for your fast reply! I clicked on both of the links from your RUclips video for the dehydrator and the silicone mats and just got both of them today but the silicone mats are way too big for the dehydrator. So I must’ve clicked something wrong lol
There are different sizes in the mats to choose from. If you are ordering the smaller Cosori, order the smaller silicone sheets made to fit the Cosori, if you are ordering the bigger Cosori, order the bigger sheets made to fit the Excalibur
Quick question on Dandelion leaves - When you dehydrate them, do you dry them until that center stem gets completely crunchy? I was concerned with leaving them in too long and ruining the medicinal properties of the green leaf part.
Yes, I do try to but if some never fully dry, I just strip the dry parts off and either compost the center or put them back on the dehydrator with fresh items, or use in teas
BTW...I actually bought the wrong size brown liners for my Cosori and threw out the original packaging. So I'm thinking of using them to make potholders. I had gotten some Lodge ones that are now discontinued. I love them!
Hi Heidi. I have the same Cosori as you. You inspire me to dehydrate more often. I've done beef jerky (for my jack of all trades hubby, like yours), herbs and now I am dehydrating zucchini. I like how you have 2 Cosori's stacked on top of each other so you can dehydrate more. I am also looking for some type of metal/stainless steel trays (with a 1 inch edge) that would fit in the Cosori. Would that work for drying food though? Maybe it wouldn't. I found that some of the zucchini bits and pieces fall through the racks. I am making zucchini flour also and I don't like using parchment paper, which it sticks to. I don't have the silicone sheets yet. I will definitely check those out. I know the lady over on "The Purposeful Pantry" RUclips channel has a lot of great tips on dehydrating. She bought canvas and cut it to size. That would work for some foods. Question: What Cosori tray works best for zucchini bits that would be turned into flour. Take care and God bless! Diana
Just discovered your channel, love it!! Can't wait to binge all the vids! By the way there's a typo at the end of your intro description on RUclips profile❤.
I am not seeing where you are talking about but whatever it is is likely several years old. Do you mean in the description under our intro video or in the About section?
have you long used cotton sheet for dehydrating tray liners? Unpiloted means here without a flame. A wood heat class I took years ago spoke about the unpiloted ignition of wood paneling that had its kindling temperature lowered over time from being exposed to low level external (wood stove) heat. Unpiloted ignition of cotton sheet exposed to low level external heat source for very long periods comes to mind but nothing showed up with my search. Cotton sheet makes sense to me also. It seems that 165 F would not cause such and you use a lower temperature often but I do not know, perhaps a fireman would.
I have used them for years but I do not use them when putting my rack on top of the wood stove for obvious reasons and since I use lower heats in my dehydrators, I am certainly not concerned about it catching on fire. If you consider the fact that most dehydrators (including the Cosori) come with plastic trays you can use (which I do not), plastic would be just as much of a concern as it can melt.
Just bought a Magic Mill Dehydrator. Looks so much like.that one. Right on the box it has a Proposition 65 warning. Is this something I need to worry about?.
Do you think thst when jalapeños are dehydrated, their "heat" will stay on the silicone mats, and perhaps few mats should be saved for hot peppers, only, or by washing the silicone trays willl take away the "heat"?
You will need to wash them with hot water and strong soap to get the oils off but after that they should be fine. I use my cloth covers for drying my hot peppers though as they are not a wet or liquidly item
I found for ground meats that is not necessary but you can try that if yours ends up being tough. I do not use ground poultry myself so I have not tried dehydrating it at all, only beef and venison
Hello Heidi, Does the Cosori heat up your counter top? I saw that one person mentioned that when she commented about using it. But I have only seen that mentioned once. I really like your channel.
I’m curious..I didn’t think setting the dehydrator outdoors would be good especially with humidity. Does your food still dry as good as if set up indoors?
It really depends on the day. Our hottest days are our most humid and it is pretty pointless to dehydrate on those days either inside or outside but most of the time, it is not an issue. Now if I were hanging them to dry, that would be a different story
What’s the difference between solar outlets and regular outlets? Doesn’t your solar electricity run through the home wiring system, just like electricity from the regular grid power would do? We are having solar installed in our house in Nov. this year {Fla.}. Thanks!
