Are you getting into raw foods now? That means it is time to get a Nesco American Harvest FD-61 to dry your foods. The machine works beautifully to dry fruits and vegetables; apples, pears, mangoes, bananas, strawberries and pineapples come out great with this dehydrator, even watermelon and cantaloupe become very tasty like candy. Not only that, it also does a nice job on flax crackers.
Nesco FD-61 works quietly and efficiently in turning jerky into a perfect form within 6 hours, which is slightly less time than most people expected. With the cost which is relatively low and the ease of use it offers, we can say this product really worth the price. Cleaning up the unit was also quite easy that you won’t be troubled much in washing them and have them clean for the next use.
More about Nesco American Harvest FD-61
People suggests about having timer on this dehydrator, some said that the time tables in the instruction manual is incorrect, while some others dislike the hole in the middle of this machine. Actually, the hole is where the fan blows hot air downward. As for the timer, I was told that you actually dont need one and dont even want to rely on one because this dehydrator doesn’t take days to finish. It is true that you can only use it when you can check on the progress, so if you have to leave the house or go to bed, you need to unplug the machine. Consider that people cut their foods into different thickness with a quarter inch differs from eye to eye; the humidity levels where people live also different from place to place so besides of relying on timer there are actually many different factors play a role in making the food dry best. That is why you actually dont want to use a timer, it will only guide you through the drying process but never a must.
I was also suggested about using the unit without electricity, I really thought it was a joke but after taking the top motor off and cover the top of the trays with clear or black plastic, then set them in the sun, the foods you stored would come out great. While it is actually not necessary to rotate the trays, on some occasions you actually need to do that because the top and bottom trays seem to dry more quickly. Therefore, rotate the trays mid-way within a few hours.
If you are going to dry more than 3 pounds of meat, you might need additional trays to work on it. Gladly, Nesco American Harvest is always ready with extra accessories apart from the original unit. So you can purchase additional trays according to your need. The unit comes with temperature setting suggestions on the cover which you can use as guidance on drying certain type of foods. However, according to one user the jerky became too crunchy if you follow the suggested temperature setting. It is actually up to you whether you want to follow what was written on the manual/cover or not, so just work with the unit according to your personal taste. If you think setting the temperature lower will make the jerky come out perfect, then go for it. Because again, you are not cooking foods with the unit but dehydrating them.
In its price range, you can expect that this dehydrator is far superior to other models and brands. It has 7 heat settings and a quick heating guide on the cover, and also comes with a cook book which explains how to make jerky seasonings and how to cure them. This will make a perfect gift for those who love to cook and wish to save money at the same time. It is cheap, easy to use, easy to clean, and dehydrates pretty uniformly without rotating the trays/foods. The drying time is also much faster than other dehydrators available out there; drying 6 trays of beef will only take around 8 hours, plus it works very quietly with adjustable temperature on it.
One use said that Nesco American Harvest FD-61 makes her wanted to dry all kinds of food simply to see how they will turn out, and to her surprise everything came out delicious from apple sauce leather to zucchini chips. You can easily have healthy snacks which are free from extra sugars, chemicals and other preservatives with this unit. Simply prepare them for your kids to consume safely or for you to simply beat out the junk-food habit.
Nesco American Harvest FD-61 has earned many positive reviews from the customers. Click here to read what they say about the unit. However, if you have more money to spend for a food dehydrator and you dont like round design, I suggest purchasing the square-shaped Excalibur 3900 which has 9 trays. This one has also earned many positive reviews which you can read here.
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