Freeze Dryers and Freeze Dried Food (Part 1)

[Anna N]

Lucky me as I get to try the products of these experiments! Tonight I had two pieces of dark chocolate dipped ice cream bars. Loved the crunch of the freeze-dried ice cream.

[Kim D]

This looks so interesting. I would love to know if Thai eggplants would freeze dry well. If so, I'd seriously consider getting a freeze dryer. I had been thinking about getting a second deep freeze and now I need to reconsider.

 

Just when I thought I had every cool kitchen gadget!

[Kerry Beal]

This looks so interesting. I would love to know if Thai eggplants would freeze dry well. If so, I'd seriously consider getting a freeze dryer. I had been thinking about getting a second deep freeze and now I need to reconsider.

 

Just when I thought I had every cool kitchen gadget!

I don't see why they wouldn't.  I'll try to grab one next time I see them in the store and fire it though.  

 

There will always be another gadget!

[Kerry Beal]

There is about 45 minutes left of on the cycle before I get to see how the last batch went.

 

I have started to prepare a few things for the next run - 

 

 

Salsa fixin's - actually just tomatoes and sweet onions.

 

 

Some basil from the pot outside.

 

 

Trial for rotuts - this wine has been living in the fridge for quite some time so it doesn't owe me anything if it's a total failure - we'll see what happens.  

 

Also I have a chunk of pork skin flattened out and sitting in the freezer - hope to FD then grind to a powder in an attempt to make 'Airbag'.  We shall see!

[Kerry Beal]

 

These little cheddar shreds are amazingly delicious!  Great little snacks.

 

 

Tomatoes still had some damp spots - so back for another round.

 

 

Some yogurt pieces still damp - another round for them as well.  They are very tasty.  

 

 

The mango puree is perfectly dry after it's second trip.  I'll give some a whiz through the TMX before I add it to a centre.  

 

 

These mini marshmallows are crunchy, sweet and mildly fruit flavoured - remind me a little of pillow mints - they should make excellent inclusions for bark or clusters for a class next weekend.

 

 

[Anna N]

Kerry has promised to freeze-dry some caramelized onions. I just have to supply the onions. Just checked my onion supply. Will need to restock this weekend then if I can get them caramelized and frozen before I eat them all.....

[Tri2Cook]

This is so cool. Freeze dried everything!

[Kerry Beal]

This is so cool. Freeze dried everything!

Indeed - as Anna would say - when all you have is a hammer...

[rotuts]

wow

 

too bad there is not a smaller unit.  say 500 $$ worth   ( at BB&B = 400 ! )

[Kim D]

I don't see why they wouldn't.  I'll try to grab one next time I see them in the store and fire it though.  

 

There will always be another gadget!

If they would work well in a Thai curry, I'll need to change the plan for next year's garden. Thai eggplants have a short season and I eat as many as I can. If they freeze dry well, I'll plant even more than I do now.

[huiray]

If they would work well in a Thai curry, I'll need to change the plan for next year's garden. Thai eggplants have a short season and I eat as many as I can. If they freeze dry well, I'll plant even more than I do now.

 

Uhh, Thai eggplants are available from Chinese/SE Asian groceries, often in QUITE a good condition, at times other than the growing season in, e.g. NY state.  One need not limit one's eating of these eggplants to ONLY what one grows in one's garden...just sayin'. 

 

Besides, I'm not sure what is gained by freeze-drying these eggplants and any dang other thing or vegetable.  One can pick these up as non-freeze-dried stuff from any number of groceries or markets, "ethnic" or otherwise, throughout the year, so long as one is not fixated on eating stuff that has ONLY been grown in one's own backyard.  YMMV.  My 2¢.

Edited September 12, 2014 by huiray (log)

[Kim D]

...so long as one is not fixated on eating stuff that has ONLY been grown in one's own backyard.  YMMV.  My 2¢.

I think that would describe me. I'm fixated. On eating as much as I can from either my garden or from farmers I know.

 

NYC's Chinatown is 100 miles away. I don't get there often. The closest Chinese/SE Asian grocery is 50 miles away. I don't get there often, either.

