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The Dehydrating Deep Dive | Episode 522
Episode 522
The Dehydrating Deep Dive | Episode 522
There are three big food preservation titans — canning, dehydrating, and freeze-drying — but today, we’re zooming in on one: dehydrating. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to start preserving your own food right now, and I’ll show you how to do it whether you’ve got a $300 Excalibur or just your kitchen oven.
Why Dehydrating Rocks
Dehydrating doesn’t take much gear, electricity, or money. You’re just using gentle heat and airflow to pull moisture out of your food so it doesn’t spoil. You can use your oven on the lowest setting with the door cracked if you’re starting out. It’s not fancy, but it works.
Budget Gear and Pro Tips
If you want to step up, an Excalibur dehydrator is the gold standard, but you don’t need one to get great results. I started with the cheap round units from Walmart — Oster, Nesco, whatever was on sale — and they got the job done. Just rotate your trays halfway through and keep an eye on your food thickness. Thin slices dry faster and more evenly.
Jerky Like You’ve Never Had Before
Store-bought jerky is all about shelf life, not taste. Homemade jerky lets you control the texture — chewy, tender, or crispy “meat chips.” If you’re keto or low-carb, those crispy ones are a perfect crunchy snack. Just trim the fat, because leftover grease can go rancid in storage.
Veggies, Fruits, and Beyond
Dehydrated onions, garlic, carrots, and peas are great for soups and stews — just toss them in and let them rehydrate while cooking. Be warned though, onions will make your whole house smell like a burger joint. Do those outside or in the garage if you can.
For fruit, try apples, strawberries, or blueberries. Grapes make awesome homemade raisins, but poke holes in them first or they’ll take three days to dry. You can even blend fruit into a puree and make DIY fruit roll-ups — no dyes, no junk.
Homemade Camping Meals
Once you get comfortable, take it to the next level: DIY camping meals. Chili, taco meat, even hamburger helper — dehydrate it all on non-stick mats, bag it up, and rehydrate in camp. You can even experiment with powdered eggs (the texture takes practice, but it works).
Final Thoughts
Dehydrating is an old skill that still punches above its weight. It saves money, preserves food for months or years, and gives you control over what you eat. Whether you’re prepping for hard times or just looking for healthy snacks, dehydrating deserves a spot in your toolkit.
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