I would advise everyone to put a fan near your FD Pump to help cool it. As a retired elevator mechanic - I’ve worked with pumps and this is critical. My wife doesn’t use dividers, instead she cuts food small and leaves spaces. Wife slices things just like this! Taco casserole, lasagna,etc. cheese works best if shredded.. Not Sliced. Very happy with our machine almost 2 years now! ✌🏻

Dude! You're a freeze dry rockstar. New to freeze drying and developing a plan to freeze dry some of my mother's best recipes. Your input is so thoughtful and thought provoking. Thank you.

The amount of info you pack into these videos is fantastic

I do not have a fd yet still in research and learning mode. One thing I’ve learned from several other peoples videos is for the best outcome do not fill the trays higher than the top of the tray (rim). Thank you for clarifying the room temperature issue. I hadn’t heard that before.

Great detailed video, very much appreciated! Would love to see how you rehydrate those, even seeing just one slice would be helpful. Thanks!

Evan, great video. Have you ever considered portions? I’m not sure a lot of people are packaging with portion size in mind. In a “SHF” situation, it might be difficult to keep your rehydrated food longer than one meal. Not to mention, if you package a meal for two people, it’s easier to hydrate, make your FD storage last longer, and easier for a grab and go situation. Just a thought.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Great comment, yes you are correct so I do a lot of portioning personally using quart Mylar bags and I have shown a home-made aluminum portioning grid that fits into the pans before they go into the FD in a couple of previous videos. Thank you for the comment, Evan

Thank you, Evan Rowell. I am new to freeze drying and you are showing the difference between surviving and thriving. Some lasagna will soon be going into my stored food supply.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello David. That's great to hear, the only thing about freeze drying that I love more than doing it is sharing it with others. Thanks for the comment, Evan

Evan, I have eaten cans of Chili that are 7 years past the "best by" date and had no issues other than a slight tin flavor. Just use common sense: can not swollen, use your nose! I have the large FD and will be getting it up and running soon, I've had it for a few months as I build the table for it and my dehydrators and the butcher block top took some time to make and finish with Tung oil. Thanks so much for all of the great info.

Thank you Evan! One of my questions about freeze dry food has been would it be better of separate the components of a dish? You have answered that question, thank you again.

I have my very first batch in my new freezer dryer now. Thank you for your videos. One day Jesus will come back to get his church AKA Bride. I do not know when and don’t claim to know when. I just know the signs he has given us and it sure seems to be close. However, we may see some very hard times till then and I want to be smart and be prepared. Food is a big part of being ready. Thank again, May the Lord Jesus Bless you! Romans 10:9-13

Wow! Thank you for this information! We are new to freezedrying, in fact, waiting for our machine. Just installed a screen on the garage and added fans, so now we know not to use if it gets above 72. So much help here, taking notes! God Bless!

@scotts595

3 жыл бұрын

“Retired at 40” and “Epic center Brian”. Also good channels.

Thank you for explaining about the temperature for the pump. Good video 👍🏻

I like your thought process, very methodical.

Great information here. I'm new to freeze drying and have so much to learn. This video was very helpful to me. Will be subscribing. Thank you.

Just so much information. Thank you for the time you take. It’s so wonderful to have such great sources.

This was the most informative video I’ve watched on freeze-drying thank you, thank you, thank you! I just wish I had watched it before I bought the freeze dryer I may not have bought it.

@susandyson3921

3 жыл бұрын

That's what I'm thinking too. I just purchased one. Other channels make it look so easy.

Really impressive the amount of food you fit on the trays.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Tom, Yes, I do try to put the maximum amount of food on the trays but it is important remember that it is not the volume of food but the water content. I can load the trays to the max with vegetables but to try and do the same volume with something like a tuna casserole and it would most likely overwhelm the freeze dryer and cause it to fail. I do tend to push the envelope but I have seen failure on more than one occasion so I am pretty focused on keeping the trays at less than 3 pounds each. Good circulation around the food is also an important consideration. You don't have to tow an exact line but just keep the rules in mind and you can still do a lot of food faster than you realize. Thanks for the comment, Evan

Thank you for all of this information. Everything you say makes so much sense. Just trying to decide which size unit I"m buying!

This is the most informative freeze drying video I have seen yet! Thank You for the information!!

Thanks for the tips! I just got my freeze dry and I'm hoping to store food for generations!

Mark Augason and His Dad started saving dehydrated and freeze dried food stuff in buckets in a cool room with Oxygen absorbers over 50 years ago, they still had good results with their dried foods. Also, I read where Mountain House has had some good experience with discovering that their camping meals after 30 years are still flavorful and good because they also use Oxygen Absorbers. So, when storing your hard work, it's a matter of time and temperature. between 3C and 20 C are optimal temperatures, or about 38'F and 70'F. You may want to use older stores first if you've had them for over 10 years and the temps have been higher than 80 in the storage room. Always store product away from heat and light and store off of the floor if you are using totes or buckets. have them on risers or on shelves. Think of the Dead Sea scrolls in the urns that were set on the cave floor, the parts of the scrolls in the urns on the cave floor rotted faster than the other parts of the scrolls, if the urns had been on wood frames or shelves the scrolls would have been more intact. so it's a science thing, where temperature and moisture are created, not necessarily because there was moisture, like I said it's the physics of the storage bin.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Mel, this is good information, I have always thought that food properly prepared and stored would last for many many years and you seem to have verified that, Thank You! I always use a O2 absorber with meat and dairy but since I vacuum pack to industrial levels I sometimes don't use them, however, a subscriber mentioned that O2 absorbers also protect flavor so I have since added them to everything I pack. Thanks again, Evan

