Gardens anyone?

[fishnmachine]

I have two, Dom . There's the old Waring that's only five trays under a dome.  It was my first, probably 25 yrs. old. It's very basic but works. The other is a NESCO brand.  It doesn't have a dome. The  stackable trays make the enclosure with the heat element and fan at the top.   The book says you can stack up to 20 trays, but I think you could double that. Thermostatic control.  It works great.

[Mac Attack]

Been considering a dehydrator for years.
I have a very general cost question.
I love dried fruit.
Specifically, bananas.

Is it cheaper to simply buy the dried fruit in bulk at Wegmans.
Vs the cost of the unit, fruit, and the electric?

Just curious.

Sometimes, making your own does cost more, but is better.
Like less additives (sugar, sodium, etc.)
Not sure if this is the case with dried fruit from the bulk food department at the store though, but maybe.

Thoughts?

[fishnmachine]

It's definitely easier to buy banana chips, but not by a lot. Bulk chips run around $3.00/ lb. I think. Fresh bananas are around $.39/ lb. I would guess an average 2 lb. bunch would yield a half a pound of dry chips. 1/2 hour of labor pealing and slicing. Less than a day in the dehydrator, but generally I let it go 24 hrs. just for convenience sake. I'm not going to leave work or get up at 3:00 AM to pull things from the dehydrator. The electric, I'm not sure of, but it can't be much; tiny fan and element at generally 145* max.

In the end it's probably close, but I know that that little black "seed" in the chips is a banana seed and not something the factory mouse left behind.

I've dried all kinds of things, but the foods I commonly dehydrate are the yearly gallon bag of tomatoes, cucumber chips (really good with beer), apples, peppers, herbs, and mushrooms. When the store has the fresh sliced button mushrooms or baby Bellas on sale, I'll buy 5 or 6 containers and just load the dehydrator straight out of the carton. There again, the next evening they're done, in the cupboard, and good for months.

I'm rambling now....... Hope I helped.  

[Mac Attack]

Thanks.

I've got so darn many "toys" now.

But thought drying my own fruit would be cheaper than buying it.
Then I got to thinking about it and......................

[Mac Attack]

Here's a link to a cool chart on how much it costs to run a dehydrator -

http://www.dehydratorreview.net/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-dehydrate-food


I was looking at a 600 watt Nesco unit.
To run it continuously for 24 hrs runs about $1.72

Not as bad as I thought.
I got nervous when I saw the 600 watts.
I started thinking six 100 watt lightbulbs and thought this thing was going to really suck up the electric.

[rgfixit]

Now wait a minute here Mac. 600 watts is 600 watts whether it's a dehydrator or one of your other favorite toys.

Anyway, who cares how much it costs to run. If you want to make your own prunes....make your own prunes

Fishmachine.....did I read right that you use the Kitchen aid attachment?  I've been looking at that one as I already have the grinder.  The grinder works marginally well for meat. I've been peeling the tomatoes same as you, seeding by hand and then sending them through the grinder.  It makes a really nice purée. I've also been looking at electric food mills and the Vitoria mill that Dom suggested. I'll choose something by next year.

Rg

[Raquettedacker]

  https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=victorio+food+strainer
    There awesome...

  My garden is still strong... Lots of tomatoes, peppers, squash, egg plant and cabbage...

[rgfixit]

You're amazing! Truly a good gardener.

Rg

[Mac Attack]

This is the strainer we use Bob -

https://www.amazon.com/Strainer-Sauce-Maker-Fruits-Vegetables/dp/B0000BYDR1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474413819&sr=8-1&keywords=roma+tomato+strainer


It works well.
But if you are doing a lot, at one time, get a good electric.

I have a Gander Mountain #12 Professional Series meat grinder and it works awesome for grinding meat when I make sausage.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Gander-Mountain-12-Professional-Electric-Meat-Grinder&i=754157

I do not use to stuff the casings though.
I bought a 5# sausage stuffer and it works awesome.

Anyway, I'm looking into the Cabelas tomato strainer and wondering if it will fit my grinder.
I might buy it and if it doesn't then return it.

Here is what I'm looking at for my grinder -

http://www.cabelas.com/product/home-cabin/food-processing/food-grinders%7C/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104364180/cabela-s-tomato-strainer-attachment-for-8-and-12-grinders/2288616.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2F_%2FN-1101293#tabsCollection



Oh yea...........watts is watts.
I know.
My point was that I would have thought a 600 watt dehydrator would have cost me more than $1.72 to run it for 24 hrs.
Off the top of my head, I would have thought that.
But when I saw that chart on that site I posted (and did the math myself).............you know.
 

[drowndin dots]

  Dom .....

[Raquettedacker]

Just got to do it Bob, love picking fresh food...   

Thanks Eddy.. How did  those perch taste?      

The Victorio works great and you can get screens for jellies and jams ..  
But I heard the attachment for the other grinder works well..

[fishnmachine]

RG, yes we use the Kitchen - Aide attachment.  This is our second year with it.  Before that we had a neighbor that insisted we use his Vitoria. We are very pleased with it and see no difference in the  results between the two. No more peeling and seeding.  Just wash and quarter the tomatoes and run then trough.  Seeds and skins out the end and juice and pulp out the bottom. I recommend it. 

[Mac Attack]

A tip when using any strainer.........run the "junk" through a 2nd time.
You will be amazed at how much more you extract.

[fishnmachine]

That is beautiful, Dom!   

[Bartman44]

Dom,

Your garden is impeccable and well maintained, a work of art if you will.