We are not grid tied (which I never recommend doing) and Patrick installed everything himself. I explain about our solar power and how we use it here: ruclips.net/video/eIQE-einzsQ/видео.html
Yes, I was using the cotton cloth on my plastic Nesco trays long before I got my Cosori. You will see that in this video where I show how I made them: ruclips.net/video/SbNZeAOHtz4/видео.html
Hello! I clicked on the link for the cosori dehydrator and I just got it which I’m so excited but it is so small. is yours a mini? This one is so tiny. And then I clicked on the link for the silicone mats and they’re definitely way too big. What size is your Cory dehydrator
I see what I did now! I bought the five tray instead of the six tray like you have and I think that’s why the silicone doesn’t fit. Thanks so much for your fast replies! I love your channel. Keep on going it’s fabulous!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I bet your house smells amazing especially when you're dehydrating during the winter months with your wood stove😊
I love that you dehydrate and show us how. You dont use and push the freeze dryer which normal people can't afford. Thanks.❤
I even turned down an offer for a FREE freeze dryer from a company because it is now my mission to keep finding more ways to keep it less costly. The more I do, the more I find a freeze dryer totally UNnecessary. It is more just a lavish expense so people can freeze dry things like ice cream and candy - luxury items.
Regarding freeze dryers such as, harvest right.
The responder said, freeze drying certain foods & consuming them as is, ie. not adding them into another product, can harm the enamel of teeth, as well as cause other oral issues.
I decided to stear away from purchasing a freeze drying for that purpose , also cost is $3,000.00 + accessories + oil motor+ $$$$$ .
you need a bucket to drain the water out once used as the freeze dryer interior gets a ring of ice that has to be removed from each batch. 😊
@@employme2 And that cost is just for the small one that only hold three trays if I remember and they are small trays
Me too. The disappoint from finding out how freakin expensive freeze dryers are is hard.
Hi Heidi, God is good all the time. Hallelujah.💖🩷🩷
I have three Nescos that I now use for dehydrating herbs in my shop off the garden. I later got a 9 tray Excalibur then thrifted a smaller 5 tray Excalibur locally. This year Im using my Ninja Foodie air fryer oven and it has a dehydrate setting. That is perfect for small batches like doing extra cooked pinto beans and handfuls of herbs and its always in my kitchen. I got a super heavy duty Origami folding rolling cart for the basement dehydrating and pantry. It has a hardwood cutting board and two lower shelves. This cart is a game changer for being able to move all of the heavy jars around, organize and serves as a stable counter for prepping. Investing in an efficient food preservation station is really worth it. My space is not as beautiful as yours but still serviceable. Love your setup!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 God is good, all the time! 😉
I bought a new Cosori dehydrater at my local Habitat Restore for $30.00.
Thank you for the encouraging Bible verses.
Great price!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge on dehydrators. I want another way to preserve food besides using canning and freezing. I have seen the freeze dryers that some of the other channels use, but the expense is out of reach for me. I have watched your videos on dehydrators vs freeze dryers and I believe that the dehydrator is the way to go for me. Also, you have so much information on dehydrating foods. I have never dehydrated anything, but I feel comfortable using that process. Another thing...I see that freeze drying foods will last 20-25 years. For me, being 66, I don't know why I would need something like that. Thank you Heidi for sharing!
One thing they often do not tell you is that dehydrated foods can last just asl long if properly stored though there are a few that will lose a lot of quality, most will not but they base that "information" on the few that do not just to make their product sound more appealing
The Encyclopedia of Country Living sounds like a great book to help me learn more of being self sufficient. Thank you for the great offer !
Wow girl. I always wondered how you managed dehydrating EVERYTHING you use. I have trouble managing what very little I do. But I am in awe of how you manage everything you do anyway. You are such an inspiration to so many of us. I haven’t been lucky enough to score any used equipment. Guess no one around here have been into any of the homestead principles. There is a town about an hour away that has big flea markets on sundays but haven’t been this year. Forgot about it so plan to go next year when they start up again. More rural and farm oriented.