@melinaz3385

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 that was me! SMILE, I've vacuum-sealed some items in glass in 2015 and the flavor was awful after six months for us, even though I kept them in good temp and dark. So after researching we learned that O2s were great for the whole process. and we have been very pleased.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

@@melinaz3385 Well, I'm glad that was you, it was good advice. Now, on the flip side a few days ago I opened a half gallon mason jar that was filled with egg noodles that had held its vacuum for 22 years (1999) with no O2 absorber and, seriously, after cooking and eating them I could not tell them from fresh. I will still take your advice about using O2 absorbers to preserve freshness but I think what is packed makes a big difference. Evan

@melinaz3385

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Thanks for the info on the noodles. I think that because our temps here, in the house, in summer can be a steady 80 degrees, we don't use air conditioning, so we have to be clever about where we store and how we store it, even up here in the mountains.

Like your idea of all ingredients for casserole/ dinner in one kit. Can’t wait to get ours. We are on dr.bergs version of Keto (3.5 yrs now) and have our health back and lost weight. We are hunting for freeze drying keto friendly stuff, like recipes from Papa g’s on yt. He has a lot of casseroles. We understand fat is not easy, but have watched all your cheese and dairy and am encouraged we can do this. Bacon grease, pure butter, heavy cream, and high fat in hamburger in recipes would be my question. Looking forward to doing keto meal packs_ like assemble when rehydrate. Thank you for all you teach- really helps!

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Bacon and hot dogs are out of the question just too much oil. I am working on ways to get the oil out of hot dogs but it is turning out to be not very promising, I will have a video out soon discussing it. A little butter in a recipe does not need to be worried about but doing something with a high amount of butter (like pie dough) is a problem. Butter can be done if you first remove the oil but that is not cost effective, you're better off buying it in #10 can from a commercial outfit but it is bland, the flavor is always in the oil. Cream is not a problem, I have done heavy cream and condensed milk (unsweetened) and it does well. As for hamburger I do go with lean (97-3) ground beef and I no longer FD it raw, I always cook it and then drain the fat and rinse it in hot water then there is no problem but be sure to use adequate O2 absorber, I use a 300 cc packet in a gallon Mylar bag. Evan

@InLawsAttic

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Oh thank you for the reply and information!! I am taking notes and will write that down- thanks again so much!

I really enjoyed and appreciate the detail you included in this video. I’ve learned a lot. Thank you for explaining the rehydration process too. I would love to know more about how you vacuum sealed a Mylar bag. You mentioned that you cut the corner off and used a “needle vacuum”?? Thank you, in advance.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Vikki. I talk more about my Needle Vacuum setup here, start at minute 12. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qGF3uJudlKS_d9I.html I hope this helps. Very soon I will be making a video expressly for making this setup but with modifications that make it easier so stay tuned. Thanks, Evan

Thank you. It makes sense and I appreciate it.

Well done! I’m now a follower. Looking forward to watching all your videos!

This is an awesome video! Hope to see more from you!

Thank you! Very helpful information!

Great detailed video. Thank you!

Good lesson

Great details!

Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge. I have subscribed!

Thanks Evan! That was super helpful!

I appreciate your honesty.

Hello evan I found this very informative thanks so much, I have my harvest right on its way and I am going to go through your play list to check and see if there more I can use , also I live in AZ so I am concerned about that temp rule you where talking about , it seems the only good time to use this would be in the winter ???

The bit about room temp needing to be below 72 or the pump and compressor may fail is just not the case. My room is 75 and my pump runs 150F (like it should) and my compressor 112F (within spec) my condenser…80F…. Harvest right even specs a range of 35F - 90F with 45F - 75F being most efficient.

Great video!!! I am curious since I'm pretty new at this. How do you determine how much water to add back in for rehydrating? I cant wrap my thoughts around that. Love the way you packaged everything

@SBC112564

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve read elsewhere to weigh your food before and after

And the 7th cardinal rule should be that the sixth cardinal rule does not always apply to every food . For example freeze dried egg powder will in fact rehydrate instantly when you add the water and stir together freeze dried milk rehydrates instantly when you add water and stir it. And that's just to examples there are many more I can give

I just got a freeze dryer. I'm so glad to see details on what to do. This is the first time I have seen your program. There's a lot more to this than I thought. Sure hope I figure it all out. I'm still wondering if I did the right thing by investing in one. I'm gonna keep watching.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Susan. I'm sure you will figure things out very well, if you have any specific questions you need only ask, I will be happy to help. :) Evan

I was thinking about getting a freeze dryer but having to keep it at 72 degrees or less is a deal breaker. Harvest time is usually at the hottest time of the year and I'd have to put the freeze dryer in the garage. It's usually at least 90-100 degrees during the summer.

@Jdake801

2 жыл бұрын

A well placed fan will prevent overheating.

