Bought anything interesting lately?

[Heinrich]

delete. wrong thread.

[Pheo]

Update on the Excalibur dehydrator.  I've been using it pretty much constantly since I got it - does a great job and dries things really evenly.  Some people online talk about rotating the trays, but I haven't found that to be necessary.  I've only done fruits and veggies so far, but it's performing consistently well.  And come to think of it, my cayennes are almost dry enough to pulverize into painful/delicious powder.

Some people complain about the noise of the fan,  but I barely even notice it (no, I don't have any hearing loss).  As far as I can tell, it's quieter than any microwave.

I don't mind leaving fruits/veg running while I'm out, but I want to be home to try jerky making.  Only takes a few hours, but I'll have to learn how to time it.  Hopefully I'll be able to try a batch this weekend.

[drummerboy]

cayenne pepper capsules

[Akavit]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

[drummerboy]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

Can't put them into my cooking, and I want them for the medicinal effects.  Most health problems associated with diabetes are related to poor circulation, and cayenne helps improve circulation and prevent clotting.  I don't have any problem yet, but I get the capsules from Puritans Pride which is really cheap, so I think of them as really cheap insurance.

[Rose]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

Can't put them into my cooking, and I want them for the medicinal effects.  Most health problems associated with diabetes are related to poor circulation, and cayenne helps improve circulation and prevent clotting.  I don't have any problem yet, but I get the capsules from Puritans Pride which is really cheap, so I think of them as really cheap insurance.

...and capsicum, from the seeds of peppers (especially chillis) is supposed to be good for warding off colds and keeping the immune system going.

[Chestertonian]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

Can't put them into my cooking, and I want them for the medicinal effects.  Most health problems associated with diabetes are related to poor circulation, and cayenne helps improve circulation and prevent clotting.  I don't have any problem yet, but I get the capsules from Puritans Pride which is really cheap, so I think of them as really cheap insurance.

interesting

maybe that is why i always used to crave spicy food

I will have to look into those for my son when he's older

[Deirdre]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

My dad used to do this. He loved eating those little tiny green ones that you can find in the grocery store, about the size of your pinkie. Can't do it anymore, though, since he has diverticulitis.

[Arun]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

Can't put them into my cooking, and I want them for the medicinal effects.  Most health problems associated with diabetes are related to poor circulation, and cayenne helps improve circulation and prevent clotting.  I don't have any problem yet, but I get the capsules from Puritans Pride which is really cheap, so I think of them as really cheap insurance.

...and capsicum, from the seeds of peppers (especially chillis) is supposed to be good for warding off colds and keeping the immune system going.

do you mean capsaicin?

[drummerboy]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

Can't put them into my cooking, and I want them for the medicinal effects.  Most health problems associated with diabetes are related to poor circulation, and cayenne helps improve circulation and prevent clotting.  I don't have any problem yet, but I get the capsules from Puritans Pride which is really cheap, so I think of them as really cheap insurance.

interesting

maybe that is why i always used to crave spicy food

I will have to look into those for my son when he's older

Sometimes the body just knows what it needs!

[moneil]

Update on the Excalibur dehydrator.  I've been using it pretty much constantly since I got it - does a great job and dries things really evenly.  Some people online talk about rotating the trays, but I haven't found that to be necessary.  I've only done fruits and veggies so far, but it's performing consistently well.  And come to think of it, my cayennes are almost dry enough to pulverize into painful/delicious powder.

Some people complain about the noise of the fan,  but I barely even notice it (no, I don't have any hearing loss).  As far as I can tell, it's quieter than any microwave.

I don't mind leaving fruits/veg running while I'm out, but I want to be home to try jerky making.  Only takes a few hours, but I'll have to learn how to time it.  Hopefully I'll be able to try a batch this weekend.

My mother at the family farm has a dehydrator that she purchased many years ago (back in the 1970's I'm thinking).  Like a lot of people with a "new attraction", we used it a lot at first (mostly for fruits, but I'm not a big fruit eater so there wasn't much enticement for me), then usage fell off and it sat on a shelf for many years.  Mum really likes beef jerky, which is rather pricey "store bought".  About 3 years ago when I ran across some cheap (USDA Grade Standard) roasts on sale (the lower grades have less marbling, which is desirable for jerky, IMHO) I had the bright idea to make jerky for her, and have been doing so about every couple of months since.  We also have a meat slicer that mom bought for some reason, so I prefer buy whole roasts so I can trim excess fat off the perimeter, then slice - one get's a less "greasy" product that way.  Mom will sometimes buy meat for me to use and have the meat market slice it, but the trimming is more work that way, in my opinion.

Anyways, our dehydrator (I have no idea of the brand and it is 116 miles away so I can't go look) has a recipe book which indicated 12 hours for jerky.  A couple of time when I set things up and went back home they forgot to shut it off at the appointed time and left it to run over night (so like an additional 8 hours), which has never seemed to affect the quality of the final product.

[Rose]

Why not just eat the peppers raw?  It's tastier and more macho.  Muy mucho macho.

Can't put them into my cooking, and I want them for the medicinal effects.  Most health problems associated with diabetes are related to poor circulation, and cayenne helps improve circulation and prevent clotting.  I don't have any problem yet, but I get the capsules from Puritans Pride which is really cheap, so I think of them as really cheap insurance.

...and capsicum, from the seeds of peppers (especially chillis) is supposed to be good for warding off colds and keeping the immune system going.

do you mean capsaicin?

Arun is the first to spot my deliberate mistake- well done sir! 

[Pheo]

Anyways, our dehydrator (I have no idea of the brand and it is 116 miles away so I can't go look) has a recipe book which indicated 12 hours for jerky.  A couple of time when I set things up and went back home they forgot to shut it off at the appointed time and left it to run over night (so like an additional 8 hours), which has never seemed to affect the quality of the final product.

I'm glad to hear it's still being used...even if only a little!  I've actually been dehydrating things in my oven as part of my normal routine for the past couple years, but I wanted something that could give me more predictable results.  I also make a lot of yogurt at home, so this replaces a yogurt maker for thermophilic cultures.

As far as the timing of jerky goes, that's interesting.  Most recipes I've seen online and even in my recipe booklet say it should be ready in a few hours.  It's going to depend on the thickness, temperature, and whether or not your dehydrator has a fan though.  The Excalibur is a pretty robust machine, and it's been pretty true to the timings given so far.  I've barely shut the thing off though.  Hopefully I don't have to test out the warranty.

[Deirdre]

Moneil, how do you cook the meat before you dry it? Roast it?

[Arun]

Moneil, how do you cook the meat before you dry it? Roast it?

when i make jerky in the oven i don't cook it at all. marinate it for at least 24hrs then season and stick it in the oven on low overnight.

i prefer cold smoking or fermenting meats now though.