Canning & Preserving For Dummies, 2nd Edition
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1 Scrub the carrot skin with a vegetable brush to remove any trace of dirt. Cut off the tops and about 1/4 inch of the carrot itself to remove any of the green, bitter part of the carrot. Then cut the carrots into 1/8-inch slices or shred finely. Blanch the slices or shreds for 2 minutes in boiling water and then cool immediately in ice water. Drain well. Layer carrot slices or shreds in a single layer on your dehydrator trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the carrots for 8 to 10 hours, or until they're tough and leathery, stirring at least once to ensure that the pieces don't stick and rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.
3 Store the dried carrots for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Tip: To remove as much water as possible from the blanched carrots, especially for shreds, use paper towels.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 102 (From fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 116mg; Carbohydrates 23g (Dietary fiber 6g); Protein 3g.
Corn
Corn is another popular vegetable. It is not often dried at home, due to the availability of it frozen. Yet drying corn is an easy way to take advantage of the abundance in spring.
Dried Corn
Select young, milky ears of corn for drying. To use dried corn, bring water to boil in saucepan and add the corn. Simmer for about 45 minutes or until the corn is once again tender.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 5 to 7 hours
Yield: 1 cup
2 pounds fresh corn
1 Husk the corn ears and blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool immediately and drain. Cut the kernels from the cob, taking care to cut cleanly and not go over the same area more than once with your knife. (This keeps the cut corn from becoming too sticky with corn milk.) Layer the kernels in a single layer on trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the corn for 5 to 7 hours, stirring every 2 hours to prevent sticking and rotate the trays to facilitate even drying. Dried kernels will be hard and brittle throughout.
3 Store the dried corn up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 272 (From fat 29); Fat 3g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 43mg; Carbohydrates 63g (Dietary fiber 7g); Protein 8g.
Green Beans
Green beans have a special place in my pantry. I (Karen) remember when I lived in my cabin, and dried my beans, strung like beads onto string, over my woodstove. They were a staple vegetable for my winter meals. I now use my dehydrator and although not as interesting a story, they still come out perfect.
Dried Green Beans
Select young, smooth beans; avoid those that have grown enough to develop seeds inside. To use dried green beans, drop dried beans into simmering soup and cook until softened, about 30 minutes. Although there are recipes for it, we don't recommend rehydrating plain green beans. The results are always mushy.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 8 hours
Yield: 1/2 cup
2 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
1 Wash and trim the beans as you usually would to eat. Blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling water and then chill immediately in cold water and drain well. Arrange the beans in a single layer on your drying trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the beans for 8 hours, stirring at least once to prevent sticking and rotating the trays occasionally to facilitate even drying. Properly dried beans are leathery and shriveled.
3 Store the dried beans up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 155 (From fat 5); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 30mg; Carbohydrates 36g (Dietary fiber 17g); Protein 9g.
Greens
Greens are powerhouses of nutrition in a small package. If your family is not used to eating greens, you can use them as a flavorful addition to any soup or stir fry. You can add dried greens to your tomato sauce to add a lot of nutrition. Your family will not even notice.
Dried Greens
Select young, fresh greens for drying. To use, crumble dried greens into broth, tomato-based sauces, stews, and any other dish that you want to add some nutritional punch to.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 4 to 6 hours
Yield: 1/4 cup
1 pound fresh greens
1 Trim and wash the greens thoroughly to remove any fine grit. Blanch the greens until they are limp, about 2 minutes. Spread them in a thin layer onto your drying trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the greens for 4 to 6 hours, or until the greens are crispy, stirring once to keep them from sticking together and rotating the trays occasionally to facilitate even drying.
3 Store your dried greens for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Note: Check drying greens carefully to ensure they are layered loosely enough to fully dry. Greens that are stuck together may hold moisture and develop mold.
Vary It!: You can create a powder to add as-is to any sauce or baked good. Simply pulverize the dried greens in a food processor and then dry them in your dehydrator for at least 4 hours.
Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 227 (From fat 29); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 195mg; Carbohydrates 45g (Dietary fiber 9g); Protein 15g.
Onions
Onions are a familiar vegetable, even dried. They are a tasty addition to many foods, and if added in dried, tiny pieces, often are overlooked by those who claim to not like them.
Dry onions separately from other vegetables or their strong odor will permeate throughout. Once dried, they don't overpower other foods and can be mixed with other vegetables when making your own blends. You may also want to dry them in an out-of-the-way area. The drying process makes the onions smell quite strong.
