Freeze Dryers and Freeze Dried Food (Part 1)

[BGW]

Deryn

I will be doing only very lean meats, deer and grain feed beef.  The chicken will be from probably left over meals. there are so many things I want to try...... not enough hours in a day! Has anyone bought a # 10 can sealer? 

[Tango Charlie]

First run done,  smoked ham from Thanksgiving.  It turned out really good.  A couple pieces are going to have to go back for a second trip.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Tango Charlie (log)

[BGW]

First run done,  smoked ham from Thanksgiving.  It turned out really good.  A couple pieces are going to have to go back for a second trip.  I tried to share a picture or two, but I can't figure out how to do it

WOW! That was quick if you just got your machine yesterday, you must be a quick study. Sounds like you are successfully on your way, Congrats :-) 

[Chocolot]

A big thank you to Kerry! We just returned from a class in Vegas and she brought me MANY vacuum bags of her FD experiments. I'm excited to try them out. TSA searched my bag. Guess they don't like the look of mylar bags and jars of Canadian maple syrup:) Hey Kerry, that might be a good one to try!

[Kerry Beal]

A big thank you to Kerry! We just returned from a class in Vegas and she brought me MANY vacuum bags of her FD experiments. I'm excited to try them out. TSA searched my bag. Guess they don't like the look of mylar bags and jars of Canadian maple syrup:) Hey Kerry, that might be a good one to try!

Too much sugar I'd bet.

[BGW]

First run done,  smoked ham from Thanksgiving.  It turned out really good.  A couple pieces are going to have to go back for a second trip.

Looks good! How long of a cycle did you use, was it standard settings?. I assume you started with frozen ham?  

[Tango Charlie]

Looks good! How long of a cycle did you use, was it standard settings?. I assume you started with frozen ham?

I started with frozen ham, and I only ran the freeze cycle for about 3 1/2 hours and then kicked it into drying. With factory drying settings it took from 7pm until noon the next day.

Last night I did my do-over pieces of ham, some browned hamburger, and some barbecued hamburgers. I found at 8am there was still 2 hrs left on dry timer but it was holding 250mTorr, that is about as low as you go.... So, on a hunch I shut it off a couple hours early at 8 and everything was done! So, I'm learning the machine pretty quickly and how to get the most out of it. The 3-31/2 hr. Freezing time has worked great with pre-frozen foods, cutting 6 hrs off each run.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Tango Charlie (log)

[BGW]

I started with frozen ham, and I only ran the freeze cycle for about 3 1/2 hours and then kicked it into drying. With factory drying settings it took from 7pm until noon the next day.

Last night I did my do-over pieces of ham, some browned hamburger, and some barbecued hamburgers. I found at 8am there was still 2 hrs left on dry timer but it was holding 250mTorr, that is about as low as you go.... So, on a hunch I shut it off a couple hours early at 8 and everything was done! So, I'm learning the machine pretty quickly and how to get the most out of it. The 3-31/2 hr. Freezing time has worked great with pre-frozen foods, cutting 6 hrs off each run.

Good info, I'm glad you are learning  how to use the FD to cut  down on time. I was a little depressed with the 24 hr cycles I was doing. I guess I will try to experiment with the timing and see if it gets better. Thanks for sharing! 

[Scotch827]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post, after doing a lot of browsing.  I just ordered a freeze dryer and am waiting for it to arrive. Hopefully, when it gets here in about 2 weeks I can start learning a few things to share. This thread has great info that I am sure is going to save some mistakes. I currently do a lot of canning from my garden produce and some dehydrating. I currently buy a lot of powdered milk for cooking and buy Mountain House FD meals for hunting and fishing trips. I am sure that going to change

 

[Kerry Beal]

Welcome Scotch827.  Can't wait to hear what you are working on.  

[Tango Charlie]

Welcome Scotch! It's going to be the longest wait of your life!... Least it was for me, glad to see you here

[BGW]

Welcome Scotch, have you given thought to what you will do first?  

[Scotch827]

Welcome Scotch, have you given thought to what you will do first?  

 

Yes I have , bananas, ice cream and yogurt.  I won't be out much money if I mess something up. I have some venison frozen to try if my first run goes well. Milk will be one of the first few to do also. I hate running out of milk. According to the forum rules I can't post again until 12/16 so I'll just read until then. Harvest Right sent via email the instruction manual and a recipe book so I can be ready for when my machine arrives. I have also ordered the oil they recommended. One question I have is the manual shows a de-mister that attaches to the rear handle of the vacuum pump. Does this solve the oil spray issue? Do you still need the solo cup or paper towel over the de-mister ? Thank you for the welcome

 

Scott

[Kerry Beal]

I've never been able to keep the solo cup over the demister - it blows off when the vacuum starts up.  

 

I have a piece of a plastic placemat that I use to test the door seal each time.  I run it around all 4 quadrants and make sure there is nowhere that it can fit between the door and the seal.  Then I have a look at the the drain line and make sure it is closed!  And then a second look at the drain line. And then a last check of the door seal!