Excellent video

a well done video.. can you post those 6 rules in the comments again?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Sure Chris 1 - Keep the air temp. around your freeze dryer and vacuum pump at or below 72 degrees. If that is a challenge then use a turbo fan pointed directly at the vacuum pump to keep the air from stagnating and getting hot. Direct the air across the pump and away from the refrigeration pump inside the FD. 2- Don't' overload your trays, 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. per tray is optimal, never more than three pounds per tray in a medium FD. 3- Weigh your trays before and after FD to determine how much water is lost so you can properly rehydrate the product without waterlogging it. 4- Minimize the need for wicking by placing the dried food in a tight container so the proper amount of water comes up the side of the product as much as possible even to the point of covering it. 5- Be patient and plan ahead. Proper rehydration can take time. Some food will rehydrate quickly but not always, Shredded Cheddar Cheese can take 24+ hours to properly rehydrate. Experience will be your best teacher. 6- Do not force a rehydration. Although this process can work well with bread and cake, I do not recement forcing a rehydration with heat or steam, this can have an adverse effect on the texture and flavor of the food. Do it if you must but avoid it if you can. Thanks for commenting, Evan

Very informative thank you

Regarding forced rehydration, what if you had a Foodsaver with a meat marinate container? That gadget proports to vacuum out air which expands the muscle fibers for absorption. Or their canning jar lid accessory for rehydrating in a mason jar. Would warm/hot water hydrate faster for some foods? Four hours is too long. Especially, if I am hungry and want to eat a homemade MRE meal. Reducing rehydration time can be another experiment...

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Nani, yes, I have done forced rehydration but it does not always work, depends on the food. Heat is a better way to get food to rehydrate sooner. Vacuum rehydration does get the moisture into air pockets quicker but true rehydration happens when the moisture completely permeates the food mass not just the surrounding pockets. Thanks for the comment, Evan

Great video 👍

Fantabulous!!

Thank you

You can go into business making those dividers. I would buy a set because using silicone molds isn’t always a doable thing.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello and thank you for the vote of confidence. I have so much on my plate right now that time is the problem, I just could not fit it in my schedule and I don't think there would be enough volume of sales to sustain the effort. It's a great thought. Thanks again! Evan

@bc24roxy4

3 жыл бұрын

There is a company that sells these..but they are not cheap..I think it is frozenright. They sell stuff just for freeze dryers. John in bibs uses them and has link on a few of his videos to purchase them. They are adjustable

@bc24roxy4

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 As more and more people are getting freeze dryers rather than buying from commercial companies, I think there will be a market for them. Rather than having to purchase several different sizes of silicone molds

Excellent

Just Subscribe to your channel, what a great way of doing Lasagna. What brand of scale are you using? Great job!!! 👍👍👍

I've done liquid soups and never had a problem with too much ice inside

@evanrowell5266

Жыл бұрын

Hello Sheri, I am not surprised in the slightest, I still do not know what people mean by "Too much ice". How much is too much? The most ice I ever encountered is when I FD'd 10 pounds (4 full trays) of drained canned peaches. The ice was a solid sheet over an inch thick and yet the peaches dried wonderfully! Fact is a person can FD 4 pans filled with water, and it will all end up on the side of the barrel leaving empty trays. How can you get more water than that? Thanks for the comment, Evan

Your kitchen looks exactly like my son's kitchen...except, for the table you are working on.

Can u accelerate rehydration by using the marinate function or even the vacuum seal function on a vacuum chamber sealer such as the Avid Armor USV 20

Great video! Just got my freeze dryer and, despite some mistakes, got peppers and green beans perfectly FD'd. I see that you are vacuum sealing. I sous vide food, not to mention vacuum sealing for freezing my garden (before the harvest Right). Can I use my chamber vacuum sealer to seal mylar bags?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Cuban Mama for reaching out. I think you will find that learning the basics will be easy. As for your sealer unless they are designed for Mylar bags, such as the impulse sealer Harvest Right sells, it will be insufficient for long term storage because kitchen boiler bag sealers do not get hot enough. You can use them for a low initial vacuum (with an O2 absorber) but you should follow up the warm seal with an hot impulse sealer. Thanks for the enquiry, Evan

@cubanmama4564

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 I have an Ary chamber vacuum sealer. I will contact the company and get more information. Thanks for your help.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

@@cubanmama4564 Yes, I just looked it up and it most certainly will work, and work very well. The only requirements are that the seal bar is wide enough and the chamber is large enough for the bags you want to us. I thought you were talking about a "Seal-A-Meal" type of set up. :) Evan

I love your methods!! Thank you so much! This was a great experience! One question: Would it make a difference for you/I to use those noodles that do not need to be boiled? I believe I my eventually give them a try! 😉👍 ~~Sharon

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, you can do that with some adjustments. First make sure you add enough extra water in the sauce for the noodles to absorb and second you MUST cook the lasagna before cutting it up to place in the FD pans, otherwise you will just make a complete mess out of the Lasagna :). Evan

@GradeBmoviefan

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 THANK YOU SO MUCH! I would have ruined a load on that one. I am so excited to be watching your Channel and can’t wait to see more! 🤓👍 ❤️ ~~Sharon

I live in South Mississippi. I promise you even with the ac going every room gets above 72. No getting around that.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Michele, I have been working hard to undo a misconception many are having about temperature that I failed to make clear. 72 degrees is optimal but with the correct cooling setup the ambient temperature of the room can get above 82 degrees with no problem. In fact, I did a video on that very issue. You can see it here starting at minute 15:10. Thanks for reaching out, Evan

Let me start out by saying that I really enjoy your very informative videos on freeze drying! Keep up the great work! I wanted to ask, is the handheld heat sealer that you are using the 12" (300mm) version? That's the size I'm guessing. I realize they are available in 8", 12" and 16" versions. But just wanted to check with you before I order. Thanks for your time!

