Can I dehydrate foods without a food dehydrator?

Question

I've been looking at raw food recipes, and there are a lot of dehydrated foods that look delicious! However, I don't have the money or the will to go out and buy a food dehydrator right now. Is there any way through the oven and/or sun that I can dehydrate my foods?

Thanks!

Answer 1

yes.. use a non stick cookie sheet, or any baking sheet with parchment paper on it.. lightly spray with Pam (very slightly)

and lay out very thin layers of fruit or veggies (like tomato slices) you want to dehydrate and put in oven on warmest heat overnight...

I make dried tomatoes, apple slices and even beef jerky this way....

Answer 2

oven on lowest temperature works OK.

Alton Brown states you should use a box fan, and a couple cellulose-based home heater filters, and stack the food in the grooves, and strap it on the blower side, then stick it out a window and turn it on... cool dry is always better for dehydrating that warm dry.

finally there is the sun dried method, if you have a clean, dry, well ventilated area with constant sun exposure.

Answer 3

Put the oven on the lowest setting (mine has a "warm" setting that is 170 or 180 degrees.)  Keep the oven door partway open to keep the heat down.