Re: How to use a dehydrator to make yogurt?

[Guest guest]

I used my excalibur to make yogurt (when I was able to eat it). I just took out

the trays, put mason jars on the bottom and turned the dehydrator on. It worked

perfectly for me. It's a wonderful tool and you can make so many other foods

with it...it's part of the reason I feel like I could go raw (though - not Ann's

raw...I'd go raw vegan...actually she's the first ever non-vegan/non-vegetarian

I've ever heard call themselves raw)

stacey

>

> My husband surprised me for our anniversary with a L'Equip dehydrator. He had

heard me complain often enough about my yogourmet yogurt maker growing too hot

-- even with the top lid removed -- and thought he would assuage my fears by

giving me a more reliable method of making yogurt.

>

> Granted, this is not the Excalibur dehydrator, but it is similar, in that it

has 6 trays and is at least 12 " tall, 15-18 " wide, and another 12-15 " deep.

>

> I had heard that other people use dehydrators to make their yogurt, but it

appears that I will have to put the yogurt in dozens of tiny containers/jars

stacked on the various trays of the dehydrator if I want to do it this way.

>

> Is this in fact how other people make yogurt with your dehydrators, or have

you been able to fit a yogourmet sized container (half gallon) into the

dehydrator? If so, do you stack it between the bottom-most tray and the topmost

tray and remove the trays in between?

>

> Sorry if this sounds clueless, but I don't want this machine to go largely

unused if I can help it.

>

> Thanks,

> Jill

> SCD 5/07

> UC 2004

> lialda, multiple vitamins, turmeric, ginger, fish oil, culturelle

>

[Guest guest]

I used my excalibur to make yogurt (when I was able to eat it). I just took out

the trays, put mason jars on the bottom and turned the dehydrator on. It worked

perfectly for me. It's a wonderful tool and you can make so many other foods

with it...it's part of the reason I feel like I could go raw (though - not Ann's

raw...I'd go raw vegan...actually she's the first ever non-vegan/non-vegetarian

I've ever heard call themselves raw)

stacey

>

> My husband surprised me for our anniversary with a L'Equip dehydrator. He had

heard me complain often enough about my yogourmet yogurt maker growing too hot

-- even with the top lid removed -- and thought he would assuage my fears by

giving me a more reliable method of making yogurt.

>

> Granted, this is not the Excalibur dehydrator, but it is similar, in that it

has 6 trays and is at least 12 " tall, 15-18 " wide, and another 12-15 " deep.

>

> I had heard that other people use dehydrators to make their yogurt, but it

appears that I will have to put the yogurt in dozens of tiny containers/jars

stacked on the various trays of the dehydrator if I want to do it this way.

>

> Is this in fact how other people make yogurt with your dehydrators, or have

you been able to fit a yogourmet sized container (half gallon) into the

dehydrator? If so, do you stack it between the bottom-most tray and the topmost

tray and remove the trays in between?

>

> Sorry if this sounds clueless, but I don't want this machine to go largely

unused if I can help it.

>

> Thanks,

> Jill

> SCD 5/07

> UC 2004

> lialda, multiple vitamins, turmeric, ginger, fish oil, culturelle

>

[Guest guest]

I used my excalibur to make yogurt (when I was able to eat it). I just took out

the trays, put mason jars on the bottom and turned the dehydrator on. It worked

perfectly for me. It's a wonderful tool and you can make so many other foods

with it...it's part of the reason I feel like I could go raw (though - not Ann's

raw...I'd go raw vegan...actually she's the first ever non-vegan/non-vegetarian

I've ever heard call themselves raw)

stacey

>

> My husband surprised me for our anniversary with a L'Equip dehydrator. He had

heard me complain often enough about my yogourmet yogurt maker growing too hot

-- even with the top lid removed -- and thought he would assuage my fears by

giving me a more reliable method of making yogurt.

>

> Granted, this is not the Excalibur dehydrator, but it is similar, in that it

has 6 trays and is at least 12 " tall, 15-18 " wide, and another 12-15 " deep.