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Harrell, The one I have is the 16". The way I figured it is it's better to have to much than not enough although it is a bit bulky to handle. I wanted to be able to seal 5 gallon bags with one pass and also be able to make custom size bags from roll material. When it gets hot it stays hot so extra care needs to be applied when using it. The heat is adjustable from off to 250 degrees. It takes some getting used to, you can melt the bags to the point of tearing. I have found that 150 degrees for about 2-3 seconds works the best on a 7 mil bag, more than 3 seconds and the Mylar starts to disintegrate. You should let the sealer get to temperature and then sit for about 5 minutes for the heat to evenly distribute. Thanks for asking, Evan

Do you think it would be possible to rehydrate food more quickly if it it somehow was put into a vacuum chamber. Just like you sucked the air out of the mylar bag for storage. Maybe there is a way to sort of speed up the process of rehydration this way? I know that if you put meat into one of those special vacuum suction bowls, the raw meat is ready and marinated real quick.

@evanrowell5266

Жыл бұрын

I have a set of steel and rubber vacuum lids for glass bowls and the work wonderfully for meat and marinade, but I would not recommend it for rehydration because the process of reverse vacuum draws moisture into the air voids within the food and not the mass itself. This would present uneven rehydration especially where proper water volume is important as is the case with many prepared foods that need a proper volume of moisture so as not to be too dry or soggy. If you have a situation where rehydration time is extended, then trying to pump the moisture into it would cause problems and fail to render time-saving worth the effort. Thanks for reaching out, Evan

QUESTION - Can I freeze dry food that has already been dehydrated? For example I already dehydrated corn and now I want to freeze dry it for max storage time.

Can you link to the vacuum needle? Thank you! Great information

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Sure, here is a link to the needle I use www.amazon.com/Stainless-Injector-Syringe-Marinade-Capacity/dp/B08PBL3QNN/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=meat+injector&qid=1619398442&sr=8-13 but mind you, this needle starts out as a meat marinade injection needle that has been repurposed as a vacuum needle. In case you haven't seen it here is a link to a detailed description of the needle setup. Go to minute 12 kzread.info/dash/bejne/qGF3uJudlKS_d9I.html, Thanks, Evan

What if you layered the lasagna upside down before baked??? Idk

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Pamela, it's not the order of layering but the thickness. Lasagna needs to be put into the pan in no more than 3/4 in slices. I hope I have understood your question correctly. Evan

great video sir.. So those meals don't need to be refrigerated and it will not go off??? what is the shelf life?

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

According to conventional wisdom, at least 25 years but I have never heard anybody describe what happens to them when (and if) they go bad. I think they will last a lot longer. I have read university reports of canned corn still being good after 40 years and K-rations still good that pre-date WW2. I would sure like to see a properly prepared and packaged food item that has gone bad just so I can know what happens. I think those 80 year old K-rations never got the memo telling them they needed to "Go Bad" because they were too old, LOL :D Thanks for the comment, Evan

What happens if the drain valve is opened but was closed quickly while in the vacuum freezing stage? Is it likely to cause a leak? Thanks for your help!

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Holy Pyro, No, that will not cause a problem. The FD monitors the vacuum and will shut down if the vacuum is lost for a pre-determined amount of time. It also sets the Vacuum Freezing time by monitoring the temperature. As long as the FD did not shut down due to loss of vacuum it would be OK. Thanks for the question, Evan

I’d buy the dividers, too! I’ll take ten, for the large trays.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

I wish making them would be cost effective but, sadly, I have not the time. Evan

@MsTazChristi

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 well, how about selling the design and the materials?? How hard could it be to cut???

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

@@MsTazChristi I'd be happy to give you a design. They are made of aluminum so all you need is a table saw or miter saw with a carbon tipped blade. Carbon tipped blades will cut aluminum easily. The aluminum stock is 1/8 x 1" cut to length then a half depth channel is cut in the cross pieces so they fit together. I cut several channels in the long pieces to accommodate different configurations. The only caution I will offer is that metal will bind so several shallow cuts, moving slowly with material in very firm control is essential. In my next video I will show close-up images as a side note. Evan

@MsTazChristi

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 how kind and generous of you! Thank you! Blessings.

How do you keep your freeze drying room cool? My freeze dryer room gets over 80 degrees when the FD is running. I put two fan on it and have a window open but that doesn't seem to help. Maybe need a room A/C unit?

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Healy 4. What you ask is an important question; I have made a video that addresses this topic, go to minute 15, kzread.info/dash/bejne/c6uHmNuTkdvSZJs.html - Evan

Well, I was excited about getting a freeze dryer. But, I'm in Florida, and to run my a/c to keep the temp to 72 degrees during the day..well shoot, My electric bill might not make it worth buying now. It sounds to me like I'm going to spend 3 grand, and blow the thing up if I don't keep the a/c running cold..😏I was sure looking forward to getting one.

