Practical guides
Food deep dives
The food-by-food guide is a table; these are the full articles. Fifteen key foods with variety selection, the complete process, the pitfalls specific to that food, how to grade the result, and what to do with it afterwards. Start here before your first serious batch of anything on this list.
| Food | Group | Dryer temp | Typical time | Target moisture | Yield | The pitfall to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | Fruit | 135 °F | 6–12 h | 15–20 % | 7:1 | Browning — slice into the dip, not onto the tray |
| Tomato | Vegetable | 125 °F | 10–20 h | 8–12 % | 20:1 (paste types) | Mould in oil-packed jars |
| Mushroom | Mushroom | 115–125 °F | 4–10 h | 6–8 % | 14:1 | Spongy or leathery after the timer |
| Jerky | Meat | 145–160 °F | 4–8 h | MPR ≤ 0.75:1 | 3:1 | Toughness from drying too fast |
| Mango | Fruit | 135 °F | 8–16 h | 12–16 % | 7:1 | Sticky surface that never dries |
| Chilli pepper | Vegetable | 125 °F | 8–24 h | 5–8 % | 10:1 | Mould hidden inside thick pods |
| Onion & garlic | Vegetable | 125 °F | 6–12 h | 5–7 % | 10:1 / 4:1 | Flavour transfer to the next batch |
| Berries | Fruit | 135 °F | 8–36 h | 10–18 % | 8–10:1 | Weeks of drying, still squishy |
| Stone fruit | Fruit | 135 °F | 12–24 h | 15–20 % | 4–6:1 | Wet pocket at the pit cavity |
| Leafy greens & herbs | Herb | 100–125 °F | 2–8 h | 4–6 % | 12–16:1 | Khaki, hay-smelling result |
| Root vegetables | Vegetable | 125 °F | 6–14 h | 6–10 % | 6–10:1 | Woody, bitter carrot |
| Citrus peel & slices | Fruit | 125 °F | 4–10 h | ≤ 8 % | 4–8:1 | Bitter result |
| Fish | Fish | 120–130 °F | 8–16 h | 12–15 % | 3–4:1 | Rancid within weeks |
| Fruit leather | Other | 135 °F | 4–10 h | 12–18 % | 5–9:1 | Tacky strips that stick together |
| Yogurt bark | Dairy | 135 °F | 6–10 h | 5–8 % | 5:1 | Sour or off smell |