Freeze Dryer Tips/Tricks/Recipes

[dlee56]

We just pulled the trigger on a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer (L) and while I’m getting spun up on the operation I’m wondering if any of you have any tips, tricks, or favorite recipes?

We mainly got it for garden preservation and long term preparedness but I’m really excited to start making my own backpacking meals. We’ve been sticking to a Whole 30 type diet (dairy, gluten, and seed oil free) for almost a year now and feel great on it so I’m picturing lots of hearty stews, soups and rice dishes.

 

[dlee56]

To get things started we currently have it on a cheap Harbor Freight steel cart in the garage and I’m planning to set it on some foam board and plywood to help dampen the sound. Anyone find success limiting the sounds/vibrations from the machine and the vacuum pump without compromising performance?

 

[Burch]

We have the same freeze dryer and wife has done deer steaks eggs and sausage ,million dollar spaghetti ,various veggies and a lot of candy(Its crazy how much people like that stuff) Tip: Put it on its own 20 amp circuit because it doesnt take much more than the freeze dryer to make the breaker trip.

 

[dlee56]

We have the same freeze dryer and wife has done deer steaks eggs and sausage ,million dollar spaghetti ,various veggies and a lot of candy(Its crazy how much people like that stuff) Tip: Put it on its own 20 amp circuit because it doesnt take much more than the freeze dryer to make the breaker trip.

That’s great! How is the noise when it’s running? How do you all have it set up?

I put in a dedicated 20min circuit for it, I heard they can draw pretty heavy.

 

[Burch]

My wife bought a rolling cart from Amazon thats big enough for the FD on top and oil pump on bottom shelf. I think it has a 150 lb weight capacity. You can definitely hear it run but its not obnoxiously loud but she rolls it into our wash room where you cant hear it at all.

 

[Dirtscoots]

Freeze Drying Supplies

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The food funnel and the locking tray lids are very nice. I will pre freeze trays with lids if I don’t have time to run a load

 

[dirtshooter]

We bought a stainless steel table for ours. We haven't done candy yet because we don't eat that stuff but we've done lots of various berries, apple slices, scrambled eggs, raw eggs, chicken bacon cheese pasta, ground beef pasta, cheese squares

We don't find it much louder than a washing machine

 

[Jake Larsen]

Following. Looking hard a pulling the trigger on one of these. Recently discovered I’m lactose intolerant. Was slowly getting sicker for the last couple years. Now I gotta figure out how to do backcountry food on my own. Healthier anyways…we eat extremely clean day to day, I’d rather have that same food in the backcountry also…


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[dlee56]

Following. Looking hard a pulling the trigger on one of these. Recently discovered I’m lactose intolerant. Was slowly getting sicker for the last couple years. Now I gotta figure out how to do backcountry food on my own. Healthier anyways…we eat extremely clean day to day, I’d rather have that same food in the backcountry also…


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This is exactly why we got one, I'm allergic to wheat and she is lactose intolerant so the best way to build a prep store and have some hunting meals is just to do it ourselves. With the price of the “healthier” backpacking meals these days it should pay itself off sooner than later

 

[Jake Larsen]

This is exactly why we got one, I'm allergic to wheat and she is lactose intolerant so the best way to build a prep store and have some hunting meals is just to do it ourselves. With the price of the “healthier” backpacking meals these days it should pay itself off sooner than later

Have you figured out what type of “pouch” you’re going to store the backcountry meals in for rehydration?


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[dlee56]

Have you figured out what type of “pouch” you’re going to store the backcountry meals in for rehydration?


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Mylar bags with a zipper top seem to be the way to go, pretty cheap on amazon and the harvest right even comes with a sealer for them.

 

[Wrench]

The harvest right bags are no good for standing up. We use the flat bottom ziploc mylar bags. Once we tear off the heat seal and eat the meal, all the trash gets zipped in the pouch.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Mylar bags with a zipper top seem to be the way to go, pretty cheap on amazon and the harvest right even comes with a sealer for them.

Trying to do some research on Mylar. Main concern being BPA/BPS/Pthalates due to breakdown of plastics/linings when heated. Boiling water for rehydration is superheating that stuff…tough to find good information.


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[Jake Larsen]

The harvest right bags are no good for standing up. We use the flat bottom ziploc mylar bags. Once we tear off the heat seal and eat the meal, all the trash gets zipped in the pouch.

Brand/source for those?


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[Wrench]

Amazon.com