Laura McDonough says: 2 years ago We bought one around the Y2K crises which never happened, ended up using it some, then selling it. I will not clutter up my place with useless crap of all kinds in the future, me and friends said (been there done that).
It's so much easier to stay on a low carb diet when you have things to nibble on. I've been drying meatballs (cut them in half first), and they make a fantastic savory snack. I'll post to the Tried and True thread when I get a chance.
The best choice I ever made when it comes to long-term storage food is getting a freeze dryer. I didn’t always think that. It was far more work than I imagined and the maintenance on the machine is annoying when it needs it.
After it’s processed, I weigh the tray again and subtract the ending weight from the beginning weight. That tells me how much water to add for reconstitution. I like to write on the mylar bag or jar lid how much water to add so I don’t have to guess when I am ready to reconstitute the food.
A dehydrator dries food by using heat only, while a freeze dryer uses both cold and heat. Dehydrated food still has moisture in it and works for short term storage only.
•The Buy Now shelf heaters can be set to automatically control the rate of sublimation during the primary drying cycle. Through this process, the unit has control of the attendant vacuum pressure.
Is it as cheap as buying at the store? No. But properly freeze-dried and stored meats can last ten years or more without refrigeration. The freeze-drying process can be challenging, but those who have the time and patience should consider doing it.
Isolated pump by capping the stack (no meter to measure pressure, but no bubbling after a very short pumpdown - pump sounded normal for a high vacuum situation)
The evaporator coils that touch the surface of the stainless steel vacuum chamber reach about -42 F. With food in the chamber and because the location of the thermister is on the middle shelf of the four shelves, the temperature it records is going to range from -25 to -30 F in the 9 hour default freeze time. This temperature is very adequate for freeze drying the food.
Without an pump isolation valve I would expect some air to flow back into the chamber through the pump resulting in the steady rise you witnessed. I saw the same phenomenon before I installed an isolation valve on my pump.
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We packed freeze dried milk and cooked chicken strips as well as an assortment of snacks. One checked bag was dedicated to food, and it traveled very well.
Regular maintenance includes cleaning the vacuum pump and ensuring proper drainage after each use; refer to the manufacturer's guidelines for specific maintenance tips.
The food options we had there were extremely limited and full of preservatives. To counter Shop Now that, my buddy Lance went in with family members on the purchase of a freeze dryer for home use.