Ronco Food Dehydrator 5-Tray User Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Ronco Manuals
  4. Kitchen Appliances
  5. Food Dehydrator 5-Tray
  6. User manual

Ronco Food Dehydrator 5-Tray User Manual

Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Food Dehydrator
5-Tray
White

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for Ronco Food Dehydrator 5-Tray

Summary of Contents for Ronco Food Dehydrator 5-Tray

  • Page 1 Food Dehydrator 5-Tray White...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Table of ConTenTs The Finer Points of Dehydration ............2 Quick Start – Dehydrating Basics ............. 3 How to Dehydrate and Succeed ............. 4 Pretreating ................... 5 Packing and Storing ................7 Rehydrating ..................7 Hints and Reminders ................8 Rotating the Trays ................

  • Page 4: The Finer Points Of Dehydration

    The finer PoinTs of DehyDraTion The first step in beginning the process of dehydration is to know what dehydration is. Dehydrating is the process of heating food to evaporate moisture inside the food and then removing the water and vapor that is formed. The second is to know how to keep records of your dehydrated food.

  • Page 5: Quick Start - Dehydrating Basics

    • The Ronco Dehydrator is so easy to use. The prep work is minimal and the “cooking” is completely hands-free. • Dried foods do not lose nutritional value. You control the ingredients so you know your snacks will be healthy.
  • Page 6 how To suCCeeD aT DehyDraTing The fruits and vegetables you are about to use for dehydration should be fresh and fully ripe. We also recommend organic produce whenever possible. Wilted, immature, or over-ripe produce will make a dissatisfactory dried product. To prepare your produce for dehydration, you should wash all fresh food thoroughly to remove any dirt or chemicals.

  • Page 7: Pretreating

    PreTreaTing Blanching or covering completely in boiling water for a short period of time brings out the enzymes in fruit and vegetables. These enzymes are the reason for color and flavor changes during ripening. Color changes will continue during the drying process unless the produce is pretreated.
  • Page 8 Remember to remove any excess moisture before drying pretreated food by placing the food on paper towels or clean cloths. Trays should be loaded with a thin layer of food as directed. If needed, a clean cheesecloth can be spread on the trays to prevent food pieces from sticking or falling through.

  • Page 9: Packing And Storing

    PaCking anD sToring Fruits cut into a wide range of sizes should be allowed to equalize the remaining moisture among the pieces for a week after drying, before placing in long term storage. To do this, place fruit in non-aluminum, non-plastic container and put in a dry, well-ventilated area.

  • Page 10: Hints And Reminders

    fresh fruits in many aspects, dried foods are unique and should not be expected to be exactly like a fresh fruit. Remember; drying does not render the food free of bacteria, yeasts, and mold. It just makes them inactive. Spoiling may occur if soaking is prolonged at room temperature.
  • Page 11 thickness of the sliced produce, humidity of the air, and the moisture content of the food itself. To test for dryness let the product cool, and then cut a piece open. There should be no visible moisture inside. Fruits tend to dry leathery, and vegetables dry brittle. The presence of natural juices in foods, especially fruits, will vary.

  • Page 12: Rotating The Trays

    roTaTing The Trays Rotate trays every 2-4 hours following the diagram below. We recommend you turn each tray a 1/4 turn every time you rotate for best results. 5 TRAY ROTATION mosT imPorTanT The Food Dehydrator has two vents (adjustable lid vents and base vents) in order to maintain proper circulation while dehydrating.

