What Are Freeze Dried Skittles?

Freeze dried Skittles are simply regular Skittles that have undergone the freeze drying process. This results in a texture change from chewy to crunchy, with an even more intense flavor and no stickiness. They are also known for expanding and sometimes taking on odd shapes, adding an element of fun to your snacking experience.

How to Make Freeze Dried Skittles

To make freeze dried Skittles, you’ll need a freeze dryer, such as the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer. Follow these simple steps to create your own batch of crunchy Skittles:

Step 1: Prepare the Skittles

Arrange the Skittles in a single layer on a freeze dryer tray. You can fill multiple trays if you want to make a bulk batch.

Step 2: Process in the Freeze Dryer

Place the trays in your home freeze dryer and run the freeze drying process. The inside filling of the Skittles will expand, cracking the candy shell and doubling their size.

Step 3: Enjoy Your Crunchy Skittles

Once the freeze drying process is complete, you’ll have a batch of freeze dried Skittles with a powerful tangy flavor and a satisfying crunch.

A Faster Way to Make Freeze Dried Skittles

There’s a lesser-known method to make freeze dried Skittles in just 6 hours, as opposed to a full 20+ hour cycle. Here’s how you can make a quicker batch of these tasty treats:

Step 1: Freeze Dry Another Food Item First

Complete an entire cycle of freeze drying any other food item, such as shredded cheese or diced ham.

Step 2: Add More Dry Time and Open the Drain Valve

After the cycle is complete, open the drain valve and click “add more dry time” on your freeze dryer.

Step 3: Add Trays of Skittles to the Freeze Dryer

Remember, Skittles don’t need to go through an entire freeze drying cycle. Simply add the trays of Skittles to the freeze dryer at this stage, for drying only.

Step 4: Add 6 Hours of Dry Time and Let the Freeze Dryer Run

Add 6 hours of additional dry time, seal the door, close the drain, and let the freeze dryer work its magic.

Step 5: Taste the Rainbow!

Once the 6 hours are up, your freeze dried Skittles will be ready to enjoy.

Taste and Texture of Freeze Dried Skittles

Freeze dried Skittles are known for their powerful tangy flavor, which is even more intense than regular Skittles. The freeze drying process results in a crunchy texture that many find satisfying and enjoyable. Pairing freeze dried Skittles with salted peanuts or mini marshmallows can create an interesting and tasty flavor combination.

Packaging and Storing Freeze Dried Skittles

After making your batch of freeze dried Skittles, you might be wondering how to store them. You can package them in glass mason jars, cellophane bags, or mylar bags with a see-through window. If you plan to store them for an extended period, it’s a good idea to add an oxygen absorber to maintain their crunchiness.

Freeze Dried Skittles FAQ

Conclusion

Freeze dried Skittles offer a fun and unique way to enjoy your favorite candy with a new twist. With their crunchy texture, enhanced flavor, and quirky shapes, they’re sure to become a hit with both kids and adults alike. So why not give them a try and discover the magic of freeze dried Skittles for yourself?

For more information on freeze drying and other interesting recipes, be sure to check out our blog and FAQ section. Don’t forget to share your freeze dried Skittles creations with us on our social media pages – we’d love to see what you come up with! Happy snacking!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Freeze Dried Skittles appeared first on Dark Sky Provisions.

Fruits

Freeze drying fruits is an excellent way to preserve them for long-term storage. Here are some common fruits that you can freeze dry:

• Apple Slices
• Apricots
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Coconuts
• Grapes
• Jackfruit
• Kiwis
• Lemons
• Limes
• Mangoes
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Tangerines
• Watermelon

When freeze drying fruits, ensure that they are cut into evenly sized portions and laid in a single layer on the tray.

Vegetables

Preserving vegetables through freeze drying is a great way to maintain their nutritional content and flavor. Here’s a list of vegetables that can be freeze dried:

• Asparagus
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Corn
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Kale
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Peas
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Spinach
• Squash
• Swiss Chard
• Tomatoes
• Yams
• Zucchini

Remember to cut vegetables into evenly sized portions before freeze drying to ensure proper dehydration.

Meats

Freeze drying meats is an effective way to preserve them for long-term storage while maintaining their taste and nutritional value. Some meats that can be freeze dried include:

• Chicken
• Fish
• Ham
• Hamburger or Ground Beef
• Pulled Pork
• Roast Beef
• Sausage
• Steak
• Turkey
• Venison (Elk or Deer meat)

When freeze drying raw meat, remove as much fat as possible, as it can affect the final product’s shelf life.