>

> I had heard that other people use dehydrators to make their yogurt, but it

appears that I will have to put the yogurt in dozens of tiny containers/jars

stacked on the various trays of the dehydrator if I want to do it this way.

>

> Is this in fact how other people make yogurt with your dehydrators, or have

you been able to fit a yogourmet sized container (half gallon) into the

dehydrator? If so, do you stack it between the bottom-most tray and the topmost

tray and remove the trays in between?

>

> Sorry if this sounds clueless, but I don't want this machine to go largely

unused if I can help it.

>

> Thanks,

> Jill

> SCD 5/07

> UC 2004

> lialda, multiple vitamins, turmeric, ginger, fish oil, culturelle

>

[Guest guest]

At 12:52 PM 9/5/2009, you wrote:

If so, do you stack it between

the bottom-most tray and the topmost tray and remove the trays in

between?

I remove all the trays and place my containers on the floor of the

dehydrator.

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

At 12:52 PM 9/5/2009, you wrote:

If so, do you stack it between

the bottom-most tray and the topmost tray and remove the trays in

between?

I remove all the trays and place my containers on the floor of the

dehydrator.

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

At 12:52 PM 9/5/2009, you wrote:

If so, do you stack it between

the bottom-most tray and the topmost tray and remove the trays in

between?

I remove all the trays and place my containers on the floor of the

dehydrator.

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Stacey,

Thanks for the info. If you remove the trays, the jars will not be " covered " by

the dehydrator..i.e. The jars would sit exposed to the outside air. Wouldn't

this interfere with the fermentation process and/or the actual temperature of

the yogurt? It seems that if the yogurt jars are not completely covered within

the dehydrator, the temperature of the yogurt would be lower than the setting on

the dehydrator, and that the dehydrator might not work as advertised.

What's more, I assume that you at least put the top lid on the dehydrator,

right? Or did you leave this off, too, so that essentially the jars were sitting

on a single tray plugged into an outlet?

Thanks,

Jill

> >

> > My husband surprised me for our anniversary with a L'Equip dehydrator. He

had heard me complain often enough about my yogourmet yogurt maker growing too

hot -- even with the top lid removed -- and thought he would assuage my fears by

giving me a more reliable method of making yogurt.

> >

> > Granted, this is not the Excalibur dehydrator, but it is similar, in that it

has 6 trays and is at least 12 " tall, 15-18 " wide, and another 12-15 " deep.

> >

> > I had heard that other people use dehydrators to make their yogurt, but it

appears that I will have to put the yogurt in dozens of tiny containers/jars

stacked on the various trays of the dehydrator if I want to do it this way.

> >

> > Is this in fact how other people make yogurt with your dehydrators, or have

you been able to fit a yogourmet sized container (half gallon) into the

dehydrator? If so, do you stack it between the bottom-most tray and the topmost

tray and remove the trays in between?

> >

> > Sorry if this sounds clueless, but I don't want this machine to go largely

unused if I can help it.

> >

> > Thanks,

> > Jill

> > SCD 5/07

> > UC 2004

> > lialda, multiple vitamins, turmeric, ginger, fish oil, culturelle

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Marilyn. I think the problem is that the model I have (not Excalibur)

has stackable trays as well as a removable top lid. Once you've removed the

trays, there's nothing to secure the top lid in place. Sounds like we'll be

returning this model for an Excalibur.

Jill

> >If so, do you stack it between the bottom-most

> >tray and the topmost tray and remove the trays in between?

>

> I remove all the trays and place my containers on the floor of the dehydrator.

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

At 04:10 PM 9/6/2009, you wrote:

What's more, I assume that you

at least put the top lid on the dehydrator, right? Or did you leave this

off, too, so that essentially the jars were sitting on a single tray

plugged into an outlet?

I think you are misunderstanding how the Excalibur works.

It's a large box with a front opening. The fan and the heat is at the

back. The trays are inserted into the box.

You remove the trays, place the yogurt containers inside the box, close

the front, and turn it on.

It looks to me as if the L'Equip trays form the box instead of being

inserted into the box. If this is the case, I am not sure the L'Equip can

be used to make yogurt because there is no place to put the

containers.