  • Page 13: Drying Table

    Drying Table for fruiTs & VegeTables The times given are approximate. Your drying times will vary with room temperature, humidity, moisture content of the food, how thinly the food is sliced, the number of trays you are using, and personal preference. Rotate your trays every 2-4 hours.
  • Page 14 Fruit Preparation Dryness Test 3-5 Tray Brussels Cut sprouts from stalks, cut in half Brittle 24-36 hours Sprouts length wise through stem. Broccoli Trim and cut as usual. Steam until Brittle 24-36 hours tender - 3 to 5 minutes. Cabbage Trim. Slice into strips 1/8˝ thick. Leathery 24 hours Carrots Select young tender roots. Steam Leathery 24-36 hours until tender. Cut into slices, shreds, cubes or strips. Cauliflower Separate into flowerets. Place in Leathery 24-36 hours 2 quarts of water (with 3 table- spoons salt) for 3 minutes. Steam until tender. Brittle 24-36 hours Celery Separate stalks from leaves. Cut stalks into 1/4˝ slices. Leaves dry first, so remove when dry. Flake leaves after drying, for use in soups, stews, etc. Leathery 24-36 hours Cherries...
  • Page 15 Fruit Preparation Dryness Test 3-5 Tray Mushrooms S elect mushrooms with cap Leathery to brittle 24-36 hours curling under-these are young depending on size. and tender. Wipe off with damp paper towels or brush gently to remove dirt. Nectarines N o need to peel. Halve and Brittle 36-60 hours remove pit. Cut in 1/4˝ slices and (3 tray max) arrange on tray. Onions and Peels and cut into 1/2˝ slices or Leathery 24-36 hours Leeks nuggets, or chop. Stir several times during drying. Leathery 24-48 hours Okra U se young pods. Trim and cut into 1/4˝ circles. Brittle 24-36 hours Orange Rind P eel in long strips and dry. Do not grate until ready to use.
  • Page 16 Fruit Preparation Dryness Test 3-5 Tray Plums Cut in half and remove pits. Pliable 36-60 hours (3 tray max) Pumpkin Bake or steam small pieces until Leathery 48 hours & Hubbard tender. Cut into strips 1 to 3 Squash inches wide, peel and remove pulp. Slice strips 1/2˝ thick. Scrape pulp, place in blender to puree. Dry with paper towels. Rhubarb U se only tender stalks. Wash, cut No visible 24-36 hours in 1˝ lengths. moisture Rutabagas Same as carrots, but slice thin. Leathery 24-36 hours Tomatoes R emove stems. To remove skin, Leathery 24-60 hours dip briefly in boiling water then (max 3 trays) peel. Cut in halves or slices. Turnips Same as carrots but slice thin.
  • Page 18 DesserTs spiced Peach Pie Soak 1 1⁄2 cups dried peaches in the refrigerator overnight. Then stew until soft (about 45 minutes). Chop peaches and add a mixture of: 1 1⁄2 tablespoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons flour 1⁄2 cup white or brown sugar 4 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons water...
  • Page 19 healThy snaCks glazed banana Cinnamon Chips Slice Bananas into lemon juice or ascorbic acid. Drain on paper towel. Arrange on tray. Sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Dry to shiny crispness. honey glazed banana Chips Slice bananas and dip into a glaze of 1/4 cup honey thinned with 1/4 cup water.
  • Page 20 fruiTy aPPeTiZer brie with Dried Fruit 1 round (8 oz) Brie cheese 3 tablespoons maple syrup 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon orange liqueur 1⁄2 cup dried fruit 1/4 cup coarsely chopped (cranberries, raisins, apricots) pecans, toasted (optional) Toasted baguette slices Heat oven to 350°F.

  • Page 21: Fruit Rollups Or Fruit Leather

    Dehydrate for 24-36 hours days with the standard models. Drying times will vary with moisture content and humidity. To release, pull off the cool, dried “Rollup” from the plastic food wrap or the Ronco Fruit Rollup & Liquid Tray and serve.

  • Page 22: Trail Treats

    Mix all ingredients together until evenly distributed. Spread out on dehydrator tray lined with cheese cloth or use the Ronco Herb Screen (sold separately). Dry until crispy, then store in an air-tight container or in resealable plastic bags. Great for breakfast, lunches, snack or a topper over ice cream and yogurt.

