Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Have you noticed an uptick in freeze drying lately? Maybe you’ve seen more food on the grocery store shelves labeled as freeze dried. Maybe you’ve been to the farmers market and seen freeze dried candy.
At home freeze drying as a preserving method has drastically increased in recent years.
We love it because it allows us to create shelf stable foods without the need for pressure canning.
Now freeze drying and pressure canning may seem like two COMPLETELY different methods, which they are but they have one item in common: low acid foods.
Foods like: vegetables, broths, meat, meals, need to be pressure canned due to their low acidity. Acidity levels keep foods.
I’m not completely comfortable pressure canning with my current kitchen set up. Instead, I freeze dry.
So what is freeze drying?
The most basic explanation of freeze drying is that it’s dehydrating (extracting water from your food) while in a frozen state.
No it’s not freezer burnt
No it’s not like using a dehydrator.
So???
Dehydrating uses HEAT for water extraction
Freeze drying uses cold and sublimation to extract water.
The results: drastically different food preservation methods.
Dehydration leaves food chewy, gummy or leathery.
Freeze drying leaves a crispy or powdery texture behind.
Freeze dried foods will last longer and retain 97% of its nutrients. It also maintains its shape (unlike dehydrated food that wrinkles 👵🏼)
When properly stored (sealed) food is shelf stable and I no o get have a need to pressure can items.
For items like meat, I can have a jar of ground venison ready for dinner that just needs to be reconstituted (rehydrated) usually by way of adding to a sauce or chili (my preferred way) or water.
TIP: do yourself a favor and precook. Save yourself time later by doing the prep work now. YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU!
It’s already cooked and I don’t have to worry about it going bad if say the freezer dies (knock on wood) or power goes it. It’s cooked and ready to be used.
We have a medium harvest right freeze dryer. I think had we known we’d really get into freeze drying, preserving our garden and hunting harvests, we would have opted for a larger size. The medium freeze dryer allows you to preserve up to 10 pounds at a time (our model). Current PRO models have increased processing weights.
To store our food post freeze drying, I use Wallaby Goods oxygen absorbers and Mylar bags. (Ps! I have a wallaby code for you: SOW5 helps you to save!) I will also use the vacuum sealer and canning lids from For Jars, code FLOUR10 helps you save at for jars.
When placed in mylar, we use this as our long term food storage and plan to not consume for a few years (unless there’s a pan emergency or food prices Sky rocket).
When sealed in jars, we plan to use/consume within 2-3 years, just like we would with canned (pressure, steam, or water bath canned).
What do you think? Is freeze drying something you’re interested in?
Drop your freeze drying questions below ⬇️
follow along for more Simple From Scratch Nourishing Recipes and more food preserving tips @theflouringhome
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
