Question about food dehydration methods..

**TrueNord** · 09-20-2014, 06:28 PM

Does anyone know a good way to dehydrate foods without a dehydrator machine? I found some methods online but I was curious what works best for you all if you have tried it?

**RangerXanatos** · 09-20-2014, 07:47 PM

I was thinking some members here have made jerky in their home ovens and I know some in the older days dehydrated their fruit on house roofs.

**crashdive123** · 09-20-2014, 07:55 PM

Here's one way to do it. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ght=dehydrator

**TrueNord** · 09-20-2014, 08:22 PM

Huh that looks like a fantastic method for meats and savory foods but ill be dehydrating fruits so smokiness is probably something i would want o avoid :P

Originally Posted by RangerXanatos

I was thinking some members here have made jerky in their home ovens and I know some in the older days dehydrated their fruit on house roofs.

On the roof? I'd be worried the birds would get to it! haha
but yea, I am leaning towards an oven method. I have also seen people use a box with a fan that blows moist air out but I'm not entire sure how that whole thing works.

**crashdive123** · 09-20-2014, 09:54 PM

I haven't tried any of these, but they may give you some ideas.

http://www.thereadystore.com/diy/821...usehold-items/

http://theselfsufficientliving.com/8...-making-plans/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Box-food-dehydrator/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Box-Fan-Jerky/

**TrueNord** · 09-20-2014, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

I haven't tried any of these, but they may give you some ideas.

http://www.thereadystore.com/diy/821...usehold-items/

http://theselfsufficientliving.com/8...-making-plans/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Box-food-dehydrator/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Box-Fan-Jerky/

Wow these are great! The solar one is especially interesting to me, thanks!

**Rick** · 09-21-2014, 06:03 AM

I've dehydrated quite a lot in the oven. Set it on the lowest setting and leave the door ajar for air circulation.

**1stimestar** · 09-21-2014, 06:52 AM

Yes yes, I'll post tomorrow as I went out with my visiting sister tonight and am in no condition to be online hahahha.

**LowKey** · 09-21-2014, 08:33 AM

We built something very similar to the "costa rican prepper" thing at work. It used stacked soda/beer cans (one end removed, the other end louvered) as flues for the heat.
Darn thing go so hot inside, it actually softened and sagged the polycarb used for the face (we used polycarb for the unbreakable factor. Acrylic will break if hit hard enough.)
Adding a middle support of bent aluminum flashing and adding a small solar panel powering a small fan at the bottom made it more useful. A rheostat on the fan would have been even better.
Just be sure you clean the cans well. Otherwise you live with the "smell" for quite a while. LOL.

**TrueNord** · 09-21-2014, 01:18 PM

well right now its pretty warn out and almost no humidity, so i have the food in a glass bowl out in the sun covered with a mesh strainer to keep bugs and critters out. Not sure if this will work but I thought I'd give it a shot. if not I'll try the oven method.

The other methods will probably be a later project I'll try when I get the time.

**Graf** · 09-21-2014, 01:52 PM

I dehydrate quite a few medicinal and wild edibles yearly, I use a cheap Nebsco machine or simply hang upside down in a dry shed. hanging upside down allows oils to flow into the flowers or buds or leaves.