Express your inner tight wad by shopping for deals at the grocery store! Also, check out our Freeze Drying Accessories Store www.freezedryingsupplies.com
@@rrsavage6544 I’d try a Home Depot type of store. It’s called a moisture meter. Used to measure the moisturizer in concrete or firewood. Just make sure to sanitize the prongs on it. I’ve used one with the prongs on a stretchy cord but you need two hands to manipulate both the meter and the probe.
Bro you cant stack hot food like that the trays in the middle will be in the "dangerzone" (below 140° but above 32° ) for much longer than 1 hour . that's risky business especially with close to expired teriyaki stir fry .
i guess im asking the wrong place but does someone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my password. I love any help you can offer me.
since i have bought my FD i have gotten into the habbit of cooking for 6 while feeding 2. FD the leftovers and now i easily have a yr supply for 2 in prepped meals.
@@KristenHH ... then you plop the frozen items on the HR trays to process, right? Ill have to chk those out,, also, but the HR back-up trays are great for an instant, ready-made batch on the fly. while the last trays are washing the freeze dryer is is humming again.
I know this is well past the date this was posted but I have been doing this hitting the clearance shelves at all three of my local grocery stores. My favorites are ground beef, milk, and chicken. I also buy eggs on special (lots of them) and freeze dry them. I break them into a blender, mix well and pour into the freeze drying pans with the pans in the freeze dryer. My freezer does not work well for liquid items that may spill (milk, eggs) so I put them into the freeze dryer unfrozen. I've had good luck with all of the above. After freeze drying (milk and eggs) I put them a blender, powder them up and put them in mason jars that I vacuum seal. The hamburger I cook until well done get the fat off and then put into the freezer before putting in the freeze dryer. Has worked nicely. The chicken doesn't have a lot of fat to contend with so it is easy to work with. Cook it up, put in the freezer, put in the freeze dryer and then bag in mylar bags. Easy peezy. .
This couldn’t have come at a better time. My Harvest Right is to be delivered this week. I’m so excited to get started with this newest of my home preserving equipment.
I hope that you are having as much fun as we are. It is amazing how easily we can store up almost any type of food we like, without any need for refrigeration, for many years of storage. We can buy at today's prices, store without refrigeration, and have what we will need in future years. We buy food in seasonal specials, when food is cheap and available. (Right now, at Thanksgiving time, we load up on turkey, celery, cranberries, cream cheese, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, apples, etc. We previously freeze dried peaches, nectarines, blackberries, blue berries, etc.) Have fun.
Great video Brian - the foods turned out perfect - just what you want in a freeze dried meal. Yes a large dryer will have longer cycles - typical is 36 to 48 but when you load them heavy like you did it will be over 50 to 60 hours. More food = more water = more time. In my opinion you don't need to remove the door gasket each time just to install the insulator pad - you risk more ware and tear on the gasket - I only remove mine for cleaning. A very thin coating of petroleum jelly on the outside rim of the chamber will help the gasket slide on easier, reduce ware and tear and help give a good vacuum tight seal. I always shop the sales for my freeze dryer - I sometimes don't know what my next batch will be until I get to the store and see what is on sale.
I'd be careful with the petroleum jelly on the gasket. PJ can breakdown rubber, vinyl, and plastics. That's why they say not to use it with "rain coats" wink wink lol
It wonte be 10 weeks it took over 4 months for mine but they told me about 10 weeks was worth the wait love it caution dont try to dry salad dressing to much oil made a terrible terrible mess
I'd like to see a video on how you organize and store your inventory so you know what you have, where you have it and how much you have, what you do to maintain a balanced inventory (of meat/protein, vegs, fruits, ingredient items (diced/sliced peppers, carrots, celery, onions, herbs) and what means you use to ensure you cycle thru the inventory in an optimal way.
This is great! Once I get rolling I will definitely be checking out my Aldie. I have to tell you though I have never seen one thing on sale in my Aldie? So now I’m just going to ask them when I walk in if they have any specials.
When computing your price per serving you divided backwards, you should've divided the $14 by the 25 servings giving you $.56 per serving instead of $1.78 per serving. If it really had cost you $1.78 per serving you would've spent over $44 for the 25 servings.
Harvest Rite has "Blemished" units. Someone dented the top of my and slightly curled the bottom outer housing. Saved $300 dollars by purchasing a scratch and dent. That alone put me 300 dollars in product to FD ahead. Harvest Rite delivers these FASTER. Mine came in three weeks.
I love your videos and you inspired me to buy my freeze dryer. I have had nothing but problems with my machine after the 4th batch. Sent back to harvest right and they said it was low on refrigerant and sent back full, well 6 batches later it is doing the same thing and nothing but issues. Almost seems like they are trying to delay so my warranty is no longer good.
I just purchased the medium unit with the optimum compressor. I do have another compressor in my inventory in the event of a failure. I really do appreciate your insight on this product. I am a new subscriber. I too have a UA-cam channel.But I am left with following your channel for astute clarification on the intricate workings of this unit. THANK YOU for your detailed videos on this product.
thanks for the helpful videos, my freeze dryer is on it's way and I'm excited! just joined your fb group, and being frugal like you this video is awesome! you got a great deal!
Thank you so much for all the informative vids, and the awesome site for accessories. Hard to spend quite so much at once (got the large), but beyond excited to get started for us, and our loved ones.
