Stx Dehydra 800w-xls User manual

~ Notes ~

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STX DEHYDRA STX 800W FOOD DEHYDRATOR

OPERATING MANUAL

Table of Contents Page

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….………. 1

Dehydration ………………………………………………………………………………………. 1

Important Safeguards ……………………………………………………………………...... 2

Preparation of Food (Pre-Treatment) …………………………………………………. 2

Operating Instructions ……………………………………………………………………….. 3

Food Storage ……………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Reconstitution ……………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Food Drying Guide ………………………………………………………………................. 4

Cleaning ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

Reviewing The Dehydrating Process …………………………………………………... 7

Notes ……………………..………………………………………………………………………….. 8

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Introduction

Drying food for preservation dates all the way back to The Ancient Egyptians. The

Spaniards were the first explorers known to use dehydration to prep food for their

expeditions. This method was used extensively in the days of the Lewis and Clark

expeditions as they charted to the expanse of the Louisiana Land Purchase. Buffalo,

elk and deer were plentiful, but their success relied heavily upon the proper use of

this preserving method.

The information in this manual is intended to help you get the best results for this

equipment. Please read this booklet carefully and contact The Mercantile Station if

you have any questions.

Dehydration

There are no exact rules that apply to food dehydration because your results can be

affected by room temperature, relative humidity and moisture levels in the food

that you are drying. To become proficient it will be necessary to experiment with

your drying techniques. If you use too much heat, food may harden on the outside

while still being moist inside. However, with too little heat, your drying times will be

very long, with a little practice you will be creating tasty, ready to eat snacks in no

time.

Important Safeguards

1) Read ALL of these instructions thoroughly before using your dehydrator.

2) Save these instructions for future reference.

3) Never leave your dehydrator unattended at any time.

4) Supervision is required if the unit will be used around children/pets.

5) Only for use indoors in a clean, dry, well ventilated location, free of flammable

fumes and/or objects and/or humidifiers/products that cause condensation.

6) This unit gets hot. Do not touch surfaces while operating.

7) Continuous operations above 155*F is not recommended as surface will become

very hot and in some cases melt/warp the dehydrator trays.

8) This unit will scratch household surfaces.

9) Do not use if the cord or controls have been damages in any way. Contact the

Manufacturer before attempting to make any repairs.

10) Do not use utensils inside the unit.

11) Turn off the unit before plugging into or unplugging from any electrical outlet.

12) Keep unit unplugged when not in use.

13) Allow unit to cool before cleaning.

14) NEVER immerse unit or cord in water or other liquids.

15) NEVER plug unit into a damages electrical outlet.

16) DO NOT allow the cord to contact the edge of a counter, table or hot surface.

17) The use of attachments or accessories is not recommended by the manufacturer

and will VOID THE WARRANTY.

18) DO NOT attempt to move the unit while it is in operation.

19) READ THE BACK COVER OF THIS MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY RULES AND

PRECAUTIONS.

Preparations of Foods (Pre-Treatment)

For best results, select the freshest foods available to dehydrate. Note that immature fruits

and vegetables do not have as much color and flavor as do those that are fully matured.

Foods should be dehydrates as soon after purchase as possible. Foods high in sugar such as

apples, pears, peaches, and bananas are prone to darken as a result of oxidation of the

sugars. Below are some pre-treatments that will help reduce this oxidation effect.

Lemon and Pineapple Juice are natural antioxidants. Place the slices in the juice for a few

minutes. Remove, drain and place on the dehydrator shelf. For extra flavor, try sprinkling

with cinnamon, Jello powders or other sweeteners.

Ascorbic acid mix, a form of vitamin C which is available at most health food stores, comes in

either tablet or powder form. Use about 2-3 tablespoons of powder or ground tablets per 1

quart of water. Stir to completely dissolve powder. Place fruit into the solution for 2-3

minutes. Remove, drain and place on the dehydrator shelf.

Sodium Bisulfate can be purchased at your local pharmacy. If you or anyone who will be

eating the food has any known chemical allergies, you should check with you physician

before using this chemical. Be certain to ask for food grade (SAFE) product only. Mix 1

teaspoon of sodium bisulfate in 1 quart of water. Dip the slices in the solution for a few

minutes. Remove, drain and place on the dehydrator shelf.

Cleaning

Wipe off both exterior and interior surface of the unit with a damp cloth and mild dish soap.

The dehydrator shelves are dishwasher safe. Be certain ALL parts are completely dry before

plugging in and powering up the product.