Dairy and Eggs

Freeze drying dairy products and eggs can help retain their nutritional content and flavor, making them suitable for long-term storage. Here are some dairy and egg products that can be freeze dried:

• Buttermilk
• Cottage Cheese
• Cream Cheese
• Eggnog
• Eggs (raw and cooked)
• Ice Cream
• Milk
• Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Whipped Cream
• Yogurt

For dairy products like milk and yogurt, you can pour them directly onto the tray or use molds before freeze drying.

Full Meals You Can Freeze Dry

Freeze drying full meals is a convenient way to preserve ready-to-eat dishes for future consumption. Some meal ideas that can be freeze dried include:

• Beef Stroganoff
• Casseroles
• Cheese Steak
• Chicken Parmesan
• Chili
• Chow Mein
• Enchiladas
• Fajitas
• Ham Fried Rice
• Hash Browns
• Jambalaya
• Lasagna
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Mashed Potatoes
• Meat Loaf
• Meatballs
• Pasta
• Pizza
• Roast Turkey Dinner
• Roast Beef Dinner
• Rice
• Scrambled Eggs
• Soup
• Stew

To rehydrate your freeze-dried meals, pour or spray just enough water to rehydrate the food to your desired consistency.

Freeze Dried Snacks and Candies

Freeze drying snacks and candies can be a fun experiment, and some of them turn out surprisingly well. Here are some examples of snacks and candies that can be freeze dried:

• Cheesecake
• Cookies
• Guacamole
• Gummy Bears
• Ice Cream Sandwiches or Bars
• Jell-O
• Jolly Ranchers
• Junior Mints
• Lemon Bars
• Marshmallows
• Oreos
• Peppermint Patty
• Pie
• Pudding
• Saltwater Taffy
• Salsa
• Freeze Dried Skittles

Remember that some snacks and candies may not change much after freeze drying, and it’s essential to store them properly to maintain their quality.

Drinks

Some beverages can also be freeze dried, making them easy to store and reconstitute later. Examples of drinks that can be freeze dried include:

• Coffee
• Orange Juice
• Smoothies

To freeze dry drinks like orange juice, simply pour the liquid onto the tray and carefully slide it into the freeze dryer.

Herbs and Spices

Freeze drying herbs and spices can help retain their flavor and aroma for long-term storage. Some herbs and spices that can be freeze dried include:

• Basil
• Chives
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Horseradish
• Jalapeño
• Lavender
• Mint
• Oregano
• Sage
• Thyme

Foods That Don’t Freeze Dry Well

While most foods can be freeze dried, some don’t work well with the process, mainly due to their high oil or fat content. Foods that don’t freeze dry well include:

• Butter
• Honey
• Jam
• Mayonnaise
• Peanut Butter
• Pure Chocolate
• Syrup

Tips for Freeze Drying Foods

1. Ensure that fruits, vegetables, and other foods are cut into evenly sized portions and laid in a single layer on the tray.
2. Pre-freeze foods in your regular freezer to make the freeze-drying process more efficient and save time and electricity.
3. Use parchment paper, silicone mats, or dehydrating mats to line trays for foods that may stick to the trays.
4. Store freeze-dried foods in airtight containers or Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers for the best preservation.

By following these tips and using the ultimate list of foods you can freeze dry, you can enjoy a wide range of freeze-dried foods at home. From fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, and even full meals, the possibilities are endless when it comes to preserving food through freeze drying.

The post The Ultimate List of Foods You Can Freeze Dry appeared first on Dark Sky Provisions.

Why We Love Freeze Drying Eggs

Not only do freeze-dried eggs taste just like freshly cracked eggs when reconstituted and scrambled, but they take up very little space, they’re shelf-stable for 20+ years, and it allows all the homesteaders take advantage of the times of year when your chickens lay an abundance of eggs.

Why Freeze Dried Eggs?

You may be asking yourself, “If eggs are fine in the refrigerator for 3 months or more, why would I need to worry about preserving them?”

Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t have enough extra refrigerator space to store 3+ months’ worth of fresh eggs. If I did that, I’d have no room left for any other food.

Think about it, if your family eats two dozen eggs per week, that’s 24 dozen eggs for just three months of fresh eating! Who has enough refrigerator space to house all those eggs? Certainly not me!

