FD-1026BK - Food Dehydrator Brentwood - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL FD-1026BK Brentwood

Brentwood® Appliances

© 2021 Brentwood Appliances, Inc.

FOOD DEHYDRATOR DESHIDRATADOR DE ALIMENTOS DÉSHYDRATEUR DE NOURRITURE

ITEM NO.: FD-1026BK

Brentwood portable food heater with layered vegetable filling and a black base (no text or symbols visible)

Operating and Safety Instructions FOR INDOOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY

When using this or any other electrical appliance, always follow these basic safety precautions, especially when children are present.

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE

⚠ WARNING-To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, serious personal injury and proper damage please note the following:

• This appliance is not intended for use by persons (including children) with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities, or lack of experience and knowledge, unless they are closely supervised and instructed concerning use of the appliance by a person responsible for their safety. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used by or near children. Children should be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the product.
  • Extra caution is necessary when using this appliance near children.
• Always ensure the product is unplugged from the electrical outlet and allowed to cool before assembling, disassembling, relocating, or cleaning.
• Do not leave the appliance unattended while it is in use. Always unplug the appliance from the electrical outlet when not in use.
• Do not immerse or expose the Base, Power Cord, or Plug of this appliance in water or other liquids.
  • Only use attachments recommended, provided, or sold by the product manufacturer.
• Do not place appliance on or near a hot gas or electric burner, in a heated oven, or other heated surfaces.
  • Use extreme caution when moving an appliance containing food or liquids.
• Use the product in a well-ventilated area. Keep at least 4-6 inches of space on all sides of the product to allow adequate air circulation.
• Use appliance on a table or sturdy flat surface. Keep the appliance away from curtains, wall coverings, clothing, dishtowels, or other flammable materials.
• Do not plug or unplug the appliance from the outlet with a wet hand.
• This appliance is intended solely for non-commercial, non-industrial, household use in cooking of food for human consumption; do not use the product outdoors or for any other purpose.
• Do not operate the appliance empty.
• Do not let cord hang over edge of table or counter where it may be tripped over or pulled. Do not allow cord to touch hot surfaces.
• Do not operate the appliance if it has a damaged power cord or plug, if wires are exposed, if it malfunctions, if it is dropped or damaged, or if the motor housing is dropped in or exposed to water.
• This appliance has no user-serviceable parts. Do not attempt to examine or repair this appliance yourself. Please review the Warranty Policy on Page 8.
• Do not put any stress on the power cord where it connects to the appliance, as the power cord could fray and break.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

A short power supply cord is provided to reduce the risk of becoming entangled in or tripping over a longer cord. An extension cord is not recommended for use with this product, but if one must be used:

• The marked electrical rating must be at least or as great as that of the product.
• Arrange the extension cord so that it will not drape over the countertop or tabletop

where it can be tripped over or pulled.

WARNING: This product is equipped with a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other blade) to reduce the risk of electrical shock. This is a safety feature. The plug will fit into a polarized outlet only one way. If you are unable to insert the

plug into the electrical outlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Never use the plug with an extension cord unless you can fully insert the plug into the extension cord. Do not alter the plug. Do not attempt to defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

BEFORE FIRST USE

Please check all packaging material carefully before discarding as there may be accessory parts contained within the packaging material.

WARNING: Before your first use, wash the stackable trays using warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and dry before use.

Parts:

Parts: 1 2 3 4 5 Brentwood 1. Lid 2. Trays 3. Fan 4. LED Light

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

USING YOUR FOOD DEHYDRATOR

Attention: First use may cause a slight odor or small smoking upon heating, it is normal. This is a result of the heating element chemical reaction. It quickly goes away.

Before first use, rinse the drying trays and top lid in hot water, clean with neutral detergent, and rinse and let them dry. Switch the appliance on without drying any food and let it operate for a min. of 4 hours. Switch the appliance off and let all parts of the food dehydrator cool down and air out. NOTE: This procedure is recommended before using the appliance for the first time.

PRETREATING YOUR FOOD

1. Blanch vegetables and fruits (this will help with color and flavor)
2. Light-colored fruits (apples, apricots, nectarines, pears, and peaches) will darken during drying and storage. To prevent this darkening, the fruit may be pretreated by blanching or dipping the fruit in juice such as Lemon or Pineapple. NOTE: Spice it up or sweeten it up with syrup, honey, and spices. This will result in sweetened candied like products. Do not over blanch as this may cause fruit to soften and become difficult to handle.
3. Fruits with tough skins (some berries, plums, cherries, grapes, and figs) blanch to crack the skin for better dehydrating.
4. Remove any excess moisture from pretreated food with a paper towel or clean cloth.
5. Dehydrator trays should not exceed 12 of the trays surface area and 14 inch in thickness. NOTE: If needed, clean cheesecloth can be spread on the trays, this will prevent pieces from falling through. If dehydrator trays are fully loaded with little space for air circulation, then the heat will warp and/or render the trays.

