Anybody in the peanut gallery have one or have any experience with using one? Doing a bit of investigating on the possibility of getting one as a new toy. Thanks!!
How big are your looking to get? Or a different way, what are you trying to freeze dry?
I have a bunch of friends who are taxidermists and some have their own freeze dryers.
I can try to get information for you.
@KDM
Pickel dust===you might be on to something. LBWe got one just before Christmas. A mid-sized Harvest Right. My wife is usually the one that does it (she wants to sell freeze dried candy. It's a whole different experience...) Rule of thumb, the wetter the food is, the longer it takes. Essentially, it freezes then sucks all the moisture out. We did some fruit the other day and it took about a day or so. If you get serious about it, you can pre-freeze what you are drying. This cuts down the time a lot.
I can say that it has been fun experimenting. We did Famous Dave's pickle, just cuz they were in the fridge, and they were awesome! Different, but amazing! I'll be adding those do my jerky and meat sticks on my hunts! We have some pickled Jalapenos coming up soon, those are going to be awesome on just about everything! Salads, sammiches...
Another pro tip, use was paper. The pickles stuck to the trays and the exploded into dust when I tried to pry them off. Same with the fruit.