Food dehydrator and dog treats

[JanS]

If I make dog treats I know the Hubby is going to try to steal them for himself. LOL I guess I can do it when he's not home.

I think I'll move this to the canine nutrition section so it doesn't get buried so fast since I'll want to reference it for future use.

 

[MyBuddy]

Your are welcome. I am saying this from memory, but I think I do it for about 8 hours at 145 degrees. As far as refrigeration goes, everything I have read says to refrigerate them, so I do. I know I have seen them in the stores and they are not. They must add something to them to preserve them. Which is what I am try to avoid. When I make them, I divide them up in usable size packages and freeze them.

Is each food a different time? I would guess it is and that a book will give me some insight on that. When you freeze them to they 'rehydrate' at all? like from ice crystals or something?

Gawd, I can't wait to garage sale again! lol I know I could run out and buy this new but it's so much fun garage saling! Especially when you are looking for something in particular!

 

[GennyB]

Is each food a different time? I would guess it is and that a book will give me some insight on that. When you freeze them to they 'rehydrate' at all? like from ice crystals or something?

Gawd, I can't wait to garage sale again! lol I know I could run out and buy this new but it's so much fun garage saling! Especially when you are looking for something in particular!

Yep, each food is different, depends on the moisture content in the food. As far as I know all the dehydrators come with a recipe book. If not, just do a quick search and you can find all kinds of recipes. As far as the ice crystals go, I have not had a problem. I have one of those things that you put your food in and suck all the air out of the package. Gawd, I can't think of the name.

 

[JanS]

I have one of those things that you put your food in and suck all the air out of the package. Gawd, I can't think of the name.

A Food Saver? We have one too and it makes stuff last 10 times longer than zip freezer bags.

 

[ariegel]

I did beef liver for Addie. One hint I do mine in our detached garage/shop, the smell can be a bit much! I made it small pieces to use for training treats.

 

[DreamValley]

I guess Costco Nesco dehydrator will be a good choice. What do you think?
http://www.costco.ca//.product.1034..._source=RatingsAndReviews&utm_content=Default

 

[JanS]

That looks like a good choice DV. It's much nicer than mine for sure.

 

[PanzerReich]

Do any of you dyhydrate enough to make food for daily use? Just add water like the kinds they sell in the stores for booku dollars? Or to keep on hand when you travel ? TIA

 

[Drogon]

For chicken, I buy pre-sliced breasts. I just wash them and then put them into the dehydrator. The instructions said for chicken 170F for 20hours. It really depends on how thick the slices are. Sometimes the store is out of pre-sliced so I have to slice my own. Not a big deal but I'm not as consistent in my slices. I check them every 8 hours or so. I leave them in until there's no moisture on the chicken.

 

[MyBuddy]

The instructions said for chicken 170F for 20hours.

I worry that it will spoil before it dries! LOL! That's a long time for chicken to sit out. Thoughts??

I know they've changed the darn slow cookers now because of that. I have two of them. My daughter bought me the newer one for a larger capacity. When I used it the first time on Slow, it seemed like it was bubbling away! I called the manufacturer and they said they don't feel the long hours on a low temp is safe ( did someone die?? lol ) so its a higher temperature now. So I guess we are all supposed to know that? She said I might have adjust old recipes to cook at higher temps for a shorter amount of time.

 

[Drogon]

I worry that it will spoil before it dries! LOL! That's a long time for chicken to sit out. Thoughts??

I've been doing it for months without issue. I've read a few different recipes that call for 140-160F for 3-12hours. I'm cooking mine higher and longer.

 

[JanS]

My Hubby smokes a lot of meat and of course that's for several hours too. The recommend keeping an internal thermometer in the meat to make sure it maintains a certain safe temp.

That's true about slow cookers MB. They found that slow cooking all day at the low temp doesn't keep the internal temp right so they were finding that bacteria can grow in it. Our newest one is different and the most common preset is on high for 1 hour, then low for 8. The high hour gets the temp up right away and is supposed to maintain it for the duration.
I have stopped using ours for poultry because I just don't trust it.

 

[Gelcoater]

My Hubby smokes a lot of meat and of course that's for several hours too. The recommend keeping an internal thermometer in the meat to make sure it maintains a certain safe temp.

That's true about slow cookers MB. They found that slow cooking all day at the low temp doesn't keep the internal temp right so they were finding that bacteria can grow in it. Our newest one is different and the most common preset is on high for 1 hour, then low for 8. The high hour gets the temp up right away and is supposed to maintain it for the duration.
I have stopped using ours for poultry because I just don't trust it.

That is interesting.
I haven't done much (any?) chicken in a crock pot,but lots of beef.
On low it seems it's a good 10 hours before it's really tender.After 20 it's like heaven

 

[JanS]

I haven't done much (any?) chicken in a crock pot,

I will do something like boneless chicken or pheasant breasts in there because they're not a big chunk and heat up faster. We do lots of things like venison roasts because they do get so nice and tender and the flavor is awesome. It's just that whole poultry has so much higher a risk of bacteria and stuff I'd rather cook it the traditional way.

 

[Drogon]

I get the thinnest chicken slices or cut mine as thin as I can. I just dehydrated blueberries for the first time. Pup really likes them and I don't have to worry about blueberry stains. They shink down to be very small. I may have over cooked them. I'm going to try bananas tomorrow

 

[MyBuddy]

After 20 it's like heaven

20?! In the slow cooker? Wow, that seems really long. You're still here, so it must be ok.

 

[Rits]

Bananas, strawberries, kiwi...mmmm! My folks bought a food dehydrator and whenever I visit I can't help but snatching a few of the "dog" treats for myself. Fruit chips!

 

[AMM in the Mitten]

Im breathing some life into this old post! Last night I put sweet potato and apples in our dehydrator. OMG, the apples smelled sooooooo good. Bourbon LOVES both of them. I have enjoyed reading all the different things all of you dehydrate for your pups. We have a MASSIVE blueberry bush on our property and I cannot wait to dehydrate some. I recently saw a recipe for green beans, anyone done that? They are called "crunchies" because they are so small.

I do have a question: when dehydrating meat, specifically BEEF for your pup, what cut of beef do you use?

 

[GennyB]

I do have a question: when dehydrating meat, specifically BEEF for your pup, what cut of beef do you use?

I think cuts that are lower in fat do best. Flank steak, sirloin, and round cuts do particularly well.

 

[NikiL02]

Probably whatever you would nornally use for beef jerky. Really thats what you're making only without any flavor.