You MIGHT be able to put a shallow container on the bottom, but then the

heat wouldn't get past it to reach anything on the upper levels. This is

the main reason I like the Excalibur -- it is not cheap, but it can be

used in so many ways. <g> I've even used the thing to dry out my

swim weights...

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Jill,

Ah...no, I have an excalibur dehyrator. When I remove the trays it just means

there's more space. The lid is on the side and works with or without the trays

so the space is kept contained and the temperature stays steady. That

flexibility is part of the reason I went for this dehydrator. My bf had a

circular one before and it was okay but he eventually switched to the excalibur

so that he could do more with it. Those also tend to heat inconsistently. I'm

not really familiar with the type that you have unfortunately so I don't know

how much advice I could offer. Sorry!!

Stacey

> > >

> > > My husband surprised me for our anniversary with a L'Equip dehydrator. He

had heard me complain often enough about my yogourmet yogurt maker growing too

hot -- even with the top lid removed -- and thought he would assuage my fears by

giving me a more reliable method of making yogurt.

> > >

> > > Granted, this is not the Excalibur dehydrator, but it is similar, in that

it has 6 trays and is at least 12 " tall, 15-18 " wide, and another 12-15 " deep.

> > >

> > > I had heard that other people use dehydrators to make their yogurt, but it

appears that I will have to put the yogurt in dozens of tiny containers/jars

stacked on the various trays of the dehydrator if I want to do it this way.

> > >

> > > Is this in fact how other people make yogurt with your dehydrators, or

have you been able to fit a yogourmet sized container (half gallon) into the

dehydrator? If so, do you stack it between the bottom-most tray and the topmost

tray and remove the trays in between?

> > >

> > > Sorry if this sounds clueless, but I don't want this machine to go largely

unused if I can help it.

> > >

> > > Thanks,

> > > Jill

> > > SCD 5/07

> > > UC 2004

> > > lialda, multiple vitamins, turmeric, ginger, fish oil, culturelle

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

No problem -- glad to hear that this is the way the Excalibur works. I'm

excited about the chance to make dried fruits and veggies in addition to the

yogurt.

Jill

> >Sounds like we'll be returning this model for an Excalibur.

>

> Sounds like! Sorry about the second comment on

> it... apparently, our e-mails crossed on the Net!

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

No problem -- glad to hear that this is the way the Excalibur works. I'm

excited about the chance to make dried fruits and veggies in addition to the

yogurt.

Jill

> >Sounds like we'll be returning this model for an Excalibur.

>

> Sounds like! Sorry about the second comment on

> it... apparently, our e-mails crossed on the Net!

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

No problem -- glad to hear that this is the way the Excalibur works. I'm

excited about the chance to make dried fruits and veggies in addition to the

yogurt.

Jill

> >Sounds like we'll be returning this model for an Excalibur.

>

> Sounds like! Sorry about the second comment on

> it... apparently, our e-mails crossed on the Net!

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

At 08:24 AM 9/7/2009, you wrote:

No problem -- glad to hear that

this is the way the Excalibur works. I'm excited about the chance to make

dried fruits and veggies in addition to the yogurt.

I use it to dry lots of zucchini when they are overflowing the gardens,

and then when I want lasagna, that's one less step I have to

make.

Warning: dried pineapple is sooo sweet and so decadently delicious that

it MUST be rationed!

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

At 08:24 AM 9/7/2009, you wrote:

No problem -- glad to hear that

this is the way the Excalibur works. I'm excited about the chance to make

dried fruits and veggies in addition to the yogurt.

I use it to dry lots of zucchini when they are overflowing the gardens,

and then when I want lasagna, that's one less step I have to

make.

Warning: dried pineapple is sooo sweet and so decadently delicious that

it MUST be rationed!

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

At 08:24 AM 9/7/2009, you wrote:

No problem -- glad to hear that

this is the way the Excalibur works. I'm excited about the chance to make

dried fruits and veggies in addition to the yogurt.

I use it to dry lots of zucchini when they are overflowing the gardens,

and then when I want lasagna, that's one less step I have to

make.

Warning: dried pineapple is sooo sweet and so decadently delicious that

it MUST be rationed!

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund