What Happens When You Put Condiments In A Food Dehydrator

If you think squirting your favorite ketchup or spicy mustard into your food dehydrator will result in a disgusting mess that will require extra hours spent cleaning the kitchen, we have surprisingly good news for you: Using your dehydrator for your most treasured condiments can not only help you bring extra flavor to dishes but also serve as quick snacks if you're on the go. 

With a little bit of creativity, you'll be confidently putting together concoctions of barbecue sauce, hot sauce, and ketchup to produce strips of what looks like fruit leather in condiment form. Yet instead of chewy pieces of kiwi and banana, these dehydrated sheets of sauces can be placed onto hot dogs and sandwiches or be used as an easy boost of flavor for tonight's dinner plate. In LA, ketchup leather is used to adorn juicy burgers, and there's no reason why you can't employ a similar technique for your next backyard party. 

To convert honey barbecue sauce, homemade ketchup, spicy mustard, or crunchy chili sauce into dehydrated form, simply spread a thin, even layer over a sheet pan and leave it in the dehydrator for the better part of a day. Once your chosen condiments are sufficiently dehydrated, the rubbery, chewy sheets can be cut into squares, strips, or your shapes of choice and be used to wrap meats and vegetables. Think potatoes wrapped in dehydrated ketchup, strips of dehydrated barbecue laid over tonight's smoked salmon, or a pretty plate of various dehydrated condiments set out for dinner party guests to choose from. 

Add spices or herbs to your condiments for an added boost of flavor and store your finished pieces in airtight containers to preserve freshness for up to one year. The options are endless once you've mastered this technique, and your dinner gatherings and barbecue grill-outs will never be the same. In fact, your culinary ingenuity may inspire your guests to try using a similar approach at home.