In this video I show you how to complete, defrost, clean and start a new Freeze Dryer batch, including the barrel 15-minute pre-freeze, in less than an hour.
My husband and I are new to freeze drying with our new Harvest Right and we really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your research and your willingness to share! God bless you!
Thanks Evan for all the hard work you do--excellent videos! My wife would like you to break the chocolate barrier--LOL. I almost thought someone had when I saw on Amazon a package of chocolate covered freeze dried strawberries--but then realized that they had simply dipped the strawberries in chocolate after the fact!
Chocolate is high in both of the two most difficult things to FD, emulsified sugar and coco butter. I have tried numerous times using different methods but to no avail. Even dark chocolate is a no-go. If you want to store chocolate, I suggest storing vacuum packed raw coco, sugar, and FD'd whole milk and cream and then make your own chocolate when the times comes. Vacuum packed coco can last 10+ years but, after that, although it technically does not "Go Bad" it may lose some of its potency. Properly packages sugar will last indefinitely while FD'd cream and milk, if vacuum packed in Mylar (7 mil) and kept cool (70 degrees or cooler), you can expect 25+ years. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
Thanks for the video, I've done asparagus in the past and it freeze drys and rehydrates great, but the texture is very soft when rehydrated. Is this normal for asparagus or is there something I'm missing ie blanching.
@@dartagnantaft5918 Hello D'Artagnan. It's not the freeze drying that changes vegetable texture it's the freezing. Freezing most vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, damages the cellular structure so they will never defrost (or rehydrate) back to their original firmness. I have done asparagus several times and unfortunately it does not rehydrate firm, few vegetables such as peas and corn will. The soft texture of rehydrates vegetables goes largely unnoticed because they are generally rehydrated directly in a recipe wherein loss of firmness is expected. Nothing beats Mother Nature! :) Thanks for reaching out, Evan
Thank you for this video! You always make everything seem like common sense.. cus maybe, it is ha! Us freeze dryer people tend to get in our own heads and complicate everything. I popped out the two sheets and was ready for the next batch in no time. Game changer. Thank you!
I am so thrilled to discover your channel!! I got a pharmaceutical freeze drier for Christmas last year. The one thing I found is that although it has 8 trays the trays are much shallower and it limits the thickness of food you can freeze dry..
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is the best for cleaning inside barrel. You don’t want to mess with the “seasoning “ on the metal of the barrel! This from Phil at 4800’! It disinfects and evaporates. I soooo appreciate your videos!,
Thank You Shelly, your advice is good, isopropyl alcohol is effective. As for "seasoning" I have never heard that before. It seems to me that seasoning, such as that found on cast iron, is a hard infused residue to which alcohol will dissolve. IMHO bare steel is best because it represents no insulation to freezing temperatures and can harbor smells. It also would appear that if a seasoning layer can be applied by a batch, then the problem of build-up would manifest itself. For me, shiny clean steel is the best bet.
@@evanrowell5266I feel that "seasoning" was meant to say that you are applying Windex to the inner wall and it will leave a thin film of Windex, which is not food safe. My advice to anyone is not follow his video's cleaning procedures and use alcohol if needed.
Very informative! Thank you. Have you done any cabbage to use as cole slaw? I was wondering how it would rehydrate. I know I could use it for cooked cabbage, I just didn't know if it will work for making cole slaw.
Advantages to this method: A: uses less time & electricity to defrost B: less heat allows the top insulating sheet to stay attached C: is not so hot from defrost cycle that you use even more time.& electricity to cool machine back down again
I freeze dried 42 oz of a herbal tincture that included a 35% alcohol by volume monstrum. It took over 30 hours to complete but it did a good job and turned out well. My question regards using the trees that came with my Harvest Right freeze dryer. Will the alcohol in anyway damage the Integrity of the stainless steel trays or the inside of the cooling chamber? Also what's the difference between a pharmaceutical freeze dryer and a regular one? Thank you
Thank you, this is the first video I have seen that shows a thorough cleaning of a freeze dryer. How do you clean your drain valve hose? I purchased a brush but it got stuck in the hose and broke off right at the drain valve entrance, I did manage to pull it out, and put it in the garbage.