I'm guessing the calorie difference is largely the carbs from the noodles. IMO the expensive packaged brand has a bit more credibility by NOT including a cheap carb, that anyone can cook up while they are boiling water to rehydrate the meal. I would feel better knowing that for that price per serving, I wasn't paying $$ extra for about a dimes worth of pasta. Yeah it's another step, but I'd likely cook the pasta and use the pasta water to rehydrate the food, so no extra pot, just need a strainer & longer cook time. Or you can experiment with boiling the noodles with less water & dump the freeze dried meal into the cooking pot when the noodles are almost done, then remove from the heat until the meal is all done? Still a one pot meal.
What moisture meter did you get and where? Also, what % do you usually go for, 0%??? Just purchased my first one. Farmer with a freeze dryer, going to be busy this year.
We bought ours at Lowe’s in the tool department. We had a pipe burst and needed to check moisture in the walls and floors. This model works great and I think we paid $35 for it.
I really appreciate your videos and the time you put in to testing and calculating everything. However, you miscalculated in this video as $14 divided by 25 servings = $0.56 + $0.16 (for electricity) = $0.72 per serving.
Tightwad is in my name haha. Gettting my freeze dryer soon can't wait. Working on the room im putting it in (2nd bedroom), its going to be my new storage pantry.
I could have written this! Ordered my FD on Friday, 9/10/21 and all my time ever since has been spent getting the spare bedroom ready! You'd think a new BABY was on the way lol
The difference in calories is probably easily accounted for if you compare the amount of oils used in both meals. The 'aldi' meal you will find to be packed with 'cheap oil' while the Mountain House meal is meant to be freeze dried and (again: my guess) have much less oil in it, but (better for your body) 'basic carbs'.
From watching his prior videos I think oils and fats also reduce shelf life. Kind of what you are pointing out indirectly I think. So, every 5 years he will probably want to start eating a ton of the stuff he has made and start over... just to be on the safe side. Most of it looks tasty though. This is kind of what I do with my stored items. Only I just buy normal pantry stuff like dried beans; canned vegetables; powdered items like flour, eggs, milk, etc; pasta and sauce, etc. About a year's worth of it. And I make stuff and eat it on a regular basis (like most people do) and I restock each month so I maintain that year supply.
I did 5 trays of strawberries which was 2 1/2 flats it took a little over 50 hrs in my large freeze dryer. But it was about 9 harvest right mylar bags full
New here and really getting interested in this tech. Have you done a comparison as to store bought food vs homemade food. Specifically if the preserving chemicals in store bought have an effect on cycle time or end result.
Nothing against the freeze dry manufactures,,,but the portions are small and not enough. I'm 6'4 and 230 lbs. I've been freeze drying all year, continuous, and I make the serving sizes considerably larger for us. Heck,,,I've even made 20 pounds of pemmican,,,just in case things get really bad (i dont care for the taste by itself,,, but it makes an excellent meat base for soups/stews. Doesnt take much and is highly nutritious.)
@@SilentWatcher594 why do you people always act like the world is ending! No need to keep shitty tasking food like that... Some of us have standards! 🤣🤣🤣
@@davidmoya6449 I camp/hike/hunt a lot. Freeze dry is great/easy for food storage. Pemmican is a great off grid stew base. I like a well stocked pantry. It has nothing to do with end of the world.
First off I love your channel and you were the inspiration for the Harvest Right purchase we decided on! Your math is wrong (in your favor big time) Chicken Teriyaki 25 servings at $14 = $0.56 ea + 0.16 elec = $0.72 per serving FYI Just wanted to point that out bro!!! Please keep the awesome content coming!
I was really racing to get this weekly video out and overlooked that somehow. Better to be on the worse side of that error. Thanks for pointing it out!
Awesome content. I really would like one of these, so we can be prepared. Funds are tight on military retirement and SS. So I just need to be patient and save the money?
Mountain House has Beef Stroganoff with noodles. Maybe that would be a good comparison to what you are making here. My family and I do a lot of camping and I have NEVER bought the Mountain House meals. They have always been WAY too expensive.
If you have been stock piling your freeze dried food, once hyperinflation strikes you will have paid back the cost of FD as food goes sky high. I just ordered FD and will arrive in late May. Hyperinflation worries me so I want to be prepared.
Dont dont do salad dressing I've had mine for several months love it then tried to dry some blue cheese salad dressing I was 4 batches and still cleaning up oil from that mess I do lemons and other citrus it's a challenge long drying times
Where do you buy all your mylar bags? I want assorted sizes, but I don't trust Amazon. We just bought our Freeze Dryer and bought several things from your site as well.
bags: luis, cheap ones can so easily puncture from the corners of other bags and you wake up on crunch time with spoiled food. they are one thing you don't want to scrimp on. i will not use anything less than a 5mil bag for that reason. and, i will spend the extra few cents if i can get a 7mil bag.... it's cheap insurance. P.S. but yes, it does cost a bit to get set up with bags but, with shortages & all, i count buying in bulk as cheap ins., also (a freeze dryer will do no good without proper bags to keep food long term... think in terms of not being able to get them later!!! i stocked up.).