@evanrowell5266

Жыл бұрын

Hello K.P. - I understand your worries but I have to ask, is your home normally 75 to 80 degrees? An air conditioner is not generally needed if you can keep the air directly around your FD moving with a fan. An 18 inch floor fan pointed directly at the air intake side of the FD will be sufficient if the room ambient temperature is less then 80 degrees. Evan

You could sell those dividers. I’d buy some.

@evanrowell5266

Жыл бұрын

Yes, several have asked but I do not have the time nor would it be cost effective for me. They are heavy duty aluminum and they take quite some time and effort to cut them out to fit together. Thank you for your interest, I wish I had the time to accomodate. Evan

If you vacuum pack your containers, do you still need to use the oxygen packets? Does it make a difference if it's in a mason jar or mylar bag?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Metalized Mylar bags (most Mylar bags meant for long term storage are metalized, Mylar potato chip bags are not) and canning jars are essentially equal when it comes to food storage. An O2 absorber does more than absorb oxygen, they also help maintain freshness and taste so I almost always use an O2 absorber, especially with any king of meat and dairy even though I vacuum pack everything. I use 50 - 100 cc absorbers in jars, that's plenty. In a gallon Mylar bag I use a 300 cc absorber. Evan

Question- in the 3rd way (your favorite way) did you cook the noodles then freeze dry them , or ...? You put them in the original box and added oxy and vacuum sealed. I’m confused.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Diane, The noodles in the box are exactly as purchased, I did not cook them. I cut the box ends off so it would collapse around the noodles and eliminate sharp corners that can puncture the Mylar. I always add O2 absorbers, especially with meat and dairy, because they do more than absorb oxygen, they keep the food fresher and help preserve flavor. Thanks for the inquiry, Evan

I'm a little confused in the medium freeze dryer are you only allowed 2 to 3 lbs per run or two to three pounds per tray?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Daniel. The optimum weight is 2.5 lbs per tray. I have run as much as 3 lbs per tray but Harvest Right standards are at or below 10 lbs total. I have discovered that weight has to be adjusted for different foods. if there is a lot of moisture then the weight should be held below 10 lbs total. Although 10 to 12 lbs total is OK it will take more dry time and should be more closely inspected for dryness when done. Thanks for the question, Evan

@danielkurek7009

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 okay understood thank you very much for the reply and the great content keep up the good work!

May I ask where you get your 72F temp limit? I live in Louisiana and nowhere in my home is 72F even possible during the summer. In my shop, where my freeze dryer will be, much higher temperatures are present; 92F+

48 hours to rehydrate lasagna? How about those commercial freeze-dried ones that you add hot water and they are ready to eat in 5 minutes? Why would it take 48 hours to rehydrate when it's home freeze-dried instead of commercially dried? What do they do differently?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Lectric Kitty, you misunderstood me, what I was talking about is the method of making lasagna that some promote that I do not recommend for the very reason you are concerned about. If not done properly trying to rehydrate lasagna with lots of space between the edges of the dried lasagna and the pan, leaving it to sit in a pool of water instead of being mostly covered, necessitating the slow process of wicking to rehydrate, it could very well take 48 hours in a refrigerator. The method I demonstrate would only take two hours at most in the refrigerator to rehydrate or less than an hour in the oven. You need to watch it again at the 20 minute mark and notice that the pan I am holding is larger than the ones I use to make the lasagna as I discuss the drawbacks to the method I'm talking about. As for the commercial brands there is lots of light dairy and air throughout which makes rehydration simple and fast by design after which the rehydrated lasagna condenses down and becomes more solid. The lasagna I make is dense with ricotta, mozzarella, and a rich meat sauce that leaves no air between the layers so rehydration is going to take longer but will produce a much better product. Thanks for the inquiry, Evan

@Clarinda787

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Thanks for explaining that. I will go watch again bc I obviously didn't "get it" the first time.

You should be able to faily easily calculate how much water to use exactly to reconsitude freeze dried food. Weigh the tray of food before you freeze dry it, they weigh it again afterwards. The difference in weight is the weight of the water you will want to use. Do the ratio arithmetic to find the ratio and then the specific amount for the portion you are using. I am assuming mind you a crumbled freeze dried product inside a mylar bag. D'oh. That aughta teach me not to comment before you finish watching the video. You covered this.

Do you have the large or medium dryer. Just asking because I want to know how many pounds of food to put on the different sizes. I have the large dryer with 5 trays.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Tracie, I have a medium dryer and my target weight is 2.5 Lbs per tray or 4 cups liquid. My tray will accept 5 cups but that is too much water and can overwhelm the barrel's ice sheet so 4 cups is max. I believe the larger tray and barrel can handle 3 Lbs per tray quite easily and 4.5 cups liquid (such as milk). Remember, if the food is dense like lasagna then you can still fill the pan but no more than 3/4 inch thick. In such a case the dry time will be longer. Try to leave some space between the food every 3 or 4 inches, not much is needed, maybe 1/4 inch. Thanks for reaching out, Evan

Question: I was under the assumption that after freeze drying my food, putting in the oxygen absorber and sealing the Mylar bag that all was good. Now I’m seeing where you are vacuum sealing the Mylar bag with a needle thing Does that mean my food is still not protected and I need to vacuum seal too

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

No, sealing with a adequate O2 absorber is all you really need. I vacuum seal primarily because I want compactness for storage. If you vacuum seal you really do not need an O2 absorber but I still use them because they help preserve freshness over the long term. One or the other is good but both presents added advantages and is best to hedge against long term failure. Evan

@annetteshaw9722

2 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Thank you so much for the quick response. I was panicking thinking that I was doing it wrong after spending all day cooking lean ground beef prepping for the freezer to freeze dry. I thank you for your videos, I so appreciate your work!