[KennethT]

Rather than freeze drying, can't you just freeze the thai eggplants for consumption later in the year? I'm sure any textural changes that come about from freezing will be just as (if not more) present in the rehydrated freeze dried product, unless you were thinking of powdering it, which I just can't imagine...

Sorry to derail the original topic... now back to our show...

[Kim D]

I've never tried freezing eggplants. What do I have to lose? I'll try it.

 

And now I have no reason to buy a freeze dryer. Cool. 

[rotuts]

try it, why not ?

 

as its mostly water, I think when you defrost, you are going to get some E.P.Slime !

 

it points to the fundamental nature of EP.

 

just saying

 

hope Im wrong !

[Kerry Beal]

Need some advice about how to handle the Thai eggplants - in what form will they be used for the curry?  Sliced, cut in quarters?

 

I have a small package - will do side by side fresh, frozen and freeze dried.  

[Kim D]

The Thai round eggplants I usually quarter. The long green Thai eggplants, I roll cut.

 

That said, I have no problem with the idea of slicing.

 

Thank you so much for testing!

 

One of the dishes I thought of using freeze dried long Thai eggplants in is "Best Eggplant Dish Ever" from Hot Sour Salty Sweet.

[dcarch]

Rather than freeze drying, ----------, unless you were thinking of powdering it, which I just can't imagine...

---

 

Now that's disgusting, powdered eggplant, LOL!!

 

Although eggplant powder can be used in eggplant ice cream. :-)

 

dcarch

[huiray]

I think that would describe me. I'm fixated. On eating as much as I can from either my garden or from farmers I know.

 

NYC's Chinatown is 100 miles away. I don't get there often. The closest Chinese/SE Asian grocery is 50 miles away. I don't get there often, either.

 

Ah, OK.

[rotuts]

thinking about my dinner, and times gone by :

 

mushrooms.   In quantity.  all kinds.  

 

then grind them and make dried mushroom powder for adding here and there !

 

Yum !

 

I used to get dried mushrooms at TJ's  but no longer !

[Kerry Beal]

Now that's disgusting, powdered eggplant, LOL!!

 

Although eggplant powder can be used in eggplant ice cream. :-)

 

dcarch

Now THAT'S disgusting - eggplant ice cream!

 

Actually it's probably a bit of alright as most things are that make ice cream.

 

Got to tell you - as much as everyone loves the freeze dried ice cream - the hubby doesn't - says it's too sweet.  I suppose that's because sweetness is perceived less at frozen temperatures - so extra sugar gets added to ice cream and you really don't notice it as much until it's at room temperature.  I'll see if he likes the freeze dried yogurt pieces.  

[Kerry Beal]

The Thai round eggplants I usually quarter. The long green Thai eggplants, I roll cut.

 

That said, I have no problem with the idea of slicing.

 

Thank you so much for testing!

 

One of the dishes I thought of using freeze dried long Thai eggplants in is "Best Eggplant Dish Ever" from Hot Sour Salty Sweet.

These are the round ones - so quartered it will be!

[dcarch]

I do have a lab vacuum pump, which I was going to do vacuum sputtering of telescope mirrors.

 

I think vacuum sputtering can have interesting food applications.

 

dcarch

[Smithy]

I do have a lab vacuum pump, which I was going to do vacuum sputtering of telescope mirrors.

 

I think vacuum sputtering can have interesting food applications.

 

dcarch

 

Bitter dark chocolate sputtered onto a crisp layer of raspberry glass (freeze dried but not powdered raspberry coulis).  Hmm, you may have to start a topic on vacuum sputtering. 

[Tri2Cook]

If you're really desperate for something to freeze dry at some point, I'm kinda curious what a freeze dried hot sauce would be like. Just a good everyday sauce like Crystal or Franks or Tabasco or something, not the face-melter stuff. I know the loss of volume will be huge and I'm sure there'll be heat and salt, I'm just curious if it'll keep the tanginess from the vinegar and maintain a similar flavor profile to it's liquid form. The unfiltered mash would probably work better for this purpose, at least as far as yield goes, but that's not an option.