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DRYING VEGETABLES
Some vegetables are quite good dried. Others lose their appeal and are better frozen or fresh.
Vegetables have a low acid and sugar content that makes them more subject to spoilage, and tend to
have far shorter shelf life than dried fruits. Packaging and ideal storage conditions are key elements to
producing dried vegetables which will taste as good in December as they did from your Summer garden!
Choose fresh, crisp vegetables for a high quality dehydrated product. Just like fruits,
Vegetables should be picked ripe and dried as soon as possible to minimize loss.
Wash vegetables thoroughly and remove any blemishes. Peel, trim, core, and/or slice vegetables.
Most vegetables must be blanched, either steaming over boiling water or in the microwave oven to slow
the enzyme action which will continue during drying and storage.
Note:
Blanching softens the cell structure, allowing the moisture to escape more easily and also allows
vegetables to rehydrate faster. There is no need to blanch onions, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms.
Herbs also are not blanched. Water blanching is not recommended because of the loss of water-‐soluble
vitamins and minerals.
Use a commercial steamer or a pan with a tight fitting lid and a steaming rack. Bring about 1 inch of
water to a brisk boil and drop in sliced vegetables. Cover and steam until vegetables are heated
completely through, but not cooked. This is usually about 1/3 of the time required to cook the
vegetable. Vegetables should still be crunchy. Drain in steamer rack and place immediately on dryer
trays.
A microwave oven is ideal for blanching vegetables. Prepare them in the same manner as for steam
blanching. Place them in a microwave-‐safe dish, cover and cook on high for about 1/2 of the time
required to completely cook the fresh vegetables.
Depending on the age and design of your microwave, you may want to stop the cooking half-‐way
through and stir the vegetable to achieve a more even blanching. Load blanched vegetables onto drying
trays, making sure that air can move freely between the pieces.
For vegetables, such as corn or peas, that tend to clump together, stir occasionally to allow air to reach
all of the pieces. It is recommended to use Cabela’s mesh screen inserts (Item# 04306441) so that the
kernel pieces will not fall through the cracks of standard trays. Vegetables are dried until they are crisp,
leathery
, or brittle. Package immediately after drying to prevent absorption of moisture from the air.
Usual drying temperature for vegetables is 130°F to 145°F (55C to 63C)
PREPARATION
SELECTION
BLANCHING
STEAM BLANCHING
MICROWAVE BLANCHING