I need to question your #1 rule about working above 72*, or your pump will fail. That sounds a little extreme, especially since Harvest Right says the upper limit is 90*. Granted, 90* will likely shorten the life of your pump significantly, but to say it will "fail" above 72* would certainly limit location and operation of the average freeze dryer. The other 5 rules are good advice.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, you are correct, and I did make updates, What I meant to say is 72 degrees is the target. Above that needs fan circulation. 82 degrees is the upper limit, after that, depending on your cooling efforts and air circulation, the FD can fail to dissipate heat faster than sublimation will produce it and the barrel ice will start to melt. There are things you can do to help your FD operate in upper temperatures but the higher the temperature the greater the strain on both your FD and your pump and the longer the average FD cycle is. Thenks for the comment, Evan

@erindud8106

2 жыл бұрын

Some folks run a small fan on the pump

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

@@erindud8106 Yes, that is one of several things people commonly do to control temperature. Thanks for the comment, Evan

@RightOnTarget1

2 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Sir, can you tell me where your data comes from? I just ordered a FD and my shop, where my FD will go, gets quite warm in the summer here in Louisiana, potentially over 100F.

So the refrigerant pump can be damaged by operating in a room above 72 deg F? Or does it just not work as well? What if there's a fan blowing across the freeze dryer? The area around the pump and freeze dryer winds up close to 80 degrees F even when the room temp is 70 and even with the fan blowing across the setup. It does put up a message saying the room temp is high and will take longer.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

The fan has to be able to cool the compressed refrigerant in order to keep the FD at proper temperatures. If the air is too warm it cannot do that causing the barrel to melt. When that happens the moisture taken in by the vacuum pump rises dramatically and will consequently fail to maintain a vacuum. If stopped before either becomes hot enough to damage the pump motors or mechanical hardware then only a cleanup and restart is necessary. Air temp is important to monitor and a forced air fan directed at the vacuum pump may be necessary to keep everything cool enough to avoid failure. It's the vacuum pump overheating that causes the air directly around the FD to rise preventing the refrigeration pump from doing its job. Kind of a circular domino effect, Evan

Purchased the Harvest Right oil-less pump. They state in the manual that it runs at 130 degrees default. State it needs airflow to run properly. Would this be of concern to you being in an 80 degree room, or was your advice for the oil only pump?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello tkcdac, the temperature of the pump is not the main concern, the temperature of the surrounding air is. It is true that the pump operates very warm but it is designed to dissipate the heat at a certain rate to keep the temperature steady but that can only happen if the surrounding air is cool enough to draw the heat away. The same holds true for the refrigeration heat exchanger in the FD, the surrounding air must be circulated well below 80 degrees for proper heat dissipation. Because both the vacuum pump and the Freeze Dryer create heat, they can quickly heat the surrounding air and the whole system will continue to overheat and eventually fail. I operate my FD in a smaller room so I have forced air fans on my pump and I never close the door to the room. Circulation of cooler air around both the vacuum pump and the FD is critical. Thanks for the question, Evan

@lsmckinn6349

9 ай бұрын

Can you explain what the 'forced air fans on your pump' means. Are you saying you use a specific type of portable fan (?) which is directed at the food dehydrator system.and the FD pump? If a stand alone/portable fan, model/manufacturer info for my research please. My concern is I live in the south and do not depend on a central AC/HVAC system during our hot/humid/long summers.

Be careful using aluminum in your divider trays. These can oxidize when using acids and leaching into the food. I recommend using stainless.

@rondanew9916

2 жыл бұрын

I line my tray's with parchment paper cause everything sticks. Especially the fruit.

HR recommends no more than 2.5 pounds per medium trays

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

True, and I do try to keep it at 2.5, however, there are drier foods that will do very well at 3 pounds. I do a lot of experimentation and factory recommendations often err on the side of caution. I have found that 3 pounds does very well but only experience will tell you when not to push recommended limits. Thanks for the comment, Evan

Do you sell your tray dividers? Also, the link you give to the photography didn’t work for me. Would love links to tools and products you like, such as that bag sealer. Thanks again!

@scotts595

3 жыл бұрын

We don’t use those, just cut product small pieces and leave space in between. Don’t need gadgets to wash. Almost 2 years with our machine- wife uses parchment or silicone mats for sticky items ( bananas, strawberries) but most things come off easily with spatula.

