Thank you for choosing a Nesco®/ American Harvest® dehydrator. We have been developing and producing dehydrators that provide the best drying technology for over three decades. Drying food is inexpensive and one of the least timeconsuming of all food preserving methods. Dehydrating is superior to canning, as the high temperatures needed to process canned foods can destroy much of the original food value, especially vitamin C, thiamin and riboflavin.
Recipes & Instructions Dehydrator & jerky maker Customer Satisfaction is our Goal 1-800-288-4545 www.nesco.
Table of Contents Important Safeguards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Dehydrator Use and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 General Drying Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Selecting Foods To Dry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Drying Fruits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Pretreating Fruits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Drying Fruit Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Important Safeguards This product is designed for household use only When using electrical appliances, basic safety precautions should always be followed, including the following: 1. Read all instructions. 2. Do not touch hot surfaces. 3. To protect against electrical hazards, do not immerse blower or any part of the dehydrator cord or plug, in water or other liquid. 4. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used by or near children. 5. Unplug from outlet when not in use and before cleaning.
Dehydrator Use & Care Before using your dehydrator for the first time, wash the trays and top cover in warm, soapy water, or in the dishwasher on the top rack (remove before drying cycle). Caution: Do not put the power unit/blower in water or in the dishwasher. Wipe with a damp cloth. • Set base tray on a sturdy countertop or table, away from sinks or any source of water. • Stack additional trays on base tray.
General Drying Guidelines There are no absolutes and quite a few variables in food dehydration. The only way to become proficient is to dry, dry, and dry some more! Certain varieties of produce, the humidity in the air, and even methods of food handling make a difference in the drying time and quality of dried product. • Experiment with different thicknesses of produce, pretreatment versus no pretreatment, and different rehydration methods.
All fruits dried with skins intact should be packaged and frozen for a minimum of 48 hours to prevent any possibility of insect infestation. Onions and tomatoes are especially prone to absorbing moisture from the air and should be packaged immediately after removing from the dehydrator. Record Keeping Recording the following information can be helpful in improving your dehydrating techniques and determining quantities of food to dry each season. • Date dried.
Drying Fruit Selection Fruits are ideal to dry because they have a naturally high sugar content. They are high in acid (and consequently less prone to spoilage and microorganisms), and taste delicious! Seasonally, fruit can be obtained in bulk from orchards or farms for considerably lower prices than you may find in the supermarket. Fruits picked at their prime have the highest natural sugar content and the best nutritional value. For the best quality product, choose only fresh, ripe, unblemished fruits.
Pre-Treatment Pre-treatments can vary from soaking in fruit juice, ascorbic acid mixtures, syrup blanching, steaming, to sulfating. The results of each of these methods also vary. Experiment and decide for yourself which one you like best. Use one of the following methods of pretreatment Natural Pre-Treatment Fruit juices containing ascorbic acid may be used as a natural pre-treatment to reduce browning. Although there will still be some loss of color, pineapple, orange, lemon, or lime juice can be used.
Drying Fruit Rolls Fruit rolls, also known as fruit leathers, are a favorite snack for young and old alike. They are a chewy fruit product made from puréed fresh fruit which has been dried and rolled into snack sized pieces. Fruit rolls are easy to make and cost less than those bought at the store. Selection Almost any fruit will make an excellent fruit roll. Most fruits can also be combined with others. Some fruits, such as apples, are high in pectin and fiber and have an excellent texture when dried.
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB FRUIT ROLL 1 cup rhubarb 2 cups strawberries 1⁄4 cup water 1⁄2 cup honey Combine 1⁄4 cup water and 1 cup rhubarb. Simmer on stove over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups strawberries and 1⁄2 cup honey. Purée to smooth consistency in blender. Pour on a Fruit Roll Sheet and dry. BOYSENBERRY FRUIT ROLL 1 quart of boysenberries. Purée boysenberries in a blender. Strain through cheesecloth to remove seeds. Place on Fruit Roll Sheet and dry.
Fruit Drying Guidelines Expect a variance in time needed to dry different fruits. Drying times are affected by size of load, fruit thickness, moisture content of the food itself, as well as other variables discussed in Drying Time. If pre-treatment is suggested, use one of the pre-treatments, indicated on page 8. The guidelines below are general. For most accurate drying times, keep records of your own specific experiences in space provided under each average time guideline in table below.
