A reader asked yesterday why I didn’t get Vince to level up the freeze dryer. Good question! It needs to sit about 1/2″ lower in the back than in the front so the water can drain out. The drain tube is in the back.
Another reader asked why I ground the sweet potato pie filling to a powder. Another good question. Because of the amount of sugar in the filling, the freeze dried pie filling was like peanut brittle. I had to pound it to break it. I think even if I put it in the jars in small pieces, it would not re-hydrate as well as it will from a powder. Also, I don’t think I could have gotten 7 ounces into a pint jar if I had put it in there in pieces unless they were very small. I wouldn’t want to use quarts and have the be just a bit over half full.
Tomorrow I will process the second batch of pie filling. Maybe I will break it into small pieces with my hands, see if I can get 7 oz. into the pint jars and if I can, I can try to rehydrate one like that and see how it works. If not, I’ll just have to use the blender when I open up each jar.
It would be a heck of a lot easier for me if I didn’t have to put it all in the blender before putting it into jars but I feel like I’m going to get a lot better result by having it in a powder.
You’re right . . I don’t think there’s anything else that I’ve freeze dried, then reduced to a powder.
dezertsuz says
It’s such a huge learning process, and everything freeze-dries just a little differently. You’ve used it an amazing amount, though, and it was worth the money for you.
Twyla says
Where do you get all this energy? I admire all that you get done.
Nelle Coursey says
I think you have the right idea. I think it would be much easier to do the hard work now and when you are ready to make your pies, you won’t have to work so hard to get it blended in.