I think a very important note, for any who sees this is that while costing why Blue Mountain is so much you must consider that you are just calculating the cost of the raw materials. Blue Mountain has to pay taxes, salaries, rent/mortgage on the property, probably has a huge investment in commercial sized freeze dryers, the cost of packaging, shipping, I assume they cook their own supply or purchase it. In this case yes you got an INCREDIBLE deal at $0.99 a box, but you probably bought them at a loss for Aldi. They wanted to get rid of them. So in normal conditions if you take the 40% margin for Aldi (minimum for supermarkets), it probably cost Aldi something like $3 per box. Maybe $2. It will ALWAYS be cheaper to freeze dry things yourself.
It's not just calories etc.. if you read the ingredients of those mountain freeze dried, you'll notice it's got extra, added "chemicals" , food colorings etc.. added to them.. not all Natural like what you making in your machine !!! which is even More healthy!!
I had no idea that there were somethings that you can’t freeze dry! Could you provide a list? Or is there a place I can go to find out? Thanks for everything!
@@live.life.simple. so I couldn’t do Mexican food?? It’s my favorite. It has lots of fat. And I put a stick of butter in a big pot of beans. Would either of those not work?
@@Shanmammy maybe cook with as little fat as possible and add it in after rehydrating? Especially butter - you can make ghee and it’ll keep a very long time, shelf stable; use it as your butter in a “s” hits the “f” situation.
I sent a message to Harvest right which is who I bought my freeze dryer from. I bought a medium size. I bought extra pans. I bought the liners that go in the pans and a little spacers for them and I got the one that had the better oil set up. And it works really nice. I've only had it a year and only used it maybe 10 times. But I'm feeling like I'm just too old and getting to it hardly ever and it seems like a waste it just sitting there do you know places that I can sell my machine and that's what I just asked Harvest right as well I don't know what to do with it
I might have the means to buy a FD maybe even this week. Fingers crossed. big question. CAN I make a profit selling FD food items? IE in theory how long might it take me to make enough profit to pay for the machine? How do you price things? Problems issues risks? Machine longevity? Also honestly are FD'd scrambled eggs GOOD reconstituted? I can sometimes get eggs 50c a dozen. If I can FD them I would buy 40 or 50 dozen at a time!
I don't have any experience with selling it but I will say this. Anytime I have someone try freeze dried candy or fruit, the bag is gone in a matter of minutes. One problem I see with a larger scale is regulatory agencies. You might be ok selling at farmers markets or similar.
I have made FD raw scrambled eggs and then cooked them on cast iron a year later and compared them to fresh scrambled eggs i cooked immediately after. You cannot tell the difference. They were both delicious.
Hi Brian, I just received my Harvest Right and it looks like I didn't get a *Drain Line,* you know, the clear plastic tube to go into a bucket...I recall you doing a video on _your_ newer Medium Harvest Right and you looking around for the same line. Did you ever find yours? *What size/diameter do I need to buy?* Home Depot? I'm looking in my owner's manual and it's listed on page 2 as a major component but it's not listed on page 1 in the unpacking list. 🤨 BTW, I bought your goof proof attachment from your website so I wouldn't accidentally suck old water back into my machine. At least I have that part. Everything else looks good. I need to find someone to help me get the freeze dryer up off the pallet onto the cart. That and a drain line and I am eager to get going.
@@live.life.simple. thanks. I can tell it's bigger than a 1/4" and smaller than a 1/2" drip line, which I have, so I'll venture a guess. It reminds me of fish tank tubing...
I know this is an older video but your math is wrong. 25 servings at 14$ is $0.56 add your energy $0.16 = $0.72. Great deal IMO, I just ordered a medium machine on sale for $2600. can''t wait until it gets here.
I require immediate help with a batch, please!! If you are able to offer advice, I would truly appreciate it. I need immediate advice and help or else my 10 L of milk that I freeze dried will go to waste. How do you add time to the freeze dryer after you cancel your cycle completely? We freeze dried milk, and my husband let the cycle stop. It's been stopped for hours and completely cold, and likely has excess moisture again. It was sitting in a cold chamber with the ice for hours. It definitely is not as dry as it should be prior to packaging. How do I heat it up and extend the drying cycle for a few hours to get the last of the moisture out? He has no idea about freeze drying and went and shut the cycle off completely. He didn't put it on defrost. It's completely shut off with ice sitting in the chamber. Please, can anyone help me salvage this milk and tell me how to add more drying time since it's completely shut off now? Do I have to start a brand new cycle again and do this all over? I can tell you for certain that there is some moisture back in it. It was sitting in the chamber for a few hours when he removed it.
Not too much oil. If you were making it from scratch, it could potentially be less or even none. I typically don't freeze dry for maximum storage, I rotate so I don't have the possibility of food going bad from error or other things.
Thank you for your video….I am thinking of purchasing a small freeze dryer. I would like to purchase it through your link…do they ship to Canada? I noticed that most people have it in their garage…are you able to put them in your basement?
