I was wondering about what the vacuum sealer was doing to the produce. I’m going to adjust the vacuum down to the lowest setting and let the oxygen absorber do it’s job. Thanks for the video!
I had this happen too. I made tons of apples and put some in jars. I opened up a jar and they were spongy. I opened another jar a few weeks later and they were fine. They were all done in the same batch, so my only guess is that there was one or more that weren’t completely dry. The ones that were spongy went back into the freeze dryer and they were fine.
Great comparison. Thanks for the details I've tried vac sealing the included mylar bags and did not have success. I'll have to do more research on that.
Phil, thanks for your response. It appears that I use the same method that you use. The only exception I can tell is pre-freezing. I have never pre-frozen any of the foods that I freeze-dry. My trays were more loaded than yours were. I vacuum seal my food in clear bags with oxygen absorbers. I use everything I freeze-dry within a couple of months so I wasn't concerned about using mylar bags. I know that I am getting a good vacuum on my freeze-dryer. Not as good as I have heard you say that you get, but when the process is finished, I am around 350 millitorr. And I usually increase the dry time by over 12 hours. I may need to wrap my heating shelves in tin foil, as you suggested in one of your videos. Thank you for the time you took to make this video.
What kind of bags are you using to seal them in? The food saver bags leak air and that might be what’s wrong. Also, see thru bags are not recommended for long term storage.
14:40 """ OR His sealer has not been preforming its duties well with the sealing process. One tiny little ripple or drop of moisture on the bag in the sealing area can corrupt the entire bag. My problem was with powdered milk and the creases of the bag and then rice which is basically a bunch of pin points making all kinds of micro holes in the bags. I have had to re-doo all 50 lbs of rice cause of this. As for my sealing of these two items i now only use jars for the rice and the milk is vacced only if a bag, that can be completely flat when sealed. Less product in the bag and more of them. My fav thing right now is beef stew. Insta stew from the insta pot with no pot. HeHeHe Thank you for showing apple tech..
I exclusively use Vitamin C powder (1 tsp/quart cold water) when I freeze dry or dehydrate apples. I like it because it doesn't add any taste to the apples unlike lemon juice and it does a superior job in preserving apples. Well crap I've never gone back and checked the apples in the mylar bags. I just assumed they would be crisp. I keep a half gallon canning jar of freeze dried apple slices (vacuum sealed) in the pantry to use for baking or adding to oatmeal. I just opened it and while softer they still snapped. So I'm satisfied. A little FYI the other good thing about Vitamin C powder it says if properly stored it doesn't have an expiration date. Phil does your vacuum sealer have an adjustable setting? I know mine has a delicate setting to it doesn't vacuum seal as quickly or as strong. You might see if you can turn it down with fragile foods.
Plus the Vit. C is good for you. My vacuum chamber doesn't have a setting, but I could run it to a lower Hg/in amount. This is what I use: th-cam.com/video/CDj02lxBFiQ/w-d-xo.html
Ah, another great contribution to humanity; thanks! I like the other method too where you run the apples through a french-fry cutter. That is the only way I'll FD them! They're a great, guilt-free snack. Indeed, I plan to produce them on a larger scale for my brother's farmer's market. Right now the only thing holding me up is trying to print labels at home.
@@Philat4800feet Thank you. Not yet. I have purchased some blank Avery labels, and the package suggests that they have apps on their website that one can download.
Phil, I just watched your TH-cam presentation “Freeze Dried Apples”. I am new to freeze drying and watch your videos before I freeze dry anything. I recently purchased the Avid Armor chamber vacuum. I am questioning if it is necessary to use an oxygen absorber if the mylar bag is vacuum sealed? Thank you for all your videos. I find them very helpful and informative.
Thank you as always. Do you vacuum pack powdered food? If you do, Do you have a video showing your process? I worry about the powder possibly getting into the pump. I appreciate your videos
2 ways I had "soft" fd stuff. 1. Way too much air I'm jar and no oxygen obsorbers. 2. Too much humidity. Now, I always check my weather, scroll down to humidity and check. If higher, I do one try at a time and work fast. Another note: if your humidity is low, now would be a good time to make divinity. It will be more successful on lower humidity days.
That a good question. Raw coconut will freeze dry. Coconut with all the added sugar probable would, but rehydrating would be difficult. The FD coconut would be very hydroscopic (it would seek out moisture). I think just the moisture in the air would reconstitute it over a day or two but could be sticky.
@@Philat4800feet Thanks, Phil. I was satisfied with Red Delicious, but my sister thought that another variety would be even better. Was it Granny Smith, she said? :)
I see you use thermometers. Have you ever done an analysis on foods that fall into time and temperature control for safety (TCS) and freeze drying? I am trying to get a variance to freeze dry some foods that fall into that category. I will need to show that the food does not go above 41 degrees Fahrenheit until less than .85 water activity. FDA and state food codes are very meticulous. I have watched your videos and know you are very detailed so did not know if you did any test or know of anyone that has.
I haven't done anything to the details you are seeking. Temperature would be easy to collect. Percentage of moisture would be more detailed. You got me thinking on how this could be done. My initial thought would be to contact a food lab at a nearby university.