I have 3 Nesco dehydrators and I made the rounds for them using old cotton pillow cases.... I learned that from You Mrs Heidi 😊😊🤗🤗🙏 Kendra
One of my customers gave me an American harvest garden master, and I already had the snack master from the Goodwill for $3.99. My other dehydrator is from a church rummage sale for $2. I’ve never bought a brand new one yet.
Right now I’m canning crab, apple, butter, crab, apple, pie filling, and crab apple glaze. There are still so many crab apples on the tree that it doesn’t even look like I took any! I may harvest some more and dehydrator into fruit leather! To me, this taste better than applesauce, because I like extremely tart apples!😊
Your calm voice and detailed explanation on dehydrating is so appreciated!🙏🏼
Oh my God thank you for all you do. I have been watching some of your videos and this one made the decision for me. I am a second year gardener and want to be able to preserve my food other than freezing. I purchased a pressure cooker last year and will be using this growing season. Hoping to use a lot of produce from my garden. I did not know so many things could be dehydrated. Now I know I can purchase this unit put on a stand and sit outside on my covered porch. So much less expensive than a freeze dryer. Again thank you.,
I have had a Cosori for awhile. I love it.
I recently bought those brown silicone trays after hearing about thrm from you.
I have a Cosori and i love it!
You deserve this for all the work you do for your family and your audience. Good tools are so nice.
I got a very good deal on my excalibur that I really like except the door. I upgraded from a old Ronco dehydrator that I used for years. Tomorrow I am going to harvest plantain leaves to make salve that I really thank you for teaching me how to make!
Heidi, i canned my 1st batch of Dungeness Crab yesterday. Today, getting another batch of apples in the dehydrator.
Beautiful! Love your setup. Thanks Heidi
Because of dog hair I've put a double layer of cheese cloth on the back to act as a light filter, it doesn't restrict air flow but does catch airborn particulates quit well. As soon as I see soom color I change the cheese cloth.
Thanks for your videos. I'm very Happy with my Cosori.
Thank you for the information about dehydrating meat after it’s cooked, frozen, then thawed! Great tip!! ❤
Those Cosori’s are so nice! I’m using a Nesco but would really like to ‘upgrade’ to Cosori soon. Your videos started me dehydrating a few years back. That was the start of my small homesteading journey. Thanks, Heidi!
Thank you for the tip on the cloth! I used old flour sack dish towels when drying herbs and they dried a LOT faster! When I'd dried herbs without them I'd been running off my solar generator and it drained it before the herbs dried. I didn't want that to happen again, so when I dried them on cloth I plugged in to the wall, but it was so much faster that I COULD have used the solar generator. I also put the dehydrator on a table outside when it's hot, which also means I can be charging the generator as I'm using it - except when smoke from Canada's wildfires creates an issue, in which case I move everything into the garage. I have an Excalibur, and I can tell you that the removable door becomes an issue when carrying it from place to place - I wish I'd found your channel before I bought it, and I would have gone with a Cosori.
I learn so much from you thank you so much for the videos !! ❤
Absolutely love my Cosori and I really should consider getting one more since I run mine 24/7.😊
Oh Heidi, I love your laundry room 🥰🥰🥰
Thanks Heidi ❤️ ❤️ 😊
Thank you so much. I learn a lot from you. You are so helpful I love that you add links to the items that you use and love using.
I bought my Cosori about two months ago. I really like it. Works wonderful. I also use my Sun Oven to dehydrate. Have to watch to make sure it doesn’t overheat the herbs though. But it works well too and no energy used. Love your videos. ❤🙏🏻✝️
I've been a subscriber of yours forever and have always loved your videos. All the knowledge I've learned from you has helped me expand my self-sufficiency, and while I may not do exactly what you've shared, you have guided me with learning new skills and cooking/baking more from scratch. And for that I thank you! I have two of the Nesco dehydrators, but recently gave my youngest daughter one as she's starting to can, garden and preserve too. My husband bought me an Excalibur a few years ago, and I love it.
Perfect timing!! I just seached for a dehydrator, and Cosori came out with great reviews. Our house is very old, no air, very damp. I tried to dry my squash seeds, they molded! So, thank you!! Off to buy my Cosori!
Love my Nesco dehydrators, even with all their faults, but if I knew when I started what I know now, I'd go with something more like these.
