dehydrating zucchini question

**RaineyDaye** · 08-09-2009, 06:17 PM

I dehydrated zucchini chips, and they appear done, but they all stick to the trays. I sliced them very thin and they tear when I take them off. Now I really have a mess to clean up. Do you spray the trays with cooking spray to avoid things sticking? Or did I just slice them too thin?

**LastDragonfly** · 08-09-2009, 08:20 PM

I don't spray my trays usually. But if this is a reoccurring problem then you may have to spray yours. I'm not sure what kind of dehydrator you have but maybe it's cooking them to the trays..I dry mine between 125-135.

Dehydrating is kinda like cooking; you have to try different things that works for you. So many variables to consider: temp, type, humidity, time in the machine.

**madhen** · 08-09-2009, 08:37 PM

I dehydrate at 135F in a Nesco, and I have to spray the trays if I'm dehydrating zucchini. Bananas are easier, because they become brittle, so you can just flex the tray and the banana chips will pop off.

I just use plain old non-stick cooking spray.

**mauimagic** · 08-09-2009, 09:13 PM

Bought some zucchini on sale today ($1.29/lb) - shall I dehydrate them or make zucchini boats for dinner this week? Decisions, decisions.

Mahalo for the advice - makes sense that mine would need to be sprayed.

**LastDragonfly** · 08-10-2009, 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by mauimagic

Bought some zucchini on sale today ($1.29/lb) - shall I dehydrate them or make zucchini boats for dinner this week? Decisions, decisions.

Mahalo for the advice - makes sense that mine would need to be sprayed.

Here's my answer to your rhetorical question: dehydrate some: zuke boat some. lol

**frugalfranny** · 08-10-2009, 03:59 AM

Thanks gang.......still reading and learning about this. Deciding if I want to start doing it.

Keep the posts going.........I am lurking!

**RaineyDaye** · 08-10-2009, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by madhen

I dehydrate at 135F in a Nesco, and I have to spray the trays if I'm dehydrating zucchini. Bananas are easier, because they become brittle, so you can just flex the tray and the banana chips will pop off.

I just use plain old non-stick cooking spray.

Thanks, I will spray my trays next time. Also maybe not slice it as thin as a dime next time. Now I just hope someone gives me another great big zucchini.

**missyali** · 08-10-2009, 12:45 PM

I tossed mine in some olive oil and sea salt in a bowl and then placed them on the trays. *crossing fingers* I may do some beets as well this way. Off to the pantry I go as ours are not ready yet.

**mauimagic** · 08-10-2009, 08:47 PM

That sounds good - let us know how the zucchini and the beets turn out!!

**Grainlady** · 08-11-2009, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by missyali

I tossed mine in some olive oil and sea salt in a bowl and then placed them on the trays. *crossing fingers* I may do some beets as well this way. Off to the pantry I go as ours are not ready yet.

I suspect the coating of olive oil will prevent the moisture from expelling properly from the zucchini. With a coating of olive oil they aren't appropriate for long-term storage because the oil will go rancid.

I don't use any kind of spray on the trays for the same reason - the spray residue can go rancid during long-term storage. We use zucchini slices instead of potato chips, so I dehydrate seemingly "tons" of them. I also dehydrate shredded and cubed zucchini for other uses.

You can prevent the slices sticking by flipping them about half-way through the dehydrating process - BEFORE they shrink so much they stick to the trays. If the slices are really thin (1/8-inch), use a lower temperature 120-125°F. Use a higher temperature (130-145°F) for thicker (1/4-inch) slices. Increasing the temperature on thin slices destined for use as "chips" will cause them to stick because they will shrink faster than when you dehydrate at a low temperature.

**redmaples** · 08-11-2009, 09:01 AM

Zucchini season is here!

**Ole's Garden** · 08-22-2011, 01:54 PM

I got a Commercial Dehydrator from Cabela's a ts160D. Last year for x-mas from my wife. Im just learning how to use it. I grow a pretty big garden every year. I would like to know the proper way to dehydrate bananas. I did them in a counter top dehydrator to me they didn't come out right. I dipped them in lemon juice so they would not brown, I was trying to make them all natural with out putting sugar on them. They didn't come out crisp they were kind of like gummy bears.

**Ole's Garden** · 08-22-2011, 02:10 PM

I would like to find different recipes. So my wife can use them in her cooking. We made fruit rollups last year in our old dehdrators last year. Mango, peach, apple,pear,papaya,black berries. I lived in New Lebanon, Ohio last year and some fruit's or berries I could pick wild. Now I live in Piedmont, SD. I have to buy those unusual fruit's. They had a store down called Jungle Jim's an u could buy any kind of fruit in abundance from all over the world for a pretty fair price. They also had lots of farm prduce markets organic.

**frugalfranny** · 08-22-2011, 02:59 PM

Wow.......knew this post was an old one when I saw a grainlady post and dragonfly post..........

Originally Posted by Ole's Garden

I dipped them in lemon juice so they would not brown, I was trying to make them all natural with out putting sugar on them. They didn't come out crisp they were kind of like gummy bears.

I have never had that problem...........maybe you didn't dry them long enough..............but I can never resist and have to put sugar and cinnamon on mine too.

?? Try drying them some more??........

There are some great recipe books for dehydrating...........I ended up getting the one called the bible of dehydrating because
dragonfly rec. it..............I like it.

Check with your library...........then you can preview first and buy the one that you want to keep on hand.