Hi Phil, I did 4 trays if lasagne and 1 tray if pure sauce , then cleaned the drum with 75% alchohol but the drum still smells like pasta , what do I do to clean out previous batch smells?
I don't use an oxygen absorber in bags I chamber vacuum seal. I noticed when vacuum sealing a mason jar with oxygen absorbers in the jar they blew up like balloons inside the jar, I don't want to risk an oxygen absorber getting tore open by the vacuum pressure and putting charcoal all over my food inside the bag.
@@Philat4800feet The packets in the jars didn't come apart (I also only ran the chamber sealer for about 10 secs for jars) but the size they increased to while being vacuumed down leads me to believe they could, and inside a mylar bag (which I run the chamber sealer for 50 seconds) you would never know it happened until years later when you opened the food.
Excellent information. I will be processing a bunch of apples this week and you video really helped me decide what to use for treatment.
good to hear.
Great educational video
I was wondering about what the vacuum sealer was doing to the produce. I’m going to adjust the vacuum down to the lowest setting and let the oxygen absorber do it’s job. Thanks for the video!
I had this happen too. I made tons of apples and put some in jars. I opened up a jar and they were spongy. I opened another jar a few weeks later and they were fine. They were all done in the same batch, so my only guess is that there was one or more that weren’t completely dry. The ones that were spongy went back into the freeze dryer and they were fine.
Great comparison. Thanks for the details
I've tried vac sealing the included mylar bags and did not have success. I'll have to do more research on that.
Have you seen this video:
th-cam.com/video/CDj02lxBFiQ/w-d-xo.html
Phil, thanks for your response. It appears that I use the same method that you use. The only exception I can tell is pre-freezing. I have never pre-frozen any of the foods that I freeze-dry. My trays were more loaded than yours were. I vacuum seal my food in clear bags with oxygen absorbers. I use everything I freeze-dry within a couple of months so I wasn't concerned about using mylar bags. I know that I am getting a good vacuum on my freeze-dryer. Not as good as I have heard you say that you get, but when the process is finished, I am around 350 millitorr. And I usually increase the dry time by over 12 hours. I may need to wrap my heating shelves in tin foil, as you suggested in one of your videos. Thank you for the time you took to make this video.
Looks like you're doing everything right
What kind of bags are you using to seal them in? The food saver bags leak air and that might be what’s wrong. Also, see thru bags are not recommended for long term storage.
@@katharvey7324 I prefer 7 mil "Mylar" bags without a zip lock seal.
@@Philat4800feet. Thanks, Phil!
14:40 """ OR His sealer has not been preforming its duties well with the sealing process. One tiny little ripple or drop of moisture on the bag in the sealing area can corrupt the entire bag. My problem was with powdered milk and the creases of the bag and then rice which is basically a bunch of pin points making all kinds of micro holes in the bags. I have had to re-doo all 50 lbs of rice cause of this. As for my sealing of these two items i now only use jars for the rice and the milk is vacced only if a bag, that can be completely flat when sealed. Less product in the bag and more of them. My fav thing right now is beef stew. Insta stew from the insta pot with no pot. HeHeHe Thank you for showing apple tech..
The vacuum pack does not need to be a 280mTor level, just enough to before deformation or first crunch.
I exclusively use Vitamin C powder (1 tsp/quart cold water) when I freeze dry or dehydrate apples. I like it because it doesn't add any taste to the apples unlike lemon juice and it does a superior job in preserving apples. Well crap I've never gone back and checked the apples in the mylar bags. I just assumed they would be crisp. I keep a half gallon canning jar of freeze dried apple slices (vacuum sealed) in the pantry to use for baking or adding to oatmeal. I just opened it and while softer they still snapped. So I'm satisfied. A little FYI the other good thing about Vitamin C powder it says if properly stored it doesn't have an expiration date. Phil does your vacuum sealer have an adjustable setting? I know mine has a delicate setting to it doesn't vacuum seal as quickly or as strong. You might see if you can turn it down with fragile foods.
Plus the Vit. C is good for you. My vacuum chamber doesn't have a setting, but I could run it to a lower Hg/in amount. This is what I use:
th-cam.com/video/CDj02lxBFiQ/w-d-xo.html
Ah, another great contribution to humanity; thanks! I like the other method too where you run the apples through a french-fry cutter. That is the only way I'll FD them! They're a great, guilt-free snack.
Indeed, I plan to produce them on a larger scale for my brother's farmer's market. Right now the only thing holding me up is trying to print labels at home.
Good luck. Have you tried Microsoft Word, Mailings, Labels, Options? There are several Avery formats.
@@Philat4800feet Thank you. Not yet. I have purchased some blank Avery labels, and the package suggests that they have apps on their website that one can download.
Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar work just as well.
I always try to get the bulk of the air out of the bags before sealing and let the O2 absorber suck them down.
Good idea.
Phil, I just watched your TH-cam presentation “Freeze Dried Apples”. I am new to freeze drying and watch your videos before I freeze dry anything. I recently purchased the Avid Armor chamber vacuum. I am questioning if it is necessary to use an oxygen absorber if the mylar bag is vacuum sealed?
