Fruit Jerky Pro 8 - Food Dehydrator Klarstein - Free user manual and instructions

Frequently Asked Questions - Fruit Jerky Pro 8 Klarstein

USER MANUAL Fruit Jerky Pro 8 Klarstein

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Doerrautomat

10029505 10029506 10029507

10031317 10031318

KLARSTEIN

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Congratulations on purchasing this equipment. Please read this manual carefully and take care of the following hints to avoid damages. Any failure caused by ignoring the mentioned items and cautions mentioned in the instruction manual are not covered by our warranty and any liability.

Content

Technical Data 14

Safety Instructions 14

Use and Operation 15

Recommended Tools 17

Food Preparation 17

Vegetable Dehydration 18

Fruit Dehydration 19

Making Fruit Leather 20

Meat and Fish Dehydration 21

Flower and Herb Dehydration 22

Storing Dried Foods 23

Hints on Reconstitution 24

Cleaning and Care 25

Disposal Considerations 25

Declaration of Conformity 25

Technical Data

Item number 10029505, 10029506, 10029507, 10031317, 10031318
Power supply 220-240 V ~	50-60 Hz
Power 630 W

Safety Instructions

• Read all instructions, product labels and warnings before using the food dehydrator.
• Never leave your dehydrator unattended.
• Close supervision is required if the unit will be used around children.
• Only for use indoors in a clean, dry location, free of flammable objects.
• This unit gets hot. Do not touch surface while operating.
• Continuous operation above 155^ / 68^ is not recommended as surfaces will become very hot.
• This unit may scratch household surfaces.
• Do not use if the cord or controls have been damaged in anyway. Contact the manufacturer before attempting to make any repair.
• Do not use sharp utensils inside the unit.
• Turn off unit before plugging into or unplugging from an electrical outlet.

• Never immerse unit or cord in water or other liquids.

• Unplug the unit when not in use.

• Allow unit to cool before cleaning.
• Never plug unit into a damaged electrical outlet.
• Do not allow the cord to contact the edge of a counter, table or hot surfaces.
• The use of attachments or accessories is not recommended by the manufacturer and will void warranty.
• Do not attempt to move this unit while it is operating.
• For household use only. Not for commercial use.

Use and Operation

1. Make sure the power switch is turned off. Place the unit on a clean, dry surface away from children and pets. Plug into an undamaged electric outlet. Warning: Do not use an extension cord with your dehydrator.

2. DO NOT block the air vents on the door or at the rear of the Dehydrator. Keep the Dehydrator at least 12" (30.5 cm) away from any wall to allow for proper air circulation.

3. DO NOT operate the Dehydrator on flammable surfaces such as carpeting.

4. Prior to the dehydrating process, heat the unit at 32^ C for 45 minutes to remove any moisture.

5. Using oven mitts, slide the dehydrator trays out of the unit and load the product to be dehydrated onto the trays. For best results, do not overlap the product and be sure to leave space between the items to allow for maximum air circulation.

6. Using both hands for maximum stability, slide the dehydrator trays back into the unit.

7. Set the temperature by turning the knob on top of the unit.

8. Note: Moisture may collect on surface of the food. This should be blotted off with a paper towel.

Overview Model 10029505

Item Herbs	Bread Yogurt Vegetables Fruits Meat				and Fish
°C 35-52	43-46 46 49-57 57-63 63-68

1. Turn on the lighted ON/OFF switch to start.
2. Select temperature by turning knob.

Overview Models 10029506, 10031317, 10031318

ITEM HEIRS 95-125 38-52 RAISING BREAD 110-115 43-46 YODUARY 110 46 VEGETABLES 170-180 47-47 FRUIT & FRUIT ROLLS 130-145 52-63 MEATS, FISH & JERSEY 145-155 52-65 Timer Temperature ( °d START UP DOWN UP DOWN ON OFF

Item Herbs	Bread Yogurt Vegetables Fruits Meat				and Fish
°C 35-52	43-46 46 49-57 57-63 63-68

The dehydrator is equipped with a 40:59 hours electronic timer. The following are instructions on the setting of the timer:

1. Turn on the lighted ON/OFF switch, this powers the unit.
2. Press and hold the select button (SEL) on the timer until the hour light flashes.
3. Select the hours to dry and then press SEL, then select the minutes to dry and press SEL again; temperature light will flash, press up and down to settle the temperature you want, then press SEL to confirm.
4. Press SEL (Start) to start the machine.