RECONSITUTING FOODS

All dehydrated foods need to be reconstituted. Most vegetables, however, are most taste-tempting when reconstituted.

To reconstitute vegetables for cooking, merely wash product in clean water, then place in cold water, unsalted water and cover. Soak 2 to 8 hours, if possible, then cook in same water used for soaking. Add more water if necessary. Bring product to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer just until done. Add salt, if desired, at end of cooking time, as salt slows down the reconstitution process. As with fresh products, overcooking will diminish flavor and texture. To reconstitute vegetables like carrots, soak in ice water or soak in water in the refrigerator.

Dried foods can be reconstituted by soaking, cooking, or a combination of both and will resemble their fresh counterparts after reconstitution. However, dried foods are unique and should not be expected to resemble a fresh product.

Drying does not render the food free of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Thus, spoilage could occur if soaking is prolonged at room temperature. Refrigerate if soaking for longer than 1 to 2 hours.

To conserve nutritive value, use the liquid remaining after soaking and cooking as part of the water needed in recipes.

One cup of dried vegetables reconstitutes to about 2 cups. To replace the moisture removed from most vegetables, barely cover them with cold water and soak 20 minutes to 2 hours. Cover greens with boiling water. To cook, bring simmer until done. You can always add more water if needed. NOTE: Hotter water decreases time.

DRYING

Drying time varies according to fruit or vegetable type, size of pieces, and tray position. Dehydrator trays should not exceed 12 of the trays surface area and 14 inch in thickness. If dehydrator trays are fully loaded with little space for air circulation, then the heat will warp and/or render the trays. NOTE: For seeds or pits, dehydrate 50% then pop seeds out. This prevents juice from dripping out.

Before testing foods for desired dryness, remove a handful and cool for a few minutes. Foods that are warm or hot seem softer, moister, and more pliable than they will when cooled.

Foods should be dry enough to prevent microbial growth and subsequent spoilage. Dried vegetables should be hard and brittle. Dried fruits should be leathery and pliable. For long-term storage, home dried fruits will need to be drier than commercially dried fruits sold in grocery stores.

PACKING AND STORAGE

Fruits cut into a wide range of sizes should be allowed to “sweat” or condition for a week after drying to equalize the moisture among the pieces before placing in long-term storage. Place fruit in a non-aluminum, non-plastic container and put in a dry, well-ventilated and protected area.

CAUTION: Dried foods should be thoroughly cooled before testing for dryness and packing. Package in small amounts so that food can be used soon after containers have been opened.

Pack food as tightly as possible without crushing into clean, dry, insect-proof containers. Glass jars or moisture vapor proof freezer cartons or bags (heavy gauge plastic type) make good containers. Metal cans with lids can be used if the dried food is first placed in a plastic bag.

Your dehydrated food should be checked about once a month. Should you find mold growing on a piece of the dried food, scrape it off and then pasteurize the contents.

To pasteurize the contents, spread food on a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 15 minutes at 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Repack in a clean, airtight container.

PREPARING YOUR FOOD

1. To achieve the highest quality possible, we suggest using the freshest and most ripened fruits and vegetables. Anything else will be a less than satisfactory dried product with lack of flavor and color. Do not use overripen produce.
2. Wash and/or clean all fresh food from dirt or sprays. NOTE: remove any parts that have bruises, mold or decay.
3. Place produce immediately in the Dehydrator after preparing.

ROTATING THE TRAYS

This Food Dehydrator is scientifically designed to rely on natural heat convection to remove moist air from food.

- Rotate trays during the processing period to ensure even drying. NOTE: Bottom trays are exposed to the hottest and driest air. This will cause the food on the bottom tray to dry more rapidly. Rotating the trays will ensure even drying. Simply remember to move the bottom trays up and move the top trays down.

TWO ADJUSTING TRAY HEIGHTS

• Setting the default tray, place the trays on top of each other (Shown in Fig 1).
• Tabs should fit precisely into the bottom grooves of each tray once you turn and seat them on each other.
  • To increase distance between trays (Shown Fig. 2) turn the trays off the grooves.

Simple line drawing of a device casing with horizontal stripes and a circular button (no text or symbols)

Fig. 1

Line drawing of a mechanical component with horizontal stripes and a circular end (no text or symbols)

Fig. 2

Pure mechanical diagram showing a curved pipe or channel with blue circular markers, no text or symbols present.

Pure diagram of three parallel curved structural elements with mounting holes (no text or symbols)

CLEANING YOUR FOOD DEHYDRATOR

WARNING: Always unplug the product and allow it to cool before cleaning or storing. NOTICE: Never immerse the motor base, plug, or cord in water or any other liquid.

