More and more people are getting freeze-dryers for their homes. When Kirk and I got ours, we were somewhat early adopters. But times are changing, and with Harvest Right carrying four models now, even if you live in an apartment, you can have one and produce the best outdoor food. The Small is well, small, and fits on a counter. Not everyone needs a beast like the Large and XL models.
Having a freeze-dryer really expands what you can have on hand for meals, especially with ingredients you’ve dreamed of having but have never seen produced commercially.
For example, the guides below mention Brussels sprouts. I have never seen them sold commercially, and finding sliced olives is nearly impossible. The same goes for freeze-dried avocado, Swiss cheese, and more. I hadn’t thought about doing Brussels Sprouts, though. Now, I want to go shave up a ton of them and get them in the Harvest Right. Might have to wait a bit till they are ready to harvest on the homestead.
I came across these great guides on PackFreshUSA, a company that makes Mylar bags to preserve dried food (I will review their bags soon, so keep an eye out for it!). The guides show tips on how to freeze-dry produce.
I had never thought of grilling asparagus before freeze-drying it. Next spring I will try that!
There are many great ideas for items to try out in your machine. Just remember to seal up your goodies well, in mason jars or high-quality Mylar bags, with desiccant and oxygen absorber packets. You want them to last a long time, after all, and to taste their best.
Btw, garlic is so easy to freeze-dry. We did a ton last year. It is far better than buying garlic in the winter, which is very potentially from China. So much better tasting!
For a printable version in B&W, see here.
Did you know you can buy frozen avocadoes now? They are trendy in smoothies. Buy a big bag of dice, spread it on a tray, and freeze-dry it.
I have two fig trees, and the oldest one is loaded this year. It’s on my to-do list to freeze-dry this summer. You won’t find figs commercially sold!
For a printable version in B&W, see here.
This chart will help you remember how much dry equals fresh.
~Sarah
We’ve had a large Harvest Right dryer for two years and have freeze dried and filled over 1,100 large mylar bags of fruit, veggies, fish, chicken, eggs, herbs, spices, tuna, hamburger, and even skittles. Our family of 6 has enough freeze dried food to last a few years if things go awry. I highly recommend investing in a freeze dryer!
When I had a bad arm injury this summer it was so great to have cheese, meat and veggies. No having to shop! (I couldn’t drive for around 7 weeks due to my arm).
~Sarah