Drying Temperatures
--Meat & fish 145° F and above
--Fruits & vegetables 130° to 140° F
--Herbs & flowers 100° to 110° F

Snackmaster
http://www.nesco.com/...product_99de22215c0f/...

It's Grey top and speckled design features 500 watts of drying power, and generates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, beef jerky, and venison jerky. Helps dry food in hours, not days like ordinary food dehydrators. The top mounted fan eliminates liquids dripping into the the heating chamber.

1. Adjustable Thermostat.
   The adjustable thermostat allows you to dry different foods at proper temperatures (95-155º F), providing the flexibility to produce the best drying results.

2. Powerful Top Mounted Fan.
   Top mounted fan and 500 watts of drying power generate maximum speed and quality for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, and jerky. Helps dry food in hours, not days like other food dehydrators.

3. Expandable FD-61 comes with 4 trays, but is expandable to 12 trays with optional Add-A-Trays®(LT-2GP).

4. Vita-Save® Exterior.
   Opaque Vita-Save® exterior helps block harmful light which destroys nutritional content of food being dehydrated.

5. Patented Converga-Flow® drying system forces air down the exterior pressurized chamber (not through the trays). The hot air is forced horizontally across each individual tray, converging on the core for fast, even and nutritious drying.
   No flavor mixing and no need to rotate trays.

Additional 2-Pack of Trays, $19.99
With additional trays, you can take advantage of food savings during harvest time or dry your own garden fruits and vegetables as they ripen.

No tray rotation needed.
The heated air flows horizontally across each tray providing fast, even drying for best nutrition.

Trays are easy to clean.
Just wash in warm, soapy water or in the dishwasher on the top rack [however, trays must be removed before drying cycle].

Clean-a-Screen®'s are reusable, plastic mesh inserts which are perfect for drying small items, such as spices and herbs or craft materials, that would normally fall through the spokes of the trays. Just place on top of trays.

Flexible screens make drying sticky foods like bananas and pineapple easier to remove. Also flexible enough to form a convenient "pouring" spout to transfer dried food to storage container.

Fruit Roll Sheets, $9.95

Easy Fruit Rolls
1 24-ounce jar applesauce, any flavor

Flavor your fruit rolls with fresh, pureed fruit, powdered, flavored gelatin, or with coconut or nuts. Just mix it in or sprinkle on top before drying.

Wipe a solid fruit roll sheet (lightly) with any type of cooking oil. To make small roll-ups, place several tablespoons of applesauce on a sheet. Spread to 1/4" thickness, about 4" in diameter. Depending on how large you make them, 6 to 8 can fit on a fruit roll sheet. Place on dehydrator tray. Dry at 140° F approximately 5 to 7 hours or until dry and not tacky. Remove and place in a storage bag.

Option: Entire fruit roll sheet may be covered with applesauce mixture and then dehydrated. When dry, cut into individual serving sizes.

Jerky Gun Kits, $ 19.95

Step 1. Blend one seasoning and cure packet of NESCO® Jerky Spices with one pound of extra lean ground beef.

Step 2. To load the gun with the jerky meat mixture,
hold the silver tab down and pull the red knob all the way back.

Step 3. Unscrew the red ring from the end of the tube.
Place the meat mixture into the tube. Insert the desired tip attachment.

Step 4. Push the red knob until it presses against the meat.
Hold the jerky gun over the dehydrator tray and squeeze the silver trigger repeatedly to release the mixture onto the tray. Dry the jerky at the highest temperature (160 degrees F) until the jerky is "leathery." It will take from 4 to 15 hours to dry.

Cooking -- Dehydrator TIPS

1. To keep your fruits from discoloring:
   You may use pineapple, orange, or lemon juice as pretreatment for your fruits.

2. To rehydrate foods, you will need to soak in water for 1-2 hours. Using boiling water will speed up the process. You can then use them in any of your favorite recipes. Dehydrated foods store longer and take up less space than non-dehydrated foods.

3. Make sure when testing for dryness that your food is at room temperature for accurate results. Food is softer the warmer it is.

4. As you clean out your refrigerator or have left-overs, remember that dehydrating can save money and waste. Dehydrate them and use them later!

5. You should always use 4 trays, minimum, for even heat distribution. The trays can be run empty.

6. When slicing a roast for jerky, it will slice more easily if the roast is semi-frozen.

7. Food must be carefully monitored near the end of the dehydration process to prevent overdrying. Overdried foods lose quality in texture, nutrition, and taste. To test for dryness, remove a piece of food, allow it to cool, and feel with your fingers to determine dryness.
   --- Perhaps, plug into a timer and set for less time than expected.

