Home Freeze Drying?

[Spiral]

Anyone have experience, first or second hand, with these Harvest Rite home freeze drying systems?

They are currently running a sale and although still very pricey I could see where a person could buy fruits and veggies in bulk in season and come out way ahead of the Mountain House type preps. It would even be a great way to save the odd leftovers instead of leaving them in the fridge till they had to be thrown out.

 

[TheDan]

Looks like a neat system, but don't you need to seal the items in Mylar while its still under vacuum. The video showed them opening the machine up and then dumping the trays into a bag. That's going to re-expose it to all the moisture and oxygen in the air.

A home freeze dryer would be a great for someone who has an orchard or garden that produces more than they can eat.

 

[Spiral]

Dan,

My understanding is that once freeze dried the food is placed in the mylar bag with an oxygen absorber and then vacuum sealed. This would eliminate the re-exposure issue.

 

[DMC]

I do know one person that owns the Harvest Rite. She has been using it for six months and has no complaints so far. I am hoping to go see it first hand.

I am considering building my own using thermo electric coolers. I think I could build a comparable unit for 5-7 hundred in parts.

 

[grasshopperglock]

I've been looking into the freeze drying process. Vacuum pump, water condenser, food chamber.

I have a vacuum pump that'll suck it down to 30hg. If I can find an old pressure cooker(the lid gasket ring would have to be reversed. The gasket lips are inward. Pressure forces the gasket to expand. Vacuum would suck the gasket in. In theory, if it's reversed, vacuum might expand the gasket. With additional sealing by smearing vasoline on the seal). Other idea would be a brand new, empty paint can with a hose bard fitting installed in the lid using a bulkhead fitting.

That's ideas for the food chamber. Freezing the chamber is done by packing the outside with a mix of acetone and dry ice.

The water separator can be a transmission cooler. Air compressor water separator, moonshine twirl condenser... As long it's good enough as to moisture isn't sucked into the vacuum pump.


It's pretty neat how it's done and it's not that complex.

 

[London]

I have no idea what you are talking about as I am totally ignorant of the freeze drying process, but All American makes pressure cookers which require no gaskets. I have one of their medical instrument sterilizers I picked up at a thrift store which I'd be willing to sell at a bargain price if you are interested.

 

[TheDan]

...All American makes pressure cookers which require no gaskets.

That thought crossed my mind as well, but I think you'd have trouble pulling a cold vacuum on them. When using them as a pressure cooker, they expand and the interface between the pot and lid gets tighter. It also doesn't matter if small amounts of steam leak out as long as the leak is small enough to maintain pressure. It's a little harder to pull a strong vacuum.

 

[Mike1234567]

The cheapest machine they offer is $3K. I doubt too many people are going to freeze dry that much food. I'm sure some will but not many.

 

[dobarker]

Just my .02, but why not get a few jars and pressure can it? You'd basically have a bunch of jars of pre-cooked roast.
On the other hand, glass jars don't pack or transport well.

 

[shortround]

I have used a standard dehydrator for many years.

Works good on vegetables and thinly sliced marinated meat.

I have heard of these home freeze-dryers, but don't know how it is possible to scale-down an industrial machine that works in the home.

Kind of like, where are the micro-nuclear power plants for home owners?

Be well.