The Nesco has been great. My first one actually had a different name but it was the same dehydrator and made by the same company. The only difference is the top was teal
Mrs. Heidi, I appreciate very much all
the information you share with us. Thank you!
I learn a lot from you thank you!
Thank you😊
I have the Corsori too and absolutely love it!
Sometimes we stumble on how-to make things better through trial and ERRor Like dehydrating meats. I know I did. Thanks for your great videos!
My no brand just died so i got a corsori. Love it so far. I also have a nesco i put outside for garlic & onions!
Thank you for the video. I've learned to broaden my horizons on dehydrating... not just for fruit. Pre Y2K we found an Excalibur at a thrift store. A few years later I found another 9 tray Excalibur at a thrift store.! We've loved it because you can easily repair it... company carries replacement parts pretty inexpensive. I ordered the brown trays... they are great. I've been blending up our sea buckthorn, dehydrating it on the brwn trays and then powdering it 😊.
It looks all fancy and professional and expensive stacked like that, very nice! You have so many projects, though, you needed (and deserved!) more room. I love both your and Pat's projects. Also good to know about how soon those two brands die out or last. I'm definitely in mind for spending extra for something that is going to last longer, and bonus for more room. I don't have an official dehydrator, but I use my 12-in-1 air fryer to dehydrate (have figs in there right now!), and I can actually get a pretty good amount of stuff in there depending on what I'm dehydrating. Looking forward to all the new dehydrating experiments you try!
I have the same dehydrator 😊
The freeze the meat before dehydrating thing is so nice. I'm guessing it's because the freezing process separates the fibers of the meat a bit.
Yes, I believe that is it. It is such an easy and cheap way to get similar results to freeze drying and I love that!
I love the cotton sheet idea on the dehydrator trays! Do you have a video that talks about your solar plugs in your house?
I believe I do in this one: ruclips.net/video/eIQE-einzsQ/видео.html
Thank you. I bought a Corsori on your recommendation. I love it. I have been dehydrating every since. 🙏🙏🙏❤️
Jus got one today!
@@judypeterson9952 I hope you love yours as much as I love mine. Congratulations ❤️
Thank you, Heidi, for another great video on dehydrating. As you know I have Excalibur and I have the brown silicone sheets you told me about and I love them. Thank you
I really like the corisori also
Thanks for your great information on dehydrating, Heidi. You inspired me to start dehydrating a couple of years ago. I have a system that looks like the Casori, maybe a Canadian version. Can't say for sure, but they look exactly the same and I love it. I have quite a stock of dry goods as a result of your inspiration and helpful tips.💖You are so dearly appreciated by me!💖
Great videos! Learning a lot from you. You are God sent!!
I have 2 Cosoris and call them my side x sides..
I invested in a Cosori this year. I just love it! I have had my Snackmaster Nesco for years. I use it for onions and things of that sort. God Bless!
I’m starting my foraging adventure. I harvested usnea yesterday but I used too high of an alcohol for my tincture. 🙈I used everclear. Oh well. I’ll harvest some more when we have another storm and it should blow some more down. Then I’ll use some 80 proof instead. Thank you for so many videos to help me out!
I would not toss that, I am sure it is still good. I am just not a fan of Ever Clear for tincturing but many do use it
@@RainCountryHomestead will do! My son gets strep throat almost every single year. I’m hoping to keep this in hand for treatment. I’m thinking of getting a mini glass spray bottle to put some in.
You can dilute tincture with water. Don't throw it away. You also might research using honey instead of alcohol.
@@marilyn5208 My favorite solvent is a blend of homemade wine and raw honey, it is mostly all I use except for those items that truly need a higher proof alcohol to properly extract
@@RainCountryHomestead Wow. Didn't realize you could combine the 2. Thanks.
thanks Heidi!