I make my own dog food and don't use quite as much ingredients. I stick to just meat, rice and veggies. You can cut cost by buying your rice and veggies at the dollar store
I'm not sure what greens your talking about but that's most of what I dry brocolli beautiful constitutes very good brussel sprouts green beans asparagus ok kale I have it in powder for smoothies and in leaf form for soups or cooking same with spinach and all other greens dont dont do salad dressing to much oil you will have a terrible mess but I can do stuff like sour cream and cottage cheese salad dressing is the only thing I've found you cant do. avocados wonderful the halves or quarters soaked in lemon juice for a minute the struggle is citrus I do a lot of it its a tricky
@@katrinakrakow5961 .. i can't envision the dried leaves upholding the pkg'g process well at all. they'd crush. maybe included in a ready-made meal they'd keep some original form...?
if bagged propwrly in mylar bags, food will last for 10 to 25 yrs! bread does not reconstitute well, though. slices maybe, if you just spray them with water & micro for a few seconds... (if we'll have elect then!) try it out.
I have been wondering when freeze drying item like onions, and garlic does fill the house with the smell of onions or garlic. Use the dehydrator we put it in the garage or out side , as the garlic or onion are very strong.
i WILL be cooking my onions & garlic first! plus, i bought a large jar of canned garlic which i hope i won't have to open a window for in mid winter here! but, i bought a gal of freeze dried onion, also.
Brenda Bodwin - You can make your own with the fresh stuff. That's what I do. I also will go to my favorite chinese restaurant and and get some chicken or veggie fried rice. The amount they give you can feed 3 people. I just freeze dried some last night/this morning. : )
@@annwithaplan9766 Thank you Ann, your awesome. I appreciate the info. I'm very new to this. I'm still watching the how to use the freeze dryer videos.
@@BrendaBodwin - You're welcome. That's what I did, and am still doing haha. I watch several different ones' videos on how to use the machine and what to freeze dry. He also sells some useful things to use with the trays.
I saw someone else's video using the freeze dryer and they didn't take the seal off the opening. They just took the pad off, filled, put in pad, closed and cycled. What's the difference?
Express your inner tight wad by shopping for deals at the grocery store!
Also, check out our Freeze Drying Accessories Store www.freezedryingsupplies.com
I’ve never seen that meter you used to check for moisture. What is it called and where do you get them?
@@rrsavage6544 I’d try a Home Depot type of store. It’s called a moisture meter. Used to measure the moisturizer in concrete or firewood. Just make sure to sanitize the prongs on it. I’ve used one with the prongs on a stretchy cord but you need two hands to manipulate both the meter and the probe.
Bro you cant stack hot food like that the trays in the middle will be in the "dangerzone" (below 140° but above 32° ) for much longer than 1 hour . that's risky business especially with close to expired teriyaki stir fry .
No taste comparison with MH? 🙁
i guess im asking the wrong place but does someone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account??
I stupidly forgot my password. I love any help you can offer me.
since i have bought my FD i have gotten into the habbit of cooking for 6 while feeding 2. FD the leftovers and now i easily have a yr supply for 2 in prepped meals.
Awesome!
60+ hours of work in 11+ minutes. Thanks for putting this together, really appreciate all your doing for the freeze drying community.
Glad to help
I just freeze everything in dollar tree brownie pans. Two fit a medium tray perfectly. Saved alot by not having to buy a backup set of trays. 🤷🏼♀️
Thank you for this info.
You replace the trays with these brownie pans?
@@farmsteadpreps I pre freeze in the pans.
Nice tip I’m gonna have to do the same thing
@@KristenHH ... then you plop the frozen items on the HR trays to process, right? Ill have to chk those out,, also, but the HR back-up trays are great for an instant, ready-made batch on the fly. while the last trays are washing the freeze dryer is is humming again.
I know this is well past the date this was posted but I have been doing this hitting the clearance shelves at all three of my local grocery stores. My favorites are ground beef, milk, and chicken. I also buy eggs on special (lots of them) and freeze dry them. I break them into a blender, mix well and pour into the freeze drying pans with the pans in the freeze dryer. My freezer does not work well for liquid items that may spill (milk, eggs) so I put them into the freeze dryer unfrozen. I've had good luck with all of the above. After freeze drying (milk and eggs) I put them a blender, powder them up and put them in mason jars that I vacuum seal. The hamburger I cook until well done get the fat off and then put into the freezer before putting in the freeze dryer. Has worked nicely. The chicken doesn't have a lot of fat to contend with so it is easy to work with. Cook it up, put in the freezer, put in the freeze dryer and then bag in mylar bags. Easy peezy.
.
Awesome. You are getting the most out of your fd
This couldn’t have come at a better time. My Harvest Right is to be delivered this week. I’m so excited to get started with this newest of my home preserving equipment.
I hope that you are having as much fun as we are. It is amazing how easily we can store up almost any type of food we like, without any need for refrigeration, for many years of storage. We can buy at today's prices, store without refrigeration, and have what we will need in future years. We buy food in seasonal specials, when food is cheap and available. (Right now, at Thanksgiving time, we load up on turkey, celery, cranberries, cream cheese, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, apples, etc. We previously freeze dried peaches, nectarines, blackberries, blue berries, etc.)
Have fun.
So glad I took your advice and got the extra trays. And I love our green stackers. They make this so much easier.
That's awesome!
i was particularly impressed by the fact your trays fit perfectly in your freezer.
Great video Brian - the foods turned out perfect - just what you want in a freeze dried meal.
Yes a large dryer will have longer cycles - typical is 36 to 48 but when you load them heavy like you did it will be over 50 to 60 hours. More food = more water = more time. In my opinion you don't need to remove the door gasket each time just to install the insulator pad - you risk more ware and tear on the gasket - I only remove mine for cleaning. A very thin coating of petroleum jelly on the outside rim of the chamber will help the gasket slide on easier, reduce ware and tear and help give a good vacuum tight seal.
