# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Gardening >  type of fish to dehydrate?

## warman87

i was wondering what fish would be best to dehydrate in an oven?

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## Rick

I haven't done fish so I had to grab my book. Here is what it says: 

Any freshwater fish that is lean - sunfish, crappies, perch, walleyes, and bass - all dry easily. Also , low-fat saltwater fish such as sole, flounder, halibut, pollock, and rock cod are ideal and great for making jerky. You can even dry smoked salmon. 

Canned tuna, preferably packed in water, Canned salmon, too but it is higher in fat than tuna. Drying canned fish is a bit different than fresh fish. Drain the water and spread it on something like wax paper (since it's shredded). Flake it into pieces and small chunks so it will dry faster. Set your oven on the lowest setting (generally 200F) and it will take about 4 to 6 hours. 

Shellfish: Shrimp, lobster, crab are low in fat and can be dried. You MUST precook them, however. You can cook, steam or bake in a 200F oven until flaky. If you chill the fish before drying it will be easy to remove any remaining traces of fat, pieces of bone or skin that you might have missed. 

Dry fish at 145F or above. 

If you plan on making jerky, then you have to soak it in a salt brine. Cut the fillets into 1 inch strips. If the meat is thicker than 1/2 inch then slash the meat with a knife so the salt brine can penetrate the meat.

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## warman87

also what is the best vegetable to start out with?

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## crashdive123

Depends on what you like as to what will be best.  Start out with stuff that you normally eat.  If you hate carrots and I were to say that they were bes, you probably would think I'm crazy (you may think that anyway) :Big Grin:

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## Rick

Some vegetables can be a bit harder to dry than fruits. Potatoes, for example, need to be blanched and then dipped in an acid like lemon juice to keep them from turning dark (my first batch turned almost black because I didn't blanch or dip). I've dehydrated celery and green onions and they are pretty easy. So are peppers. Just wash and remove any seeds, cut into about 1/4 inch slices and dry at 125 if you have a dehydrator or your lowest setting on the oven. Leave the oven door ajar so you can circulate the warm air. The higher the heat the faster they dry.

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## skunkkiller

catfisth can be dried but you must boil for 1 min. . I alway salt my fish before drying

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## ADEPT

> Some vegetables can be a bit harder to dry than fruits. Potatoes, for example, need to be blanched and then dipped in an acid like lemon juice to keep them from turning dark (my first batch turned almost black because I didn't blanch or dip). I've dehydrated celery and green onions and they are pretty easy. So are peppers. Just wash and remove any seeds, cut into about 1/4 inch slices and dry at 125 if you have a dehydrator or your lowest setting on the oven. Leave the oven door ajar so you can circulate the warm air. The higher the heat the faster they dry.


Also, I've found that using a metal or aluminum pot will cause the potato's to turn black.  Try glass

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## tacmedic

I dehydrated fish in the house once.  Only once.  The house smelled like fish for days and days.  My girlfriend at the time was so pissed at me for that, her cat walked around the house for days trying to figure out where the smell was coming from.  So, if you live with anyone and want to stay out of the doghouse I would recommend dehydrating fish outside.

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## Rick

@ Adept - My dehydrator has plastic trays. 

@ Tacmedic - Try onions. I dehydrated about 50 and it was like a tear gas attack!

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## RBB

I'd say you'd be a lot better off smoking fish - than dehydrating it.  Much better taste.  You can smoke it to the point where it is stone dry.  Same with meat.  We have venison hanging that is five years old - and still edible.

Vegetable favorites for dehydration:  Sweet onions and garden tomatoes.  Sweet onions are unbelievably good dried and dried tomatoes out of your garden taste like candy.

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## nell67

Rick,if you ever want to dehydrate cayenne peppers,do it outside,far,far away from your house,or any building that might be occupied :EEK!: 

Don't ask me how I know......

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## Runs With Beer

RICK, I was woundering how to keep then taters from turning dark. Thanks

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## RBB

> Depends on what you like as to what will be best.  Start out with stuff that you normally eat.  If you hate carrots and I were to say that they were bes, you probably would think I'm crazy (you may think that anyway)


I've noticed that dehydrated carrots are absolutely tasteless.  The only reason for dehydrating them (say with peas or green beans) is for the color they add to the dish.

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## Tony uk

> Rick,if you ever want to dehydrate cayenne peppers,do it outside,far,far away from your house,or any building that might be occupied
> 
> Don't ask me how I know......


How do you know nell ?  :Confused:

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## nell67

Been there,tried that,never again!

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## Tony uk

> Been there,tried that,never again!


Come on nell, Tell Me !  Im begging you  :Frown:

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## wildWoman

My boyfriend dried a whole bunch of cold smoked lake trout this summer. It's really fatty and needs to be either eaten soon or else put into a freezer until use (such as trail food), otherwise it will go rancid. Not up my alley but he likes it. And yes, the house did smell...which doesn't matter in this household.

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## crashdive123

I remember as a kid, going to my grandparents.  Seems as though everybody in the village was drying/smoking cod.  Another favorite in the area was pickled herring.

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## ADEPT

[QUOTE=Rick;78666]@ Adept - My dehydrator has plastic trays. 

sorry, I meant glass container for the blanching not dehydrating.  I read somewhere that metal containers causes oxidization to occur turning the potatoes black.

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