We sold a grainmill also, hyped by a friend who had several. Used it some also. Nothing happened and other things incl food was donated or tossed. Now retired, who has time or money to throw away again? not me.
Vic says: 2 years ago Going on a second year with the freeze dryer. Considering getting another one. It really takes commitment, but it is very rewarding. The freezer is good also, but it needs constant source of electricity, and the storage is limited to the size of the freezer.
19.7k Location:Ontario, Canada Posted March 8, 2006 Freeze drying works by quickly freezing the item (and that could include flowers or dead animals as this technology is used to preserve wedding bouquets and in taxidermy) to a very low temperature, then placing it under vacuum to remove the air and water vapour.
The pros and cons are easy to understand. In fact, there really is only one pro and it’s a huge one. YOU control the food you’re storing away for yourself and your family. Those who are willing to spend the time and money to freeze dry their own food should do so as long as they’re going to be committed.
Hrmm... maybe not freeze drying sorbet but I imagine using freeze dried fruits IN sorbet would give a much more intense flavour. Especially for things like watermelon which I've had great trouble sorbeting successfully.
It's awesome! I don't have a freeze dryer yet but am planning to place an order tomorrow. I am super curious how Kerry's scroll pump is holding up... eliminating the oil from the equation would make this whole thing SO much easier.
If you’re in the market for a freeze dryer, Harvest Right is the best brand and way to go. So, let’s dig into the various places that are great to buy a freeze dryer, focusing on Harvest Right.
.. Hence the vapor barrier. But once I opened it up I figured I may as well insulate the bare ports as well, and insure that the water was diverted away from the electrics of the system. Once I sealed up the insides I noticed that the condensation on the front panel increased dramatically as the air was trapped between the plastic vapor barrier and the back of the front panel. That was when the drip rail was installed on the front of the unit.
Using sublimation, the food retains much of its original texture, flavor, and nutrition when rehydrated. Freeze drying is broken down into two simple processes: freezing and vacuum drying. Foods are first frozen to well below 0°F. The colder the freeze the more efficient the next step will be. Once frozen, foods are subjected to vacuum drying. The air and water vapor (gas) are removed from the food processing chamber using a vacuum pump. This includes removing the water vapor that was once inside of the foods. When these two steps are properly completed, the food is dry enough to allow for safe storage at room temperature. Is freeze drying food safe?
So the bottom line is this: If you can afford the money, space, and time to spend on freeze-drying your own food and you believe the need for the food is many months or years away, then eventually the Harvest Right freeze dryer will pay for itself.
Studies show the average American family wastes about $2,500 per year between produce and dairy that goes bad, leftovers that don’t get eaten, and items that expire or get freezer burn. All these food items could be freeze dried and put on the pantry shelf ready to get more info taste great next week – or in 20 years.
There are 3 ports on the chamber that I made slits in the plastic to get around and taped them up once around them. Do not tape to the insulation. Tape only to the vapor barrier plastic. It doesn't take long, just be careful. After the plastic is in place and secure around the chamber I sealed the plastic to the back of the front and back panels using the packing tape. All the way around the front and back of the chamber to completely seal the chamber from outside air and humidity.
Presumably you have one of the medium sized units that is used for dried flowers, taxidermy etc - those are most common on the market. Lab supply places have very small ones for scientific samples. Food oriented freeze dryers tend to be factory sized.
And once you have resolved your issue I hope you will stay around and talk to us all about what you have been drying in your machine, etc.