Re: Using Oven as Dehydrator?

[Guest guest]

wanted to try some recipes -

just wondered if one could use their oven at a low temp!

I've never done it but I once read there is a way of turning your oven on low and then turning it off and letting it get down to 110 degrees and trying to keep it there. I know people have done this. I would guess it's tricky getting it to maintain that temp.

Gloria

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[Guest guest]

Only if your oven doesn't go over 108 - 110 degrees. Most ovens cannot go that low.

Shari

[Guest guest]

I've heard of turning it on warm and keeping the door open.. don't know whether that works or not though... I t would work to turn it on and then off for drying herbs.. SuziMorningGlory113@... wrote: wanted to try some recipes - just wondered if one could use their oven at a low temp!I've never done it but I once read there is a way of turning your oven on low and then turning it off and letting it get down to 110 degrees and trying to keep it

there. I know people have done this. I would guess it's tricky getting it to maintain that temp.

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[Guest guest]

It can work. I had a large bunch of cilantro the other day and you know how far a large bunch of that goes. I used what I needed, and still had a lot left, so I spread it out on a cookie sheet and put it in oven on low, which is about 150 degrees on my oven, left the door slightly ajar...(when is a door not a door?? when it is a jar..HEHE!!) and it dried beautifully to a crisp bright green. I just ground it with my fingers into a powder and bottled it so can add a few pinches to what ever.

granny lee

P.S. I had one of those little stacker dehydrators but sold it in a garage sale as the volume I used to have to dry just made it a nuisance. I found that 4 window screens I salvaged made much better natural dryers. place one on the backs of a couple of chairs, put the herbs on the screen then place the other screen on top to protect from whatever. I used two sets when necessary.

---- Suzanne wrote:> I've heard of turning it on warm and keeping the door open.. don't know whether that works or not though... I t would work to turn it on and then off for drying herbs..> Suzi>

[Guest guest]

What a great idea! What about doing it outside and putting a piece of

black poster board under it, to absorb and radiate sunlight heat?

Now my wee little brain is working.........OUCH!!

Peace, love, laughter

Late one night at the insane asylum one inmate shouted, " I am

Napoleon! "

Another one said, " How do you know? "

The first inmate said, " God told me! "

Just then, a voice from another room shouted, " I did not! "

I found that 4 window screens I salvaged made much better natural

dryers. place one on the backs of a couple of chairs, put the herbs on

the screen then place the other screen on top to protect from whatever.

I used two sets when necessary.

[Guest guest]

I've used the gas oven with just the pilot light to dry lots of

herbs, especially if the weather and humidity is too wet for other

methods to work.

I was under the impression that Anne was asking if she could dehydrate recipes in an oven, not herbs. The oven with the pilot light might work for that though. I'd use an oven thermometer to keep checking. It could be too low.

Gloria

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[Guest guest]

I've used the gas oven with just the pilot light to dry lots of

herbs, especially if the weather and humidity is too wet for other

methods to work. Sometimes I crack the door open to give the moisture

a place to go.

The nylon window screens between 2 chairs works wonderfully.

Another way is to put them in the backseat of your car parked in a

sunny spot with a window cracked open a bit. That works very well

indeed. Make sure the sun isn't shining directly on your herbs.

Depending on the herb placing them in paperbags and then in the car

works good.

The stacker dehydrators haven't worked well for me. Mine was too

hot and seriously degraded the herbs, I lost a whole batch of burdock

root that way. I recently tried doing habaneros and had to shut it off

after 15 minutes as the kitchen was being filled with hot pepper

essential oils and we were all sneezing with watering eyes. Took the

trays out of the unit and hung them from the ceiling near the woodstove

and they dried beautifully.

Have fun!