Talking about vegetables do you always blanch your vegetables before you freeze dry?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Reta, I do blanch, but only starchy foods like potatoes and some root vegetables like carrots, because blanching also kills the naturally occurring digestive enzymes in the food. Because this happens in any food cooked to temperatures above 152 degrees the tradition of having a fresh vegetable salad along with your meal is such a good idea, the active enzymes help with digestion. Dehydration also deactivates enzymes but freeze drying does not so I blanch (or pre-cook things like meat) only when necessary. Thank you for the question, Evan

@Thisisit120

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 thank you so much.

I live in a old house in Florida our house doesn't stay cool. Also need to put in garage. What can I do

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Kimberly. My last video addressed that very issue. Here is the link, start at minute 17. kzread.info/dash/bejne/c6uHmNuTkdvSZJs.html Thanks for reaching out, Evan

I wonder how much liquid to to be put back in when I get over a gallon and a half of water in my large 5 tray freeze dryer full of celery.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Ronda. Fresh vegetables are relatively easy to rehydrate. In most cases just submerge them in cold water for a short time, they tend to absorb what they need quickly and then slow down to a crawl making it easy to monitor them until they are the way you want them. Evan

@rondanew9916

2 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 thank you for your answer 👍

@rondanew9916

2 жыл бұрын

Although the veggies are the same size when freeze dried. Except for things like celery that have a high water continent. I've just covered in water and drained off the excess water but I think I lose some of the flavors this way. Not enough water leaves them undehydreded. I've started to use a tofu box to keeping them all under water.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

@@rondanew9916 Hello Ronda, what you say is true, it is one of the realities of any kind of long term food storage. That is why, when rehydrating, I always pack the dried food in the smallest container I can so I can use minimal (if not exact amounts like when I'm doing cheese, lasagna or casseroles) water. You can always add more but too much does leech out some of the flavor. If there is any moisture that is not absorbed back into the food I try to use it in whatever I am preparing. Thanks for the comment, Evan

You're talking about my homie John aren't you? Lol

I add the ricotta to the sauce in my lasagna so that I get the flavor and not a gritty taste of the ricotta.

DID YOU SAY 65 HOURS ??? THAT'S ALMOST 3 DAYS !!! That doesn't seem correct... WOW

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Evone, what you say is true but I, in my experimentation, often push the limits of my freeze dryer and I freeze dry food that is not normally considered a viable candidate for Freeze Drying. Lasagna is a very dense product and will take more time than usual. In most cases my average freeze time is about 45 hours. Thanks for commenting, Evan

Timely - I'm debating if I overloaded mine today, I halted to defrost after 24h, about to restart with 50% transferred to the fridge. In truth it wasn't as much water as I thought. I drained off maybe 4 pints. 2nd thought is it is perhaps too warm in the room its in. I may need to get a fan to circulate air out of that room. I had taken a stab at instant rice, 6C rice + 10 pints water if I recall correctly.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Hello Kalsprite, 24 hours is not long at all, even a light batch will take 35 hours and my batches (because I do a lot of experimentation) routinely take between 50 to 60 hours. If you think you need a fan then you need a fan, the FD is sensitive to temperature. If you get one I recommend a small turbo fan pointing directly at the vacuum pump because the pump tends to heat the air around the FD but any fan that moves a lot of air will do. I've never done instant rice but you have intrigued me. I usually just store rice but seeing how well cooked rice freeze dries and then rehydrates makes me curious. Thanks for commenting, Evan

@kalsprite

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Ah now I know... I have thus far only done a few batches of bananas strawberries and apples, and they have taken me 24h max. Was getting ansy that it wasn't registering final dry at 24h. I have no idea if instant rice idea will turn out well or fail, though I can't imagine it not working. My goal in purchasing a freeze dryer was 30% food preservation and 70% trying to find ways to have good food for low effort during the work week. My wife and I used to make quality homemade food, and now its migrated to more box food than I'd like to admit.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

@@kalsprite The FD monitors humidity in the barrel. If your batch is really light your final dry may be very short. I have never noticed not getting a final dry cycle. I would call tech support and ask them if that is normal. They will most likely help you retrieve the log file and send it to them so they can look at it. It's simple to do, all you need is a USB thumb drive. My wife and I also try to eat healthy and avoid junk food. She is from Venezuela and she loves to cook so we rarely eat from a box. Thanks again for watching, Evan P.S - I'm going to try a tray of cooked rice.

@kalsprite

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 reporting back - instant rice is a hit. a word of warning though is if you use turmeric in the FD, the machine will smell like turmeric for another 5-10 cycles lol. if i recall correctly the rice recipes had 2 tbsp butter per 3C rice, i saw a spec of grease on one tray at the end of FD. baked sweet potatoes and mashed as instant sweet potatoes is another hit, we do not season them at all on 1st cooking. at rehydration add salt butter cinnamon and honey. cannot tell it was FD.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

@@kalsprite oooohh, I got to try the sweet potatoes, sounds like a hit to me!! Thanks, Evan

Where do you get the vacuum needle? I would love to get one of these but I can not find it. Great Video!!!

I have a question here. I live in the tropics. House temperature is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Will it still work? Thank you - a potential buyer of FD.

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Lydia, I just did a video on things you can do to manage temperatures. It's the second half of this video. kzread.info/dash/bejne/c6uHmNuTkdvSZJs.html Thanks for the inquiry, Evan

@lydiachee4800

2 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 thank you. I will watch this.

