What is Dehydrating?
Dehydrating is a method of preserving food by removing the water so there is less chance of microorganisms taking a foothold.
If you’re looking for a new culinary adventure and dehydrating food has crossed your mind, this is a quick overview.
Benefits of Dehydrating
Our modern day world affords us many benefits of convenience, especially with food. When it comes to eating, we have a lot of options. We can purchase food prepared for us at a restaurant or grocery stores sell prepackaged foods that we can easily unwrap, heat and eat. So why would we want to take the time to dehydrate food?
- Enjoy the flavor of the season. Preserving fruits, vegetables or herbs when they are in season is a great way to keep taste in tact!
- Preserving without the preservatives. When you dehydrate your own food, the quality is not in question, you know exactly what’s in it. There are no hidden sugars, salts, or preservatives – just pure, wholesome goodness.
- Longer Shelf Life. The key word here is shelf. This is a great way to free up some space in a fridge or freezer.
Methods
Air Drying – the simplest way to get started. Just tie up a small bundle of herbs and hang them upside-down in a well ventilated area to dry. Most herbs will be dry in a matter of a week or two.
Oven – using your oven is the easiest barrier to entry when you start dehydrating, the investment is in your electric bill.
Electric Dehydrator – if you’re ready to make the investment, electric dehydrators are made for the task and are very efficient. You can set the temperature and time.
You can always start small and invest more later.
Step 1: Before – Prepare your food.
Pick the produce you would like to dehydrate. Keep in mind that your house is going to smell like whatever you’re drying. It’s best not to dry strong smelling foods together.
Clean and slice: Wash your produce thoroughly and cut into uniform slices, thinner slices dry faster. You can use a mandolin slicer for consistent slices and don’t forget a protective glove.
Arrange the food in a single layer on the dehydrating tray.
I love using these silicone fine mesh sheets because they are very flexible, making them much easier to wash than the hard plastic ones that came with my dehydrator.
If you want to avoid plastic completely, these stainless steel trays are a nice upgrade.
Step 2: During – Dehydrate
Research drying temperature and times. You can find this in the manual that comes with your dehydrator. The Beginner’s Guide to Dehydrating Food is an excellent resource for beginners. It’s always a good idea to reference the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Set the temperature and timer according to your produce.
Keep in mind that drying time will vary based on food type, thickness and humidity.
It is important to make sure your food is dry enough to prevent spoilage when stored. Before testing, take a piece out and set it aside to cool. Check for texture and appearance:
- Fruits should be leathery and pliable without moisture beads when pressed.
- Vegetables should feel brittle or crisp and snap easily.
- Meats, like jerky, should be firm, not sticky, with no visible moisture.
Step 3: After – Store
Once your dehydrated foods are completely cooled, storing them properly is key to maintaining quality, nutritional value and extending shelf life. It is best to store goods in a cool, dark and dry location, keep this in mind when deciding between airtight storage options.
Glass Jars – Mason jars are a tried and true and make it easy to see your contents. I use these jar attachments that work with my Food Saver system to pull the air out of the jars once they are filled.
Vacuum Seal Bags – To use this method, you’ll need Food Saver bags and a Food Saver system to pull the air out of the bags once they are packed.
Mylar Bags – A great starting point for beginners as there are options with zipper seals so no other equipment is needed for storage. Wallaby is a convenient brand because you can buy bundles with labels and the correct size oxygen absorbers. Here are a few popular sizes, 1 Gallon, 2.5 Gallon and 5 Gallon. The only downfall is you can’t see inside them.
The best part is labeling everything with contents and date of storage when you’re finished.
This site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links.