Overview Model 10029507

1. Turn on the lighted ON/OFF switch, this powers the unit.
2. Press the SEL button till the time is flashing. Use the arrow buttons to set the time.

Recommended Tools

• Paring knife (Stainless Steel Blade)
• Cutting board
• Storage containers

Additional tools that make the job easier and faster can include:

• A food processor or other similar appliance for faster and consistent slicing.
• A steamer and basket, or kettle and collapsible steamer for blanching.
• Blender for making fruit puree for fruit leather.
• A small notebook to keep track of length of time and recipes that work for you as well as those that don't.

Food Preparation

Fruit and vegetable peel often contain much of the food's nutritional value. Therefore it is better not to peel if the dried food is to be eaten as snack or used in cookies. On the other hand, you will want to peel apples intended for a pie or tomatoes intended for soup. Generally, if you normally peel the food for a specific recipe, then peel the food before it is to be dehydrated.

One of the most important factors in successful dehydration is how the food is sliced. When drying fruits it helps to get all the slices about the same thickness so they all dry to the same moisture level, at the same time. Thick slices dry more slowly than thin slices. The thickness you choose is up to you but slicing all the pieces to as close to the same size as is possible will help ensure success and consistency.

The skin of many foods naturally protects the food but it can hamper the dehydration process. During dehydration, moisture escapes best from a cut or broken surface not through the tough skin. Therefore, the larger the cut area, the faster and better the food will dehydrate.

For this reason thin stalked vegetables like green beans, asparagus, and rhubarb should be cut in half the long way, or with an extreme diagonal cut to expose as much of the inner parts of the food as possible. Fruit should be sliced across the core and not down through the core. Try to always make thin flat cuts.

Broccoli stems should be halved or quartered depending upon diameter. Small fruits like strawberries can be cut in half. Even smaller berries should either be cut in half or blanched slightly to break the skin.

Filling the Drying Trays

When loading the food into the trays you can use all of the tray's surface, but some airflow must be maintained. Try to place the food in a single layer whenever possible. This is particularly important with foods like banana slices and pineapple rings and not quite as important with beans. If some of the pieces come out with too much moisture when you are finished, one of the reasons is that it might have been covered by other pieces of food.

Dehydration removes the moisture and will cause the food to shrink as it dries. This allows you to store the same amount of food in a smaller space. Chopped food should not be spread thicker than 1.2 cm.

It may be necessary to stir the finely chopped food once or twice during dehydration to ensure even drying of all the pieces. To do so, turn the machine off, unplug it, remove the trays, stir, then reassemble and restart the machine according to the instructions.

Prevent Dripping

Some foods such as very ripe tomatoes and citrus or sugared fruits may drip. Dripping from a tray above can change the flavour of different foods on lower trays. To help lessen dripping after placing food on drying trays and before placing them on the dehydrator base, tap the tray firmly downward on a towel laid on the counter top a few times to remove excess moisture.

Vegetable Dehydration

Dried vegetables are every bit as flavourful and versatile as dried fruits. With dried vegetables you can make delicious soups, stews, casseroles and more. Basically, anywhere you would use fresh vegetables you can use dehydrated vegetables.

Before preparing and dehydrating your chosen vegetables, always wash them in cold water. A certain amount of coring, slicing, peeling or shredding is required. A food processor can be a handy tool when processing vegetables taking seconds to slice up a large batch ready for the dehydrator.

