About Sam Torres

Home food preservation obsessive. Been at it for 15 years.

I grew up watching my grandmother put up jars of tomatoes every summer. When I bought my first dehydrator in my late 20s, it clicked.

I started with a $40 Nesco from a garage sale. Made my first batch of beef jerky, ate the whole thing standing over the counter at midnight, and thought: this is what I am doing forever.

Fifteen years later, I run three dehydrators: a 9-tray Excalibur, a Cosori, and a commercial Weston I picked up used. Half-acre garden, dehydrate most of what does not go fresh. Jerky from venison, beef, turkey, and salmon.

Why This Site

When I started, the info online was scattered and often wrong. This site is what I wish I had: honest reviews, tested recipes, real food safety guidance.