It’s November, and Harvest Right Freeze-dryer Black Friday month is here! It lasts the whole month and ends on the 30th. If you have been thinking about getting a freeze-dryer, this is the time of year. The Large size is $800 off, the medium is $700 off, and the small is $400 off.
What is the sweetest vegetable out there? For me, I would say carrots. When you freeze-dry them, they become intensely flavored and even sweeter.
And they don’t need to be cooked beforehand for snacks, making this one of the easiest projects you can do for your hiker pantry.
Buying dehydrated carrot dice is easy, but they are not the same. Dehydrated carrots are tiny bits that must be rehydrated before eating. They are pre-cooked, so they work fine for trail meals with a 15 minute rehydration time.
If freeze-dried raw carrots can be found commercially, they are often marketed as a dog treat (lucky them!).
So, if you want a fun snack for the trail, it will be a DIY project!
Just out of the freeze-dryer, ready to pack up into mylar bags for later eating.
This also opens up choices. But the fancy carrots for a fun spin. Freeze-drying white, yellow, and purple instead of orange? Easy!
I buy carrots when I see them at good prices, or when the harvest flow is happening. Give them a good wash, then peel and trim.
Slice into coins or on the bias (so at an angle). We have done it both ways. I find that the bias cut is best for really big carrots. For smaller carrots, use coins.
I spread them out on rimmed baking sheets and freeze them. Unless I work on a big lot (say 15 to 20 pounds at once), I transfer to bags and keep frozen until I have enough. This lets you harvest carrots over a couple of weeks in summer and early fall. (We have a Large size unit, so we pack it pretty full)
Once you have enough to run a batch, lay the carrots on the freeze-dryer sheets and put them on. The machines are automatic, so it is quite easy.
Once dry, open the machine and test a carrot to ensure it is fully dry. If not, put it on for a few more hours. Otherwise, bag the carrots (or put it into mason jars) and seal it with a desiccant and an oxygen packet. If you use the small MRE-style mylar bags, you have a ready-to-go trail snack. Be sure to note on the bags the date dried and what is in it.
Enjoy your naturally sweet and crunchy treat!
Tip: When enjoying freeze-dried treats, drink water with it.
~Sarah