Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
Tools You Need To Get Started
• Paring knife (stainless steel blade).
• Cutting board
• Storage containers
Additional tools that make the job easier and faster can include:
• A food processor or other similar appliance for faster and consistent slicing.
• A steamer and basket, or kettle and collapsible steamer for blanching.
• Blender for making fruit puree for fruit leather.
• A small notebook to keep track of times and recipes that work for you as well as
those that don’t.
Basic Food Preparation Tips
To Peel or Not to Peel
The peels of fruits and vegetables often contain much of the food’s nutritional value.
Thus, it is better not to peel if the dried food is to be eaten as snacks or used in cookies.
On the other hand you will want to peel apples intended for pies or tomatoes intended
for soups. Generally, if you would normally peel the food for a specific recipe, plan to
peel the food before it is to be dehydrated.
Cutting Makes a Difference
One of the most important factors in successful dehydration is how the foods are
sliced. When drying fruits it helps to get all the slices about the same thickness so they
all dry to the same moisture level at the same time. Thick slices dry more slowly than
thin slices. The thickness you choose is up to you, but slicing all the pieces to as close
to the same size as is possible will help ensure success and consistency.
The skin of many foods naturally protects the food, but it can hamper the dehydration
process. During dehydration moisture escapes best from a cut or broken surface, not
through the tough skin. Therefore, the larger the cut area, the faster and better the food
will dehydrate.
For this reason, thin stalked vegetables like green beans asparagus, and rhubarb
should be cut in half the long way, or with an extreme diagonal cut to expose as much
of the inner parts of the food as possible.
Fruit should be sliced across the core and not down through the core. Try to always
make thin, flat cuts.
Broccoli stems should be halved or quartered, depending upon diameter Small
fruits like strawberries can be cut in half. Even smaller berries should either be cut in
half or blanched slightly to break the skin.
Page 6
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...