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Chinchillas => General Chat => Topic started by: Stacy on August 08, 2006, 10:20:08 AM

Title: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 08, 2006, 10:20:08 AM
I have a food dehydrator that I tried to dehydrate some bananas in but they did not look very good at all. The middle was black and my husband said they were not done. So I put them back in and they still did not look good. Am I doing something wrong? I also tried with apples and they never got done. I am going to try them again this weekend. Any suggestions?  rofl As you can tell I do not cook.
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: null on August 08, 2006, 11:35:51 AM
See if you can turn up the heat on the dehydrator. Also it's not the easiest time of year to dehydrate since it's the middle of the humid summer. You'll probably have better luck in winter.
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 08, 2006, 11:48:33 AM
This may be a silly question but could I bake them? I am lost when it comes to anything related to cooking.  ::shrug::
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Summer on August 08, 2006, 05:24:20 PM
:) Ya that's what I do, It  works OK for me.
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Jo Ann on August 10, 2006, 09:27:58 AM
::silly:: You might try slicing them thinner and giving them a good 24 to 36 hours in the dehydrator. 

Dipping them in lemon juice will help hold the color.  ::phhhhhhth::

Yes, you can bake them, use the lowest setting on the oven.  It will take a while, probably 12 to 24 hours.  The thicker you slice them the longer it takes.   The thicker you slice them the tuff it makes them.  In the oven, you will have to watch them much closer than if you put them in the dehydrator.   

 ::wave::
Jo Ann
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Summer on August 10, 2006, 09:32:51 AM
:::grins:: Yup that's right it takes a lot longer.  ::silly::
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 10, 2006, 09:52:03 AM
I am making them for my chins. Is the lemon juice ok for them or will it all cook out.  ::shrug::
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Jo Ann on August 10, 2006, 10:14:26 AM
 ::silly::It will "cook-out" / evaporate during the drying.

 ::wave::
Jo Ann
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 10, 2006, 11:12:09 AM
I will give that a try tonight. Thanks
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: FluffBall on August 10, 2006, 10:09:29 PM
I just have another suggestion I love to go to the store and get the pre cut apples but that cost so much and I have used the lemon juice but felt that it left a tart taste and another Mom that my daughter goes to school with her daughter said to use orange juice it is just a good as lemon but taste a lot better
 ;)
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Summer on August 11, 2006, 09:11:57 AM
:)  I will have to try the orange juice.  ::nod::
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Jo Ann on August 12, 2006, 08:02:10 AM
 ::silly::I'll have to try that, too.   ::nod::
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: FluffBall on August 13, 2006, 11:30:09 PM
the fruit taste so much better I think so not so tart and you just put the juice in some water and as you cut  the fruit put it in the water ;)
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 30, 2006, 07:59:50 AM
Well I gave up on the dehydrator. I never could get them to look right and my husband tasted them and said they were nasty. I think I will stick with buying them. Thanks for all the advice anyway.
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Jo Ann on August 30, 2006, 12:04:13 PM
::silly::Hi BabyTaz,
 
     If you are buying them for the chins, make sure you get the ones that are naturally dried with NO PRESERVATIVES.  I take a banana around and let each chin have a couple of bites, they love it.  ::nod::

 ::wave::
Jo Ann
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 30, 2006, 12:07:19 PM
I have been getting them from Lone Star. You give the fresh bananas? If it is ok to do that mine may like that better.
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Jo Ann on August 31, 2006, 07:06:25 AM
::silly::I only do that about once a month and only one or two bites, no more.  Where there is 2 or more in a cage, I usually have to take one of them out for it to get bite ... they have a tendency to want it all and not to share.  I've never seen a yes or no when it comes to doing it that way, but I've been doing it for a long time and they seem to like it and have shown no ill effects.  So, you have to decide for yourself if you want to do it or not.

 ::wave::
Jo Ann
Title: Re: Food dehydrator
Post by: Stacy on August 31, 2006, 10:02:25 AM
Thanks, I will try it and see if they like it. They are still in there own cages. I can't seem to get them to get along. I still hope that they will someday.