Freeze Drying Your First 500 lbs of Food - Batch 17 - Hashbrown Potatoes, Dehydrated
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- Опубліковано 30 тра 2022
- Freeze dryer batch #17 - 16 lbs of dehydrated potatoes. Started freeze drying this batch May 26th.
While these dehydrated potatoes started out "dry" they lost about 4.5% of their weight during freeze drying.
First 500 lbs data spreadsheet link: docs.google.co...
Batch worksheet link: docs.google.co...
Want to support this work? Buy me a coffee :-) www.buymeacoff...
Cost of the HashBrown potatoes: $14.78 for 16 lbs (wet weight)
Total batch time: 21 hours 30 minutes
Weight before: 1921 grams as bought (16 lbs wet) - Weight after drying: 1834 grams (a loss of 87 grams while freeze drying; about 4.5%)
Power use: 11.95 kWh
Bagged into: 10 quart 7 mil Mylar bags with 300cc oxygen absorbers.
If I knew then what I know, I would have freeze dried things in a different order. Maybe not, because I started freeze drying was because we had 3 full freezers, I was thinking of getting another one, and I decided I should buy a walk-in freezer instead. I started looking into walk-ins and realized they were expensive to buy (even used ones) AND expensive to own and operate. Then I found out Harvest Right was making home sized freeze dryers. One of my first thoughts was "I like Mountain House!" I have used their food for backpacking almost 45 years and we even kept some in our travel trailer, for just in case.
This list is about getting started on a 500 lb mixed pantry of freeze dried foods in 100 days.
(This may be a bit optimistic and perhaps it'll only be 400 lbs)
Goal of about 85 lbs per category. (100 lbs per category if we don't do the Meals/Dishes)
1) Meats:
2) Vegetables:
3) Fruits:
4) Dairy:
5) Grain / Starch:
6) Meals / Dishes:
Freeze dried food will stay fresh for many years and be ready and waiting when you need it.
We do videos showing how we are using our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer to freeze dry food for long term storage. (We have the medium size machine that we got in August of 2017) We talk about how to load and unload the freeze dryer, how to know if the food is dry, is it better to freeze dry raw food or cooked food, and do a few taste tests. Freeze dried food is also great for prepping or just for camping and snacking!
AFFILIATES & REFERRALS
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If you are thinking of buying a freeze dryer, please consider supporting us by purchasing through our link. It helps us and costs you nothing! affiliates.har...
We have the medium freeze dryer with the original vacuum pump.
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Amazon affiliate links to some of the things we have been using; it helps us and costs you nothing.
• Escali Primo Kitchen Scale amzn.to/3r8VqRe
• Etekcity Kitchen Scale11lb/5kg amzn.to/3K3ajhY
• Power meter amzn.to/3s4RVOr
• The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: amzn.to/33NTPtt
• This is the scoop I "adjusted" (see video) for bagging amzn.to/3pdTB4J
• Silicone Square Cake Pan - Set of 2 amzn.to/2YvAp6L
• Teflon Tape for Impulse Sealers amzn.to/3pt2nMd
• Dial Thermometer -40 to 160 F 1-Inch amzn.to/3pvAfIm
• Parchment paper - We usually get our at Costco, but they also have it on Amazon amzn.to/3owy5qC or amzn.to/3Cw1WXL
• Corrugated Plastic Sheets we use in our freezer amzn.to/2YqAM2A
• Drill Bit 5/32" x 10" Extra Length amzn.to/3tEOvRx
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We are participants in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
For the 7 x 7 pans try the Dollar Store, that's where we got ours. (They were labeled 8 x 8 because they measure the top)
Music: Morning Mood by Grieg - Навчання та стиль
Want to support this work? Buy me a coffee :-) www.buymeacoffee.com/DanZm
First 500 lbs data spreadsheet link: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ieekdk5aH_2OWLUealeOLurU9_zl03BfFEg_qhAgcaA/edit?usp=sharing
Batch worksheet link: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13DCB2hXo9_ZYrhIUicLk2IrEaQGszwbaJTcEH8wJxk4/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you !
Thanks for watching.
Love the surprise bonus at the end :)
😊 Thanks.