NEVER IMMERSE THE UNIT OR POWER CORD IN WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS!!!

Reviewing the Dehydrating Process

To obtain the best results:

1) Use high quality foods: the better the food the better the result.

2) Wash food, use clean utensils and keep work area clean.

3) Pre-treat foods to prevent discoloration.

4) Do not overlap food on shelves.

5) Drying times will vary depending on food thickness, moisture in the food, relative

humidity and temperature of the room.

6) Cool food before testing for dryness.

7) Let food condition in a clean, dry, ventilated area for a week before placing them in

air tight containers.

8) Reconstitute as needed.

9) Only dehydrate food items. Do not dehydrate nonfood items or items that can

combust or cause fire. Be sure the food items you dehydrate are suitable for dehydrating.

10) Last but not least, Enjoy!

Contact Info:

The Mercantile Station 2

2159 Magnum Circle

Lincoln, Nebraska 68522

Phone: (402) 742-2586

Email: Mercantiletwo@aol.com

Fruits at 135* F

Food

Preparation

Test

Time

Apples

Wash, core and peel if desired.

Cut into ¼” slices. Dust with

cinnamon if desired.

Pliable

7-15 hours

Apricots

Wash, halve and remove pit.

Slice if desired and dry skin

side down.

Pliable

21-29 hours

Bananas

Wash, peel and slice 1/8” slices

Pliable

7-10 hours

Figs

Wash, cut out blemishes,

quarter. Dry skin side down.

Pliable

22-30 hours

Kiwi

Wash, peel and slice in ¼”

slices.

Crisp

8-15 hours

Nectarines

Wash halve and remove pit.

Slice if desired and dry skin

side down.

Pliable

8-17 hours

Peaches

Wash, halve and remove pit.

Slice if desired and dry skin

side down.

Pliable

8-16 hours

Pears

Wash, core and peel if desired

and dry skin side down.

Pliable

8-16 hours

Pineapple

Peel, remove fibrous eyes,

remove core. Cut into ¼” slices

or wedges.

Pliable

11-18 hours

Rhubarb

Wash, cut into 1” lengths.

Pliable

6-10 hours

Strawberries

Wash, cut our caps, sliced ¼”

thick.

Crisp

7-15 hours

Watermelon

Cut off rind, cut into wedges

and remove seeds.

Pliable

8-10 hours

Jerky at 145* F

Food

Preparation

Test

Time

Jerky

Use lean meat and remove as much fat

as possible. Fat tends to go bad with

time. Cut into uniform ¼” thick or less

slices. Do not overlap on shelves while

drying.

Pliable

3-4 hours Meat

temp should reach

145-150* F

Preparation of Food (Pre-Treatment), cont’d

Blanching is used primarily to prepare fruits and vegetable for dehydrating that have

skins that will toughen when drying. This process helps lock in the color and flavor as

well as soften the skin of grapes, cherries, prunes and plums. There are two

blanching methods: water and steam.

Water Blanching – Fill a large pan about half full of water. Bring water to a

rolling boil. Use tongs to place food directly into the water, cover the pot and

boil (Blanch) for about 3 minutes. Remove using tongs, drain and place on

dehydrator shelf.

Steam Blanching -Using a steamer pot such as used in Chinese cooking,

put 2-3 inches of water in the pot and bring to a boil. Place food into the

steamer basket, place in pan and cover. Steam food for about 5 minutes.

Remove and place on dehydrator shelf.

Operating Instructions

For best results. Read all of the instruction manual first.

1) Examine the carton and the unit for any damage that may have occurred

during shipping. Contact the seller to report any damages.

2) Fill out the guarantee card with date of purchase, where purchased, name

and address of where the product was originally shipped to for verification.

3) Make sure the power switch is turned off. Place the unit on a well-ventilated,

clean, dry surface away from children and pets. Plug into an undamaged

electrical outlet. DO NOT use an extension cord with this dehydrator.

4) Turn the unit on. The unit will begin to heat up.

5) Heat the unit to 90* F for 45 minutes to make sure the unit is functioning

properly.

6) If the unit stops for any reason, turn off, unplug and then repeat steps 3 and

4. If the unit does not operate normally, turn off, unplug and call 402-742-

2586.

7) Follow your recipe to prepare the food that you wish to dehydrate.

8) Using oven mitts, slide the dehydrator trays out of the unit and load the

product to be dehydrated onto the trays. Do not overlap the food when

placing onto trays, keep all food inside the recessed tray area.

