Dehydration is the oldest form of preserving food. In the beginning, the sun and open air provided the heat and air circulation needed. Today, you can use your oven, microwave, or any number of food dehydrators on the market.
My personal preference is the later, electric food dehydrators. I've been using my Nesco American Harvest dehydrator for years, mostly for preserving home grown seasonal fruits and vegetables. We grow a huge garden every year, as well as blueberries, strawberries, peaches, plums, and apples.
You can eat the dehydrated foods as is, as a snack, and you can rehydrate them and use in your favorite recipes.
A popular method of preserving meats is by making jerky with your dehydrator. Many people buy their jerky ready-made in packages of individual strips or mulitple strips. If you have the means and desire to do so, you can make jerky yourself at home, and give it that unique taste that suits you best.
Read about essentials and safety of dehydrating jerky from the USDA.
Dehydrators remove 80-90% of the moisture from the foods you process. Therefore, the resulting weight and space needed to store are considerably less than if you were to can or freeze those same foods.
Fruits, vegetables and meats processed with food dehydrators come in handy for camping and hiking, and for general snacks. Another advantage is that they don't need to be kept refrigerated.
Learn more about dehydrating food the proper way.
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