Freeze Dryer

[nate77]

What size Harvest Right would suffice for 2 people? I was thinking Medium.
We already have a chamber vacuum sealer that does a lot of work for us in food storage.

I have an old medium, it has 4 trays, the new pro medium has 5 trays.

The old small had 3 smaller trays, the new small has 4.

For two I’d say old medium or new small.

FYI the small and medium take a normal 120VAC outlet, the large takes a dedicated 20amp outlet.

Also, if you are any where close to an RP Home and Harvest (old Big R) they are clearing out the old mediums for $600 less than Harvest Right.com.

 

[foszoe]

I have an old medium, it has 4 trays, the new pro medium has 5 trays.

The old small had 3 smaller trays, the new small has 4.

For two I’d say old medium or new small.

FYI the small and medium take a normal 120VAC outlet, the large takes a dedicated 20amp outlet.

Also, if you are any where close to an RP Home and Harvest (old Big R) they are clearing out the old mediums for $600 less than Harvest Right.com.

One in Crawfordsville, I think maybe I will swing by

 

[nate77]

One in Crawfordsville, I think maybe I will swing by

Worth a shot, I bought the last medium in Rochester.

After using it for a few months, I like 4 trays better than 5 since the drum size is the same, there is hardly any space between trays on the 5 tray model.

 

[shibumiseeker]

We have the Harvest Right medium. A bit of a learning curve, but once we got it dialed in we pretty much use it non stop 8-9 months of the year. 3 years now.

I’d replace it tomorrow if something happened and it went away.

 

[Kdf101]

Biscuits and Gravy, my favorite Mountain House Breakfast.

Super easy in the Harvest Right.
View attachment 327784

That is definitely on our list to try. How are the biscuits once rehydrated?

we have been watching pretty much every video we can find on freeze drying. This will hopefully be a game changer in our food prep department.

 

[nate77]

That is definitely on our list to try. How are the biscuits once rehydrated?

we have been watching pretty much every video we can find on freeze drying. This will hopefully be a game changer in our food prep department.

I haven’t tried mine yet, religiously following low carb right now, but when the SHTF, I’m eating carbs. lol.

The Mountain House biscuits and gravy rehydrates pretty good, more time equals soft, less time equals crispy inside.

The only packaged food I’ve rehydrated so far was spaghetti with Italian sausage, wife had a hankering for spaghetti late in the evening. I tasted a bite, it was awesome, just like fresh except the noodles were broken up in smaller pieces. Freeze dried stuff is pretty fragile.

 

[jpr]

Freeze dried grandkids?

Candy.......................for the grandkids.

 

[Kdf101]

I’m thinking about freeze drying my ammo for long term storage. Just add water and instant ammo.

 

[nate77]

I’m thinking about freeze drying my ammo for long term storage. Just add water and instant ammo.

Just be sure to use ammo without the necks, and primers sealed so the moisture can escape. lol.

 

[Kdf101]

I have seen videos of some people using vacuum chamber sealers with these. I didnt know such things existed on a consumer level. I’m not sure if it would be worth the added expense though. Maybe though…

 

[indyblue]

Great! Now I want one. Didn't realize you could do your own eggs as well.

 

[nate77]

I have seen videos of some people using vacuum chamber sealers with these. I didnt know such things existed on a consumer level. I’m not sure if it would be worth the added expense though. Maybe though…

Don’t use it much with the freeze drier, since it crushes the contents, and could puncture the bags, but I love my Avid Armor USVX, just ground, and packaged 62 pound of pork butt tenders today. Superior in every way to the old style food saver, pretty affordable too.

 

[Kdf101]

Don’t use it much with the freeze drier, since it crushes the contents, and could puncture the bags, but I love my Avid Armor USVX, just ground, and packaged 62 pound of pork butt tenders today. Superior in every way to the old style food saver, pretty affordable too.

Hmm. We use our food saver a lot for meat, especially deer, but it can be a bit tricky, you don’t always get a good vacuum.

 

[nate77]

Hmm. We use our food saver a lot for meat, especially deer, but it can be a bit tricky, you don’t always get a good vacuum.

My freezer is full of food saver bags, and probably half of them have magically come unsealed. I think the main problem is meat juice getting sucked into the sealing bar. That is the main advantage of the chamber sealer, you can seal pure liquid if you’re so inclined.

 

[Aszerigan]

Great - one more thing I need to get now. :-) I've canned and vacuum sealed for years, but this looks like a better use of space.

 

[pitbulld45]

Great - one more thing I need to get now. :-) I've canned and vacuum sealed for years, but this looks like a better use of space.

I know right! Now Im pricing them.

 

[Aszerigan]

I know right! Now Im pricing them.

Looks like @Kdf101 should get commissions. He's gonna be selling some units around here !

 

[Kdf101]

I know right! Now Im pricing them.

We ordered ours online, be prepared, they are expensive! It will be delivered Thursday. I didn’t know it when we ordered, but there is a brewery supply store behind the mall in terre haute that sells them. They have freeze dryers, supplies, knife sharpeners, Mylar bags, etc.

 

[Kdf101]

Looks like @Kdf101 should get commissions. He's gonna be selling some units around here !

I’m in with that!

 

[Kdf101]

Great! Now I want one. Didn't realize you could do your own eggs as well.

Eggs will be a big thing we do, since we have chickens. You can do cooked eggs or raw eggs. The raw eggs you can powder up and, after adding water, use pretty much as you would use a fresh egg. That is my current level of understanding right now at least. We will do a lot of eggs here. Ice cream is another.