Freeze Drying Your First 500 lbs of Food - Batch 25 - Chicken, Costco, Rotisserie

Freeze dryer batch (of this series) #25 - 10 lbs of Costco rotisserie chicken. Started freeze drying this batch June 10th.

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Cost of the Chicken $19.96 for 10 lbs
Total batch time: 34 hours 55 minutes
Weight before drying: 10 lbs, Weight after drying: 1387 grams (about 3 lb)
Power use: 26.02 kWh
Bagged into: 13 quart 7 mil Mylar bags with 300cc oxygen absorbers.

First 500 lbs data spreadsheet link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Batch worksheet link:
4 tray - 2 per sheet (Feel free to download a copy and use it anyway you want. You don't need to ask :) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

5 tray - 2 per sheet (Feel free to download a copy and use it anyway you want. You don't need to ask :) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

6 tray - 2 per sheet (Feel free to download a copy and use it anyway you want. You don't need to ask :) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...


This list is about getting started on a 500 lb mixed pantry of freeze dried foods in 100 days.
(This may be a bit optimistic and perhaps it'll only be 400 lbs)
Goal of about 85 lbs per category. (100 lbs per category if we don't do the Meals/Dishes)
1) Meats:
2) Vegetables:
3) Fruits:
4) Dairy:
5) Grain / Starch:
6) Meals / Dishes:


Want to support this channel? Buy me a coffee :-) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/DanZm

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We have been buying oxygen absorbers and 7 mil Mylar bags from PackFreshUSA since early 2018. During all that time (1000's of bag and oxygen absorbers, and about 6 year before before we added this affiliate link) we have been happy with the products and service we have received from them.
I earn from qualifying purchases from the links provided. - https://packfreshusa.com/?rfsn=787757...
Use the discount code "SchoolReports5" to get 10% off your first purchase when using the link.
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Harvest Right - If you are thinking of buying a freeze dryer, please consider supporting us by purchasing through our link. It helps us and costs you nothing!
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Before buying a freeze dryer, perhaps research to find out more about the downside of the machine; some people have problems with their machine and it's big and heavy and hard to return!

When trying to decide what to freeze dry you can start by asking why.
Start by asking yourself this question. Why are you freeze drying food? Knowing this should help you decide what you should freeze dry first.
I'm freeze drying because:
Just to freeze dry leftovers?
You want to make your own food for camping/backpacking?
For if/when the SHTF?
For a short term emergency?
You have your own garden and want to freeze dry the food?
You love Costco but don't have a family of 6?
You are good at finding the food sales but only have 1 freezer?
When you cook homemade chili just for yourself you make 10 gallons? Because you have 3 full freezers and are worried about power outages?

Freeze dried food will stay fresh for many years and be ready and waiting when you need it.
We do videos showing how we are using our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer to freeze dry food for long term storage. (We have the medium size machine that we got in August of 2017) We talk about how to load and unload the freeze dryer, how to know if the food is dry, is it better to freeze dry raw food or cooked food, and do a few taste tests. Freeze dried food is also great for prepping or just for camping and snacking!