Fruits and vegetables
Food dehydration is a food preservation method that removes moisture from the food. This prevents bacterial growth and allows the food to be stored for a long period of time. Fruits and vegetables are easy to dehydrate in a food dehydrator. These machines use a minimal amount of electricity, and the dehydration process and temperatures are easy to monitor.
Instructions
Vegetables
1. Wash the vegetables to remove any loose dirt.
2. Slice and blanch the vegetables. Place a few inches of water into a saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Place a steamer basket into the pot, fill it with sliced vegetables and use a lid to cover the pot tightly. Do not allow the vegetables to touch the water. Let the steam blanch the vegetables for three to eight minutes. Remove the vegetables and pat them dry with paper towels. If you planning to dehydrate mushrooms, onions or peppers skip this step.
3. Set the dehydrator to 130 degrees F. Temperature control methods vary among dehydrator manufacturers and models. Some models require temperatures be set by turning a knob to the desired temperature indicated on the machine. Other models may offer digital temperature control where the user can type in the desired temperature.
4. Place the vegetables in single layers on drying sheets. Slices should not overlap. Periodically rotate the trays during the drying process.
5. Monitor the vegetables and remove them when dry. Dry vegetables will not show any sign of moisture when torn apart. The vegetables may be leathery or brittle. Time will vary from approximately three to six hours, depending on the type of vegetable.
Fruit
6. Wash, pit and slice the fruit. Keep the slices uniform.
7. Put the slices into a small bowl of lemon juice or ascorbic acid. Let the fruit sit in the liquid for five minutes. This step will help prevent the fruit from turning brown.
8. Set the dehydrator to 135 degrees F by turning the temperature knob or entering the temperature on the digital display, depending on the type of dehydrator.
9. Arrange the slices in single layers on the drying sheets. Do not allow the slices to overlap. Periodically rotate the trays during the drying process.
10. Monitor the fruit and remove it when dry. Properly dehydrated fruit will not show any signs of moisture when torn. Depending on the type of fruit, it will be either almost leathery or pliable. Fruit may take from six to 26 hours to fully dehydrate.
Tags: blanch vegetables, dehydrator degrees, depending type, desired temperature, drying process