I always shop the sales for my freeze dryer - I sometimes don't know what my next batch will be until I get to the store and see what is on sale.
This guy Jerry Smith is a genius. Listen to him
I'd be careful with the petroleum jelly on the gasket. PJ can breakdown rubber, vinyl, and plastics. That's why they say not to use it with "rain coats" wink wink lol
baking silicone spray instead of pj
Just used your link and purchased a medium yesterday. (Delivery is 10 weeks out) I watched a ton of your videos first. Thanks for all the tips.
Awesome! Thank you!
It wonte be 10 weeks it took over 4 months for mine but they told me about 10 weeks was worth the wait love it caution dont try to dry salad dressing to much oil made a terrible terrible mess
@@russrasmussen9514 good thing I ordered when I did then. Thanks 😊
Subscribed. Great info. Just got my medium freeze dryer. Super excited 😊
My freeze dryer isn't even here yet but I've made two orders from your store. Love supporting your channel!!
I'd like to see a video on how you organize and store your inventory so you know what you have, where you have it and how much you have, what you do to maintain a balanced inventory (of meat/protein, vegs, fruits, ingredient items (diced/sliced peppers, carrots, celery, onions, herbs) and what means you use to ensure you cycle thru the inventory in an optimal way.
This is great! Once I get rolling I will definitely be checking out my Aldie. I have to tell you though I have never seen one thing on sale in my Aldie? So now I’m just going to ask them when I walk in if they have any specials.
I'm glad you left some for somebody who might really need it
Thanks. You cover all the bases. What's the moisture tester that you use?
When computing your price per serving you divided backwards, you should've divided the $14 by the 25 servings giving you $.56 per serving instead of $1.78 per serving. If it really had cost you $1.78 per serving you would've spent over $44 for the 25 servings.
these inbreds can't math. That food probably tastes so bad that my dog would pass.
Even better!
I was just going to say this!
Thank you!!! That's why I came straight to the comments...to make sure I wasn't completely bonkers!!
Me too @@angelagrigsby3438
Harvest Rite has "Blemished" units. Someone dented the top of my and slightly curled the bottom outer housing. Saved $300 dollars by purchasing a scratch and dent. That alone put me 300 dollars in product to FD ahead. Harvest Rite delivers these FASTER. Mine came in three weeks.
That's cool. First time I have heard that
I love your program, we live 10 miles from Harvest right. Gotta love it
I love your videos and you inspired me to buy my freeze dryer. I have had nothing but problems with my machine after the 4th batch. Sent back to harvest right and they said it was low on refrigerant and sent back full, well 6 batches later it is doing the same thing and nothing but issues. Almost seems like they are trying to delay so my warranty is no longer good.
Oh no!!! That is horrible. I’m scared to make such an expensive purchase and have this happen. I hope your situation gets resolved .
@jesselane248 Would you mind sharing how this situation turned out? Thank you.
DUDE!!! You remove the rubber seal to put the insulation pack in. I've been struggling with that. Thank you!
I just purchased the medium unit with the optimum compressor. I do have another compressor in my inventory in the event of a failure. I really do appreciate your insight on this product. I am a new subscriber. I too have a UA-cam channel.But I am left with following your channel for astute clarification on the intricate workings of this unit. THANK YOU for your detailed videos on this product.
I love how you adding in electricity cost. Great good
Thank you!
thanks for the helpful videos, my freeze dryer is on it's way and I'm excited! just joined your fb group, and being frugal like you this video is awesome! you got a great deal!
I hadn't thought of freeze drying leftovers. What a great idea. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for all the informative vids, and the awesome site for accessories. Hard to spend quite so much at once (got the large), but beyond excited to get started for us, and our loved ones.
Awesome. If you use it as intended, it's worth every penny.
Great idea!!! Watching a lot of your videos, very interested in a freeze dryer.
I'm guessing the calorie difference is largely the carbs from the noodles. IMO the expensive packaged brand has a bit more credibility by NOT including a cheap carb, that anyone can cook up while they are boiling water to rehydrate the meal. I would feel better knowing that for that price per serving, I wasn't paying $$ extra for about a dimes worth of pasta. Yeah it's another step, but I'd likely cook the pasta and use the pasta water to rehydrate the food, so no extra pot, just need a strainer & longer cook time. Or you can experiment with boiling the noodles with less water & dump the freeze dried meal into the cooking pot when the noodles are almost done, then remove from the heat until the meal is all done? Still a one pot meal.
That's a great idea and way of thinking!
he really thought he had something. 🤣🤣🤣
What moisture meter did you get and where? Also, what % do you usually go for, 0%??? Just purchased my first one. Farmer with a freeze dryer, going to be busy this year.
We bought ours at Lowe’s in the tool department. We had a pipe burst and needed to check moisture in the walls and floors. This model works great and I think we paid $35 for it.
@@tammym110 what % do u check for or is aloud to remain???
Hopefully harvest right will sponsor you . You do them a lot of good . Thanks 🙏
I just like praising a product that i like!
Great idea! Can't wait to receive my freeze dryer...
Have fun!
I put my HR on layaway and ask for a military discount and was giving a extra set of trays. Very happy I don’t have to buy them.
