I pour my milk into quart jars and then pour that quart onto each tray. Put my powdered milk back into the quart jars and I know I just have to add water until it reaches the top where I had poured the liquid into.
That's awesome! I like how they have updated the freeze dryers and gave them more trays! And those xl trays are huge!! You could do multiple gallons each time instead of the 1 gallon I can do.
Quick tip. Get a decent scale that measures in grams. When you think the batch is done, weigh each tray and write it down. Put the food back in for 1-2 hours and weigh it again. If any tray lost weight, even 1 gram, put it back in. Repeat until no weight is lost. Even 1 gram of water in any food, will make it spoil over time. I threw light a bunch of food using the moisture meter..
So intead of using a mylar bag for long storage you can get the dark Ball jars and before sealing them put in a oxygen absorber with it and then seal it.
Do you have the lids to your fd trays? I saw a video where someone was pre freezing the milk in the plastic lids. Only pour the milk into the recessed part of the lid. Place frozen milk on fd trays. Then, place into the fd. It didn’t stick and made perfect portions for mylar bags.
I have done it. The only difference is that the whey that's left over from making cheese has cheese culture in it which gives a little bit more tang than the store-bought stuff. It powders up nicely.
Any reason you didn't add an oxygen absorber packet in the jar before vacuum sealing it? Just curious as I watched another video where someone freeze dried, added an oxygen absorber and then vacuum sealed.
Some people do it differently. I have also seen it done both ways. In my theory if I'm vacuum sealing it I'm already taking out all the oxygen. Throwing in an oxygen. Absorber would just make sure it is good for long time storage.
Nice video. FWIW, I don't invest the time and electricity in freeze-drying milk anymore, preferring to just purchase ordinary, spray-dried milk and pack it for long-term storage, along with cocoa powder.
@@hanginwiththebryants You're welcome. I think I will try FDing fresh milk once more as a lark. I'm going to try pre-freezing milk in these silicone ice-stick trays, like you use to make ice to fit into water bottles. Then stack those sticks of frozen milk onto the trays and FD them like that. They may make a nice snack of sorts, or perhaps even just toss them into a blender with some cold water when I want a drink.
Those pin moisture meters aren’t made for food and they’re not at all accurate. They’re made for wood and the pins will give you false reading if it touches the metal tray. You should get used to breaking up your food and feeling it because you do t want to be bagging up food that’s not bone dry because it won’t be viable when you need it most. *8 year HRFD owner. 🙋🏻♀️
So far mine as done good for me. I make sure I don't go all the way through to tray. I have also done test throughout the some batches. I should of video it. I'll redo it soon and record it.
@@hanginwiththebryants I used one back from 2017 to 2020 and even promoted it in the groups until I found out that it really is very inaccurate. A Water Activity Meter is a wiser choice for food because it’s made for food. But after almost 8 years of FD’ing, there really is no substitute for your hands. “The worst time to find out that your food storage failed is when you need it most. “
@@angelamarie79 , Ya know what else is quite a chunk of change? Spoiled food because you weren’t careful about storing your FD’d food. A FD’r is minimum $2800.00 investment. Why would you spend the time, money and energy storing food that you have no real clue if it’s 💯 dry? Take the time to learn how 💯 bone dry FD’d food feels. You don’t have to use these gadgets. You just need to be very careful and thorough about how you check your FD’d food prior to packaging. 😃👍
Great videos! Hopefully this gets to you but Mars Inc is sending cease and desist orders with financial penalties. You might want to change the name of your products online so you get in their crosshairs.
If they are in mylar bags where light can't get in then they say it should last 25 years. If you do the portion in clear then put in mylar in my opinion that would work.
I pour my milk into quart jars and then pour that quart onto each tray. Put my powdered milk back into the quart jars and I know I just have to add water until it reaches the top where I had poured the liquid into.
That's a great tip! I will have to do this next time!
Awesome. Just got the xl Harvest right. We have a cow and are gonna be freeze alot of milk. Thanks. Knowledge is power. Power is smarts. 👍
That's awesome! I like how they have updated the freeze dryers and gave them more trays! And those xl trays are huge!! You could do multiple gallons each time instead of the 1 gallon I can do.
Quick tip.
Get a decent scale that measures in grams. When you think the batch is done, weigh each tray and write it down. Put the food back in for 1-2 hours and weigh it again. If any tray lost weight, even 1 gram, put it back in. Repeat until no weight is lost. Even 1 gram of water in any food, will make it spoil over time. I threw light a bunch of food using the moisture meter..
Thanks for the tip! Someone mentioned to measure it instead of the meter but I didn't understand how but that makes sense.
So intead of using a mylar bag for long storage you can get the dark Ball jars and before sealing them put in a oxygen absorber with it and then seal it.
I think pre freezing would help. I think it is great to be able to freeze dry milk. I want to try chocolate milk. Thank you for the video.
Pre freezing would be ideal. I just don't have the freezer space. I wonder how the chocolate milk would do.. I might have to try it sometime.