 

The oil spray issue only happens if there is air getting in to the system either through the unsealed door or the drain.  

[Deryn]

Welcome to our wonderful world of home freeze-drying and to eGullet, Scott. I hope you are going to love both! If you like cooking at all - or drinking - or just anything else associated with the culinary world, there is lots to browse through here on the forums while you wait to be able to post again (and for your FD to arrive).

Edited December 11, 2014 by Deryn (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Ok - thoughts on pasta please.  I made a batch of modernist mac and cheese and sent it over to Anna's place.  She said that she rehydrated about an hour before heating and that it stayed way too firm.  

 

Anyone have trouble with pasta?  Any hints?

[BGW]

I've never been able to keep the solo cup over the demister - it blows off when the vacuum starts up.  

 

I have a piece of a plastic placemat that I use to test the door seal each time.  I run it around all 4 quadrants and make sure there is nowhere that it can fit between the door and the seal.  Then I have a look at the the drain line and make sure it is closed!  And then a second look at the drain line. And then a last check of the door seal!

 

The oil spray issue only happens if there is air getting in to the system either through the unsealed door or the drain.  

Kerry, Thanks for the door check info. Do you take the wrapers off the ice cream sandwiches before FDing ?

[Deryn]

Kerry - No answers here but I think it may be advisable to FD the sauce and the macaroni separately (and rehydrate separately too before mixing) if possible. At least if you did that you might be able to figure out whether the issue is with the sauce or the macaroni. I wonder if the sodium citrate is the problem (for some reason I cannot immediately fathom, mind you).

Additionally, was the mac and cheese dish rehydrated as a single lump or was it broken apart? If you FD it as a lump/square, perhaps it would rehydrate better if broken up a lot first. Most MountainHouse 'dinners' for instance (like lasagna, etc.) are in little bits, not as a large piece of lasagna might be if fresh.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Deryn (log)

[Anna N]

Kerry - No answers here but I think it may be advisable to FD the sauce and the macaroni separately (and rehydrate separately too before mixing) if possible. At least if you did that you might be able to figure out whether the issue is with the sauce or the macaroni. I wonder if the sodium citrate is the problem (for some reason I cannot immediately fathom, mind you).Additionally, was the mac and cheese dish rehydrated as a single lump or was it broken apart? If you FD it as a lump/square, perhaps it would rehydrate better if broken up a lot first. Most MountainHouse 'dinners' for instance (like lasagna, etc.) are in little bits, not as a large piece of lasagna might be if fresh.

I did break it up so I don't think that is the issue. I added water slowly over a period of time as I did not want to drown it and had no idea how much water would be needed. In the end though it was much too chewy for my taste and my granddaughter agreed with me.

Edited to fix the errors introduced by auto incorrect.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Anna N (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, Thanks for the door check info. Do you take the wrapers off the ice cream sandwiches before FDing ?

Nope - just cut a little slit in the packaging.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry - No answers here but I think it may be advisable to FD the sauce and the macaroni separately (and rehydrate separately too before mixing) if possible. At least if you did that you might be able to figure out whether the issue is with the sauce or the macaroni. I wonder if the sodium citrate is the problem (for some reason I cannot immediately fathom, mind you).

Additionally, was the mac and cheese dish rehydrated as a single lump or was it broken apart? If you FD it as a lump/square, perhaps it would rehydrate better if broken up a lot first. Most MountainHouse 'dinners' for instance (like lasagna, etc.) are in little bits, not as a large piece of lasagna might be if fresh.

I think I'll do a trial of some sort of plain pasta to see what's involved in rehydration.

[Deryn]

Was the sauce consistency good/as you expected, Anna? You used boiling water?

I am thinking that it might work better to do the sauce separately from the pasta and then powder it - and keep it separate till after the macaroni is hydrated before adding it. Perhaps the sauce coating is somehow stopping the pasta (which would no doubt take longer to rehydrate anyway) from actually absorbing the water as much/as quickly as it might if it had more exposed surface area?

That sounds like more work but if it actually reconstitutes to an edible product afterward, it may be worth it. Wish I could help with the 'experiment'.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Deryn (log)

[Tango Charlie]

As far as the demister, I rubber banded a paper towel over the demister as a precaution but haven't had any problems.

In the dryer is more ham and turkey... Getting sick of that, but threw in some sriracha for fun!

Thanks for the ice cream sandwich answer, I wondered about that

[Tango Charlie]

Okay, I'm sorry to report to all Sriracha lovers of the world that.... It doesn't freeze dry (too much sugar). So for now my strategic sriracha reserves will have to stay in the many bottles in the pantry. I do think the other products they make will FD, because they only add sugar when they add it in the final step before it becomes sriracha.

[Deryn]

Thanks for the sriracha report. Sorry that didn't work out. Mind you, don't give up ... sriracha in, or a thin coating on, something that does FD probably will work. On the other hand, I read that not only H2O sublimates - vinegars and alcohols may also not completely survive the process - or at least their flavour essences may 'evaporate'. Not sure about chili essences.