Be creative when drying vegetables. Placing vegetables in diluted lemon juice or similar flavourings for approximately 2 minutes will add a hint of flavour to such vegetables as green beans and asparagus.

Pre-treatment of Vegetables

For the most part, vegetables need little in the way of special treatment for dehydration although there are some exceptions. Here are some preparation guidelines that will help you get the most from your dried vegetables. A few vegetables, such as onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms can be dried and reconstituted successfully without pre-treatment. In general if vegetables must be steamed or blanched for freezing they must be treated for drying.

With the above-named exceptions in mind most remaining vegetables will need to be steamed or blanched before drying. Many vegetables have enzymes that help the food ripen and leaving these enzymes active in the food will cause them to continue to bring about changes in flavour and aroma which can be undesirable. Although untreated vegetables which are dehydrated can still be good for as long as three to four months, heat treated vegetables reconstitute in less time, keep longer, and generally retain more flavour when reconstituted.

Steaming

Steaming is the best method of pre-treatment. Place a single layer of chopped or sliced vegetables in a colander or steam basket. Shredded vegetables can be 1.2 cm deep in the colander or basket. Set vegetables in a pot above a small amount of boiling water and cover. Water should not touch the vegetables. Begin timing immediately. When ready to remove, vegetables should be barely tender. Drop in bowl of cold water to stop cooking and for food to retain its color. Pat dry and spread on trays to dehydrate.

Blanching

Blanching is recommended for green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes and peas. Since these vegetables are often used in soups or stews, blanching will ensure that they retain a desirable color. To blanch, place prepared vegetables in a pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes only. Strain and pat dry and place vegetables in the dehydrator.

Blanching is faster than steaming but many nutrients are lost in the blanching water. It is not recommended for chopped or shredded vegetables, which would easily overcook during blanching. To blanch sliced vegetables, drop the prepared vegetable into a large pot of boiling water. Do not add more than 1 cup (200 ml) food per quart of boiling water. Begin timing immediately. For timing follow standard freezing directions. Timing is approximately one-third to one-half that of steaming or until vegetables are barely tender.

Fruit Dehydration

Dried fruit is a superb food treat. Try it plain as fruit leather, or in ice cream cobblers and pies. It's hard to imagine a better tasting more nutritious snack than dried fruit. Dried fruit is naturally sweet, has no preservatives, and is inexpensive.

Your food dehydrator makes drying fruit easy. With all fruits it is best to wash them before beginning. After that, most fruits just need halving, coring or pitting and slicing before placing them in the dehydrator.

You do not have to pre-treat fruits to get good results, but some fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots and bananas tend to darken somewhat with drying or storage beyond six to seven months. Although still edible when darkened, they tend to not appear as tempting to the palate. If you don't mind the change in color of your dried fruit, there is no need to pre-treat. Fruits like bananas turn brown without pre-treatment, but at the same time they become very sweet and bursting with pure banana flavour by simply slicing and placing directly into the dehydrator. For drying times of fruits, refer to the Fruit Preparation Table.

To avoid fruits from darkening, fruit pieces can be dipped in solutions of lemon pineapple, or orange juice, or ascorbic acid prior to dehydration Dip the fruit in the solution for two minutes. Drain on paper towels and place in drying trays.

Lemon, Pineapple or Orange Juice

Fresh or bottled lemon, pineapple or orange juices are the best because of their natural sweetness. Pineapple and orange juice can be used full strength or diluted to taste. If you use lemon juice, it is best to dilute it with 1 part juice to 8 parts water and soak the fruit pieces for two minutes. Be aware that the taste of these juices can overpower the taste of the fruit being dried and may not always prevent discoloration of food. Experiment with the dilution and soaking times to suit your taste.

Ascorbic Acid

Crystalline ascorbic acid or products with ascorbic acid made for preserving fruits for canning may be obtained from drug stores or from stores selling canning supplies. Most grocery stores sell it with their canning supplies as well. Mix 1 tablespoon in four cups of water and soak the fruit for about two minutes. Like lemon juice, the taste can be quite overpowering so experiment with concentrations and soaking times.

