Freeze drying food is just one of many ways I use here on the Gubba Homestead to preserve food and make it last longer. There's no store that I can run to quickly out here and when winter rolls around I want to be sure I have delicious foods to still enjoy that I've come to love over the summer. Raspberries shown in one of these pictures has become one of my favorite. The cool thing about this is freeze drying holds a lot of the nutritional value of the food compared to other methods and it lasts for years! Now I can enjoy raspberries along with other foods year around.
Freeze drying foods is a method of removing water from food which is done in a low temperature. Freeze drying is typically a three-step process: first, decide what food to preserve, second, freeze it, and third, place the food in your freeze dryer (a strong vacuum) where ice crystals in the food transform directly into water vapor (instead of transitioning through a liquid state).
You can even freeze dry milk! Which I took a few pictures of as I found it fascinating lol This milk is now good for nearly 30 years should I ever need it but with my dairy cow moo that most likely won't be an issue.
Quick Pros and Cons Over Freeze Drying Your Own Foods
Pros
- Preserving the taste, texture, color and nutrition of your own foods you're growing for up to 30 years!
- More food options to be preserved compared to other options like canning or drying
- Create a business from your freeze dried foods or rent out the machine to others.
Cons
- It's a costly upfront investment. A harvest right freeze drying runs a few thousand dollars
- Space, the unit is large including the pump
- It's loud and it's hot! One thing I learned this summer is I can't run my freeze dryer during the summer or I need to move it out of the house. The amount of heat it generates warms my house in the winter and in the summer it's simply unbearable.
I hope this helped teach you a bit about freeze drying foods and food preservation. Remember to be prepared and stock up. When life throws you curve balls you'll at least be on your feet with the necessities you need.