17
votes
Accepted
How to keep flies away from curing meat
Your second suggestion is best. When hunting, we always brought cheesecloth game bags into which to place the quarters, etc. They worked well at keeping flies off and allowing air circulation. I ...
- 4,081
15
votes
Accepted
Are shrivelled chilis safe to eat and process into chili flakes?
I've certainly done this with no ill effects, including on flavour - in fact when freezing some and drying some I tend to dry the ones like this, and freeze the juicier ones. One thing to watch out ...
- 43.8k
13
votes
Accepted
Is it a good idea to put desiccant packs in the freezer?
You would need a tremendous amount of desiccant to make any significant temporary impact on ice build-up in a freezer. The only major drawback of ice build-up is that it takes up space in the freezer… ...
- 26.9k
10
votes
Is there a special way to dry bread out to make breadcrumbs?
You don't want to dry it on the counter... put slices or small pieces in the oven on low heat or grind it in a food processor and toast it in a skillet until it's crisp and brown.
Stale bread is not &...
- 16.5k
8
votes
How to keep flies away from curing meat
My family often makes sun dried beef for African dishes and it is generally dried openly outdoors in the sun, so fly infestation is a frequent problem.
The way they usually protect it is by placing ...
- 2,178
8
votes
Is there a way to harden soft braised carrots?
Your only option is to cook them separately from the braise, then add them when plating. That way, you can maintain the consistency that you like. There is no way to firm them up after they've been ...
- 73.8k
7
votes
Drying beef to preserve it without any equipment
Simply hanging meat likely won't result in a safe drying environment. The moist, room temperature surface is the environment that bacteria and mold thrive in, which is why holding food at room ...
- 9,047
6
votes
Drying fruits with a household dehydrator
It is possible to dry fruit with a household machine.
How long it takes will depend on the relative humidity. When I lived in Texas, drying would take 24 hours- sometimes more. Now that I'm in a high ...
- 47.5k
6
votes
Accepted
Can I reuse dessicant?
Desiccants eventually saturate with moisture, making them ineffective. This can be reversed, usually by heating the packs - various "recipes" for reheating are quoted, depending on the kind of ...
- 15.3k
6
votes
Accepted
What is the shelf life of dehydrated, precooked meals?
Dehydrating food is a common practice for trekking and backpacking. Dehydrating vastly reduces the water activity in foods, making them a less hospitable environment for bacterial activity. You'll ...
- 73.8k
5
votes
Accepted
How to tell the difference between sugar crystals and mold in dried fruit?
If you are talking about the cut surface of the pears, especially near the core cut-out, those little white dots may be not sugar, but a normal occurrence in pears, little gritty cells in the fruit. ...
- 7,082
5
votes
Why doesn't the fat in pemmican mold?
Mold spores are everywhere, but they need certain conditions in order to grow. Food preservation and storage steps protect against spoilage. Mold growth is one (of many) potentials for spoilage (...
- 73.8k
4
votes
How do you dry fruit slices in a humid environment?
...a dehydrator.
Unless you have some other constraint you've failed to mention, it's what they are made to do. When we had a gas oven with a standing pilot, that kept the oven warm enough to use as a ...
- 15.9k
4
votes
DIY herb preservation
I've successfully dried both rosemary and oregano in a dehydrater, and I see no reason why you couldn't do the same in a warm dry place. Drying is a prerequisite for making herb oils anyway.
The ...
- 43.8k
4
votes
Why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?
Because any moisture left on the surface will turn into steam upon touching the hot pan.
The steam will cause a lot of oil splatters (which is not only a huge mess, but can also hurt you), and if it ...
- 58.6k
4
votes
Accepted
White efflorescence on home-dried prunes
I recently got a box of dried fruits (including plums) from a friend. There was a note on the box: 'never mind the white crust, that's just sugar'.
I'm quite sure your plums have sugar on their skin. ...
- 166
4
votes
Accepted
Freezing or drying "hardy" herbs
Sage, Laurel and Rosemary can all be dried and retain a lot of their flavor. In fact, for laurel, the flavor is enhanced by drying. There is little to be gained from freezing these, and I suspect that ...
- 13.9k
4
votes
Drying beef to preserve it without any equipment
There are lots of recipes for "air dried beef" online, many of which can be accomplished in an apartment. You will need equipment, some of which you likely already have. Some you can hack very ...
- 73.8k
4
votes
Accepted
re-hydrate dried and salted cod with water and milk
Normally I poach the fish in milk as a last stage of preparation, especially if I'm making brandade. The milk, in that case, adds creamyness to the fish. both making up for some of its residual ...
- 61.4k
4
votes
Dehydrating herbs
Yes, there is no issue with that. If you have specific drying times for each herb then I guess you might need to take them out at different times but I can't see it being an issue.
At worst they may ...
- 11.9k
4
votes
What are the best ways to dry seafood before cooking/searing on the pan?
Several layers of paper towel is, in fact, the best way.
Place the seafood on 2-3 layers of paper towel and press down on it with another 2-3 layers of paper towel from the top.
Alternatives do not ...
- 61.4k
3
votes
Why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?
To get a good sear (grill marks/browning)
If you don't, the moisture will generate steam , cooling the cooking surface and preventing it getting over 100deg C
- 80k
3
votes
Accepted
How to dehydrate chili at home?
As Alton Brown teaches in an episode of Good Eats 'heat' is not the key to dehydration, but rather air flow (you can skip to about 12:00 in). What you need is the "Blow Hard 3000" (A Box fan and a ...
- 18.2k
3
votes
How to keep flies away from curing meat
Use a food fly cover available at kitchen supply shops:
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/182042077626?chn=ps&dispItem=1
- 131
3
votes
Accepted
Drying fatty meat in food dehydrator - is it okay for short time consumption?
Yes. It may be fine for immediate consumption.
The problem is the air flow from the drying itself can also accelerate the oxidation of the fat.
When I have dried fatty meat the fat already tasted a ...
- 47.5k
3
votes
Drying fruits with a household dehydrator
It would have to be very thinly sliced to dry in 4-6 hours, in my experience. I am often in the position of trying to maximize how much fruit I can get in the dehydrator and therefore use thick slices....
- 15.9k
3
votes
How to dry Eucalyptus leaves (to later on make herbal tea from)?
Pick your leaves and pluck off the little stem. Put them into a large paper grocery bag. Roll the top closed, but do not flatten the bag. Set the bag out in the sun, and shake up the leaves inside to ...
- 2,380
3
votes
How to dry Eucalyptus leaves (to later on make herbal tea from)?
You can dry herbs, chillies etc. in an oven, if your oven goes low enough. A dough proving setting is good though you can go just a little warmer. If the door makes a tight seal the moisture can't get ...
- 43.8k
3
votes
Fire in hot air oven
If you are saying that there was an explosion while you attempted to dry/bake plain loose flour in a fan-assisted oven, then I'd say it was a classic dust explosion (flour explosion). It occurs when ...
3
votes
How to ensure rice from rice cooker becomes dry?
What I normally do is fluff up the rice- sometimes its just the top layer which is a little more moist due to condensation, but if it's watery I sometimes leave the rice cooker open for a bit and let ...
- 41
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