Making Fruit Leather

Sometimes referred to as Fruit Rolls, Fruit Strips, or FruitJerky, fruitthat is pureed and dried in thin sheets becomes a tasty, chewy, candy-like snack we will call fruit leather. You have probably sampled the commercial versions from the market, but once you've tasted it made fresh at home with quality fruit, you'll never go back to store bought! Fruit leather is a good way to make use of left-over or overripe fruit that might otherwise be discarded.

Making Fruit leather is very easy. Start by thoroughly washing the fruit in cold water and remove any stems or leaves left on the fruit. Remove the peel, skin, pits, or seeds as necessary. Then just puree the fruit or fruit combination of your choice, and add just enough liquid to the blender to make a smooth thick puree. Honey, fruit juice or water can be used but don't make the mixture tooth in or it won't stay put on the dehydrator shelf. With fruits that have a high moisture level little or no liquid needs be added at all.

Since you are the cook, you get to taste the puree as you are making it. It is not only your privilege but an important part of the process, because if the puree tastes good, the leather will taste even better! Remember that the flavours and sweetness will concentrate when the leather is dry, so don't make it too sweet!

It is best to use a fruit leather sheet designed for the purpose but if not available, you can line one half of each drying tray with plastic wrap. To maintain adequate circulation only half of each tray should be covered. If using more than one tray, place the plastic on alternate halves of the trays in the stack. Remember that the trays only go in one way, so stack the trays properly on the counter before lining them to assure proper placement of the plastic wrap.

When drying sticky purees (bananas, for instance) spray a small amount of vegetable oil spray on the fruit leather sheet or plastic wrap. After all fruit leather sheets are filled, stack the drying trays atop the base. Dehydrate until the fruit puree is the texture of leather. It should be easy to peel off of the fruit leather sheet. Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Spices, chopped nuts or coconut may be added to the puree for extra flavour. For further variation, puree several types of fruit together.

Feel free to experiment with your recipes. Single fruit flavours will work just fine, but there are lots of various fruit combinations that combine to make flavourful snacks. These include:

• Strawberry-Banana
• Strawberries-Rhubarb
• Pineapple-Peach
• Apple-Cinnamon

• Honey-Cranberry-Orange
- Pineapple-Orange
- Pineapple-Apricot
- Raspberry-Apple

• Raspberry-Banana-Coconut
- Mixed Berry
- Apple-Blueberry

Meat and Fish Dehydration

Dried meats are best when made for upcoming camping and backpacking trips. When reconstituted they yield a tasty meat, somewhat like fresh cooked.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Except for jerky, cooking of all meats and fish before drying is required to ensure safety. Do not store dried meat, fish or poultry longer than two months.

Use only very lean meats and cut away as much fat as possible. Meat should be marinated before drying to add flavour and also to tenderize it. The marinade should contain salt, which helps extract water from the meat and also helps preserve it, but it should not have any oil. Most marinades contain some sort of acid (like tomato sauce or vinegar) because the acid breaks down the fibres making the meat more tender.

Slicing meat while partially frozen will be easier, especially if you want very thin slices. A food processor or a specialized meat slicer can do a great job. You can also tell your butcher that you are making dried meat or jerky and they will be glad to thin slice it for you.

When drying meat or game for stews, soups, etc., remember that these types of meats must be cooked prior to drying. Cook, cut into small cubes and place in the dehydrator. Dry until all moisture has been removed, approximately 2 to 8 hours. When ready to use in your favourite stew, simply rehydrate by soaking in water or broth for at least 11/2 hours, or until tender and about the size they were before dehydrating.

BEEF: Choose lean cuts. Beef flank steak, round or rump are better than chuck or rib.

POULTRY: All poultry MUST be cooked before drying. Steaming or roasting are the best methods. Chicken breasts are leaner than dark meat.

