I think I'm going to do this with eggs this winter. Don't know if this is the right section to post this.

[bobbi-j]

I'm interested in the time, temp, process, yield, etc. Mine only has two trays that would be appropriate.

X3

 

[HeritageFan]

We bought our used. You may be able to find a great deal from someone who just doesn't use it enough. I used to enter the drawings too.
I have the medium unit and I can freeze dry 6 dozen eggs at a time.

I couldn’t find one used cheaper than new, even as a “basic” price.... and then add in the accessories that Harvest Right throws in w a purchase.
Idk what their current offer is, but my medium freeze dryer came w trays, an impulse sealer (for the Mylar bags....very helpful although you -could- use an iron or straightening iron from what I’ve read. I’m happy to have the right tool!)
- A pack of 50, very heavy Mylar bags (many of which we “divided” w the sealer to get the most use out of them)
- O2 absorbers for the bags (I had to get more, smaller O2 absorbers for the “divided” bags)
- a set of silicone tray liners
- extra oil for the vacuum pump
- an upgraded pump
- I added a filter kit for the oil...and they added an extra filter
Plus a couple of small books w tips, tricks, and maintenance/ troubleshooting help.

If you DO decide to buy a new one, I recommend going w the stainless finish.
It’s been a while since I was watching EBay/ CL/ FB marketplace for a used version.... but the stainless seems to sell used for as much (or more) than you will pay up front for a new unit -

The only things I’ve needed to purchase after the fact were
- more Mylar bags/ O2 absorbers,
- tray dividers (I do 40 eggs at a time, divided into up to 10 per tray...it makes the math for rehydration of eggs or for use in baking very simple , as well as dividing finished meals, usually 4c per tray and divided x4 so weighing and separating meals of various sizes is super easy)
- an extra set of trays, with lids, so I can have a set of trays pre freezing while a second set is running)
- parchment paper liners....the silicone liners work great, but it’s nice to have a second option and they are not expensive (not really more $ than trying to cut your own from a roll....before thinking about the time it takes and wasted materials)

My “extra” stuff (that didn’t come w the actual freeze drier) has come from other suppliers.
Mylar bags/O2 absorbers from Amazon, but do your homework; there is a lot of really thin garbage there...
My extra trays/ lids/ liners/ dividers came from one of my favorite YouTubers
https://www.freezedryingsupplies.com/

 

[HeritageFan]

How do you dehydrate eggs?

I dehydrate a lot of fruit, fruit leather, jerky, etc.
We also smoke some jerky/ meats.

All of that does extend the safe storage length for those items. Esp if vacuum sealed.

But. Those items, even in a vacuum sealed bag need to be refrigerated, frozen, or used fairly quickly.

Canning increases safe storage times between a few months, to a few years, depending on the item and the process.

Freeze drying and properly sealing in Mylar bags increases safe storage to 8-10 years (for foods high in fat), to 20-30 + years for other food items, once you have the hang of what you need to know and do.

Not every food item can be freeze dried. Butter, similar fats... are not going to go well. But scrambled eggs properly dried and stored will rehydrate (in my opinion better than fresh) for 15-20 years. You can make a scramble, omlette, or use them for baking, and it completely eliminates egg waste if you have a routine.

We fish, camp, hunt, take long road trips. Have a big garden. We make excellent use of our freeze dryer. It was a big investment and I am so very grateful to have made the leap.
(Again. Not on the Tube. Not on Harvest Right’s payroll. Just am very happy to have this fantastic tool!)
We have it running often. It is SO nice to take off for a few days with a handful of bags that weigh nothing, only needing a cooler for a handful of drinks (and butter ). We only bring a way to treat water, or water, a way to boil water, and can have a meal in ~5m after the water boils.
Buy the heavier Mylar bags, and you can just add water to the bag, roll it closed, wrap it in a towel to slow heat loss, stir after 5-10 m depending on the meal, and you have a finished meal.
Or, with raw eggs, add cold water to the powder in the bag, stir w a fork, and cook as you would fresh eggs.
You can also freeze dry produce (think about making your own freeze dried strawberries, blueberries, zucchini noodles, banana chips, apple chips... )
And they last for decades....

I’m not shy about being a huge fan

 

[chanceosunshine]

I couldn’t find one used cheaper than new, even as a “basic” price.... and then add in the accessories that Harvest Right throws in w a purchase.
Idk what their current offer is, but my medium freeze dryer came w trays, an impulse sealer (for the Mylar bags....very helpful although you -could- use an iron or straightening iron from what I’ve read. I’m happy to have the right tool!)
- A pack of 50, very heavy Mylar bags (many of which we “divided” w the sealer to get the most use out of them)
- O2 absorbers for the bags (I had to get more, smaller O2 absorbers for the “divided” bags)
- a set of silicone tray liners
- extra oil for the vacuum pump
- an upgraded pump
- I added a filter kit for the oil...and they added an extra filter
Plus a couple of small books w tips, tricks, and maintenance/ troubleshooting help.