Once a year I open the valve and put a plug in the end of the hose and fill it with warm water and bleach, not strong but about an 8 to 1 ratio. Leave it sit for about half an hour, drain it out and do it again. Then slowly pour a gallon or two of clean hot water down the drain tube from within the barrel. This will beat back bacteria and keep it under control. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
My 2 cents: Filling the hose up with hydrogen Peroxide and letting it sit overnight. Or if you can remove the hose from the drain valve. Soak the hose in white vinegar or if the hose has mildew growing... Use warm water mild dish detergent and a splash of Clorox bleach(1/4 cup per gallon) I would not recommend getting bleach anywhere inside your freeze dryer or in the drain valve. 😉
@@pacearrow4620 Yes, those are good ways to do it but remember, bleach is a great disinfectant and, after its done its job, rinsing the chlorine residue with hot water causes it to lose its potency and become benign. I don't like unnecessarily dismantling the drain hose, especially behind the valve where a vacuum must be achieved. I always finalize any cleaning operation with clear water. The drain hose does need to be kept clean but does not need intense scrubbing and disinfecting, it's a drain hose. Thanks for the comment, Evan
I use mild vinegar water to clean our barrel, trays, door, and gasket exterior. I also turn off the defrost after it warms a few minutes - put a tray with the cover on it into the bottom shelf but slightly pulled out - then set my little fan on the tray to blow into the FD. Soon I am able to remove those big chunks of ice (so satisfying!) and wipe down/clean/dry the interior. Great tip to turn off the switch, thank you for your helpful videos 😊. Ps have you tried FDing anything made with alternative sweeteners like monk fruit, allulose, or erythritol? Hubby is diabetic so I am learning to do low carb prep.
Thanks MM, your cleaning regiment sounds great, I’m sure it works very well. The problem most people have is they almost never consider how important it is to at least do a through wipe-down every few batches. I do a complete wipe down between every batch using only water. I use Windex every 5 or 6 batches (except for the rubber door seal) and an intense bleach cleaning (including the drain tube) once a year being sure to deactivate the chlorine with very hot water when done. I too will usually turn the machine off and let it defrost by itself unless I want to quickly start another batch (which I usually do). It all depends on my schedule with an eye toward saving energy when possible. As for artificial sweeteners they FD very well in food, I have never noticed a problem in my recipes. I have tried to FD liquid sweeteners of all types (including liquid drink mixes) with limited success but no longer consider it worth the effort because these sweeteners can usually be found in dry or powdered form with an indefinite shelf life. I keep powdered Stevia in storage. Thanks for your comments, Evan
Question about freeze time, 2024 large pro 6 tray machine, I load pre frozen food into machine after the 15 minute cool down, close door and it takes 7 hours before vacuum starts. Sound about right? My tray thermometers read below zero after the first hour, how frozen dose the computer want it?
Hi Evan, can you show us how to make butter powder? I know you can buy it but not sure how its made, is it freeze dried or is it dehydrated? or what??? any info would be appreciated.
Blueberries both fresh or frozen are very hard to freeze dry. I have tried them in the past and the berries retained moisturer despite running the machine for over 50 hours! Any suggestions?? Thank you
Blueberries are high in sugar and must be split at the very least. When I have done blueberries in the past, I chop them up coarse and, if memory serves me correctly, I ran them for a few hours in my dehydrator after the FD process was over. They did dry but they are difficult to get right. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
By "scratch" I assume you mean that you can feel it. because it its location on the bottom of the tray I would not be too concerned. Check the bottom of the shelf risers to see if they are damaged and have rough edges. If so them lightly file or sand them down smooth. I too have rough lines on the bottom of my FD barrel where the tray slides in and out, but they are not deep be any means and they have never given me a problem. The surface that you want to keep clean and smooth is that on which the ice forms. Thanks, Evan
Sure, if the ice is melted enough to let the tray come out. After removing the ice sheets, I always remove the tray to finish up. That way I can inspect and clean the tray and thoroughly clean the barrel. The only thing I do different is that I have a small table in front of the FD that allows me to remove the tray without unplugging it. It just makes it less likely that the plug might be damaged by frequently unplugging it, but if you're careful, that shouldn't be a real concern. Thanks for the inquiry, Evan
@bernadettestykel7504 FYI, canning jars are not meant/designed to be in hot dry conditions. They develop many micro cracks that make them unsafe for canning in the future. Instead, you can use a seal a meal to seal and remove air from your jars if that is your goal. Hope this helps!
