Dehydrator Uses for Preserving Native Foods

[Shalem]

Does anyone have a dehydrator and have you used it for native foods?

Whether or not you do, maybe you could suggest some ideas.

Couple of my ideas (which I'm yet to try):

(a) emu and kanga jerky

(b) fruit leathers [which fruit purees would be good, other than quandong?]

(c) drying quandong shells

(d) semi-dried bush tomatoes (I like drying normal tomatoes in the dehydrator, so maybe bush tomatoes'd work? "Wild Lime" book describes how to prepare bush tomatoes...maybe I should consult that first)

(e) would curing sausages/salami/kabana work in this?

(f) what sliced/whole native fruits would make great snacks like apple rings & dried apricots?

(g) the dehydrator turns soups into powdered soup so you can have instant cuppa anytime. Also dried casseroles. Any suggestions what would go into a native soup?

(h) the dehydrator does glace fruits.

[roughbarked]

Missus threw our dehydrator out.. said it was blown up.. and true it did look as if it had been overheating. Not enough to ruin it however.. As I ripped it to bits cleaned the gunk out.. serviced the propellor shaft and bearings and stuck it all back together with no parts left over.. and it will live to dry this seasons fruit.

So if you intend to use a dehydrator.. then do make sure you service it between each season of use..

[Shalem]

crikey sounds serious!

What fruits will you be drying in it if you don't mind me asking?

[roughbarked]

well a list would include peaches nectarines apricots cherries plums prunes apples and yes even the many natives I grow or find.

No salami.. I'm a vego type.

[Shalem]

My dehydrator also drys herbs.

Can anyone suggest what fresh native herbs are easy to grow in my new vege garden (as I know nothing about bushfood plants), and for drying in my dehydrator?

[Shalem]

My Ezidri DEHYDRATOR

Mine comes with a base, 5 trays, solid sheet and mesh sheet. Extra trays and sheets can be purchased. My dehydrator can handle up to 15 trays.




Solid and mesh sheets, one of which can go into a tray for things like beef jerky (solid or mesh), fruit leathers (solid only).



Dehydrator tray

[Shalem]

DRIED BEEF using my dehydrator

A Jerky or Biltong is raw meat which has been salted or marinated and then dried.

Yesterday, I made my first ever dried beef (sweet Indonesian Dendeng Manis). Boy it was yummy and easy to chew (even though it may not look nice in the photo), so using my dehydrator was a step in the right direction for me.

My husband said he bought a beef jerky that was really hard to chew.

I've never bought or eaten any type of dried beef (like jerky, biltong) before this. Seeing prices, I think it'd be a lot cheaper for me to make my own dried beef.

Native Meat Jerky

From my local bushfood store, I only know of kangaroo, emu and crocodile jerky (with spicy or teriyaki flavours) that can be bought.

I am unsure if there's any others.

Reason I haven't made a native meat jerky above is I'm restricted to a monthly grocery budget. I'll post pics later if I get the opportunity to buy more bushfoods.

Jerky Spices

q1) Has anyone got any marinade/spice suggestions for native or non-native meat jerky that you make?

q2) does anyone know if there's commercial bushfood seasonings or marinades for making jerky, bilton or dried meat?

Jerky seasonings (non-native) are available commercially. Some online sausage stores sell these.

[Sketchy]

Nice one Shalem!
That pic says it all for me. Yum yum.

[Shalem]

Thanks Sketchy

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Drying fresh lemon myrtle leaves

[Shalem]

After discarding chopped Wild Rosella flowers used to make syrup, I reused them by tossing them in coloured red sugar, and drying them in my dehydrator.

I plan to use these for say, decorating cupcakes etc.




They taste quite nice, strange enough like a dried fruit (eg dried pawpaw/mango).

[Shalem]

Drying Native herbs

This dehydrator dries herbs & spices. I haven't tried any native herbs and spices as I don't have access to any, however, I have done non-native herbs like Rosemary and Parsley.

Instruction book says to do it on Low but I found, after so many hours, nothing much had happened, and dried them fine on Medium heat. Other herbs and spices may not be good on Medium, & best to follow the book.

The herbs can be dried on the branches. Spacer rings are available at extra cost for height if needed.

Native Herb Teas

Instruction book says use 1 heaped tsps of dried herbs to 1 cup boiling water, let stand and strain.

Drying Native Spices

It might be possible to dry pepper berries, using solid sheets. The instruction book discusses drying spices & seeds.

Native Jams

Fruit leathers (or roll-ups) made in a dehydrator can be reconstituted with hot water to make sugar-free jam.

Glace Native Fruit

The instruction book has a recipe for candied citrus peel, and glace citrus fruit, kiwifruit or tamarillos. It may be possible to do something with native fruits here.

[Shalem]

Dried roma tomatoes using the dehydrator.

Marinated in standard dried herbs and oil since they were all I had then. Next time when I have more oil, I'll try submerging them in oil, even though I felt these tomatoes had enough oil splashed.

Marinated Tomatoes:

I can't recall seeing any commercial marinated tomatoes using bushfood. question1: Anyone know of any?

These might be interesting to marinate in:

- Native Pepper & Bush Tomato macadamia oil, or Bush Tomato, Chilli & Garlic Macadamia Oil from A Taste of the Bush;
- Wylde Thyme herbs from Cherikoff Dining Downunder;
- Bush tomato seasoning
- various grinds from Oz Tukka
- question2: any others?


Drying Bush Tomatoes:

Once I bought bush tomatoes which looked dried and very small. It's quite likely that fresh bush tomatoes could be dried in this dehydrator, using sheets if needed if they reduce small enough to fit through gaps.