@@hanginwiththebryants I've done choc. milk. When reconstituted it does seem to taste different.
You can also put them in baggie
Ice cube tray. Or candy molds in freezer but you said you did not have space
Do you have the lids to your fd trays? I saw a video where someone was pre freezing the milk in the plastic lids. Only pour the milk into the recessed part of the lid. Place frozen milk on fd trays. Then, place into the fd. It didn’t stick and made perfect portions for mylar bags.
I do not have the lids. I would try that way buy my freezer and deep freeze are usually full.
That is what I do. I love using the lids, they come clean quicker than the pans.
I think you should have weighed your milk before & after. This would help you to know how much liquid to use when you reconstitute.
Thats a great idea! Everywhere I read is different amounts of water.
It was a gallon total...
hello, Is it better to boil the milk before freeze-drying the milk to enhance digestibility? #justasking
I don't I just pour from the gallon.
Can u freeze dry whole milk or just low fat or 2% ? Thank you
Should be able to do whole milk. Might just take a bit longer
Hi bro., can we make whey protein at home from liquid whey (remaining water after making cheese) by using this freeze dryer.
I have never tried it, but I am reading that it is possible to do it.
@@hanginwiththebryants please make a video
I have done it. The only difference is that the whey that's left over from making cheese has cheese culture in it which gives a little bit more tang than the store-bought stuff.
It powders up nicely.
Any reason you didn't add an oxygen absorber packet in the jar before vacuum sealing it? Just curious as I watched another video where someone freeze dried, added an oxygen absorber and then vacuum sealed.
Some people do it differently. I have also seen it done both ways. In my theory if I'm vacuum sealing it I'm already taking out all the oxygen. Throwing in an oxygen. Absorber would just make sure it is good for long time storage.
@@hanginwiththebryants Ok great, thanks for your reply!
Did you use whole milk? Wondering how long the fat/cream would store
Used 1%
Can you do the same thing with heavy cream?
I am not sure on that l, haven't tried.
Nice video. FWIW, I don't invest the time and electricity in freeze-drying milk anymore, preferring to just purchase ordinary, spray-dried milk and pack it for long-term storage, along with cocoa powder.
Thanks for sharing
@@hanginwiththebryants You're welcome. I think I will try FDing fresh milk once more as a lark. I'm going to try pre-freezing milk in these silicone ice-stick trays, like you use to make ice to fit into water bottles. Then stack those sticks of frozen milk onto the trays and FD them like that.
They may make a nice snack of sorts, or perhaps even just toss them into a blender with some cold water when I want a drink.
Hat kind/type of milk did you use, 0%, 2%, whole milk?
I used 1% but should be able to use any kind
Remember the lower the fat content the longer the shelf life
Are you using whole milk or skim milk?
I used 1%
I have a question for anyone in the comments. Can I freeze Dry the boxes of shelf stable milk? The sell it at Dollar Tree & I’m curious if its safe.
You should be able to. It would just turn it into chucks then you could blend it up and make it powder.
You need to open the box to allow the water to evaporate ! It won't work otherwise.
Those pin moisture meters aren’t made for food and they’re not at all accurate. They’re made for wood and the pins will give you false reading if it touches the metal tray.
You should get used to breaking up your food and feeling it because you do t want to be bagging up food that’s not bone dry because it won’t be viable when you need it most.
*8 year HRFD owner. 🙋🏻♀️
So far mine as done good for me. I make sure I don't go all the way through to tray. I have also done test throughout the some batches. I should of video it. I'll redo it soon and record it.
@@hanginwiththebryants I used one back from 2017 to 2020 and even promoted it in the groups until I found out that it really is very inaccurate. A Water Activity Meter is a wiser choice for food because it’s made for food. But after almost 8 years of FD’ing, there really is no substitute for your hands.
“The worst time to find out that your food storage failed is when you need it most. “
@@kimmididwhat $550+ is a chunk of change!!!
@@angelamarie79 , Ya know what else is quite a chunk of change? Spoiled food because you weren’t careful about storing your FD’d food.
A FD’r is minimum $2800.00 investment. Why would you spend the time, money and energy storing food that you have no real clue if it’s 💯 dry? Take the time to learn how 💯 bone dry FD’d food feels. You don’t have to use these gadgets. You just need to be very careful and thorough about how you check your FD’d food prior to packaging. 😃👍
Should I buy 👍👎🙌🙏👩🌾
If you do I have a link you can use. It's just an affiliate link. No extra cost to ya
Remember the lower the fat content the longer the shelf life. Fat doesn't freeze dry well.
Thank you! I used 1% in this video
Great videos! Hopefully this gets to you but Mars Inc is sending cease and desist orders with financial penalties. You might want to change the name of your products online so you get in their crosshairs.
Thanks for the heads up! I'm switching my etsy listing to freeze dried skeetles.
What if we use the clear bag for different portions and then place them in mylar bags??
If they are in mylar bags where light can't get in then they say it should last 25 years. If you do the portion in clear then put in mylar in my opinion that would work.