Points to ponder- I have much experience with FD and dehydration. The FD takes very very little more energy to run than the dehydrator. Dehydration takes out significant more nutrition. D makes everything more stick like in texture and doesn’t rehydrate as fast. For sure D'd food needs conditioning. And now, by finishing off your FD food in the dehydrator, you’ve made your food NOT LONG LONG TERM storage. D food has a short term shelf life. A couple of years does not impress me. Honestly, this method is a no go, for me. Too much, work, time and money has been invested.
My husband and I are new to freeze drying with our new Harvest Right and we really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your research and your willingness to share! God bless you!
Thanks Evan for all the hard work you do--excellent videos! My wife would like you to break the chocolate barrier--LOL. I almost thought someone had when I saw on Amazon a package of chocolate covered freeze dried strawberries--but then realized that they had simply dipped the strawberries in chocolate after the fact!
Chocolate is high in both of the two most difficult things to FD, emulsified sugar and coco butter. I have tried numerous times using different methods but to no avail. Even dark chocolate is a no-go. If you want to store chocolate, I suggest storing vacuum packed raw coco, sugar, and FD'd whole milk and cream and then make your own chocolate when the times comes. Vacuum packed coco can last 10+ years but, after that, although it technically does not "Go Bad" it may lose some of its potency. Properly packages sugar will last indefinitely while FD'd cream and milk, if vacuum packed in Mylar (7 mil) and kept cool (70 degrees or cooler), you can expect 25+ years. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
Thanks for the video, I've done asparagus in the past and it freeze drys and rehydrates great, but the texture is very soft when rehydrated. Is this normal for asparagus or is there something I'm missing ie blanching.
@@dartagnantaft5918 Hello D'Artagnan. It's not the freeze drying that changes vegetable texture it's the freezing. Freezing most vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, damages the cellular structure so they will never defrost (or rehydrate) back to their original firmness. I have done asparagus several times and unfortunately it does not rehydrate firm, few vegetables such as peas and corn will. The soft texture of rehydrates vegetables goes largely unnoticed because they are generally rehydrated directly in a recipe wherein loss of firmness is expected. Nothing beats Mother Nature! :) Thanks for reaching out, Evan
Wonderful information. Love the addition of aluminum slats. Thank you.
Thank you for this video! You always make everything seem like common sense.. cus maybe, it is ha! Us freeze dryer people tend to get in our own heads and complicate everything. I popped out the two sheets and was ready for the next batch in no time. Game changer. Thank you!
Thank You Nelly's World, it's why I do what I do! :) Evan
Awesome video I will be rewatching this once I get my machine. Thanks!!!
Thanks Evan. Ive missed your videos
Thanks Bama J - Give me a project, challenge me, even if I have to cook. I'll do it if I can and if not, I'll tell you why. Thanks, Evan
I am so thrilled to discover your channel!! I got a pharmaceutical freeze drier for Christmas last year. The one thing I found is that although it has 8 trays the trays are much shallower and it limits the thickness of food you can freeze dry..
Thank you!
