Just got a dehydrator, what are "must try" recipes?

[Fishstiq]

I have never had or used a dehydrator before.  The wife is on a "no carbs" kind of diet, so I got her some veggie chips as a snack when we go fishing.  She loved them, so we got a dehydrator to make our own.  So now here I am with a dehydrator and no real direction as to what to do with it.  Sure, there's the typical sliced up fruit and veggies to dry out.  But I figure there has to be more to it than that, and I figure you bunch of hunting fishing gardening folks has got to be the perfect place to ask about creative, delicious, unexpected ideas!!  So, lay them on me, what should I make with this thing?

[Timberstalker]

Fruit Leather is awesome.

[quadrafire]

I'd put jerky at the top of the list

[Yelper Guy]

Try making some beef jerky.
Get a good cut of steak, cut into thin strips and season with Worchester sauce, BBQ sauce and some seasoning salt.
I made up my own batch and it turned out real good.

[hunter_sean08]

They can be used for all sorts of different foods, but I personally like dehydrating chicken or other meats for my hiking trips. Throw it in with your ramen noodles or something and boil. It will hydrate back up and you've now got protein with your carbs. Pretty basic suggestion, but useful when you're trying to be efficient.

[Igottanewknee]

Don't forget mushrooms, put them in a jar and use them all year..

[JDHasty]

My sister does pineapple and apples quite a bit.  She does other things, but these two are what my kids frequently get their mitts on when they visit. 

[pianoman9701]

I'm selling dried morels for $150/lb wholesale right now. I'd be drying morels were I in your shoes.

[hollymaster]

Wife makes fruit leather from apple sauce.

[Timberstalker]

They can be used for all sorts of different foods, but I personally like dehydrating chicken or other meats for my hiking trips. Throw it in with your ramen noodles or something and boil. It will hydrate back up and you've now got protein with your carbs. Pretty basic suggestion, but useful when you're trying to be efficient.

I never trusted them to get hot enough for chicken. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Dhoey07]

I grow cherry tomatoes, half them and dehydrate to make sun dried tomatoes, it's been almost a year and they are still good.

[Fishstiq]

I'm selling dried morels for $150/lb wholesale right now. I'd be drying morels were I in your shoes.

How about chanterelles?  I get hundreds of them around the house.

[mburrows]

They can be used for all sorts of different foods, but I personally like dehydrating chicken or other meats for my hiking trips. Throw it in with your ramen noodles or something and boil. It will hydrate back up and you've now got protein with your carbs. Pretty basic suggestion, but useful when you're trying to be efficient.

I never trusted them to get hot enough for chicken. Maybe I'm wrong.

I cook chicken then dehydrate it. I dont use the dehydrator as a method for cooking anything, at least havent tried it yet.

[Timberstalker]

They can be used for all sorts of different foods, but I personally like dehydrating chicken or other meats for my hiking trips. Throw it in with your ramen noodles or something and boil. It will hydrate back up and you've now got protein with your carbs. Pretty basic suggestion, but useful when you're trying to be efficient.

I never trusted them to get hot enough for chicken. Maybe I'm wrong.

I cook chicken then dehydrate it. I dont use the dehydrator as a method for cooking anything, at least havent tried it yet.

I see - I've dehydrated plenty of red meat, without cooking and never had an issue.  But chicken, well it's chicken.

[longashes]

I'm selling dried morels for $150/lb wholesale right now. I'd be drying morels were I in your shoes.

I pick morels for personal use, but curious how many you need to collect to equal 1 lb dried