Fruit Drying Guidelines (continued) *Average Drying Time Food Preparation Grapes Leave whole, remove stems 10-32 hrs. Uses Raisins; use in baked goods, cereals and snacks Kiwi Peel, slice 3/8" to 1/2" thick 13-17 hrs. Snacks Mangos Remove skin, slice 3/8" thick from seed 10-18 hrs. Snacks, cereals and baked goods Melons Remove skin and seeds.Slice 1/2" thick 12-16 hrs. Snacks Nectarines Quarter or slice 3/8" to 1/2" thick. Pre-treat 6-16 hrs.
Drying Vegetables Some vegetables are quite good dried. Others lose their appeal and are better frozen or fresh. Vegetables have a low acid and sugar content that makes them more subject to spoilage, and tend to have a far shorter shelf life than dried fruits. Packaging and ideal storage conditions are key elements to producing dried vegetables which will taste as good in December as they did in the summer from your garden! Selection Choose fresh, crisp vegetables for a high quality dehydrated product.
Drying Load blanched vegetables onto drying trays, making sure that air can move freely between the pieces. For vegetables that tend to clump together, such as corn or peas, stir occasionally to allow air to reach all of the pieces. Vegetables are dried until they are crisp, tough, or brittle. Package immediately after drying to prevent absorption of moisture from the air. Hints and Suggestions CARROTS to save time grating, dry carrots for salads, carrot cake or coleslaw.
Vegetable Drying Guidelines Vegetables will also vary in their drying times. Blanching decreases drying times, but not all vegetables are blanched. Again, the average drying times below are general and depend on different variables. For more accurate times, keep records of your own specific experience and record them in the space provided under each general time guideline. Spread vegetables in single layers unless otherwise noted.
Vegetable Drying Guidelines (continued) *Average Drying Time Food Preparation Garlic Separate and peel cloves 14-18 hrs. Powder for seasoning Onions Remove skins, tops, and root ends. Slice 3/8" thick 9-13 hrs. Soups, stews and sauces. Powder for seasoning salt Package immediately Peas Shell, wash and blanch 10-14 hrs. Soups, stews and mixed vegetables Peppers Remove stem & seeds. Cut into 1/2" pieces 14-18 hrs.
Recipes BEST BANANA BREAD FRUIT HORS D’ OEUVRES Chunks of dried bananas, nuts, and dates Serve these savory Hors d'Oeuvres make this a delightful breakfast bread. at your next party.
AWESOME BRAN MUFFINS HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER Make these for breakfast, and pop the Add to your favorite Mexican recipe or use in extra in your children's lunch box! ground meat for tacos.
CUP-OF-VEGETABLE SOUP olive oil, minced garlic, basil and oregano. This soup cooks in your thermos and is Close jar with a canning lid and keep ready to eat by lunch time. refrigerated up to 6 months. Makes 1 pint. 1/3 cup dried vegetable flakes (any combo of tomatoes, peas, onions, broccoli, Caution: Do not add fresh garlic or zucchini, celery, carrots) fresh herbs to oil packed tomatoes.
HARVEST GRANOLA heavy-bottom pot. Stir in brown sugar, Most often served as a breakfast food, it can syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring also be a snack or an ingredient in desserts, constantly. Boil 5 minutes without stirring. cookies, or main dishes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and 5 cups rolled oats vanilla. It foams. Pour over popped corn and 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed mix well. Pour into a shallow 11" x 14" 1/2 cup wheat germ baking pan.
PET TREATS TURKEY & SWEET POTATO TREATS FOR DOGS This recipe can be clear or holiday colored cellophane and gather the cellophane at the top of the plate. Tie the gathered cellophane with a holiday colored ribbon. Variations: Use fresh or frozen served at any time of the year but they make blueberries instead of cranberries.
Drying Jerky Jerky is a favorite snack for school, lunch, trail or just about anywhere! It is made by seasoning raw meat in a salt mixture, and then drying it without cooking. You won’t have to pay the exorbitant prices for jerky slices or sticks at the supermarket. Most lean meats will yield about 1 pound of jerky from 2 pounds of fresh meat. Selection Jerky may be made from a variety of different meats.