9) Using both hands for maximum stability, slide the dehydrator trays back into

the unit. Do not push too hard. Trays will hitch or lock into place.

10) Set temperature by turning the knob on top of the unit. Monitor the internal

temperature and adjust as needed. Do NOT leave unattended!

Food Storage

Dried foods should be allowed to condition before being placed into a storage

container. Generally, let stand about 1 week in a dry, well ventilated and protected

are. The conditioning time allows for further drying and removes most of the

remaining moisture in the food. Dried food can be placed into clean, dry, insect

resistant containers, preferably glass jars. Heavy gauge plastic freezer bags can also

be used. Eliminate as much air as possible before sealing the bag.

When properly used, vacuum sealers provide ideal storage. The less air present, the

less potential for the formation of molds. Stored foods should be checked monthly for

insects and mold. If mold is present, discard the whole container and start over.

Double checking with your next batch, to make sure that moisture levels in food are

low and container is air tight.

Reconstitution

Dried foods do not need to be reconstituted for consumption. Many people prefer to

want them in their dried state. If you want to reconstitute your food, here are some

basic guidelines. Soak food in unsalted water for 3-7 minutes and then prepare as

usual. If you are boiling them, use the same water they soaked in to preserve

nutrients.

If you plan to soak foods for more than 1 hour, they should be placed in the

refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. One cup of dried vegetables will reconstitute

to about 2 cups. One cup of fruit will reconstitute to about 1 ½ cups. Reconstitute

times will vary depending on the thickness and the water temperature used. Warm

water will speed reconstitution but may result in flavor loss.

Food Drying Guide

The following charts are guidelines for the preservation of various fruits, vegetables,

and meats. Drying times will vary depending on the room temperature, relative

humidity and moisture levels in the food you are drying. If the moisture level is low,

the drying time will be on the high end of the range.

Keep in mind that drying times are also affected by the amount of food placed on the

shelves. Over loading the shelves will slow the drying times and may produce poor

results. When dehydrating foods, it is important to check on the dryness of the

product. If the product is not thoroughly dried, mold may form during storage (See

Food Storage). To test for dryness, remove a piece of food from the dehydrator and

allow to cool to room temperature. Bend and tear the piece to check for internal

moisture.

Vegetables at 125*F

Food

Preparation

Test

Time

Asparagus

Wash and cut into 1” pieces

Crunchy

4-6 hours

Beans, Greens

Or waxed

Wash, remove ends and cut into 1”

pieces or French style

Crunchy

9-12 hours

Beets

Remove ½” of the top, scrub

thoroughly, steam blanch until

tender. Peel and cut into ¼” thick

slices

Pliable

9-12 hours

Broccoli

Wash and trim. Cut stems into ¼”

pieces. Dry florets whole.

Crunchy

10-14

hours

Cabbage

Wash and trim. Cut into 1/8” strips.

Crunchy

8-11 hours

Carrots

Wash and trim tops. Peel or scrape

if desired. Cut into 1/8” thick slices.

Pliable

7-11 hours

Celery

Wash, separate leaves and stalks.

Cut stalks into ¼” strips.

Crunchy

3-10 hours

Corn

Shuck corn and trim silk. Steam

until milk is set. Cut kernels from

cob and spread on plastic screen.

Stir several times during drying.

Crunchy

7-10 hours

Cucumber

Wash and trim. Cut into 1/8” slices.

Pliable

4-8 hours

Eggplant

Wash and peel. Cut into ¼” slices.

Pliable

4-8 hours

Mushroom

Wash and cut into 3/8” slices.

Pliable

4-7 hours

Parsnips

Scrub thoroughly, steam blanch

until tender. Peel if desired and cut

into 3/8” thick slices.

Pliable /

Tough

7-11 hours

Peppers

Wash and remove stems, seeds

and white section. Pat dry. Cut into

¼” thick strips or rings.

Pliable

4-8 hours

Potatoes

Use new potatoes. Wash, peel if

desired. Steam blanch 4-6 minutes,

Cut French style ¼” slices, 1/8”

thick circles or grate.

Crunchy /

Pliable

7-13 hours

Summer

Squash

Wash and peel. Cut into ¼” slices.

Pliable

10-14

hours

Tomatoes

Wash and remove stems. Slice into

¼” circles. For cherry tomatoes,

slice in half, dry skin side down.

Pliable

5-9 hours

Zucchini

Wash. Peel if desired. Cut into ¼”

slices or chips.

Crunchy

7-11 hours