Good for you and good for HR! Thanks for serving
I really appreciate your videos and the time you put in to testing and calculating everything. However, you miscalculated in this video as $14 divided by 25 servings = $0.56 + $0.16 (for electricity) = $0.72 per serving.
That's great, It's even better savings!
I figured someone would address that. Big difference!
Tightwad is in my name haha. Gettting my freeze dryer soon can't wait. Working on the room im putting it in (2nd bedroom), its going to be my new storage pantry.
Congrats. You will probably want to vent or have some air moving in that closet or it will get mighty warm in there
I could have written this! Ordered my FD on Friday, 9/10/21 and all my time ever since has been spent getting the spare bedroom ready! You'd think a new BABY was on the way lol
Thanks for not saying the F-word…FAN!😁
You have totally made me a believer in freeze drying...
This is your best video. Great quality food product and great data.
Wow, thanks!
You should weigh and label the trays before drying to know how much water has to be added later.
I like how he tastes things in his videos. I think that's important.
The difference in calories is probably easily accounted for if you compare the amount of oils used in both meals. The 'aldi' meal you will find to be packed with 'cheap oil' while the Mountain House meal is meant to be freeze dried and (again: my guess) have much less oil in it, but (better for your body) 'basic carbs'.
From watching his prior videos I think oils and fats also reduce shelf life. Kind of what you are pointing out indirectly I think. So, every 5 years he will probably want to start eating a ton of the stuff he has made and start over... just to be on the safe side. Most of it looks tasty though.
This is kind of what I do with my stored items. Only I just buy normal pantry stuff like dried beans; canned vegetables; powdered items like flour, eggs, milk, etc; pasta and sauce, etc. About a year's worth of it. And I make stuff and eat it on a regular basis (like most people do) and I restock each month so I maintain that year supply.
I did 5 trays of strawberries which was 2 1/2 flats it took a little over 50 hrs in my large freeze dryer. But it was about 9 harvest right mylar bags full
Great snack!
New here and really getting interested in this tech. Have you done a comparison as to store bought food vs homemade food. Specifically if the preserving chemicals in store bought have an effect on cycle time or end result.
Excellent video, subbed and looking forward to future videos.
Welcome aboard!
Thanks for doing this - helps to have real information.
Glad it was helpful!
I do this now with a Freezer but watching your Vids have convinced me that a FD is in our family's very near future
MH-$10! Wow!
I remember, 2013 buying 2 serving pouch for close to $5 per (off the Wally shelf) and the 4 serving pouch was maybe $7.
Crazy stuff
Nothing against the freeze dry manufactures,,,but the portions are small and not enough. I'm 6'4 and 230 lbs. I've been freeze drying all year, continuous, and I make the serving sizes considerably larger for us. Heck,,,I've even made 20 pounds of pemmican,,,just in case things get really bad (i dont care for the taste by itself,,, but it makes an excellent meat base for soups/stews. Doesnt take much and is highly nutritious.)
@@SilentWatcher594 why do you people always act like the world is ending! No need to keep shitty tasking food like that... Some of us have standards! 🤣🤣🤣
@@davidmoya6449 I camp/hike/hunt a lot. Freeze dry is great/easy for food storage. Pemmican is a great off grid stew base. I like a well stocked pantry. It has nothing to do with end of the world.
That was cool, thanks.
Great stuff. Thanks for your details!
First off I love your channel and you were the inspiration for the Harvest Right purchase we decided on! Your math is wrong (in your favor big time) Chicken Teriyaki 25 servings at $14 = $0.56 ea + 0.16 elec = $0.72 per serving FYI Just wanted to point that out bro!!! Please keep the awesome content coming!
I was really racing to get this weekly video out and overlooked that somehow. Better to be on the worse side of that error. Thanks for pointing it out!
I thankfully ordered extra set of trays , and want to get 4 more 3 to 4 sets , to keep it going
Perfect!
Awesome content.
I really would like one of these, so we can be prepared. Funds are tight on military retirement and SS. So I just need to be patient and save the money?
I understand. It's a big investment especially on a fixed income. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya
Great info! Thank you! I’m super curious to know why you didn’t use your tray dividers?
We had not made them when the video came out
i love all your " nicknames" . .. very funny indeed.
Mountain House has Beef Stroganoff with noodles. Maybe that would be a good comparison to what you are making here. My family and I do a lot of camping and I have NEVER bought the Mountain House meals. They have always been WAY too expensive.
If you have been stock piling your freeze dried food, once hyperinflation strikes you will have paid back the cost of FD as food goes sky high. I just ordered FD and will arrive in late May. Hyperinflation worries me so I want to be prepared.
Stocking up on food is never a bad idea, no matter the situation!
@@live.life.simple. I very much agree! Been pressure canning items on sale for years. Now want to try freeze drying!
Like your videos. At 6:10, there is a wisp of something coming off the top of the Premier vacuum pump. Is that smoke or condensed steam?
Thank You!
You're welcome!
Thank you! I just got mine and Harvest Right does not tell you much
Glad I could help!
Dont dont do salad dressing I've had mine for several months love it then tried to dry some blue cheese salad dressing I was 4 batches and still cleaning up oil from that mess I do lemons and other citrus it's a challenge long drying times
Where do you buy all your mylar bags? I want assorted sizes, but I don't trust Amazon. We just bought our Freeze Dryer and bought several things from your site as well.