Thank you once again for your videos. I have an Excalibur, I am satisfied. I would like you talk about the laundry room and teach us about laundry powders and old equipments used to wash clothes without using electricity. Have a good weekend ❤😊❤
I already have videos out on that:
Laundry powder: ruclips.net/video/FB4LDBZLoIU/видео.html
Off Grid Laundry: ruclips.net/video/TDs2Amdxd-Y/видео.html
5 Tips on Laundry: ruclips.net/video/fjKRsOIMNgg/видео.html
Your Awesome! I found u thru American homestead. I have struggled w/ whether I should get a freeze-dryer. It's extremely expensive and maintaince---What happens when grid goes down or is spordic-will I get my moneys worth?? . U helped me decide that dehydration is the way to go for me. Thank u for all the GREAT info and I am Now a new subscriber. Im off to binge watch ur videos! T hank you and Gods Blessings!
Great set up! I’m dehydrating onions right now. Unfortunately, some of my tomatoes turned black while dehydrating…not sure why. Great videos, thank you
I had this happen to me twice this year with both dehydrators but I believe it was because humidity in the air was causing them to take too long to dry as this all happened during the heat wave we had. While they oddly tasted more tart than it seems they should, they were still good and did not taste burnt so I went ahead and saved them in a separate jar. I made some sauce where I use mostly un-blackened tomatoes and put a small amount of the black ones in. It darkened the sauce a little but the taste was really good. Several have said the same thing happened to them this year, which is really odd as it has never happened to me before.
Thanks for your reply Heidi, I did the tomatoes during the hot streak too. Glad to know they are still safe to use. I read it can also be caused by low acid varieties.
I purchased a Magic Mill dehydrator and have three of the little round stack dehydrators and will likely buy another Magic mill and stack them like you did
Thank you Heidi!
One of the things I really like about this style is that it's so much easier to get whatever from the trays to jars for storage. The circular ones are just clumsy. If/when I get another dehydrator, I'll get the square type.
Blessings!💜
Right! Even with the silicone sheets for them, the hole in the middle makes it SO much more messy to deal with then the solid square sheets.
@@RainCountryHomestead I usually do that over a rimmed cookie sheet.
Yes to all of your statements! My Excalibur is out in our new shed, which has a floor. Our spare gas oven/range is out there, too, and I'll be canning tomatoes out there shortly. It's not a whole outdoor kitchen, but may be one day. Nothing fancy, but I put a t.v. out there, and I can clean tack, keep an eye on the pressure canner, and watch something while the dogs and cats and chickens run around the driveway, LOL! While the house stays cooler.
You mentioned you want a waterproof cover, and you may know about Splash fabrics already since they are in Seattle. These folks have a small family business where they laminate cotton. She used to be a park ranger and has three boys, so wet and muddy clothes were a problem! She'll send you free samples if you like. There isn't a huge selection of patterns, maybe 12 or 15, but I've made bags for swimsuits and water bottles, etc. out of them. It is softer than buying the clear plastic from JoAnns. But...I've also covered things up with cheap tablecloths and shower curtains. :)
Thanks for the fabric info but I do already have some camo PUL on hand that I will be using to make the cover. I have worked with PUL a lot in making diapers and feminine napkins and it is great stuff for that
@@RainCountryHomestead I knew you probably had something in mind, LOL!
Beautiful counter🥰🥰
Thank you Heidi for this great information on dehydrating, I'm researching dehydrating & this is very helpful, God bless ya'll 🥰🥰
I love the cosori
Good video, thanks for sharing, God bless !
I bought a Magic Mill about the same time you bought the Cosori. The trays are the same size and they are similar with the fan in the back and the door that opens from the side. The cons of the Magic Mill now that I’ve been using it over a year are 1- the temperature can only be set in increments of 10, from 95-165. 2- It has shut down by itself twice now in the middle of a drying cycle 3- Sometime last night the temperature went from 125 to 165, making my yogurt turn brown. I don’t know if I will be able to salvage this batch. When I buy again, it will be a Cosori. Many Blessings!!
Whoa, that is crazy, Sounds like an issue in the computer
@@RainCountryHomestead whatever it is (and you’re probably right, it probably is the computer) it’s annoying and disappointing. I just wanted to throw that out there for anyone considering a Magic Mill. Spend the extra few bucks on the Cosori- it will save you money in the long run!
❤❤❤❤
Hi Heidi,Love the limped silicon sheets I do raisins and they are messy to dyhydrate but with the silicon sheets you can roll the sheet most will come off in a few roils and clean up is so nice, thanks for showing them to me
Pam from Rochester
Are you in Rochester Washington?