I also don’t want to rely on the freezer to store food long-term because if (or when) the power goes out, we have to rely on generators to keep them running and I don’t want to risk losing all that food.

Freeze-dried eggs don’t require refrigeration or freezing (other than the initial preserving) and will last for years on my pantry shelf where I have much more storage space than in my freezer. Plus, 48 eggs will fit into two quart-sized mason jars.

How to Make Freeze Dried Eggs

Freeze-dried eggs couldn’t be easier to make. You do need to have a freeze dryer, and I’m absolutely in love with a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer.

Pre-Freeze the Trays

When freeze-drying eggs, or anything liquid for that matter, I like to pre-freeze my trays because this will speed up the freeze-drying process. It can actually knock off up 8-10 hours of time in the machine!

I freeze-dry 12 eggs per tray on each of my four trays for a total of 48 eggs per batch.

1. Crack your eggs into a blender and blend them up (or whisk well until the yolks and whites are completely combined).
2. Pour them onto your freeze dryer trays.
3. Repeat until all four trays are filled.
4. Carefully place the trays into the freezer and freeze overnight.

Freeze Dry

5. Once the trays are completely frozen (this step can be done in the freeze dryer itself, but will use up more electricity and time than pre-freezing yourself), place them into the freeze dryer.

6. Add the insulating sleeve, securely close the door, and start the machine.

7. My eggs took approximately 22 hours to be fully dry. When checking your eggs, they shouldn’t feel cold to the touch at all, although the trays will feel cold (use a towel or pot holder when handling trays) or use the warm tray function button, and the eggs should crumble with ease when broken up.

8. If your eggs are not fully dried, place them back into the freeze dryer until completely dried through.

Storing Freeze-Dried Eggs

You can easily crumble the eggs by hand and store them in a mason jar. However, to make measuring your eggs easier when you’re ready to use them, I like to run my eggs through the food processor for a few pulses so everything is powdered very finely.

For short-term use, you can simply store your freeze-dried eggs in a jar. If you want to store them for the long term, say more than a few months, drop an oxygen absorber into the jar before sealing. You can then seal your jars airtight using a vacuum sealer with the jar attachment.

Alternatively, you can store eggs in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber tossed in and all the air removed.

Reconstituting Freeze Dried Eggs

Reconstituting eggs to use for scrambled eggs and baking couldn’t be easier:

1. Take 2 Tablespoons of freeze-dried egg powder and add it to a small bowl.
2. Add 2 Tablespoons water to the eggs and whisk well with a fork or tiny whisk.

Scale-up if more eggs are needed, then use as you would any freshly cracked and whisked egg!

The post How to Freeze Dry Eggs appeared first on Dark Sky Provisions.

Freeze drying process was first applied to food products after the Second World War, in order to preserve and store foods without the need for refrigeration. Coffee was one of the first freeze dried food products to be produced, but now vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, dairy products, herbs and food flavourings can be successfully freeze dried.

Food Freeze Drying Process

Freeze drying food uses a process called lyophization to lower the temperature of the product to below freezing, and then a high-pressure vacuum is applied to extract the water in the form of vapour.

The vapour collects on a condenser, turns back to ice and is removed. Finally, a gradual temperature rise extracts all remaining ‘bound’ moisture from the product. This process retains the physical structure of the food product and preserves it for re-hydration at a later date.

Advantages of Freeze Drying Food

With freeze drying, foods and liquids can be dried at low temperatures without damaging their physical structure. Freeze-dried foods don’t need to be refrigerated or preserved with chemicals and can be reconstituted quickly and easily by adding water.

Conventional drying methods also have a major disadvantage as the high temperatures used can cause chemical or physical changes. Changing the taste or texture of a food product could make it inedible or less palatable which would be very undesirable.

Food Types Suitable For Freeze Drying

• Coffee
• Candy
• Fruit and juice
• Vegetables
• Meat
• Fish and Seafood
• Eggs
• Dairy

Some foods freeze dry very well, but not all food is suitable for freeze drying. Small fruits and vegetables can be easily freeze dried, whereas whole fruits and large vegetables would not be suitable, although they can be freeze dried if cut into small pieces first.

This also applies to meat; small chunks of meat freeze dries well, but larger fillets need to be cut into pieces. Meat and seafood also require cooking before freeze drying. For some foods freeze drying is not cost-effective.

Freeze drying is very effective for the preservation and storage of food products.

Freeze Drying FAQ

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