Dehydrating Fruits and Vegetables

Dehydrating fruits, vegetables and herbs is a great way to preserve them for later use. Once the moisture has been removed from the food, you can store it for long periods of time without refrigeration. You don't need a lot of specialized equipment to dry foods and it requires less preparation than canning. Dried foods are also very lightweight and are easily packed for camping and hiking trips, snacks, and lunches for work or on the go.

Humans have been preserving their food by drying it since prehistoric times. Early nomadic tribes found that food could be laid in the sun or hung near a fire to remove moisture and extend its storage life. They preserved fish, meat, fruits, herbs, and other vegetable matter in this manner and were able to survive during the lean winter months when fresh food was difficult to find. Dried foods were easy for hunters to carry as they traveled in search of game and needed 'fast food' for quick energy. Evidence of dried foods has been found in Egyptian tombs and Greek ruins. Native Americans added dried fruits and berries to buffalo fat and dried meat to make pemmican - this was probably the first 'energy bar'. European settlers also relied on dried foods during the winter. Their only other methods of preserving foods were salting and root cellars until the late 1800's. Although modern people are not as vulnerable to starvation during the winter as our ancestors were, we still enjoy preserving the summer's bounty to supplement our groceries during the off season.

There are different methods of dehydrating foods including sun drying, room temperature drying, oven drying and using a food dehydrator. Each one is good for different situations.

If you live in a warm, dry climate, you may be able to dry certain foods by hanging them or spreading them on a clean screen in the direct sunlight. You will need several days of temps over 90 F to use this method. I would only trust herbs that dry quickly or fruits with high sugar and acid content with this method. The problem with sun drying is a lack of control over the environment. Sudden rain showers could ruin your bounty. You also have to watch out for wildlife that might eat your produce or get it dirty. You will also want to bring drying foods indoors overnight or cover them to prevent dew from re-hydrating them.

Room temperature drying is often used for nuts in the shell, grains, or bunches of herbs. Nuts need to dry and cure for a period of time before shelling and eating. Spread them out in thin layers in a cool, dark room until the nut meats are no longer green. Small batches of grains may be spread out to dry as you would for nuts. Both can become moldy and unusable if they are not properly dried and stored. One of the most common foods preserved by room temperature drying are herbs. Herbs can be tied and hung in a cool, dark place to dry before storing in jars or bags. Most foods will mold or rot if left in these conditions and need higher temperatures and circulating air to dry them properly.

Using an oven for drying food may be fine for occasional use. However, it uses a great deal more energy than a food dehydrator and will warm your kitchen considerably. In the winter this may be acceptable, but in the late summer, when most produce is fresh and available, you will want to avoid the extra heat. The oven door must be kept open during drying and the energy loss is considerable. I have never used this method, since the cost of a dehydrator is well worth the energy savings.

I use an American Harvest Snackmaster Dehydrator that is over 15 years old and still does a great job. This particular model is no longer manufactured, but there are plenty of other brands and models on the market. When looking for a food dehydrator, be sure to read the reviews and choose the model that seems best for your purposes. A good food dehydrator will have a range of temperatures from 90 F to 160 F. They use electricity to generate heat and circulate the warm air through the trays of drying food. Many dehydrators have special trays for small pieces such as slices of garlic and green onion. If you would like to make fruit leathers, you may want to choose a dehydrator that includes a fruit leather tray, or has them available separately.

The next step is choosing the food that you will dry. Use fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden, the farmers' market or local farms and orchards. Some people purchase frozen vegetables and fruits from the supermarket when they are on sale. Drying them allows you to purchase extra even if you don't have room to store them in the freezer. Make sure that your produce is not bruised, moldy or over-ripe. You can dehydrate lemon and orange peels for using in recipes, herbs from your garden, sweet or hot peppers, onions and garlic, carrots, greens, apples, cherries, blueberries, peaches, apricots...the list is quite extensive.

Some things can be put into the dehydrator whole, such as small berries and herbs. If you are drying berries that have a waxy or tough skin, such as blueberries, you may want to prick the skin to allow the moisture to evaporate more quickly. Alpine strawberries, currants and grapes may be dried whole. Some foods will dry best if halved or sliced into smaller pieces. Cherries and apricots should be pitted and halved for best results. Cherry tomatoes are best cut in half also. Remember that the smaller the pieces, the more quickly they will dry.

Some fruits benefit from a pretreatment with lemon juice or ascorbic acid to help prevent browning. Mix 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice into each quart of water. Soak the fruit in this solution as you prepare the food, until you are ready to put it in the dehydrator. Peaches, apricots, apples and other light colored fruit may have a more appetizing appearance with pretreatment. Some instructions call for the use of sodium bisulfate for the best color and texture retention. I prefer to use all natural ingredients in my dried foods, and recommend avoiding these preservatives since many people are allergic to them. The color of your final product may not be as vibrant, but you will know that it is much healthier for you.

To make your own fruit leathers you will need to do a bit more work. Wash, peel and core or seed the fruit. Puree in the blender or cook on the stove top just until tender, cool, and then puree. If your dehydrator doesn't include a special tray for fruit leather, you can use a sheet of heavy plastic wrap. Cover the tray with the plastic and pour the fruit puree on it evenly. You can experiment with adding nuts, using different combinations of fruit, or adding flavorings to your fruit puree before drying. Pureed cherries with a drop or 2 of vanilla flavoring makes a delicious fruit leather. Apple puree can be spiced up with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg or vanilla. Be creative making fruit leather and you will come up with your own favorites. Most fruits lend themselves well to making fruit leathers.

Dehydrating vegetables includes the extra step of blanching them first to destroy enzymes naturally present in the food. These enzymes will break down the vegetable matter after dehydration, causing a loss of flavor and quality. Most vegetables should be steamed or microwaved for several minutes to blanch them. Some of the best vegetables for drying are sweet corn, carrots, garlic, onions, peas, peppers and tomatoes.

With the exception of herbs, most produce should be dried at temperatures between 120 F and 140 F. Herbs, such as parsley, oregano, sage and basil, can be dried at 90 F. Until you have some experience, it may be difficult to tell when your produce is dry enough. You want to remove at least 80% of the water from fruits and 90% of the water from veggies. Veggies will be somewhat tough when dry but fruits may be a bit more pliable.

When your produce is finished drying, let it cool for a few minutes and then store it in airtight containers to prevent humidity from re-hydrating and spoiling your food. Clean glass jars, plastic freezer bags, or a vacuum sealed bag are good choices for storing dried foods. Check the food the following day for moisture in the container. If the container has condensation, the food is not dry enough. Return to the dehydrator and continue drying. Store dried foods in a cool, dry, dark spot and check for signs of mold before using. Most dried fruits can be stored for a year with no problems. Vegetables should be used after 4 to 6 months for best results. For longer term storage, you should use a vacuum sealing system and store in the freezer. If you're like me, most of your dried foods will be used up before they have a chance to deteriorate.

Dried fruits can be eaten right out of the bag for a sweet snack. They can also be mixed with other dried fruits, nuts, and carob or chocolate chips for homemade trail mix. You can also mix dried fruits into yogurt, soft cheeses, or baked goods. Dried vegetables can be ground into a powder or shredded into flakes in the food processor and used in dips, sauces, or to make vegetable broth for soups and stews. They may also be soaked in water and heated for a healthy side dish. Their lightweight and compact nature make dried foods perfect for traveling, taking to work for lunch, camping and hiking, or stashing in your car for emergency rations.

I hope you enjoy drying your produce as a wonderful way of preserving the bounty of summer for the future!