You're very welcome! Evan
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is the best for cleaning inside barrel. You don’t want to mess with the “seasoning “ on the metal of the barrel! This from Phil at 4800’! It disinfects and evaporates. I soooo appreciate your videos!,
Thank You Shelly, your advice is good, isopropyl alcohol is effective. As for "seasoning" I have never heard that before. It seems to me that seasoning, such as that found on cast iron, is a hard infused residue to which alcohol will dissolve. IMHO bare steel is best because it represents no insulation to freezing temperatures and can harbor smells. It also would appear that if a seasoning layer can be applied by a batch, then the problem of build-up would manifest itself. For me, shiny clean steel is the best bet.
@@evanrowell5266I feel that "seasoning" was meant to say that you are applying Windex to the inner wall and it will leave a thin film of Windex, which is not food safe. My advice to anyone is not follow his video's cleaning procedures and use alcohol if needed.
Very informative! Thank you. Have you done any cabbage to use as cole slaw? I was wondering how it would rehydrate. I know I could use it for cooked cabbage, I just didn't know if it will work for making cole slaw.
Advantages to this method:
A: uses less time & electricity to defrost
B: less heat allows the top insulating sheet to stay attached
C: is not so hot from defrost cycle that you use even more time.& electricity to cool machine back down again
All True! Evan
I freeze dried 42 oz of a herbal tincture that included a 35% alcohol by volume monstrum. It took over 30 hours to complete but it did a good job and turned out well. My question regards using the trees that came with my Harvest Right freeze dryer. Will the alcohol in anyway damage the Integrity of the stainless steel trays or the inside of the cooling chamber? Also what's the difference between a pharmaceutical freeze dryer and a regular one? Thank you
Thank you, this is the first video I have seen that shows a thorough cleaning of a freeze dryer. How do you clean your drain valve hose? I purchased a brush but it got stuck in the hose and broke off right at the drain valve entrance, I did manage to pull it out, and put it in the garbage.
Once a year I open the valve and put a plug in the end of the hose and fill it with warm water and bleach, not strong but about an 8 to 1 ratio. Leave it sit for about half an hour, drain it out and do it again. Then slowly pour a gallon or two of clean hot water down the drain tube from within the barrel. This will beat back bacteria and keep it under control. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
My 2 cents: Filling the hose up with hydrogen Peroxide and letting it sit overnight. Or if you can remove the hose from the drain valve. Soak the hose in white vinegar or if the hose has mildew growing... Use warm water mild dish detergent and a splash of Clorox bleach(1/4 cup per gallon) I would not recommend getting bleach anywhere inside your freeze dryer or in the drain valve. 😉
@@pacearrow4620 Yes, those are good ways to do it but remember, bleach is a great disinfectant and, after its done its job, rinsing the chlorine residue with hot water causes it to lose its potency and become benign. I don't like unnecessarily dismantling the drain hose, especially behind the valve where a vacuum must be achieved. I always finalize any cleaning operation with clear water. The drain hose does need to be kept clean but does not need intense scrubbing and disinfecting, it's a drain hose. Thanks for the comment, Evan
Broths are always needed and difficult to dry. Can you dry Knorr Chicken Bouillon cubes -those are the best!- and tell us what you think?
I use mild vinegar water to clean our barrel, trays, door, and gasket exterior. I also turn off the defrost after it warms a few minutes - put a tray with the cover on it into the bottom shelf but slightly pulled out - then set my little fan on the tray to blow into the FD. Soon I am able to remove those big chunks of ice (so satisfying!) and wipe down/clean/dry the interior. Great tip to turn off the switch, thank you for your helpful videos 😊.
Ps have you tried FDing anything made with alternative sweeteners like monk fruit, allulose, or erythritol? Hubby is diabetic so I am learning to do low carb prep.
Thanks MM, your cleaning regiment sounds great, I’m sure it works very well. The problem most people have is they almost never consider how important it is to at least do a through wipe-down every few batches. I do a complete wipe down between every batch using only water. I use Windex every 5 or 6 batches (except for the rubber door seal) and an intense bleach cleaning (including the drain tube) once a year being sure to deactivate the chlorine with very hot water when done.
