What Did You Dehydrate Today?

[wyoDreamer]

My dream is to get a freeze dryer. Untill then, I am working on plans for a solar food dehydrator still. DH keeps nicking my lumber though, lol. It is a "one of these days" project I guess.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I store my dehydrated goods in glass jars. I generally drop a desiccant in the jars and put on a lid. If it's a 1/2 gallon jar I use a regular 2-piece canning lid. If it's a gallon jar I use the plastic lid that comes with.

I was on the Uline site to order extra gallon and half gallon jars when a pop-up caught my eye. It was for shrink wrap bands. They are the kind that a lot of commercial products use as a tamper preventative...or at least so you can tell if something has been tampered with.

I quick search later and it appears that they are air-tight. So - enquiring minds are curious if that would help keep dry goods dry longer. They are relatively inexpensive - 200 for about $10. It seems that a heat gun is required to create the shrinkage as a hair dryer doesn't get hot enough. (I'm curious if putting the jar in the oven would work) Heat gun price starts around the $20 range and can go much higher, but I think an inexpensive one would work well.

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[FarmerJamie]

I store my dehydrated goods in glass jars. I generally drop a desiccant in the jars and put on a lid. If it's a 1/2 gallon jar I use a regular 2-piece canning lid. If it's a gallon jar I use the plastic lid that comes with.

I was on the Uline site to order extra gallon and half gallon jars when a pop-up caught my eye. It was for shrink wrap bands. They are the kind that a lot of commercial products use as a tamper preventative...or at least so you can tell if something has been tampered with.

I quick search later and it appears that they are air-tight. So - enquiring minds are curious if that would help keep dry goods dry longer. They are relatively inexpensive - 200 for about $10. It seems that a heat gun is required to create the shrinkage as a hair dryer doesn't get hot enough. (I'm curious if putting the jar in the oven would work) Heat gun price starts around the $20 range and can go much higher, but I think an inexpensive one would work well.

Thoughts? Ideas?

If you don't use the entire jar contents in one use, how do you reseal? Use another/new band?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

If you don't use the entire jar contents in one use, how do you reseal? Use another/new band?

Yep - you'd have to reseal. That would be the downside. (But at roughly a nickel apiece not a terrible expense)

I think my biggest concern is that with air comes moisture where I live. It might buy some extra time on things that I hope to keep long term.

I dunno...not 100% sold on it. Trying to think of any other uses.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's all on hold now, lol. I put gallon and 1/2 gallon jars in my cart. Went to check out and discovered that shipping was over $20 on a $40 dollar order. Nope!

 

[Mini Horses]

Sometimes I can order thru Amazon, get free shipping and it's from company I would have used. . Worth a look see.

Can you still get the gal jars from simple pulse? Prob shipping there too. I've never seen them in a store unless a single at huge price. I've even looked in the Walmart section for huge size pickles, mayo, etc, and it was less than an empty jar. ,

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Amazon is really proud of their jars.

However - Holy Cow - I fell into a deal on Walmart.com that beats anything ever. I found a case of 6 half gallon jars for 13.97. I got a pop up that says "hurry - these are going quickly." I couldn't hit "buy" fast enough. I bought 3 cases of 'em. I was so excited - until DH says "where you gonna put 'em?" Kill joy! My answer - anywhere I want to. I can consolidate some dry/dehydrated goods from quart jars into those 1/2 gallons and save space overall. Plus, it frees up a bunch of quart jars for canning.

I went back and looked at the price after I completed my purchase and 6 jars were now 47.00! No way I'd pay that much for 'em. I got 18 for less than that!

Best of all - no shipping fee!

I'll keep my eyes out for gallon jars, but I'm pretty ok with what I have right now.

 

[flowerbug]

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I'll keep my eyes out for gallon jars, but I'm pretty ok with what I have right now.

yes, half gallon canning jars are usually pretty reasonable in price at the local big box stores here. some places have them marked up more (TSC and the hardware stores). we don't need any more right now (we've been giving away cases of pint jars just to free up space in the garage shelves).

if you think you might have a bumper crop this year now might be a good time to stock up on cases of canning jars because once the harvest is on the supply may get bought out pretty quick. i'm thinking we'll be out next week doing an errand run so perhaps we should think about checking our stock of quart jars and lids to make sure we're ready. the tomato plants are loaded.

 

[Mini Horses]

It's off and on rain here...not heavy but, wet and annoying. So inside doing things.

Garden goods have to be used, canned, frozen etc. No need to grow and throw...so prepping some eggplant for frying. But saw a marinate and dehydrate thing, so they're marinating now. . Tomorrow results. Why not try it, the unit is empty.

Finished the cottage cheese this morning. It really IS cottage cheese! Yogurt going into jars later. That'll take most of night by time I get to mixing it....which is better for me.

 

[flowerbug]

...
Can you still get the gal jars from simple pulse? Prob shipping there too. I've never seen them in a store unless a single at huge price. I've even looked in the Walmart section for huge size pickles, mayo, etc, and it was less than an empty jar. ,

saurkraut jars, gallon glass, i love 'em. we buy a few a year. i keep all my dry beans in them. if you don't like the smell of the saurkraut (which fades eventually) you can use an old plastic bag inside the cover and then it won't smell up the contents.