Simple steps to fresh delicious jerky USING NESCO®/AMERICAN HARVEST® SPICES & JERKY WORKS™ KIT 1. Blend one pack seasoning and one pack cure with one pound extra lean ground beef, game, or poultry. For spicier jerky: add 1/4 tsp. or more of cayenne pepper. For less spicy jerky, add 1/2 pound extra meat. 2. While holding the silver tab down, pull the white knob all the way out on the Jerky Works™ gun. 3. Unscrew the red ring from the end of the white tube. Place meat mixture into the tube. 4.
Storing Your Dried Food Some pieces may dry in a shorter time than others and should be removed and placed in an airtight container while allowing the rest of the pieces to remain in the dehydrator until sufficiently dry. Package all dried foods promptly to prevent contamination by insects and to prevent stickiness and rehydration caused by humidity. Store dried foods in airtight, moisture-proof containers. Home vacuum packaging devices are ideal for packaging dried foods.
Rehydrating Dried Food Eat dehydrated foods dry or rehydrate for use in recipes. Rehydrate by placing dried foods in a container (with enough water to cover food) and soaking for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Boiling water rehydrates foods more quickly than cold water or water at room temperature.Fruits or vegetables may also be rehydrated in liquids other than water, including fruit juices, cider, vegetable juices, milk, consomme, etc. Refrigerate these foods while they are soaking to reduce any risk of spoilage.
Drying Crafts You've all seen a flower so perfect in form, color, and texture that you wish you could keep it forever. With a dehydrator, it now can become a reality. Drying Flowers Preserve garden and natural favorites for attractive dried flower arrangements, Christmas and holiday decorations, party favors, place cards and corsages. Help your children dry specimens for their science class.
your fingers, catching each flower and carefully removing it by its stem. Stand preserved flowers in a block of flower foam until arranged. • Store in airtight tins until ready to use. In humid climates, protect loose-petal flowers with a light application of finishing spray to prevent moisture absorption. Dried Apple Wreath Supplies: Mod Podge sealer (available in craft supply stores) brush 1500 mgs. vitamin C (dissolved in 1 gallon of water or lemon or pineapple juice.
Dough Ornaments This basic recipe is also called "Baker's Clay." Once mixed, it has a satiny texture, a delicious aroma and begs to be touched and shaped. Do not be surprised if everyone in the family gets involved in making ornaments! 4 cups flour 1 cup salt 1-1/2 cups water Using a dough mixer or by hand, mix flour with salt in large mixer bowl. Add water until dough is a good consistency for kneading. If it is too dry, it will crack. If it's too wet, it will be sticky.
Precoloring Dough Before baking, raw dough can be precolored by adding drops of food coloring, watercolors, inks, and fabric dyes. Powdered colors should be mixed with the flour and salt before adding water. Liquid shoe polish or leather dye can also be brushed on lightly during the first 15 minutes of baking. Baking and Drying Dough Dough should be baked for 2 hours at 300°F (150°C) in your oven. Then transfer to your dehydrator.
Dry until brittle-dry, which may take from 2 to 12 hours, depending upon the plants, the amount, and the model of dehydrator you are using. Store different flowers and herbs separately in covered jars until you’re ready to mix. Keep in a cool place, out of direct sunlight. Experiment with different combinations, mixing small quantities and recording the results until you come up with a blend that you like. To blend ingredients, measure and stir dried materials into a large bowl.
About Your Warranty and Service Satisfaction Mail in your registration card, phone us, or register online at www.nesco.com to file your Nesco®/American Harvest® dehydrator model number and serial number now! Your serial number and dehydrator model number are located on the power unit/blower of your dehydrator. We enter this number into our database. It registers your product and identifies your machine specifically by its individual code.
One Year Limited Warranty This appliance is warranted for one year from date of original purchase against defects in material and workmanship. This warranty does not cover transportation damage, misuse, accident or similar incident. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from state to state. This product is intended for household use only, not for commercial use. Warranty does not cover commercial use.
ACCESSORIES CLEAN-A-SCREEN Flexible screens make drying sticky foods easier to remove. Screen flexes for easy removal of sticky fruits like pineapple. Perfect for drying small items like spices and herbs that would normally fall through the spokes of the tray, too.
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