Is A Harvest Right Freeze Dryer Right For You?
In 2020 we decided to give ourselves peace of mind..
and purchase a Harvest Right freeze dryer to better preserve food from our harvest and for food security. If you are a "prepper," like us, you may have pounds of food sitting from a garden surplus, or you may have loaded up on grocery store items like rice, meat, beans, or dairy products like eggs, meat, and cheese! Anyway, a Harvest Right home freeze dryer can be quite the investment with various sizes ranging from the small Harvest Right which is $2495 to the largest unit, (the XL) which is $5295.
Let's dig in!
So, let's dig into the benefits of freeze drying and discuss harvest right models and your potential freeze drying needs. We decided on the medium size and it has fit our family's needs well. Going with larger models requires a dedicated 20 amp circuit and we don't have that.
The Medium Harvest Right Freeze Dryer includes:
Medium Freeze Dryer, Premier Industrial Vacuum Pump, Vacuum Pump Oil, Oil Filter, 5 Stainless Steel Trays, Guide to Freeze Drying, Mylar Bags (50 ct), Oxygen Absorbers (50 ct), Impulse Sealer.
Price tag: $3195
***SPOILER ALERT!***
We LOVE our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer!!
So much so that we got a second one! Definitely one of the best things we've ever bought!
Here's why:
1. Freeze drying your food preserves the original flavor. We have shown videos of freeze drying eggs and reconstituting them and the taste is amazingly the same as if we just plucked it from a chicken. It’s Awesome!
2. Nutrition is an even better reason for freeze drying your food. Freeze dried food retains nearly all its nutritional value whereas dehydration and canning loose 40-60%. (Because heat kills the good stuff found in our food). Making freeze drying one of the best food preservation methods.
3. Freeze dried food, stored correctly, will be shelf stable for a very long time; up to 25 years and probably longer. Thats some long-term storage! You can’t do that with other preservation food methods.
4. Food Security. Because of its long shelf life you can count on it if there is ever a change in your life. Such as, loss of a job, the world goes nuts, etc. Or maybe you’re going on a long trip, a hike, fishing, hunting. Whatever! These delicious homemade meals, that you know are tasty, can sustain you. No need to purchase expensive MREs. Prepare your own!
5. You can save the planet one leftover at a time! We personally put all our leftovers into the freeze dryer not the trashcan. Even if it’s only a serving for one person. Food is food and it can feed someone in need. But, it’s more than leftovers that you can freeze dry! You can freeze dry fruits and veggies, meats (cooked or raw), candies, milk, eggs, herbs, flowers! You don’t want to do anything too fatty like sausage.. I did and it was not good.
6. In the end the freeze-drying process is a great way to eliminate food waste and store it for the future! The possibilities are endless, from freeze drying dry food, raw food, fresh produce, to dog food. A Harvest Right freeze dryer is 100% worth your money.
Watch this video for Freeze-Dried Hax!
Freeze drying food is fun and easy.
If you make a mistake like I did with the sausage, clean up is easy. Your room will make you hungry for a short time but really it’s not a huge deal. Take the tray insert out fully and wash it down with soap and water, place it back into your Harvest Right and move on and preserve more food! It's really that easy!
Here is how I like to freeze dry, just to give you an idea.
So yes, I like to freeze dry all of our leftovers. I don’t make meals purposely to freeze dry, but you could. We have chickens so when I am over run with eggs I will freeze dry them for later use. I also have freeze dried candy, and ice cream which is really cool!
But, our family favorite has got to be bananas! I like bananas but the texture gets to me a little sometimes so I placed them in the Harvest Right and it was life changing. The texture was completely different, it has a little crunch but then melts in your mouth and the flavor is amped up. It’s not like the dehydrated ones that almost break your teeth! You have to try them!
Watch this video for some solid food reconstitution!
You can freeze dry more than leftovers and snacks!
I grow medicinal herbs in my garden and have always hung them to dry. They end up brown, which is normal. But, one day I decided to try some cilantro in the freeze dryer (to possibly sneak into food). There was barely a noticeable difference! They came out the same vibrant green as when they went in, however, the veining in the leaves was really pronounced, which was interesting to see. I crushed them slightly by hand and I have to say it pretty was satisfying. The leaves were very brittle and flaky. However, if you reconstitute a single leaf if will regain its pre-freeze dried leafy texture, like it was just plucked from the bush.
Now, let’s talk about storage.
I use the mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for most of our food storage. I love this easy way of storing long term because if I want to grab a bag, it is lightweight and easy to transport, whereas my mason jars, not so much. Especially if you were moving. I typically keep my spices and fruit snacks in mason jars so they can be easily used. (I do place an oxygen absorber in the jars).
Is a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer a good option for you?
So, hopefully I have helped you narrow down if a Harvest Right home freeze-dryer is a good option for you and your family. We love ours and use them all the time. The benefits are definitely worth the upfront initial costs.
NOTE: You will need to have a holding place or some kind of system for all the food you will be freeze drying. Right now mine are in boxes, but I hope soon to get them into matching plastic totes with labels for better organization.
