Drying food is one way to preserve them.
Dehydrators are small kitchen appliances that dry out foods. Once dry a person can store these foods for up to one year. The drying method preserves the foods by removing all moisture. A person can eat the dried foods as a snack, add them to recipes and salads or use them for decoration. Although dehydrators are convenient, they are not the only way to dry foods.
Instructions
1. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables and other food stuffs that you want to dry.
2. Cut larger foods into narrow slices about ¼ inch thick. You do not need to cut smaller foods such as berries.
3. Place the food on a cookie sheets on a single layer. Space them apart so they don't touch.
4. Turn the oven on to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Place the cookie sheets into the oven.
6. Keep the oven door ajar two to three inches. This keeps air circulating around the food.
7. Place a small fan in front of the oven and turn it on. The Virginia Cooperative reports that the fan keeps the hot air in the oven moving around.
8. Leave the food in the oven for 1 to 15 hours depending on the food. Some foods take longer to dry because of the high moisture content.
9. Turn the food over every three to four hours so that the food dries evenly.
10. Check food regularly. When the food is smaller in size and no longer feels plump, the food is done. Foods lose substantial weight during the drying process.
11. Turn off fan and oven when food is 80 to 90 percent dry suggests the Virginia Cooperative.
12. Remove food from oven and let cool on top of stove.
13. Place food in glass containers or freezer bags. Store food in dry cool place or in freezer until ready to use.
Tags: cookie sheets, Place food, Turn oven, Virginia Cooperative