Brake Bleeder– this is a powerless device used to flush brakes in cars, but works perfectly for vacuum sealing your jars.Hand-Held Vacu u m Sealer – requires the jar attachments, but lets you make quick jobs of vacuum sealing jars for everyday use.Vacuum sealer – Whether you choose a full-sized vacuum sealing machine, a handheld Foodsaver, or even a brake bleeder, vacuum sealing is a helpful way to ensure the shelf-life of your food. Though, in hindsight, I wish I had gotten a mid-budget blender and a food processor. But I finally killed it and moved up to a Vitamix. Large Blender – I used a Ninja Kitchen System for years which had the components for bullet blender, food processor, and large blender together.Coffee Grinder – while a removable steel bowl is beneficial, it just about doubles the price of a grinder.Here are my suggestions based on volume, but I find that the bullet blender is my go-to in most circumstances these days. They are a beneficial way of using all of your dehydrated products in a way that introduces flavor without bulk, doesn’t intrude on the finicky palette, and can help you integrate a ton of nutrients into everyday cooking – even if you hate those vegetables. Powders make the world go-’round in the kitchen. There is also a collapsible salad spinner for easier storage. Salad Spinner helps remove excess moisture after washing produce.Stainless steel funnel – This can be invaluable in putting powders into jars.I have beefy hands, and this pair works great for me (I ordered medium). Protective cutting glove – even if you are using the handguards on mandolines.This chopper is an excellent tool for prepping onions without tears. Chopper – A vegetable/onion chopper that slices, dices, swirls, and collects it all is great.I use an OXO mandoline, but this standing mandoline gets high praise, too. Mandoline – dozens on the market are good.These suggestions are assuming you do not have a food processor. If your knifework skills are less than stellar, or you have fine motor skill issues, having a tool to help you do prep work of slicing, dicing, peeling, cutting, etc., is really helpful. Tools for Dehydrating Prep Slicers/Choppers These tools, while not necessary, can make your job of preparing or storing dehydrated foods easier. Learn More: Proper Storage of Dehydrated Goods Helpful Dehydrating Tools Mylar bags – not the kind with the zippers or windows as those will be air-permeable over time.Plastic Containers – think Rubbermaid, Prepware, OXO, Tupperware, etc.Commercial glass jars with tight-fitting lids – spaghetti sauce jars, salsa jars, etc.Canning Jars – this is the best choice for everyday use.If you want more information on the kinds of containers and why they are useful, I have some helpful tips for choosing the best containers for you. Remember, you want to pick a container that is similar in volume to the amount of food you have to store. There are many options, so find the one that works best for you. No matter what container you choose to use, airtight containment is mandatory for the storage of dehydrated foods. The above options are the ones I use personally, but there are a g reat many varieties of sheets and mats available to fit any dehydrator.Īnd if you don’t want to buy a lipped tray that you’ll rarely use, try this hack for creating a liquid tray from your regular fruit leather sheets or parchment paper. It helps with fruit leather and keeps small pieces from falling through your trays. Parchment/baking paper is enough for any need. Keep an eye out for the lipped silicone fruit leather trays that make doing fruit leather even easier! Fruit Leather Sheets – These range from inexpensive generic fruit leather sheets by Homey (which can be cut down to fit any dehydrator tray size) to pricey brand-specific silicone sheets.They are a must-have in my dehydrating process. Mesh Sheets – These silicone or plastic mesh sheets allow food to get a good airflow for efficient drying, as well as prevent food from sticking to plastic or stainless steel trays.I find these a necessary tool for running my dehydrator efficiently. While your dehydrator may come with these, it might not, so you’ll want to make your own, or use a substitute, or invest in ones that fit your machine.
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