Alternatives to store bought spices

[spec]

This may be redundant to many,

I mean no dissrespect or insult

I'd just like to share some stuff I've learned over the years about Dehydrating and grinding your own spices

Much of the stuff that gets tossed into the compost bin or trash wnen prepairing meals is the best stuff to be turned into spices

Best example...The outer most layer of an onion, just under the skin...Dehydrated and coarse ground makes the most wonderfully mild onion powder, and If you ever forgot a bag of onions in the car on a cold night and they froze Cut them thick 1/2"  length ways...add some garlic dill, basil and oregano...You have really healthy funyonions...You can freeze them on purose too..

I'll get some pix

 

[raptor700]

You're correct Spec, these days you can't afford to throw anything out 

 

[mballi3011]

Thanks for the info spec.

 

[spec]

I hope this thread will help some...

I got some onion pix before and after dying

Then I'll ,move on to the really good stuff

I leave them whole in a jar till I want to use them and then grind

For coarse I use a coffee grinder with a broken blade and for finer powder I use a not broken coffee grinder

I'll get some pix after the holiday rush

 

[spec]

Something I forgot to mention, I dehydrate at 160* to get the toasted color and taste...

If you want lighter color on the onions for the more traditional looking and tasting dehydrate at a much lower temp like 95* to 110*

The next couple of things that usually go in the trash Are Celery, Chive tops, and Sweet pepper guts

PIX coming soon

 

[spec]

Dehydrated chives are wonderfull additions to many soups and potata dishes.Especially in mashed potato's,

Celery powder groond fresh adds a Awesome aroma to soupsand stews especially

Here's some pix

 

[spec]

After on some celery,Chives, and Sweet pepper guts

 

[spec]

Got some more done and some new pix

Radsishes are exellent dehydrated and ground...Kinda like a mild horseradish,

Needed some onion powder,

finally had some shrooms to do so they are in now

 

[DanMcG]

Cool Spec. I need to use mine more often

 

[spec]

I'm sneaking one in here that is a major player in really making good stuff,

 

[alelover]

Great ideas. I got a dehydrator for Christmas. Now I have some new ideas. Thanks spec.

 

[spec]

Glad I could help

I slice the shrooms at 1/8"  but they can be sliced up to 1/4"...I like to crumble them into soups etc... when using thicker slices...I like to rehydrate in warm water and discard the water...really mushroomy earthyness...IE muddy tasting..Dehydrating takes the muddy flavor, andthe slimeyness out of the mushrooms...They take on a whole new attitude...Leathery,and smooth flavored

Tomato...This is prolly one of my best kept secrets...Tomato powder is one of the best thickeners in the world...(In my opinion) for chili, dark soups/stews...Pizza sauce,Spaghetti sauce...AND MOST OF ALL.....

BBQ SAUCE

It also is prolly the most wonderfull heat mellowing ingredient to PURE PEPPER POWEDERS It takes the brutal hit off of them and allows the true flavorof thedry peppers to shine thru 

When drying them, keep in mind that the heels and butts you cut off when sling them are the best part...No seeds and lots of skin...Over ripe fruits have the best flavor

(Think end of the season garden)  I usually cut them Like I'm making a cant of lumber (cut itlike you want a square center section) skin side down in the dryer...Makes for less mess and keeps more of the juice for better flavor

Garlic...MMMM GARLIC...Once you have tried this...you may never buy it again...I buy Garlic in 3 to 5# tubs for pickling and for my pickles, and when doing large batches of rub...I keep the left overs in the fridge until they start to get soft/mushy...but not rotten...This is the peak of mellow Garlic goodness

I slice the larger cloves at 1/8 to 1/4" and just cut the smaller ones in half...Your ginder will thank you for it, plus they dry faster and more evenly.

With garlic, onion, radishes, celery dry them until you think they are done...Tkae out larger chunk or 2 ...Let them cool...after cooling to room temp. give them a crumble between your fingers...if they bend but don't break they are not done...toss back in...If these guys aren't good and dry they WILL gum up in thegrinder and make annoying rock hard balls in the jars/shakers...These can be fixed...just get out a plate or plastic lid, dump the whole container out on it...Pop it in the dryer for a couple of hours...When the balls crumble in your fingers when tryingto pick them up your good to go

 

[spec]

Sorry I had a brainfart...

Shrooms only have to be leathery, But can be dried til crumbly...They are easier to handle when not fully dry, I dry the the thin slices to bone dry and the thick slices to dry leathery and keep in seperate jars

Celery is next to come out

 

[big twig]

Great post! I thought I only wanted a dehydrator for the peppers I grow but now I see I can use it for everything, Thanks!

 

[spec]

I'm Prolly getting this out of order...

But it occurred to me that some might be following this and drying some stuff and looking at hi-buck SPICE GRINDERS

NO NEED FOR THAT

These 2 have been in service...White one 15 years...and the black one for 6...

One important thing... when grinding onions...NEVER ALLOW THE BASE CORE IN THE GRINDER...I'll get some pix soon...They break blades white one has a chipped out blade...But makes awesome coarse grind powders...

 

[spec]

Sorry had a fubar

CHIPPED BLADE...Vibrates like hell but works great on leafy stuff and granulated style powders

Now this black one...It was a whopping $9.99 new...That fooker is nearly indestructable...It paid for itself in the 1st grinding session it was used

 

[daveomak]

Spec, Morning... You, sharing that idea, is a blessing in disguise....  We had about 20#'s of onions that were starting to sprout... evidently I harvested them at the wrong time or something....

Anyway, we were planning of freezing them as we had plenty of dried onions, at 100-110* F.... So we dried these at 160*F... the pic doesn't show it but, they are a beautiful golden brown.... very nutty flavor and sweet like you can't imagine.... I love learning new stuff here.... YOU ARE A GENIUS !!!

It took 48 hours to complete the drying... I had the dehydrator outside (it was 15 degrees or so) for the first 36 hrs until the onion smell diminished then moved inside to finish it up.... Thank you, thank you , thank you.... Dave

Almost 2 qts... vacuum packed and ready to garnish something delish..... 

 

[spec]

You make me blush!

Thank you and I'm glad I could help

 

[ac45acp]

wow! excellent thread. by the looks of the trays we might use the same kind of dehydrators.

 

[sprky]

very cool info, needs to be a sticky in my opnion