Some might wonder what a food dryer is for nowadays, with the storage methods available. Yet FAO says that one-third of all foods go wrong or are thrown away before they are consumed. This occurs in both industrialized and developing countries and also in most homes. A food dryer can help avoid this waste.
Thanks to this appliance, food can be stored longer, keeping its properties intact. The only thing that is eliminated is water. It is made to be used both with fruit and vegetables and with meat and fish. In this guide, we will explain everything there is to know about dryers and which are the best models on the market.
Right here we had selected some of the best stainless steel dehydrators that are given below.
How to Choose Stainless Steel Dehydrators?
In the next sections, we will help you discover the main functions of a food dryer. You will also understand the aspects that you must take into consideration before making your purchase are. We will also offer you some recipes that you can prepare with this appliance.
What Are Food Dryers and Why Are They Useful?
A food dryer, as the name implies, is a device that serves to dry various foods. These devices have gained popularity in Italian kitchens as they allow us to change the way we prepare our foods. The “dehydration” process is ideal for storing fruit, meat, and other products.
Does the Food Dryer Ensure Its Best Conservation?
For many people drying food is the best way to store it. In the next few lines, we will explain what the other drying methods consist of, in this way you can confirm this statement yourself.
Keep in mind that all the following methods are valid. However, they cannot always be used frequently and sometimes do not keep the properties of food intact.
- Freezing. When you freeze food, changes in temperature affect its nutrients. Their molecular structure is altered and, for this reason, when thawing the flavor and consistency are different. The storage time is shorter, and it is around six months at most.
- Conserve. Food is put into a jar after being subjected to very high temperatures. This prevents the appearance of bacteria and spores. Also, in this case, the nutrients are changed at the molecular level. This type of food should not be abused since the plasticizers found in the cans are toxic.
- Affumicatura. After causing combustion, the derived smoke is used to eliminate the microbes in the food. For example, this is a good technique for storing fish, meat, or sausages. But it is not a good idea to consume an excess of these foods either, as some substances found in smoking are harmful to health.
- Salting. When a portion of food is put in salt, it becomes acidic, which causes its flavor and properties to be altered.
What Are the Advantages of Having a Food Dryer?
As surely you will have already understood, many advantages derived from having a food dryer. Below, we will review several reasons why it is useful to keep this appliance in the house.
Once analyzed, you will find that this is just the appliance you were looking to take full advantage of the food. The conditions remain intact. With this appliance, you can control the drying process from start to finish.
It allows you to choose both time and temperature and ensures that both remain stable for the duration of the process.
- Property. When drying foods at a temperature of about 40 degrees, these keep all the thermolabile features unchanged. This means that enzymes and vitamins are not compromised by heat. The rest of the nutrients are also preserved. Only the amount of water inside them changes.
- Cost. A dryer has a very moderate electrical consumption. Also, you need to consider that you will avoid throwing food away and you will do without buying them dry in the supermarket. The resulting savings will allow you to offset the consumption of this appliance.
- Contamination. When you dehydrate food at home, you can check that it does not come into contact with other foods. This way, you will avoid problems related to allergies.
- Different Consistency. Drying is not only used to store food, but it also makes it possible to create healthy snacks or ingredients for various recipes. It is only necessary to program the appropriate time to reach the desired consistency.
- Versatility. It allows you to create various recipes. You can use cookie molds to cut fruit and create very original snacks. Another option is to combine different ingredients to prepare flavored salts or sugars.
- Healthy Food. It is clear that dried foods are sold on the market; it is equally clear that they are not fit in the same way as those prepared at home. They contain preservatives, flours, and dyes to appear more attractive. Everything will be natural with your dryer.
What Can Recipes Be Prepared with The Food Dryer?
Many recipes can be made through the food dryer. With the help of this appliance, we can prepare from banana chips to dried meat, to beef jerky. We will then show you three of the recipes you can prepare with your food dryer.
Peach and Coconut Rolls
We will need four fresh peaches and coconut. All you have to do is beat the peaches with a whisk until a homogeneous cream is obtained. Then, place parchment paper in a dryer tray and spread the peach cream over it. We just have to give a sprinkling of coconut on top.
You need to program the dryer at 55 degrees for seven hours. Time is indicative, so you have to be careful. The mixture is left to cool and then the dough is cut into strips. All that remains is to make rolls, and the recipe will be ready.
Banana chips
We would only need four bananas and four lemons. First, you have to squeeze the lemons and then cut the bananas into one-centimeter slices. They are then soaked in lemon juice for 15 minutes. When this time has passed, all the banana slices will be placed on the tray of the dryer, which will be programmed at 65 degrees for two hours.
Then, the temperature will drop to 50 degrees for another six hours. Pass these, and the consistency will be crunchy. This recipe can also be used to prepare chips with other types of fruit.
Dried Meat
We will need a kilo of meat, for the dressing 100 milliliters of soy and 100 milliliters of custard, honey, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix all the ingredients of the dressing in a bowl and add the meat cut into pieces with a thickness of 5 millimeters. Let stand twelve hours.
Then, put the meat in the dryer and pour over the dressing. Program the dryer at 45 degrees for 6 hours. When ready, you can consume the meat or store it in a glass jar.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Having a Food Dryer?
Food dryers bring many benefits, no doubt, but also some disadvantages. Mainly, the drying process takes a long time and can be a little tedious for the less experienced in the kitchen. These are the main advantages and disadvantages of food dryers:
Advantages
- Ability to store food for longer, keep the properties of food intact
- Feed will not be wasted
Disadvantages
- You have to dedicate some time to it, and you have to have space where you can arrange them.
Conclusions
A dryer will help you avoid food waste. You can enjoy seasonal fruits at any time. You will be able to keep various ingredients that will add to exquisite recipes. Also with it, you can create healthy snacks, you will always know what you are eating and the type of food you have used.
Do not forget that drying is a system that has been used to store food since ancient times. With this appliance, however, you can do it more effectively, keeping all the properties of the food intact.