  • Page 24: Veggies For Dinner

    Veggies for Dinner Vegetable soup 2 cups dried beef, diced (optional) 8 cups water 1⁄2 cup diced dried onions Salt & Pepper 1⁄2 cup diced dried carrots 1⁄4 teaspoon sage 2 tablespoons chopped dried parsley 1⁄4 cup dried peas 1 cup dried tomatoes 1⁄2 cup pearl barley 1 cup dried diced potatoes 1⁄2 cup dried chopped celery and crushed celery leaves...
  • Page 25 Add in salt and jalapeno and puree until well blended. Spread thinly (1/8 - 1/4” thick) onto the Ronco Fruit Rollup & Liquid Tray (sold separately) and put in your dehydrator until crispy, flipping once about halfway through dry time (about 8 - 12 hours).
  • Page 26 Vegetable Crackers 1 cup flax seeds 3 cups water 2 medium tomatoes 1/2 medium onion 2 carrots 2 celery stalks 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons basil 1 teaspoon dill seed 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon cumin Place the flax seeds in water. Allow to soak overnight. In a food processor, use a setting.
  • Page 27 baby fooD Make nutritious baby food without preservative, stabilizers or additives by using any vegetables or fruits you have previously dehydrated. Simply soak any amount of the produce in an equal amount of warm water. Steam for a few minutes and mash with a fork or puree in blender or food processor.
  • Page 28 herbs Most herbs dry overnight. You will have about one pound of dry herbs for every eight pounds of fresh herbs. Dried herbs retain their flavor best if they are crushed just before using. Home dehydration saves a lot of money. You can dry almost any herb you can find including dry chives, oregano, basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, parsley, mint, and peppers.

  • Page 30: Jerky Recipes

    We suggest meat be sliced about 1/8”-1/4” thick. If meat is slightly thicker, increase the marinating time. Marinate using the recipe below, or one of our Ronco Jerky Marinades. Marinate the meat for 5-10 minutes. Thicker cuts of meat will need to marinate considerably longer. It is important that the marinade soak into the meat thoroughly.

  • Page 31: Marinade For Beef, Fish/Turkey Jerky

    Marinade For beef, Fish or Turkey Jerky Makes enough for 4 pounds of meat. 1/2 lb brown sugar 3 cups soy sauce Spices of your choosing 1⁄4 cup liquid smoke Mix ingredients in bowl and let stand while you are cutting the meat.
  • Page 32 hot & Tangy Jerky Marinade 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cracked pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp onion powder 2 cloves crushed garlic 2 tbsp steak sauce 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp paprika Combine ingredients and rub thoroughly into meat. Marinade overnight.

  • Page 34: Arts And Crafts

    arTs anD CrafTs Turn your dehydrator into family fun. You can get creative and make fun decorations, gifts for Mother’s Day & Father’s Day and Holiday ornaments. Great fun on any rainy day. Here’s a handful of ideas to get you started: •...
  • Page 35 Food Dehydrator Clay 2 cups flour 1 cup salt 1 cup water Mix flour and salt together, then add water. Blend mixture by hand. Knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes into a pliable, moist ball. Roll dough on a well-floured surface, adding flour to the top of the dough so it will not stick.
  • Page 36 sachets And Potpourri Now you can save the beauty of spring and summer and enjoy the sweet-smelling plants you have in your flower and herb garden with the Food Dehydrator all year long. Select petals or small pieces of the flower and place them loosely on the fine mesh tray and place them in your Food Dehydrator.

  • Page 37: How To Eat Like The Vikings

    Today, modern society is taking an increased interest in the nutritional value of dehydration. Dehydrating is simple, healthy, green and economical. With the Ronco Dehydrator you still save money, and the process goes much faster than the sun dried method.

  • Page 38: Important Notice

    Your Ronco Food Dehydrator has a vent on its top and may have another vent on the bottom depending on the model. Do not operate with top or bottom vent blocked or closed at any time as this will interfere with proper air flow. Do not use oil sprays on the trays.
  • Page 39 Ronco Holdings, Inc. 15505 Long Vista Dr., Ste 250 Austin, TX 78728 1.855.85.RONCO www.RoncoDehydrator.com Copyright ©2012 by Ronco Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in China. 06.12...
  • Page 40 In the beginning, a lot of salt had to be used to preserve foods, and they were dried in the sun. Today we have the Ronco Food Dehydrator to help in the process of drying.

Table of Contents