If you DO decide to buy a new one, I recommend going w the stainless finish.
It’s been a while since I was watching EBay/ CL/ FB marketplace for a used version.... but the stainless seems to sell used for as much (or more) than you will pay up front for a new unit -

The only things I’ve needed to purchase after the fact were
- more Mylar bags/ O2 absorbers,
- tray dividers (I do 40 eggs at a time, divided into up to 10 per tray...it makes the math for rehydration of eggs or for use in baking very simple , as well as dividing finished meals, usually 4c per tray and divided x4 so weighing and separating meals of various sizes is super easy)
- an extra set of trays, with lids, so I can have a set of trays pre freezing while a second set is running)
- parchment paper liners....the silicone liners work great, but it’s nice to have a second option and they are not expensive (not really more $ than trying to cut your own from a roll....before thinking about the time it takes and wasted materials)

My “extra” stuff (that didn’t come w the actual freeze drier) has come from other suppliers.
Mylar bags/O2 absorbers from Amazon, but do your homework; there is a lot of really thin garbage there...
My extra trays/ lids/ liners/ dividers came from one of my favorite YouTubers
https://www.freezedryingsupplies.com/

We actually got all the "extra" stuff and the upgraded oil free pump, extra trays, bags, O2 absorbers and silicon mats, that the people had bought for the unit originally.

 

[aart]

Freeze drying

Big difference between a freeze dryer and a 'regular' dehydrator.
So you cook your eggs scrambled before freeze drying?

 

[Mrs. K]

I think I am going to water glass some eggs, but I am using smaller containers - then if an egg breaks - won't loose as many.

 

[chanceosunshine]

Big difference between a freeze dryer and a 'regular' dehydrator.
So you cook your eggs scrambled before freeze drying?

You can do it either way, but I freeze dried mine raw so I have options when it’s time to use them.

 

[ChicFil- A]

AND
Properly stored, they last ~25/30 years!!!
My Harvest Right Freeze Dryer has been one of our -best- investments
(No, not on the sales team lol)

Freez dried is the only practical way! Electricity if iffy… the grocery store are unmerciful on price and water glassing is not a sure thing … I think the freeze dryin is most practical.

 

[Bkaye]

You can do it either way, but I freeze dried mine raw so I have options when it’s time to use them.

This is what we do. I have freeze dried some already scrambled and cooked but much rather freeze dry raw. We have a medium and regret not spending a little extra to get the large. We have had ours a few years and love it. We’re able to put up meals, extra veggies from the garden before they spoil, and same with fruits. Leftovers as long as they are not greasy can be freeze dried. I use to do a lot of canning. I much prefer the ease of freeze drying. Don’t get me wrong I still can up some things.

Ours runs quite regular, I’ve put up 14 doz eggs in the past week as well as some soups.

 

[HeritageFan]

This is what we do. I have freeze dried some already scrambled and cooked but much rather freeze dry raw. We have a medium and regret not spending a little extra to get the large. We have had ours a few years and love it. We’re able to put up meals, extra veggies from the garden before they spoil, and same with fruits. Leftovers as long as they are not greasy can be freeze dried. I use to do a lot of canning. I much prefer the ease of freeze drying. Don’t get me wrong I still can up some things.

Ours runs quite regular, I’ve put up 14 doz eggs in the past week as well as some soups.

I always use raw eggs, cracked and whisked. “Powdered” in a blender or food processor once finished.
I didn’t find that cooked, freeze dried, and reconstituted eggs worked all that well. I’m sure they would be ok if there was no way to cook.... but. You should have a -bunch- of small propane containers on hand and a way to use them (or another way to heat water and/ or food) if you are going this far
My medium freeze dryer runs 40 eggs at a time (10 eggs x 4 trays).... in large part because I bought the tray dividers from (no association lol I wish I could get a commission - but these guys are fantastic! Totally worth watching their YouTube videos if you do get, or have, a freeze dryer!)
https://www.freezedryingsupplies.com/products/freeze-dryer-tray-dividers
It allows me to easily separate my finished product into Mylar bags w O2 absorbers. Some in 1-2 eggs per bag for baking, most in 3-6 eggs per bag for cooking into a scramble or omelette.
I use the dividers with -every- load of any type that I freeze dry. Typically if I’m doing an entree, I just divide each tray into quarters and can usually do 4 cups per tray.
Weigh the tray wet (filled w what you plan to freeze dry w the dividers in place), run the cycle, weigh once finished, and the math is easy for how much water was “lost”/ how much you will likely need to properly re hydrate.
Do a test w a small batch of a new food item, sometimes I find I need to adjust.
With anything “new”, I usually take one “square” and add the amount of hot water I think it needs, while I bag up the rest w 02 absorbers, mark the bags with how much I’ve added, get them sealed, try my test batch, and then label each bag with the item, date, and how much water to add.