You mentioned vacuum chambers when bagging these up that they make a good candidate for that method. I have the Avid Armor retort vacuum chamber and it has different settings so that you don't crush any of your freeze dried goods. I was able to vacuum seal freeze dried green onions without them getting cracked or turning to powder, so I figure most anything I do will be ok. We've tried several batches of food in the clear bags that came with the chamber so I could actually see the end result. Now I trust it and just use the mylar, though the clear bags would be awesome if I were selling the product or even just for short term storage. There *is* a limit to the size bag or jar you can fit in the model I have. But like you, I don't typically package in big batches so we use the smaller bags anyway. I still included an oxygen absorber because this is new territory for me and I have no idea if the bags will develop pinhole air leaks over time. At least the o2 absorber will extend the shelf time a wee bit if that happens. I left a few bags of vacuum chamber okra in the retort bags out on my counter so we move them around a lot. I figure if they are still good in a month with being handled multiple times a day as I wipe down counters after each meal/snack, then they ought to be ok packed with other foods in a bin on a shelf. Its been 2 weeks so far and they look pristine so I think the retort bags are durable enough for LTS but we'll rough them up a little more to be sure.
Have you been happy with your vacuum chamber? (Would you buy the same one again?)
The clear bags do look good and I have used them for giving away when I know they will be used soon.
I would always use oxygen absorbers for long term storage, even when vacuuming, because there is still going to be air/oxygen between every particle of food. The oxygen absorbers will remove the oxygen exponentially better. Of course both would be better. The long term problem is gas permeability - oxygen and moisture are going to be going through the bag, slowly, forever. The better the bag the slower it happens. If you have oxygen absorbers in the bag they keep absorbing any oxygen that comes through. The oxygen absorbers we use are "guaranteed to absorb at least 180% of their rating". In one test we did they absorbed over 300% of their rating.
@@SchoolReports I just got it for Mother's Day (don't even get me started on *that* 🙄), so we haven't been using it long. I like that it has a reasonably small footprint, and is super easy to use. I only used the clear bags for a couple bags of each batch of food we've run (except eggs) since getting it, to actually see what is happening inside the bags. For the rest going into LTS, we used the chamber to vacuum and seal the mylar. I had my doubts about how well it was going to work, but it seals the mylar really well. And the clear bag tests make me feel better knowing the food inside the mylar bags isn't getting pulverized to a powder. I've been afraid to ask hubby how much he spent on it, but we were able to seal a quart jar with the largest of the vacuum canisters he got with it to marinade meats and such... similar to the vacuum attachments for the Foodsavers. Pint jars fit well in the chamber. If I hoped to vacuum seal bigger than gallon bags, I'd be disappointed. But this size works well for the sizes of bags we use. And I like that I can do it without help, which I can't do with taking the rack out of the HR and doing it in the drum. I'm looking forward to canning some meat in the vacuum sealed mylar for camping meals and STS. My concern with the vacuum chamber is that it could possibly increase the potential for bag failures if the bag is pierced by the food when the air is vacuumed out. And a minor complaint that ruffles my OCD feathers... the mylar bags we use have a label area to document the contents that is low on the bag where the contents will be when full. When the bag is vacuumed, it contorts all but the top of the bag, making that label area difficult to read. I've had to rewrite the info across the top where the seal is. Not a big deal now that I know (and usually remember before filling the bags) but there are about 5 batches that my muscle memory used the label space and I didn't notice the outcome until they were all sealed and I was packing them away. BTW, Phil at 4800 feet has a few videos testing o2 absorbers that were really interesting if you get into nerdy details and his scientific methods. I've yet to find a bad FD'ing channel... I love this community!
@@karenpage9383 Thanks for all the awesome info! I barely write legibly when the bags are flat, let alone vacuumed and wrinkly!