I really like my casori too😊
I am using it to dehydrate potatoes today. Here in Michigan, it is getting chilly at night, so running the cosori helps warm the kitchen. Win, win, in my opinion.
I do have a question for you Heidi, my instructions say not to place anything on top of it. Do you know of a reason for this?
It probably is because of the heat and to also protect themselves from any liability. However, with proper spacing and making sure whatever is on top is not too heavy, it should not be an issue. now the top Cosori is on the heavy side but the weight is all placed on the strongest points of the one below it, right on the corners so I am not concerned.
I have one of mine full of potatoes today as well :)
@RainCountryHomestead thanks, I kind of figured it had something to do with air flow, which is on the side. I have been tempted to purchase a second Cosori. Maybe this winter, so I have it to dehydrate chicken, burger, etc. Garden is the first priority
Would you ever dehydrate cooked meat without freezing it first and if so what is the consistency of it? Also, I don't know if you knew this, but NESCO does now have a dehydrator in cabinet form.
You can but most of it turns out tough and does not rehydrate well
@@RainCountryHomestead Good to know. Thanks.🙂
You could invert a plastic bin over your dehydrator outside which would be plastic & waterproof.
Yes, but I would rather make a cover and already have the material for it, just have not needed to worry about it, at least not until spring
Thanks for your fast reply! I clicked on both of the links from your RUclips video for the dehydrator and the silicone mats and just got both of them today but the silicone mats are way too big for the dehydrator. So I must’ve clicked something wrong lol
There are different sizes in the mats to choose from. If you are ordering the smaller Cosori, order the smaller silicone sheets made to fit the Cosori, if you are ordering the bigger Cosori, order the bigger sheets made to fit the Excalibur
What is the name of the dehydrator please?❤❤
Odd, I was sure I said but I know I linked to it as promised in the description box
She also has the links for the Casori Dehydrator in her description where it says "more". God bless you
Quick question on Dandelion leaves - When you dehydrate them, do you dry them until that center stem gets completely crunchy? I was concerned with leaving them in too long and ruining the medicinal properties of the green leaf part.
Yes, I do try to but if some never fully dry, I just strip the dry parts off and either compost the center or put them back on the dehydrator with fresh items, or use in teas
BTW...I actually bought the wrong size brown liners for my Cosori and threw out the original packaging. So I'm thinking of using them to make potholders. I had gotten some Lodge ones that are now discontinued. I love them!
@@RainCountryHomestead Great minds...that is exactly what I was doing!
Hi Heidi. I have the same Cosori as you. You inspire me to dehydrate more often. I've done beef jerky (for my jack of all trades hubby, like yours), herbs and now I am dehydrating zucchini. I like how you have 2 Cosori's stacked on top of each other so you can dehydrate more. I am also looking for some type of metal/stainless steel trays (with a 1 inch edge) that would fit in the Cosori. Would that work for drying food though? Maybe it wouldn't. I found that some of the zucchini bits and pieces fall through the racks. I am making zucchini flour also and I don't like using parchment paper, which it sticks to. I don't have the silicone sheets yet. I will definitely check those out. I know the lady over on "The Purposeful Pantry" RUclips channel has a lot of great tips on dehydrating. She bought canvas and cut it to size. That would work for some foods. Question: What Cosori tray works best for zucchini bits that would be turned into flour. Take care and God bless! Diana
Yes, if you can find stainless sheets that fit, you can use those.
Does it matter what cloth you use to keep the food away from the plastic?
Some sort of cotton I would think.
Thanks for another video!
Yes, 100% cotton. Cotton sheets are best
Just discovered your channel, love it!! Can't wait to binge all the vids!
By the way there's a typo at the end of your intro description on RUclips profile❤.
I am not seeing where you are talking about but whatever it is is likely several years old. Do you mean in the description under our intro video or in the About section?