We enjoy your freeze drying videos. I don't understand why you did not critique your own lasagna video that you took down because breaking the 6 cardinal rules. Your critique of John in Bibs lasagna video was in my opinion unprofessional. Would rather have seen the critique on your own failed video. Otherwise we will continue watching. We enjoy your presentation style.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your support Garry. The reason I critiqued the video I did was not because I wanted to downplay the video but to point out the drawbacks of the method, not the author, that is why I mentioned no names or other identifying traits (save for the comment about too much water, I should have left that out). I DID point out and admit to my own mistakes as I went along, I just didn't want others to see my other video and not see the follow-up. It's not fair to ask me not to address an issue just because someone else addressed it first. Thanks again for commenting, I always look forward to critique, it helps me improve.

@GradeBmoviefan

3 жыл бұрын

Another thing... John did run a second experiment during that same video. He showed and described his mistakes while at the same time ran the second run. The second one was a success. John was the first I saw manage the lasagna puzzle... All at the same time, I am so excited to see and hear all that you have to show, Evan! I love your voice and tone! It sounds like you are already one of my favorites!! 😁👍 ~~Sharon

@bc24roxy4

3 жыл бұрын

My thoughts exactly. I was going to subscribe until I realized he was bashing another youtuber to make himself look good. He will now use Johns mistakes to make one himself. Lost me I won't waste my time watching this guy there are too many others out there to watch.

johb in bibs

Seems like a better approach would be to just present your lasagna method. He was experimenting and sharing with us, we learn together from what works and what doesn’t. Critiquing him was totally unnecessary and distasteful in my opinion.

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

Perhaps you are correct, I should not have made such obvious references and I shall keep that in mind in the future. Now having said that I would mention to you that this method was promoted as a complete success to witch I offered what I truly believe to be better alternatives. How can I make a comparison if I do not mention the methods that I am comparing to? How can I point out things to avoid if I do not point out references and examples as to why. It wasn't the video but the method I was reflecting on although I will admit that I could have been a little less indicative of the specific video, I would apologize if I truly thought I had something to apologize for. I have heard it said that if one cannot take the heat one must stay out of the kitchen, warmest regards, Evan

@bc24roxy4

3 жыл бұрын

Very distasteful

@bc24roxy4

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 You could have made your own lasagne video your way. There was no need for you to critic someone else especially after yours apparently failed and you removed your video but then had the nerve to criticize someone else. I think you enjoyed it just a bit too much. Do you feel better now?

@evanrowell5266

3 жыл бұрын

@@bc24roxy4 As one of my favorite scholars, Dr. Jordan Peterson, has said, "in order to grow and have meaningful dialogue one must risk being offended". It was not my intent nor purpose to criticize but to educate, I would have said and done the same even if I had never seen the video you are being offended in behalf of. It does seem to be you who is unnecessarily stirring the pot of discord. This is the last you will hear me respond to your angst and judgment, I am truly sorry you have chosen this path. Evan

@ForestEdgeGardens

3 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 subscribed because your response is spot on. The age of being offended on behalf of others is ridiculous and I agree with you, and Dr. Peterson.

I've seen some people comment that this seems to be a lot of work ... and I would agree - - However, as an aging person whose health and energy levels are not what they once were, I wish that I could've invested that energy into making my own food when I was younger and storing it for this time in my life ... would be nice to be able to go and rehydrate a dish of my own lasagne, rather than struggle for hours to prepare it now. Unfortunately, I knew nothing of freeze drying then, and now, I fear that ship has sailed ;-) But who knows ..... maybe things will change for the better and I might get a chance to do this, yet

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, it's never too late to start. Remember, it's often just as easy to make a double batch when you have to cook for yourself and then freeze dry half. If you are not looking at long term storage (25+ years) then you will only need oxygen absorbers in a Mylar bag to store your dried food, vacuum packing will not be necessary. Thanks for the comment, Evan

@lauriivey7801

2 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 I have a vacuum sealing machine (for freezing) ... would that work with the mylar?? It seems like it would ....

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

@@lauriivey7801 It works to an extent. Vacuum sealer bags are always ribbed with a cross-hatch pattern, this allows the machine to draw out air with the machine clamped down. Mylar is smooth and it makes it very difficult to draw out the air when clamped but it will take out some of the air, probably enough for your purposes. The problem with vacuum sealer bags is that, unless they are in deep freeze, they will loose a portion of their vacuum after a few months, Mylar will not, however, if you draw a vacuum with a sealer using Mylar bags you will need to immediately re-seal it with an impulse sealer because vacuum sealing machines are not designed to get hot enough to permanently seal Mylar bags. In any case always use an O2 absorber in each bag. I hope this helps and thanks, Evan

@lauriivey7801

2 жыл бұрын

@@evanrowell5266 Thank you ... that actually makes sense - - yes, I understand the need for O2 absorbers - - Thank you for the clear explanation

i find it easier to do my lasagna sauce and freeze dry it and pack the noodles and cheese separate still easy to put together

@evanrowell5266

2 жыл бұрын

Hello, that is defiantly one way to do it, in fact in my video that method is one of the options I discuss. I dry the sauce, cheese and ricotta separately and then put everything (including uncooked noodles) in Mylar bags to be assembled when used. Thanks for the comment, Evan