When I have time I'll have to check out the methods he used for testing his O2 absorbers. I don't watch other freeze drying videos, (except Catwood Cooking when they make one) I spend all my time editing videos right now to try to keep up with this series. 😊 I did a couple videos testing O2 absorbers a little over a year ago; one with a new absorber and one using a used absorber out of a bag of freeze dried apple pie filling from 2 years earlier.
edit: BTW, Happy Mother's Day. 😁
@@SchoolReports Thanks! I'm sure I caught your vids on testing o2 absorbers. I've been a subbie for quite a while now. My hubby found Retired at 40 which kick started our research, then I found you. Between you both we were sure we'd love to have a machine, and we do. I can't thank you enough for putting out all the content you have! I'm sure the editing for this series has been a time suck but know that the content is greatly appreciated! Hadn't heard of Catwood Cooking but I'll have to check them out. So much more content is available now than when we ordered our machine. Curious... is the silver piece around your seal something that was included in the older models or is that another one of your mods? I don't remember you ever mentioning it in the past unless it was before I started following you.
@@karenpage9383
The silver stuff is metalized film bubble stuff that is used for shipping cold stuff. (I think it may have been this kind, ipcpack.com/products/box-liners/ but there are lots of brands. I just used what I had.) We got our bubble stuff when it arrived wrapped around some frozen food, (a cake, I think) with frozen cold packs, from Harry & David. I saved it knowing that a use for it would show up. And Voilà!
I put this on to better insulate the seal area and the little space between the seal and the rest of the machine (3-4mm gap) where the freeze chamber is exposed, because the seal would freeze and end up with ice and frost on it. Then, when the freeze dryer was defrosted, the ice would melt and water would run down the front of the freeze dryer. I measured the space between the door and the front of the freeze dryer and cut strips of the insulation material that wide. Next, I cut enough to wrap around the seal 3 or 4 time, taped them together end to end, and finally, wrapped it around the seal and taped the end. This may not be an issue on newer machines, I don't know.
Adding Front Seal Insulation To A Harvest Right Freeze Dryer ua-cam.com/video/LA1sHVUqKts/v-deo.html
Today, 10-31-22 those hash browns are $22.99, more than triple the price in just 5 months.
Yikes!! I glad we did so many. Now I wish we'd done even more.
I LOOOOOVE THE IDAHO SPUDS MASHED POTATOES. Unfortunately, we only have them a few months a year. :-(
Actuuuuuuually, would you please check if you have it year round (next time while at costco)?
@@emailausdrucker Is anything year around at Costco? 😊 I'll have to check if ours have them at all. We usually get Idahoan brand mashed potatoes, at Bi-Mart, because of all the great flavors. Homemade mashed potatoes are our list for 6-18.
Interesting, I never would have thought of freeze drying something dehydrated. Now if I only had a Costco.😜
No Costco? Time to move! 😊 I would live at/on top of Costco if I could. I'm not sure I would live in a city without a Costco; I was a little bummed when they built a new one and we now have to drive 4 minutes longer.
@@SchoolReports I’ve never been in one, nearest one is two hours away, probably best to not see what I’m missing.
@@eileenniehaus5368 Wow! I can't even imagine. We were about 15 minutes and now about 19 minutes, and that's almost too much! We have so many things from Costco that friends used to think I worked there!
We see people at our Costco that show up from 4 hours away, with trailers to fill up, to go shopping.
@@SchoolReports even with today’s gas prices?😳
I drive 40 minutes to an Aldi or to a restaurant supply place or 20 minutes to a regular grocery store. It was an adjustment moving from St Paul to such a rural place but with the crazy insanity that has taken over up there, it’s worth the drive and lack of Costco to live in a red state. Maybe some day...
@@eileenniehaus5368 Moving to a better place and only loosing close access to some stores sounds like a more than fair trade-off! We may do the same someday.
Oh this is one thing I cant seem to buy in Australia :(
Bummer! How can that be? Need me to send you some? :)
@@SchoolReports I'm really not sure why we cannot get them here I have even tried to get them thru USA Australia shop online but no matter how many times I've tried it always says SOLD OUT , It would be awesome if i could get you to send me some but i think postage might be a killer I'm not sure . It's always something I have wanted to try .
Can you link the video on the modification of the scoop....couldn't find it.
Sure thing! Food Scoop For Freeze Dryer Tray ua-cam.com/video/trs26E42Zho/v-deo.html
It can be done without a 3D printer by heating up the cut off pieces with a heat gun (could be done over a toaster or in an oven) and I was able to easily flatten them. It would then be very easy to sand them to fit the side of the scoop and glue them on.
