We recently bought a freeze dryer. We've been fascinated with them for a number of years and finally took the plunge and invested in one last year.
The freezer dryer works by freezing the food at an insanely cold temperature. Then heat is added back in, and upon hitting the cold food, the moisture releases from the food and exits the machine via a pump. The food comes out 99% dry. If stored properly, many freeze dried foods can last upwards of 25 years.
Freeze dryers are different than dehydrators in that they are more effective in removing moisture. Food is also left in a superior nutritional state, that is the enzymes and bacteria's can be active again once rehydrated, which was one of our biggest reasons for buying one. Dehydrators shrivel the food and kill enzymes and bacteria's whereas the freeze dryers pretty well leaves it the same size making the food much easier to rehydrate, and is more palatable once rehydrated.
We have been very pleased with how the food has turned out that we've freeze dried so far. We live in the country and raise much of our own food- vegetables, meat, dairy, etc. With this type of lifestyle, for lack of a better, less dramatic term, "feast or famine" properly describes the food we are getting from our homestead. There are times of plenty right after a butcher, or when the dairy animals are in milk, or when the chickens are laying. Sometimes the chickens are molting or it's too hot for them to lay and we are short on eggs, but other parts of the year we have so many eggs we use them for cat and dog food. Same with milk. With the freeze dryer we can have those things year around. Freeze dried eggs, raw or cooked, are shockingly the same as fresh, and freeze dried milk too.
There are times of illness where a fully prepared meal is a true and welcome gift- one in which we give ourselves by doing the work ahead of time. You can freeze dry casseroles, pasta dishes... MOST things really. Also, on the road it is handy to bring your meals. All you need in a hotel room for a fresh hot meal is a microwave, some water and your freeze dried meal. Not to mention ready, HEALTHY snacks for the kids and adults alike.
In our house, yogurt may as well be considered a food group. I make so much of it, and when we aren't getting milk from the cow or goat, we miss it terribly. With the extra during our season of plenty, we are freeze drying so we can simply pull it off the shelf, add water, and our delicious yogurt is available to us once more- with all of the live cultures still in tact.
Even though the machines are what I consider pretty expensive, we will have it paid off within a couple years because of what we save by using it.
Some of our favorites are:
Bone Broth- Powdered into a homemade "bouillon". So nutritious, flavorful and HANDY.
Yogurt and milk
Strawberries and Watermelon- you can do any fruit but those are our favorites.
Onions and Garlic- For powders
Turkey and Chicken- Every meat we've done reconstitutes well and is delicious in both taste and texture.
And I guess I should mention prepping, though prepping is only our secondary reason for getting the machine. We aren't exactly big preppers, but do find it wise to be prepared to feed our family in times of economic hardship, natural disasters, etc. Our goal is to have at least 6 months of food stored up.
Anybody else have a freeze dryer? What's your favorite thing to freeze dry?
Topic: Freeze Drying (Read 906 times)