Dried Onions
Select firm, unblemished onions for drying. You can add dried onions to any dish that you normally use onions in. If needed, simply add hot water to dried onion, soaking for 15 minutes, before adding to your dish.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 12 hours
Yield: 1/4 cup
1 pound fresh onions (3 large or 4 to 5 medium)
1 Thinly slice your onions or chop them evenly so that the pieces are of uniform size to facilitate even drying times. Arrange the onion slices or chunks in a thin layer on your drying trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry until brittle, about 12 hours, rotating the trays every 4 hours or so to ensure even drying.
3 Store your dried onions for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 172 (From fat 6); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 14mg; Carbohydrates 39g (Dietary fiber 8g); Protein 5g.
Peas
Peas make a great addition to your dried pantry. They blend well in many recipes and add a bright pop of color and flavor. Peas are one vegetable that many children love.
Dried Peas
Choose young green peas when they are at their peak of flavor. They shrivel up quite a bit when dried but plump up nicely when added back to water or broth. Add dried peas to broth or stew and simmer for 30 minutes.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Drying time: 9 to 12 hours
Yield: 1/4 cup
1 pound fresh peas
1 Shell and blanch your peas for 2 minutes in boiling water; then chill in ice water and drain. Arrange the peas in a thin layer on your drying trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry until the peas are shriveled and hard, about 9 to 12 hours, stirring at least once to prevent sticking and rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.
3 Store your dried peas for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 367 (From fat 16); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 23mg
; Carbohydrates 66g (Dietary fiber 23g); Protein 25g.
Peppers, sweet
Drying peppers is a great way to add this tasty vegetable to your cooking. It only takes a few pieces to really turn up the flavor. Another nice thing about drying peppers is that when dried, they take up only a tiny portion of space, versus freezing. Be sure to dry at least one batch of these for your winter pantry.
Dried Sweet Peppers
Select heavy, unblemished peppers for drying. To use, add peppers directly to any dish calling for pepper, without rehydrating. If desired, soak pieces in boiling water for 30 minutes, until soft. Use the same as fresh.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 8 to 10 hours
Yield: 1 cup
5 pounds fresh sweet peppers
1 Wash, core, and remove all of the white membrane and seeds from your green peppers. Chop or slice the peppers, making sure that the pieces are of uniform size for even drying. Arrange the peppers in a single layer on your drying trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the peppers until they are leathery and dry throughout, about 8 to 10 hours, stirring at least once and rotating the trays to facilitate even drying.
3 Store the dried peppers for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Tip: Depending on the size of the dehydrator, you may need to divide and dry the bell peppers into two batches.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 251 (From fat 16); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 19mg; Carbohydrates 60g (Dietary fiber 19g); Protein 8g.
Potatoes, white or sweet
Potatoes are a great dried vegetable. Having these on hand and ready saves time and work by cutting out almost all of the prep time taken in peeling and slicing.
When you dry potatoes, make sure that they're completely dry; otherwise, they'll mildew during storage.
Dried Potatoes
Select young, unblemished potatoes for drying. Because they have such a long drying time, plan on drying potatoes overnight. To use dried potatoes, cover them with water and bring to a simmer until soft again — about 45 minutes. Dried sweet potatoes make a great snack as-is.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 10 to 12 hours
Yield: 3/4 cup
1 pound potatoes (about 4 to 5 medium)
1 Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1/2-inch strips for shoestring potatoes, or 1/8-inch slices, making sure all pieces are of uniform size for even drying. Blanch the potatoes for 5 minutes and drain. Arrange them in an single layer on your drying trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the potatoes until they're hard and brittle, at least 10 to 12 hours, stirring after the first 4 hours to prevent sticking. Rotate the trays occasionally to facilitate even drying.
3 Store the dried potatoes for up to one year in a tightly sealed container or in plastic freezer bags.
Tip: To prevent your potatoes from turning brown during drying, dip them in a mixture of 2 tablespoons lemon juice to 1 quart of water prior to drying.
Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 108 (From fat 1); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 6mg; Carbohydrates 25g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 2g.
Sweet Potato Crunch Sticks
These potatoes are a kid-friendly favorite. If you are looking for a fun, healthy alternative to chips for your next brown-bag lunch, this is it! Once you try this recipe, mix up some of your favorite seasoning to add your personal touch.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 12 hours
Yield: 8 servings
1 pound sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced into shoestrings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 Blanch the shoestring sweet potatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes and dip in ice cold water. Drain well. Dry the potatoes on paper towels to remove any outside moisture.
2 Place the sweet potatoes in an 8-quart bowl and add olive oil. Toss well to coat. Spread the shoestring pieces in a single layer on your drying trays. Sprinkle with salt.
3 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dehydrate the shoestring potatoes until they're crispy, at least 12 hours. Rotate the trays occasionally to facilitate even drying.