FISH: A good idea is to steam the fish before dehydrating or, if you chose to bake it, preheat your conventional oven to 100^ C and bake for 20 minutes or until fish is flaky. When drying fish, sole and flounder are good choices.

Making Beef Jerky

Dehydrating meat without prior cooking will produce the rigid chewy style of meat known as jerky. It is one of the oldest known forms of meat preservation. Because «jerked meabt is made without cooking the meat first, it is important to start with quality meat, and to have a clean and sanitary work area. Also, be sure to thoroughly cleanse the work surfaces when done. Remember that Jerky is the only meat to be placed uncooked in the dehydrator.

• As with nearly all foods, it is important to start with a quality cut of meat. Select a lean flank or round steak about 2.5-3.5 cm thick. Trim off all fat and connective tissue. Fat hampers the ability of the meat to dry, and the connective tissue will make for a tough jerky to chew.
• For easier cutting, place meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to partially freeze. Then turn it over and freeze for an additional 15 minutes. Cut across the grain into strips about 0.3 cm thick.
• Marinate the strips for at least 3 hours, or even overnight. This gives the meat a unique flavour and at the same time tenderizes the meat. Increase the marinating time for a stronger flavoured jerky.
• Meat may be seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder, or other spices. Because flavours intensify during dehydration use salt sparingly! There are lots of jerky recipes available. Try them or create your own unique flavour!
• Drain marinated strips on paper towels, and place the strips on drying trays (remember to protect the dehydrator from dripping foods as described earlier in this manual). Dehydrate until strips are quite dry, and stiff to bending but can be bent without breaking This will take from 6 to 16 hours. Unlike other dried meats, Jerky should be slightly chewy but not brittle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember that keeping a sanitary work aru Is crucial. Be sure to wash all work surfaces and your hands before handling the meat, and wash your hands after touching any other object or surface before handling meat again.

Flower and Herbs Dehydration

Flowers: The flowers should be picked after the dew has dried and before the evening dampness. Flowers should be dried as quickly and as soon as possible after picking. Discard any damaged or brown leaves. Place in trays without overlapping. Drying times will vary depending upon size and type of flower. Dry for approximately 2 to 36 hours.

Herbs: Rinse and shake off excess water. Pat dry. Remove dead or discoloured leaves. If using seed, pick when pods have changed color. You should leave herbs on the stem and remove when drying has been completed. Spread herbs loosely on tray. Drying times will vary according to size and type. Dry for approximately 2 to 6 hours.

Storing Dried Foods

Once food is properly dried it is important to store it properly for best results. By following these storage techniques, your food will stay fresh and ready-to-use for the longest time possible.

Containers

Any container which is clean, airtight, and moisture-proof is suitable for storage. Heavy, zippered plastic bags or heat sealing cooking bags are excellent. Fill each bag as much as possible and squeeze out excess air. Filled bags may be placed in metal cans with lids (shortening or coffee cans are good) to keep out insects. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids can be used with or without plastic bags. Quality plastic containers with tight-fitting lids are good but they must be airtight. Do not use paper or cloth bags, lightweight plastic bags, bread wrappers, or any container without a tight-fitting lid.

General Food Storage Tips

• Wait until food is cooled off completely before storing.
• Heat and light will cause food to deteriorate. Keep food in a dry, cool, and dark place.
• Remove all the air you possibly can from the storage container and close tightly.
• Ideal storage temperature is 15^ C or lower.
• Never store food directly in a metal container. Avoid containers that breathe or have a weak seal.
• Check the contents of your dehydrated food for moisture during the weeks following dehydration. If there is moisture inside, you should dehydrate the contents for a longer time.
• For best quality, dried fruits and vegetables should not be kept for more than 1 year.
• Dehydrate your produce in the summer when it is at optimum freshness and replace it annually.
• Dried meats, game, poultry and fish should be stored for no more than 3 months if kept in the refrigerator, and no more than 1 year if kept in the freezer.
• Vacuum sealing can help to extend storage life by several months, if food has been properly and thoroughly dried.