I like that you have links to the products you use. I am in need of the gusseted zipper Mylar bags but can’t find them for less than a small fortune. Where do you get your Mylar bags?
The problem is that if we share the info it'll become even harder to get the bags. 😊
We have been getting our bags from packfreshusa.com/ for a few years; we get the 7mil bags. It seems like they have been having a hard time keeping the bags in stock lately.
These are the ones we get the most: packfreshusa.com/quart-7x-9x3-7-mil-seal-top-gusset-mylar-bags-1000-wholesale/
It seems you've been collecting a lot of data on the water content on Freeze drying different things I was wondering are you coming out with Freeze dryer Handbook The freeze dried hash Browns They remind me of a healthier version of Hickory sticks I'm not sure if you have those Where you live but they're pretty delicious.
I had to look them up. I've never seen them, but they look good. They look similar to the Pik-Nik Original Shoestring Potatoes, which I have had, but the Hickory Stick sound like a better flavor.
You might be able to get them on Amazon to try them then maybe try to make your own freeze dried Version.
@@stopit4uca That was the first place I looked, and the ones I found were crazy overpriced.
Where do you purchase your mylar bags?
We have been getting our bags from packfreshusa.com/ for a few years; we get the 7mil bags. It seems like they have been having a hard time keeping the bags in stock lately.
These are the ones we get the most: packfreshusa.com/quart-7x-9x3-7-mil-seal-top-gusset-mylar-bags-1000-wholesale/
Silly question, but how does one eat shredded potatoes/hashbrowns? I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten them…
Not a silly question. I seen silly questions and this is not what they look like! 😁
Consider this way - Hash Browns and Eggs Rehydration Tests ua-cam.com/video/2u7_l6yQL9I/v-deo.html
Potatoes - Frozen Hash Browns ua-cam.com/video/ra7YDEw-P9o/v-deo.html
@@SchoolReports thanks for taking the time to respond! I’m a stay at home mom looking to find ways to streamline meal prep while still cooking everything from scratch. I’ve watched hundreds of your and other FD videos. My middle child, toddler, now asks “can we watch the fweez dwy guy?” 😂 thanks for your info and data. I love experimenting and collecting data :)
@@kellyclemmer9715 Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
🤣 I used to volunteer building and fixing things at my kids Montessori school. I was known as "Dan, Dan, the fix-it man. If he can't fix it, no one can."
@@SchoolReports that’s so sweet :) I used to teach at a school. I tell you the people who fixed and cleaned and otherwise made my job possible were our favorite! I know commenting helps the algorithm, so I won’t hesitate if I have a question :) been watching all kinds of FD videos with my kids (just playing most in the background) as we anticipate our own FD. My 5-y/o wants to act out freeze drying and rehydrating and taste testing now 😂
May I ask where do you buy your bags.
We have been getting our bags from packfreshusa.com/ for a few years; we get the 7mil bags. It seems like they have been having a hard time keeping the bags in stock lately.
These are the ones we get the most: packfreshusa.com/quart-7x-9x3-7-mil-seal-top-gusset-mylar-bags-1000-wholesale/
Why not just buy freeze dried potatoes? Use that time for a different food.
The why is price and extending the shelf life of things we already bought. Equivalence of 16 lbs of potatoes for for less than $15.
I like your videos, but I have a problem with this one. Dehydrated potatoes, grains and beans already have 20+ year shelf life.
It seems like double processing to me. Where you get diminishing returns for your efforts.
Personally, I enjoy the dehydrated shreds and scalloped potatoes better than freeze dried. The freeze dried tends to turn into mashed potatoes.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
The dehydrated hashbrowns we had were 4.5% water by weight, and had a best if used by date of less than 1 year. (and yes, I know that best by date is not the same as usable/safe shelf life)
I love our freeze dried scalloped potatoes and they have never turned to mashed potatoes. Coming up batch 29 - potatoes, probably mashed, and batch 30 - probably scalloped potatoes. Also coming, cooked rice batch, and cooked beans batch. I'll be 3 for 3 on your list. 😊