8. If the food you are drying sticks to the tray, fruit-roll sheet, or Clean-A-Screen®, place the tray in the freezer until the food is frozen. Then remove the food.

9. Do not spray vegetable spray directly onto the surface of the trays.

FAQ selected items
http://www.nesco.com/customer_support/shipping_faq/

• 3. Does Dehydrating food destroy it's nutrients?
  Dehydrating causes minimal loss of nutrients, but if done properly that loss is quite small. You will retain about 90% of the vitamins and minerals. When using higher heats, the foods will dehydrate faster, but this will result in more nutrient loss.

• 6. How long can I store dried food?
  We recommend a maximum storage time of one year for the best appearance and nutritional value. Vacuum packing greatly extends shelf life. Refrigeration or freezing will double or triple shelf life.

• 12. Why should the edges of my fruit leather be thicker than the center? With fruit leathers, the edges of the mixture tend to dry first. If the edges are the same thickness as the center, they will dry too quickly and become brittle.

• 16. My banana chips don't taste or look like the ones in the stores. What can I do? The banana chips you buy in the store are deep fried. ..

15. What are the benefits of food drying?
1) You are in control of the quality of food you eat.
2) You will save money.
3) You can take advantage of supermarket specials.
4) You can create a tasty snack that is good for you.
5) You can take advantage of your own garden by drying your fruits and vegetables to be used year round.

Some relevant Customer Comments.
http://www.amazon.com/review...

"I got this because I am switching over to a more raw diet. I got a few cookbooks that have lots of mouth watering recipes but they required a food dehydrator. I love it. This one is soft, just a low hum. I have kept it on for days at a time making lots of goodies.

One thing i noticed when i put a thermometer in the machine is that is is 10 degrees off and so i keep it at 105 to give me the perfect 115 for "cooking" raw foods. So i suggest you do the same if you get this machine. I put it in the bottom vent.

This machine is so easy to use i am having tons of fun.
If you are buying your first dehydrator this is the one to get."

By James Riddle
"This dehydrator is top notch for the money. I read the reviews, making note of people wanting timers, time tables in the instruction manual being incorrect and one that states they didn't like the hole in the middle, huh? That's where the fan blows hot air downward.

As far as a timer and the manual being off on time tables, let me point out you don't need a timer and you don't want to rely on one. This dehydrator doesn't take days to finish, so if you have to leave the house or go to bed..unplug it. Use it when you can check on the progress. It's not a Crock Pot. As far as the time tables being off, take into consideration that people cut their foods into different thickness and a quarter inch differs from eye to eye. Humidity levels are different place to place and so many different factors are in play. So the time tables are only a guide and not the law. That's why you DON'T want to use a timer. This product can also be used WITHOUT electricity. Take the top motor off, cover the top of the trays with clear or black plastic and set in the sun. It's a great product and a good buy, .."

"I bought this product because I am getting into raw foods. It works beautifully to dry fruits and vegetables. I have done apples, pears, mango, bananas, strawberries and pineapple. The dried watermelon and cantaloupe are the best, as they taste like candy! It also does a nice job on flax crackers. I would suggest rotating the trays mid-way, since the top and bottom trays seem to dry more quickly."

"This dehydrator works just the way it should - quietly and efficiently. The jerky came out perfect and took slightly less time than was expected (about 6 hours). Given the relatively low cost and ease of use, this product is worth it. If you are going to do more than 3 pounds of meat you might want to buy additional trays. Cleanup was also quite easy."

"I can have healthy snacks without extra sugars, chemicals and preservatives."

"... I wanted to dry sweet potato slices for my dogs instead of buying them all the time .."

"Most people say my beef jerky is the best they've ever tasted. I slice london broils (bought on sale) against the grain("on the bias")very thinly. Use a very sharp filet or chefs knife. I marinate the strips in a bowl in the frig for 12-24 hours in 1cup soy sauce, 1cup teriyaki, 2 tbs brown sugar 1tbs black pepper. "

I DO state that this option/awareness can be effective for many persons who have more singular or less devastating forms of ill health, including a number of cancers. CFS-ME is defined by a person acquiring any 5 or more of 13 specific acute expressions of chronic illnesses. I did not use such a unit while ill, but wish I had. It would have provided greater food economy and variation as well as quality.

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