Dried or reconstituted fruits and vegetables can be used in a variety of ways.
Use dried fruit for snacks at home, on the trail, or on the ski slopes. Use pieces
in cookies or confections.
Serve reconstituted fruit as compotes or as sauces. It can also be incorporated into
favorite recipes for breads, gelatin salads, omelets, pies, stuffing, milkshakes,
homemade ice cream and cooked cereals.
Add dried vegetables to soups and stews or vegetable dishes. Use as dry snacks
or in chip dip.
Include reconstituted vegetables in favorite recipes for meat pies and other main
dishes, as well as gelatin and vegetable salads.
Powdered vegetables in the dried form make a tasty addition to broths, raw
soups, and dressings.
For optimum maintenance of nutritional value, we suggest::
• Blanching, the correct length of time.
• Packaging dried foods properly and storing containers in a cool, dry, dark
place.
• Checking dried foods periodically during storage to insure that moisture has
not been re-absorbed.
• Eating dried foods as soon as possible.
• Using liquid remaining after reconstitution in recipes.
DRYING
Drying time varies according to fruit or vegetable type, size of pieces, and tray
load.
Before testing foods for desired dryness, remove a handful and cool for a few
minutes. Foods that are warm or hot seem softer, more moist, and more pliable
than they will when cooled.
Foods should be dry enough to prevent microbial growth and subsequent
spoilage. Dried vegetables should be hard and brittle. Dried fruits should be
leathery and pliable. For long term storage, home dried fruits will need to be drier
than commercially dried fruits sold in grocery stores.
4
FRUIT
PREPARATION
DRYNESS TEST
TIME
Pineapples
(canned)
Plums
Prunes
Rhubarb
Drain and pat dry.
Leathery
6-36 hrs.
Wash, leave whole or cut in
half and remove pits or pop
them out when half dried.
Pliable
5-24 hrs.
Same as plums, but soak in
boiling water for 2 minutes
first.
Leathery
8-36 hrs.
Use only tender stalks. Wash,
cut in 1” lengths.
No visable
moisture
5-24 hrs.
DRYING TABLE FOR VEGETABLES
VEGETABLE
PREPARATION
DRYNESS TEST
TIME
Artichoke
hearts
Asparagus
Beans
(green or
wax)
Beets
Brussel
Sprouts
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cut hearts into 1/8” strips. Boil
5-8 minutes in 3/4 cups water
containing 1 tablespoon lemon
juice.
Brittle
4-12 hrs.
Wash and cut into 1” pieces.
Tips yield better product.
Stems, crushed after drying
make excellent seasoning.
Brittle
4-10 hrs.
Cut into 1” pieces or cut French
style. Steam until translucent.
Stir beans on tray after partial
drying, moving inside beans
outside for more even drying.
Brittle
4-14 hrs.
Tear off all but 1” of tops and
roots. Wash, blanch, cool.
Remove tops, skin and roots.
Dice or slice.
Brittle, dark red
4-12 hrs.
Cut sprouts from stalk, cut in
half lengthwise through stem.
Brittle
5-15 hrs.
Trim, cut as for serving, wash
thoroughly. Steam tender, about
3-5 minutes.
Brittle
5-15 hrs.
Leathery
4-12 hrs.
Trim, cut into strips 1/8” thick.
Cut core into 1/4” thick strips.
Use bottom shelf of dehydrator.
9