Thank you
What about the cost of the bags? Are those expensive?
bags: luis, cheap ones can so easily puncture from the corners of other bags and you wake up on crunch time with spoiled food. they are one thing you don't want to scrimp on. i will not use anything less than a 5mil bag for that reason. and, i will spend the extra few cents if i can get a 7mil bag.... it's cheap insurance.
P.S. but yes, it does cost a bit to get set up with bags but, with shortages & all, i count buying in bulk as cheap ins., also (a freeze dryer will do no good without proper bags to keep food long term... think in terms of not being able to get them later!!! i stocked up.).
I want/need a freeze dryer.
👍💯
Nice video but where do you get your bags and oxygen absorbers at. looking at every aspect of the freeze dryer before buying one???
We sell them in our store
Www.freezedryingsupplies.com
Or there are lots of places to get them
Why did you over the window? What is the instrument you used to test moisture?
Thanks for the shout out
Great content. Thanks!
My pleasure!
I think a very important note, for any who sees this is that while costing why Blue Mountain is so much you must consider that you are just calculating the cost of the raw materials.
Blue Mountain has to pay taxes, salaries, rent/mortgage on the property, probably has a huge investment in commercial sized freeze dryers, the cost of packaging, shipping, I assume they cook their own supply or purchase it.
In this case yes you got an INCREDIBLE deal at $0.99 a box, but you probably bought them at a loss for Aldi. They wanted to get rid of them. So in normal conditions if you take the 40% margin for Aldi (minimum for supermarkets), it probably cost Aldi something like $3 per box. Maybe $2.
It will ALWAYS be cheaper to freeze dry things yourself.
Don't forget to add a cost of packages for freeze food storage in your calculation (~ 50c each). From penny saver to penny saver :)
You are correct!
We eat ONLY organic and we are fine on the cost. We also are learning to grow using Heirloom seeds.
It's not just calories etc.. if you read the ingredients of those mountain freeze dried, you'll notice it's got extra, added "chemicals" , food colorings etc.. added to them.. not all Natural like what you making in your machine !!! which is even More healthy!!
You are correct. If you value what goes in your body, the store bought freeze dried is garbage
I had no idea that there were somethings that you can’t freeze dry! Could you provide a list? Or is there a place I can go to find out? Thanks for everything!
General rule is high fat, oil and some sugars
@@live.life.simple. so I couldn’t do Mexican food?? It’s my favorite. It has lots of fat. And I put a stick of butter in a big pot of beans. Would either of those not work?
@@Shanmammy maybe cook with as little fat as possible and add it in after rehydrating? Especially butter - you can make ghee and it’ll keep a very long time, shelf stable; use it as your butter in a “s” hits the “f” situation.
@@debbiemueller7067 and I guess I could put cheese on top of enchiladas after rehydrating...
Have you tried fd coffee beans. Wonder if green or roasted will do better and will it work long term.
I sent a message to Harvest right which is who I bought my freeze dryer from. I bought a medium size. I bought extra pans. I bought the liners that go in the pans and a little spacers for them and I got the one that had the better oil set up. And it works really nice. I've only had it a year and only used it maybe 10 times. But I'm feeling like I'm just too old and getting to it hardly ever and it seems like a waste it just sitting there do you know places that I can sell my machine and that's what I just asked Harvest right as well I don't know what to do with it
The harvest right exchange on facebook
Do you need to use oxygen absorbers with chamber sealer?
My husband is frugal squeeky cheeks. LOL
Thanks
I might have the means to buy a FD maybe even this week. Fingers crossed. big question. CAN I make a profit selling FD food items? IE in theory how long might it take me to make enough profit to pay for the machine? How do you price things? Problems issues risks? Machine longevity?
Also honestly are FD'd scrambled eggs GOOD reconstituted? I can sometimes get eggs 50c a dozen. If I can FD them I would buy 40 or 50 dozen at a time!
I don't have any experience with selling it but I will say this. Anytime I have someone try freeze dried candy or fruit, the bag is gone in a matter of minutes. One problem I see with a larger scale is regulatory agencies. You might be ok selling at farmers markets or similar.
I have made FD raw scrambled eggs and then cooked them on cast iron a year later and compared them to fresh scrambled eggs i cooked immediately after. You cannot tell the difference. They were both delicious.
I just found your channel. What was the device you put in your food when checking the drying consistency?
Hi Brian,
I just received my Harvest Right and it looks like I didn't get a *Drain Line,* you know, the clear plastic tube to go into a bucket...I recall you doing a video on _your_ newer Medium Harvest Right and you looking around for the same line.
Did you ever find yours?
*What size/diameter do I need to buy?* Home Depot?
I'm looking in my owner's manual and it's listed on page 2 as a major component but it's not listed on page 1 in the unpacking list. 🤨
BTW, I bought your goof proof attachment from your website so I wouldn't accidentally suck old water back into my machine. At least I have that part. Everything else looks good. I need to find someone to help me get the freeze dryer up off the pallet onto the cart. That and a drain line and I am eager to get going.
I just went and purchased one, I don't recall the size. You can purchase it by the foot from a hardware store.
@@live.life.simple. thanks. I can tell it's bigger than a 1/4" and smaller than a 1/2" drip line, which I have, so I'll venture a guess. It reminds me of fish tank tubing...
that drain line SHOULD have come with your FD! did mine! it's a no brainer required part!