Thank you for all your videos. I find them very helpful and informative.
$0.19 is a cheap insurance policy to keep the oxygen out of your food. Use an absorber.
Thank you as always. Do you vacuum pack powdered food? If you do, Do you have a video showing your process? I worry about the powder possibly getting into the pump. I appreciate your videos
I vacuum pack just about everything that won't be crushed.
See: th-cam.com/video/CDj02lxBFiQ/w-d-xo.html
@@Philat4800feet thank you
2 ways I had "soft" fd stuff. 1. Way too much air I'm jar and no oxygen obsorbers. 2. Too much humidity. Now, I always check my weather, scroll down to humidity and check. If higher, I do one try at a time and work fast. Another note: if your humidity is low, now would be a good time to make divinity. It will be more successful on lower humidity days.
I haven't had divinity since I was a kid. Good comments
I am new and seems when trays come out they should be warm but during drying my temp stays between 8-10 degrees. is this right?
They should be warm to hot when done. Does the temp on your screen get hot?
I have dried coconut flakes from azure.... Can i dry-freeze them? And what's the best way to dry- freeze them? TIA
That a good question. Raw coconut will freeze dry. Coconut with all the added sugar probable would, but rehydrating would be difficult. The FD coconut would be very hydroscopic (it would seek out moisture). I think just the moisture in the air would reconstitute it over a day or two but could be sticky.
Everyone: What is your favorite variety of apple to freeze-dry? Thanks!
Cheap. Really, it's whatever I have on my trees, but I like honeycrisp every other year.
@@Philat4800feet Thanks, Phil. I was satisfied with Red Delicious, but my sister thought that another variety would be even better. Was it Granny Smith, she said? :)
I see you use thermometers. Have you ever done an analysis on foods that fall into time and temperature control for safety (TCS) and freeze drying? I am trying to get a variance to freeze dry some foods that fall into that category. I will need to show that the food does not go above 41 degrees Fahrenheit until less than .85 water activity. FDA and state food codes are very meticulous. I have watched your videos and know you are very detailed so did not know if you did any test or know of anyone that has.
I haven't done anything to the details you are seeking. Temperature would be easy to collect. Percentage of moisture would be more detailed. You got me thinking on how this could be done. My initial thought would be to contact a food lab at a nearby university.
After slicing your apples use Cranberry juice.
that sound good
Hi Phil, I did 4 trays if lasagne and 1 tray if pure sauce , then cleaned the drum with 75% alchohol but the drum still smells like pasta , what do I do to clean out previous batch smells?
Did you also clean the shelves? You may need to rinse and repeat.
I sure did
Hmm. Maybe run a loaf of bread through it, like you may have when the machine was new? Otherwise perhaps baking soda and water.
@@TonyGarrett-p1c Be careful with baking soda, it's abrasive.
@@Philat4800feet Ah, gotcha. Maybe not so dissolved in the wash water?
What settings do you use for your apples?
I hope this makes sense:
0F
0:00
130F
Extra dry 12:00
@@Philat4800feet It does, thank you.
i vac packed some rice but it ended up causing pin holes so i gave up vac sealing on about half my stuff.
I've had the same problem. I put "sharp" foods inside a Ziplock bag with pin holes punched throughout. I also use 7mil or better bags.
What were you settings for these freeze dried apples??
If you're running any program above v16 it should be automatic. What program is on your machine?
Perhaps this is what you're seeking:
0 degrees freeze, 0:00 extra time, 130 degrees shelf temp, and 12:00 extra time
@@Philat4800feet I have 5.4
I don't use an oxygen absorber in bags I chamber vacuum seal. I noticed when vacuum sealing a mason jar with oxygen absorbers in the jar they blew up like balloons inside the jar, I don't want to risk an oxygen absorber getting tore open by the vacuum pressure and putting charcoal all over my food inside the bag.
Strange. The packets should be porous to allow the oxygen to mingle.
@@Philat4800feet The packets in the jars didn't come apart (I also only ran the chamber sealer for about 10 secs for jars) but the size they increased to while being vacuumed down leads me to believe they could, and inside a mylar bag (which I run the chamber sealer for 50 seconds) you would never know it happened until years later when you opened the food.
👍👍👍👍👍
Finally had 2 successful batches ground beef and strawberries. Seems like the times were rather quick though.
Is ground beef and strawberries the new chocolate and peanut butter? The time comes down to moisture content and shelf temperature.
Oxygen absorbers are relatively cheap so 2 of the 300 in a bag would be good insurance.
Agreed
2.5yr apples looks like they did not break as bad as the vacuum sealed Oh goodness I will remember not to do that LOL
Why do you skin your apples? Isn't there so much vitamins and fiber in the skin? Thanks
That's a good question...I can only go back to tradition. Probably because most of the apples are for cooking/pastries.
@@Philat4800feet thanks. can your gajet core, slice but leave peels on?
@@trinade3732 Hi Trina, yes, you can prop the skinning knife back so it only does the spiral slicing.
@@gigihenderson8567 ok good. I love the peels. thank you. i will look into purchasing one.