Location

Cool dark and dry are the keys to maintaining the quality of dried food. Shelves near a window may need to be covered to keep out light. Glass jars or plastic containers should be placed in a paper bag or in a closed cabinet. Cement walls and floors are often damp and cold. Therefore, dried food containers should not be placed directly on the floor, or touching a basement or cellar wall as this can cause condensation in the container. Do not store dried food near items with a strong odour, such as varnish, paint remover or kerosene.

Length of Storage

Dried fruits and vegetables should not be stored longer than one year. Plan to use all dried meats, fish, poultry or jerky within a month or two. Label dried foods, and rotate on a first-dried first-to-be-used basis. Check dried foods periodically. If the food seems more moist than when packed, moisture is getting into the container. Mould indicates the food was not properly dried before being stored. Destroy mouldy food.

Hints on Reconstitution

Dehydration is the process of removing moisture from food. Reconstitution is the replacement of that moisture to bring the food back to its natural state. Although some dried foods such as fruit are excellent in their dehydrated state, you will often want to reconstitute other dried foods before eating them. Here are some tips on reconstitution:

Just Add Water

• For chopped or shredded vegetables, and for fruits to be used in cookies, no reconstitution is usually needed. If the pieces are quite crisp and dry you can try sprinkling with 1 Tbs. water per cup (200 ml) of dried food.
• For vegetables and fruits to be used in souffles, pies, quick breads, doughs or batter, use 2 parts water to 3 parts (by volume) dried food.
• For vegetables and fruits which will be cooked in the liquid such as vegetable side dishes, fruit toppings, and compotes, use 1 to 1 1/2 parts water to 1 part dried food. Extra liquid may be required for proper cooking.

Other Reconstitution Hints

• If you drain reconstituted foods, save the liquid. This liquid has great nutritional value. Freeze this liquid for later use in soups, leathers, pies or compotes.
• There is no need to reconstitute ahead of time when making soups. Dried vegetables can be added directly to the soup about one hour before serving.
• Do not add spices, salt, bouillon cubes or tomato products until vegetables are reconstituted and cooked. These items considerably hinder rehydration.
• Some foods take longer to reconstitute than others. carrots and beans require more time than green peas or potatoes. A rule of thumb: those that take the longest to dehydrate will take the longest to reconstitute.
• Try not to use more liquid than necessary for reconstitution because nutrients will be drained away with the excess water. Place dehydrated food in a container and use just enough water to cover the food. Add more water later as needed to replace what the food absorbs.

Cleaning and Care

After each use, clean the drying trays and dehydrator lid with soapy water. Do not wash trays, lid or base in dishwasher. Stubborn particles may be removed by soaking and/or using a plastik scrubber. Do not use abrasive materials or solvents to clean plastic! To clean the dehydrator's base (the bottom part with the motor and heating element), unplug and wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth. NEVER immerse the base in water or allow liquid to flow into the area that contains the electrical parts.

Disposal Considerations

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According to the European waste regulation 2002/96/EC this symbol on the product or on its packaging indicates that this product may not be treated as household waste. Instead it should be taken to the appropriate collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment. By ensuring this product is disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potential negative consequences for the environment and human health, which could otherwise be caused by inappropriate waste handling of this product. For more detailed information about recycling of this product, please contact your local council or your household waste disposal service.

Declaration of Conformity

Producer: Chal-Tec GmbH, Wallstraße 16, 10179 Berlin, Deutschland.

CE

This product is conform to the following European Directives:

2014/30/EU (EMC)

2014/35/EU (LVD)

2011/65/EU (RoHS)

Gentile cliente,

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Symbol of a trash bin crossed with a diagonal line, no text or numbers present

Symbol of a trash bin crossed with a diagonal line, no text or numbers present