@@ohwhatelse Agreed. I called HR and they shipped it right out.
I know this is an older video but your math is wrong. 25 servings at 14$ is $0.56 add your energy $0.16 = $0.72. Great deal IMO, I just ordered a medium machine on sale for $2600. can''t wait until it gets here.
Thanks for sharing.
Our pleasure!
I require immediate help with a batch, please!! If you are able to offer advice, I would truly appreciate it. I need immediate advice and help or else my 10 L of milk that I freeze dried will go to waste. How do you add time to the freeze dryer after you cancel your cycle completely? We freeze dried milk, and my husband let the cycle stop. It's been stopped for hours and completely cold, and likely has excess moisture again. It was sitting in a cold chamber with the ice for hours. It definitely is not as dry as it should be prior to packaging. How do I heat it up and extend the drying cycle for a few hours to get the last of the moisture out? He has no idea about freeze drying and went and shut the cycle off completely. He didn't put it on defrost. It's completely shut off with ice sitting in the chamber. Please, can anyone help me salvage this milk and tell me how to add more drying time since it's completely shut off now? Do I have to start a brand new cycle again and do this all over? I can tell you for certain that there is some moisture back in it. It was sitting in the chamber for a few hours when he removed it.
How much oil is in the stir fry and how will fat affect the longevity of what you freeze dried.
Not too much oil. If you were making it from scratch, it could potentially be less or even none. I typically don't freeze dry for maximum storage, I rotate so I don't have the possibility of food going bad from error or other things.
Which moisture meter are you using and can you share your list of cycle times for foods that you have b e freeze dried?
Do you freeze dry for other people. And. Charge them
What is the tool to check moisture and where do you get it?
He has a link up in the description.
Link to the Moisture Meter:
amzn.to/3k5YNWH
Thank you for your video….I am thinking of purchasing a small freeze dryer. I would like to purchase it through your link…do they ship to Canada? I noticed that most people have it in their garage…are you able to put them in your basement?
Yes, they ship to canada and it can go in any climate controlled area
climate controlled bcz the pump will overheat if it gets too hot. needs a fan & ac in summers.
Awesome. Thank you
You're welcome!
So if you used this everyday how much would it cost in electric bill with delivery charge rate difference?
What is the moisture tester you have??
I make my own dog food and don't use quite as much ingredients. I stick to just meat, rice and veggies. You can cut cost by buying your rice and veggies at the dollar store
Great tip!
Did you put that in hot?
Have you freeze-dried greens? If so, do they reconstitute well or do you use them like dried herbs? Thanks.
Greens can be powdered and thats about it.
I'm not sure what greens your talking about but that's most of what I dry brocolli beautiful constitutes very good brussel sprouts green beans asparagus ok kale I have it in powder for smoothies and in leaf form for soups or cooking same with spinach and all other greens dont dont do salad dressing to much oil you will have a terrible mess but I can do stuff like sour cream and cottage cheese salad dressing is the only thing I've found you cant do. avocados wonderful the halves or quarters soaked in lemon juice for a minute the struggle is citrus I do a lot of it its a tricky
Thanks. I was talking about things like kale, collards, etc. To see if they rehydrate well or if you would use them only in powdered form.
@@katrinakrakow5961 .. i can't envision the dried leaves upholding the pkg'g process well at all. they'd crush. maybe included in a ready-made meal they'd keep some original form...?
What is the tool you use to determine moisture?
Where did you get the shelf you have your freeze dryer on?
How long does food last that has been freeze dried from this machine? Beef, pasta, bread or the most typical food's that would be freeze dried. Thanks
if bagged propwrly in mylar bags, food will last for 10 to 25 yrs! bread does not reconstitute well, though. slices maybe, if you just spray them with water & micro for a few seconds... (if we'll have elect then!) try it out.
I have been wondering when freeze drying item like onions, and garlic does fill the house with the smell of onions or garlic. Use the dehydrator we put it in the garage or out side , as the garlic or onion are very strong.
i WILL be cooking my onions & garlic first! plus, i bought a large jar of canned garlic which i hope i won't have to open a window for in mid winter here! but, i bought a gal of freeze dried onion, also.
Ok, some people dont want nor need the calories. I understand what your point is, but, for every day eating, is there a way to get the calories down?
Brenda Bodwin - You can make your own with the fresh stuff. That's what I do. I also will go to my favorite chinese restaurant and and get some chicken or veggie fried rice. The amount they give you can feed 3 people. I just freeze dried some last night/this morning. : )
@@annwithaplan9766 Thank you Ann, your awesome. I appreciate the info. I'm very new to this. I'm still watching the how to use the freeze dryer videos.
@@BrendaBodwin - You're welcome. That's what I did, and am still doing haha. I watch several different ones' videos on how to use the machine and what to freeze dry. He also sells some useful things to use with the trays.
@@annwithaplan9766 Thank you. 😁👍
What kind of moisture meter are you using?
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I saw someone else's video using the freeze dryer and they didn't take the seal off the opening. They just took the pad off, filled, put in pad, closed and cycled. What's the difference?
It's a preference. I don't take my seal off to load. You have to take the seal off to take the shelves out to clean
The new machines won't seal well if you don't take the seal off to put the pillow back in.