What are you dehydrating?

[Plymtom]

I'm looking at getting a vac sealer if its a success, more expense.

That Andrew James commercial one we just got works very well, not used the kilner jars yet but I'm going through the rolls rather well, and not throwing so much out.

[Deeps]

I'm looking at getting a vac sealer if its a success, more expense.

That Andrew James commercial one we just got works very well, not used the kilner jars yet but I'm going through the rolls rather well, and not throwing so much out.

I've had a look at that, Aldi's had some in a wee while back that I swithered over, I read some good reviews. I'll see how I go, if I'm going to be knocking out a load of meals then a vac sealer will jump the queue on the 'must get' list. A second dehydrator might be handy too, this prepping lark can get pricey eh ?

[Plymtom]

A second dehydrator might be handy too, this prepping lark can get pricey eh ?

Well yeah the old buy once cry once adage goes with the vac machine though, we got a Kenwood one and it was poo, this thing with the atachment does Kilner jars and the containers like the foodsaver ones, It saves money big time, for a family of 5 buying meat is a pain, not that we throw much away, just that we have often wished we could afford to when it's not lasting long in ordinary bags in the freezer, now when stuff is on offer in those bloody stupid trays, I can portion it for the 5 of us and vac pack it very well.

Also when it comes to things getting expensive, I don't know about anyone else but I rarely do things just from the prepping angle, the dehydrator was an investment form an inheritance Excalibur would have been a stretch otherwise, I'm thinking of getting a cheapy just for cases and saving the good'n for food, those strawberries went down well
Anything else really isn't "just in case" I would not recommend having anything around which you don't have much use for in the here and now

[pseudonym]

I'm looking at getting a vac sealer if its a success, more expense.

That Andrew James commercial one we just got works very well, not used the kilner jars yet but I'm going through the rolls rather well, and not throwing so much out.

I've had a look at that, Aldi's had some in a wee while back that I swithered over, I read some good reviews. I'll see how I go, if I'm going to be knocking out a load of meals then a vac sealer will jump the queue on the 'must get' list. A second dehydrator might be handy too, this prepping lark can get pricey eh ?

I dehydrate my camping meals also.

I dehydrate items separately, store in large kilner jars and just add the ingredients to a ziplock bag before I set off.

[Deeps]

A second dehydrator might be handy too, this prepping lark can get pricey eh ?

Well yeah the old buy once cry once adage goes with the vac machine though, we got a Kenwood one and it was poo, this thing with the atachment does Kilner jars and the containers like the foodsaver ones, It saves money big time, for a family of 5 buying meat is a pain, not that we throw much away, just that we have often wished we could afford to when it's not lasting long in ordinary bags in the freezer, now when stuff is on offer in those bloody stupid trays, I can portion it for the 5 of us and vac pack it very well.

Also when it comes to things getting expensive, I don't know about anyone else but I rarely do things just from the prepping angle, the dehydrator was an investment form an inheritance Excalibur would have been a stretch otherwise, I'm thinking of getting a cheapy just for cases and saving the good'n for food, those strawberries went down well
Anything else really isn't "just in case" I would not recommend having anything around which you don't have much use for in the here and now

The dehydrator gets plenty of use for 'normal' stuff, I add the veg to quite a bit and I make jerky when I see frying steak etc going cheap.

[Deeps]

I dehydrate my camping meals also.

I dehydrate items separately, store in large kilner jars and just add the ingredients to a ziplock bag before I set off.[/quote]

I've taken the dehydrated veg away before to add to packet pastas and the like, half a pepperoni chopped up and thrown in too. Partly by your mentioning it I've been having a nose into the DIY ones, I used to grudgingly spend a fortune on them back in the day so out of curiosity as much as practical reasons I thought I'd have a shot at doing them. The one I've got going now looks like its coming along but as I said, the veg is in bigger chunks than I'd have liked but it will give me a better idea. I'll hydrate it fairly soon after it comes out to see how 'good' it is. Because its Quorn too it might be a bit meh, all part of the fun I suppose. I'll report back how I get on.

[Plymtom]

Because its Quorn too it might be a bit meh, all part of the fun I suppose. I'll report back how I get on.

Have you tried that dried soya mince? TVP they call it, it's possible that's all Quorn is, so if that's the case you could save a step and just do the sauce and veg, I saw one person on youtube who dries everything separately then bungs it into portions and vac pacs it like Psuedonym said and that tempts me because you can buy stuff when it's cheap and store it in bulk till you happen across everything you need for any given recipe.

[Deeps]

Because its Quorn too it might be a bit meh, all part of the fun I suppose. I'll report back how I get on.

Have you tried that dried soya mince? TVP they call it, it's possible that's all Quorn is, so if that's the case you could save a step and just do the sauce and veg, I saw one person on youtube who dries everything separately then bungs it into portions and vac pacs it like Psuedonym said and that tempts me because you can buy stuff when it's cheap and store it in bulk till you happen across everything you need for any given recipe.

I've got some to try, to be honest I've had it a while and not got round to giving it a go. I've been fed it years ago and wasn't impressed but I'm willing to give it another go. We use Quorn all the time anyway so it will just be a case of when I make a pot of bolognese or chilli I'll dry a portion or two. Assuming its ok.

[Plymtom]

I have to go easy on that soya mince, same with beans and the like these days it gives me trapped wind like you wouldn't believe was a time when it went through and came out a bit like a brass band painlessly... for me, not now though.

[Deeps]

I have to go easy on that soya mince, same with beans and the like these days it gives me trapped wind like you wouldn't believe was a time when it went through and came out a bit like a brass band painlessly... for me, not now though.

That's a beautiful story.

My innards are neither up nor down with the veggie stuff, I do eat a fair bit of Quorn, also paneer which is good stuff.