4 Store (if you can!) in a cool, dry place.
Vary It! For a slightly different flavor, add an additional seasoning you like at Step 2.
Per serving: Calories 50 (From fat 16); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 291mg; Carbohydrates 8g (Dietary fiber 1g); Protein 1g.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a great item for your pantry. Its naturally sweet flavor is also rich in vitamins. Try using pumpkin in place of zucchini for sweetbread, in muffins and cakes, as a side dish, with cinnamon and sugar for the holidays, and as a creamy base for soups. Drying pumpkin is a great way to have enough on hand all year.
Dried Pumpkin
Select unblemished pumpkin for drying. Pumpkin's flavor only improves after drying. You can use dried pumpkin in dessert breads and other sweet dishes, or include it in soups and stews for added color and richness. You can also simply simmer it until soft again and eat it as a side dish.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Drying time: 12 to 18 hours
Yield: 1/4 cup
1 pound fresh pumpkin (about 1 medium pumpkin)
1 Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, and slice it into workable-size pieces. Peel each piece and cut into 1-inch pieces. Blanch the pieces in boiling water for 2 minutes and then dip in cold water. Drain well. Spread the blanched pieces in a single layer on trays.
2 Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry the pumpkin for 12 to 18 hours, turning the pieces at least once to prevent them from sticking and rotating the trays to facilitate even drying. Pumpkin is dried enough when it is leathery throughout the entire piece.
3 Store for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Vary It! Make a pumpkin purée: Cook cubes in boiling water until tender and mash until smooth. Spread the mashed pumpkin on trays covered with plastic wrap to prevent dripping. Dry for 6 hours, or until you can easily peel off the plastic layer from the pumpkin purée. Flip over the purée, and dry it until the pieces are brittle enough to snap when bent. You can use this dried purée as an ingredient in any recipe that calls for puréed pumpkin. To rehydrate, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup of dried pumpkin purée and let stand for 30 minutes or until soft.
Per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 118 (From fat 4); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 5mg; Carbohydrates 30g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 5g.
Tomatoes
Once again, tomatoes are the highlight of the dried food pantry. They are loved by almost everyone, dry easily, taste delicious, and have the ability to add a tasty kick to any dish. Great for many a meal, try drying as many tomatoes as you can. You will be surprised at how many you use!
You can also season plain tomatoes to work with either Italian- or Mexican- flavored dishes. Prepare a jar of both flavors, using the Tomato Two Way recipe. You will always have a quick meal on hand if you keep these in your pantry.
Dried Tomatoes
Choose firm, ripe but not overripe tomatoes. This recipe works with both paste style and slicing tomatoes, but the drying times are much shorter for paste style. Sprinkle dried tomatoes directly into simmering soups or stews or grind them up to add to dips and sauces.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Drying time: 20 to 34 hours
Yield: 1/8 cup
2 pounds fresh Roma or paste-style tomatoes (about 10 to 12)
1 Dip tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, and then plunge them into icy water for 30 seconds. Slip off the skins and core. (Note: If you're using slicing tomatoes, remove the seeds.) Cut the tomatoes into 1/8-inch slices or 1/4-inch cubes. Take care to cut uniform pieces. Place slices or cubes onto trays, in a single layer.
2 Set the
temperature on your dehydrator to 120 degrees and dry your tomatoes for 14 to 16 hours. Remove the trays, flip all slices over or stir the cubes well, and dry again for another 6 to 8 hours or until brittle. Rotate the trays occasionally to facilitate even drying.
3 Store for up to one year in a tightly sealed container.
Per 1/8-cup serving: Calories 191 (From fat 27); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 82mg; Carbohydrates 42g (Dietary fiber 10g); Protein 8g.
Tomato Two Way
These two blends are considered staples. Try making them as spicy or bland as your family likes and use in your dishes for preseasoned flavor. They also make wonderful gifts, if tied with a ribbon and a recipe attached.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 3 cups
1 cup dried chopped green pepper
1 cup dried chopped onion
1 cup dried chopped tomatoes
For Italian-flavored vegetables, mix and add the following:
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
For Mexican-flavored vegetables, mix and add the following:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon powdered garlic
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 In a large bowl, combine the green pepper, onions, and tomatoes. Sprinkle your choice of flavoring over the vegetables and toss the ingredients well to mix.
2 Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart container and store in a cool dry place.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 208 (From fat 18); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 39mg; Carbohydrates 48g (Dietary fiber 13g); Protein 7g.
Zucchini
Zucchini is always plentiful in any garden. The trick is to pick it often and do not let it grow to gigantic proportions. Young zucchini has a tender skin and doesn't need to be peeled before drying. One fun way to enjoy zucchini is to make zucchini chips.