I too will usually turn the machine off and let it defrost by itself unless I want to quickly start another batch (which I usually do). It all depends on my schedule with an eye toward saving energy when possible.
As for artificial sweeteners they FD very well in food, I have never noticed a problem in my recipes. I have tried to FD liquid sweeteners of all types (including liquid drink mixes) with limited success but no longer consider it worth the effort because these sweeteners can usually be found in dry or powdered form with an indefinite shelf life. I keep powdered Stevia in storage. Thanks for your comments, Evan
Can you use a hair dryer to speed things up
Could you address "mid-batch heater failure"
Question about freeze time, 2024 large pro 6 tray machine, I load pre frozen food into machine after the 15 minute cool down, close door and it takes 7 hours before vacuum starts. Sound about right? My tray thermometers read below zero after the first hour, how frozen dose the computer want it?
What would make a HR FD ice up on the outside?
What were you freeze drying in this clip. We’re they an already a premade item?
Hi Evan, can you show us how to make butter powder? I know you can buy it but not sure how its made, is it freeze dried or is it dehydrated? or what??? any info would be appreciated.
Could I ask what size is your fan? Model would be even better
Blueberries both fresh or frozen are very hard to freeze dry. I have tried them in the past and the berries retained moisturer despite running the machine for over 50 hours! Any suggestions?? Thank you
Blueberries are high in sugar and must be split at the very least. When I have done blueberries in the past, I chop them up coarse and, if memory serves me correctly, I ran them for a few hours in my dehydrator after the FD process was over. They did dry but they are difficult to get right. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
I've used a needle style meat tenderizer for blueberries and found it works quite well. I partially freeze them first so they don't crush as much.
The inside of my barrel has gotten a deep scratch from pulling out and removing the shelf unit. Should I be concerned about that?
By "scratch" I assume you mean that you can feel it. because it its location on the bottom of the tray I would not be too concerned. Check the bottom of the shelf risers to see if they are damaged and have rough edges. If so them lightly file or sand them down smooth. I too have rough lines on the bottom of my FD barrel where the tray slides in and out, but they are not deep be any means and they have never given me a problem. The surface that you want to keep clean and smooth is that on which the ice forms. Thanks, Evan
I always unplug the tray unit and move it out of the way,is that ok?
Sure, if the ice is melted enough to let the tray come out. After removing the ice sheets, I always remove the tray to finish up. That way I can inspect and clean the tray and thoroughly clean the barrel. The only thing I do different is that I have a small table in front of the FD that allows me to remove the tray without unplugging it. It just makes it less likely that the plug might be damaged by frequently unplugging it, but if you're careful, that shouldn't be a real concern. Thanks for the inquiry, Evan
Do ou and your wife do any canning? If is have you heard of dry canning? Canning with our fluid in the jars?
@bernadettestykel7504 FYI, canning jars are not meant/designed to be in hot dry conditions. They develop many micro cracks that make them unsafe for canning in the future. Instead, you can use a seal a meal to seal and remove air from your jars if that is your goal. Hope this helps!
Evan, what size is the angle iron?
1 inch. Evan
@@evanrowell5266 Thanks. Great idea.
And remember it's angled aluminum. Evan
@@evanrowell5266 Yes, I bought one
from Home Depot today. It was 48” and 1/8 thick, cost $11.
@@ww3ok I have to try this. 👍🏻
I turn off the machine & unplug it for safety before I dry the unit with a towel.
I have tried variations of this with ZERO real improvmemt.
Points to ponder-
I have much experience with FD and dehydration.
The FD takes very very little more energy to run than the dehydrator.
Dehydration takes out significant more nutrition.
D makes everything more stick like in texture and doesn’t rehydrate as fast.
For sure D'd food needs conditioning.
And now, by finishing off your FD food in the dehydrator, you’ve made your food NOT LONG LONG TERM storage. D food has a short term shelf life. A couple of years does not impress me.
Honestly, this method is a no go, for me. Too much, work, time and money has been invested.