storing dehydrated food question

**redmaples** · 08-09-2009, 05:52 PM

A while back, i followed a food drying thread here & got some good tips. One was a link to a you tube drying tutorial. the person on that site recommended some kind of packet to put in canning jars w/ dried herbs, etc. It absorbs so much moisture that the canning lid will actually seal on the jar.
I'm hoping some of you experienced food dryers here might know what this is called & the best place to buy these. It might be just a simple silica gel packet, but I can't recall the exactts on it.
I'm hoping to get some herbs dried & stored this season.

thanks in advance!

**RaineyDaye** · 08-09-2009, 06:13 PM

oxygen absorber?

**mauimagic** · 08-09-2009, 06:31 PM

I need this question answered too - mahalo for asking it!!

**redmaples** · 08-09-2009, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by RaineyDaye

oxygen absorber?

yea! that's it, thanks soooo much!

**frugalfranny** · 08-10-2009, 03:53 AM

Good questions redmaples........I am just learning about this and would like to know too.

What are they like? Where would you buy them? Reusable?

**jas** · 08-10-2009, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Good questions redmaples........I am just learning about this and would like to know too.

What are they like? Where would you buy them? Reusable?

They look similar to the little square things you find in beef jerky packages and some foods. 100cc are about 1x1 and they get bigger the more cc's they are.

You can purchase them online at places like honeyvillegrain.com, survial acres, and US Emergency supply. You can also buy mylar bags from them and lots of other neat things.

Hope it helps get you started.

Jean

**thefrug** · 08-10-2009, 08:50 AM

Oxy Absorbs take the oxygen out, NOT any moisture

If you have a Foodsaver and the canisters that go with it, you can vacuum seal mason jars with them. Put jar in canister, attach hose to both machine and canister and seal. You can also use commercial jars that have the rubber seal lining in the lids like some pickle jars and such. Those jars are ok for dried herbs and such.

**savvy_sniper** · 08-10-2009, 10:22 AM

This is a youtube video on sealing canning jars and regular jars (with the little button on the top) with your foodsaver. I don't have the canning jar sealing tops, but I do have one of the bulk cannisters. So I use it to seal my jars. This is sealing dehydrated stuff only!

[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSKglOqP5xA[/nomedia]

**Grainlady** · 08-10-2009, 11:39 AM

I vacuum seal dehydrated food in canning jars with a FoodSaver using the jar sealer attachment, which removes all the oxygen from the jar. Using this method, you seal a canning lid on jars.

http://www.foodsaver.com/Category.as...h=jar%20sealer

How to: Always pre-soak new metal canning lids. Bring water to boil, then turn off. Pre-soak lids 5-10-minutes, to soften the sealing compound to assure a good seal.

If you are careful removing the canning lids, they can be reused on vacuum-sealed jars.

When I move jars of vacuum-sealed foods from storage to pantry use, I remove the canning lid and replace it with a FoodSaver Universal Lid, which will essentially make a canister out of nearly any kind of jar/can. They come in 2 sizes.

http://www.foodsaver.com/Category.as...iversal%20lids