@@RainCountryHomestead about section. The last three words r repeated 💙
@@RainCountryHomestead oh no! My mistake I read it wrong! I thought it said "what I do what I do" but it says "why I do what I do" 🤣 my apologies
@@crazyleaf257 Here I was thinking it was my poor, tired eyes that I could not see it, haha
have you long used cotton sheet for dehydrating tray liners? Unpiloted means here without a flame. A wood heat class I took years ago spoke about the unpiloted ignition of wood paneling that had its kindling temperature lowered over time from being exposed to low level external (wood stove) heat. Unpiloted ignition of cotton sheet exposed to low level external heat source for very long periods comes to mind but nothing showed up with my search. Cotton sheet makes sense to me also. It seems that 165 F would not cause such and you use a lower temperature often but I do not know, perhaps a fireman would.
I have used them for years but I do not use them when putting my rack on top of the wood stove for obvious reasons and since I use lower heats in my dehydrators, I am certainly not concerned about it catching on fire. If you consider the fact that most dehydrators (including the Cosori) come with plastic trays you can use (which I do not), plastic would be just as much of a concern as it can melt.
Walmart has rotisserie chickens marked down from time to time, would there be any problem dehydrating them?
No but you would still want to freeze the meat first then dehydrate
Just bought a Magic Mill Dehydrator. Looks so much like.that one. Right on the box it has a Proposition 65 warning. Is this something I need to worry about?.
They put that on everything, it is pretty much just fear mongering so I would not worry about it
Do you think thst when jalapeños are dehydrated, their "heat" will stay on the silicone mats, and perhaps few mats should be saved for hot peppers, only, or by washing the silicone trays willl take away the "heat"?
You will need to wash them with hot water and strong soap to get the oils off but after that they should be fine. I use my cloth covers for drying my hot peppers though as they are not a wet or liquidly item
Cook meat, then freeze, then dehydrate. Will that make a difference with ground turkey? I have just been cooking and dehydrating it.
I found for ground meats that is not necessary but you can try that if yours ends up being tough. I do not use ground poultry myself so I have not tried dehydrating it at all, only beef and venison
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you. God bless.
Hello Heidi, Does the Cosori heat up your counter top? I saw that one person mentioned that when she commented about using it. But I have only seen that mentioned once. I really like your channel.
Of course there will be some warming of the counter top but not near enough to damage it. No different than a slow cooker or any other dehydrator
Thank you!
I’m curious..I didn’t think setting the dehydrator outdoors would be good especially with humidity. Does your food still dry as good as if set up indoors?
It really depends on the day. Our hottest days are our most humid and it is pretty pointless to dehydrate on those days either inside or outside but most of the time, it is not an issue. Now if I were hanging them to dry, that would be a different story
What’s the difference between solar outlets and regular outlets?
Doesn’t your solar electricity run through the home wiring system, just like electricity from the regular grid power would do?
We are having solar installed in our house in Nov. this year {Fla.}. Thanks!
We are not grid tied (which I never recommend doing) and Patrick installed everything himself. I explain about our solar power and how we use it here: ruclips.net/video/eIQE-einzsQ/видео.html
For ur bed sheets, what detergent do u use to wash them in before u rip them up for ur dehydrators???
I use my own homemade natural detergent: ruclips.net/video/FB4LDBZLoIU/видео.html
Can I air fry meat then freeze, then dehydrate?
Yes, the whole idea is to cook it thoroughly first, it does not matter how.
How long does food last when it’s dehydrated?
Some of it will depend on how you store it but if properly stored, it will never spoil
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you!
Is it ok to use to cotton cloths with a dehydrator that has plastic trays? I don’t have metal trays. Thanks
Yes, I was using the cotton cloth on my plastic Nesco trays long before I got my Cosori. You will see that in this video where I show how I made them: ruclips.net/video/SbNZeAOHtz4/видео.html
@@RainCountryHomestead sweet thanks
Hello! I clicked on the link for the cosori dehydrator and I just got it which I’m so excited but it is so small. is yours a mini? This one is so tiny. And then I clicked on the link for the silicone mats and they’re definitely way too big.
What size is your Cory dehydrator
There are now two sizes, mine is the 6 tray and to me is not small but there is a 10 tray that not only has more trays but they are bigger
I see what I did now! I bought the five tray instead of the six tray like you have and I think that’s why the silicone doesn’t fit. Thanks so much for your fast replies! I love your channel. Keep on going it’s fabulous!
🙏🙏🙏🙂♥️👍