• The motor base may be wiped with a soft damp cloth.
• Do Not immerse the body in any liquid. Do not place any parts in dishwasher.
• Dry all parts thoroughly before storing or using again. Store in a cool, dry place away from children's reach.

RECIPES

DRYING TABLE FOR FRUITS

The times are approximate. Your drying times will vary with room temperature, humidity, moisture content of the food and how thinly the food is sliced. The presence of natural juices in food will also vary. Some fruit sugars tend to be sticker than others.

FRUIT	PREPARATION	DRYNESS TEST	TIME
Apples	Peel, core and cut in slices or rings. Dip in pretreatment for 2 min. Drain and place on tray.	Pliable	4-15 hrs.
Apricots	Dry in halves and turn inside out or cut into quarters. Pretreat to help retain color without penetrating skin or fruit.	Pliable	8-30 hrs.
Bananas	Peel and cut into 1/8" slices	Crisp	5-20 hrs.
Beets	Trim off all but one inch of tops and roots. Wash, blanch, cool, remove tops, skin and roots. Dice or slice.	Brittle, dark	4-12 hrs.
Berries	Strawberries may be sliced to 3/8". Leave other berries whole.	No visible moisture	5-24 hrs.
Cherries	Remove stems and leave whole Cherries can be pitted when 50% dry.	Leather and sticky	6-15 hrs.
Chicken Jerky	Slice into 1/8" to 3/8"(Thicker and longer to dry, longer to dry)	Chewy	3-12 hrs.
Greens (kale, Spinach)	Wash thoroughly and trim tough stems until wilted but no soggy. Use bottom tray of dehydrator but use it carefully not to scorch.	Very Brittle	4-10 hrs.
Pears	Peel and core. Cut into slices, rings, halves, quarters or eighths.	Pliable and leathery	5-20 hrs.
Peaches	Remove skin, cut in half, quarters or eights.	Pliable and leathery	5-20 hrs.
Pineapple (canned)	Drain and pat dry. Place on trays.	Leathery	6-36 hrs.
Mushrooms	Select mushrooms with cap curling under, these are young and tender. Brush off dirt or wipe with damp cloth. Slice, chop or dry whole, depending on size.	Leathery to brittle, depending on size and age	3-10 hrs.
Sweet Potato	Slice into 1⁄4" or into strips.	Chewy (longer for crunchier)	6-8 hrs.

ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

Write down the following information about your appliance to better help you obtain assistance or service if you ever need it.

CUSTOMER RECORD

Date of Purchase ____ Store/Dealer ____

Model/Item No: ____

THIS WARRANTY APPLIES TO PRODUCTS PURCHASED AND USED IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S. AND CANADA ONLY. This is the only express warranty for this product and is in lieu of any other warranty or condition. This product is warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of original purchase. During this period, your exclusive remedy is repair or replacement of this product, at our option; however, you are responsible for all costs associated with returning the product to us and our returning a product or component under this warranty to you. If the product or component is no longer available, we will replace with a similar one of equal or greater value. This warranty does not cover glass, filters, wear from normal use, use not in conformity with the printed directions, or damage to the product resulting from accident, alteration, abuse, or misuse.

THIS WARRANTY EXTENDS ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL CONSUMER PURCHASER. KEEP THE ORIGINAL SALES RECEIPT, AS PROOF OF PURCHASE IS REQUIRED TO MAKE A WARRANTY CLAIM.

This warranty is void if the product is used for other than single-family household use or subjected to any voltage and waveform other than what is specified on the rating label (E.G., 120V\~60Hz). We exclude all claims for special, incidental, and consequential damages caused by breach of express or implied warranty. All liability is limited to the amount of the purchase price. Every implied warranty, including any statutory warranty or condition of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, is disclaimed except to the extent prohibited by law, in which case such warranty or condition is limited to the duration of this written warranty. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have other legal rights that vary depending on where you live. Some states do not allow limitations on implied warranties or special, incidental, or consequential damages, so the foregoing limitations may not apply to you. To make a warranty claim do not return this appliance to the store.

TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE AND/OR TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION:

Call Customer Service at 1-888-903-0060 in the U.S.

Monday through Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm PST.

U.S. Customers Please Email: [e-mail]

Canadian Customers Please Email: [e-mail]

Go online at www.brentwoodus.com

PRECAUCIONES IMPORTANTES

Simple line drawing of a device casing with horizontal stripes and a circular button (no text or symbols)

Fig. 1

Simple line drawing of a mechanical component with horizontal stripes and a circular end (no text or symbols)

Fig. 2

Pure mechanical component diagram with curved lines and blue circular features (no text or symbols)

Pure technical line drawing of three parallel cylindrical components with mounting holes (no text or symbols)

LIMPIEZA DE SU DESHIDRATADOR DE ALIMENTOS