Canning and Preserving For Dummies (46 page)

Thermostat:
Purchase a dehydrator with an adjustable thermostat. Your temperature options need to range from 85 to 160 degrees.

Drying trays:
Check for trays that are sturdy and lightweight; made from a food-safe product like stainless steel, nylon, or plastic; and easy to clean. Some manufacturers offer dehydrator accessories like extra drying trays and trays for drying fruit leather and herbs.

Cost:
Dehydrator prices may start as low as $65 and go up to $200 or more.

Warranty:
Check out the warranty term (one year is a good average) and any restrictions the manufacturer has for your dehydrator.

A conventional oven

If you have an oven — gas or electric — that maintains a temperature between 130 and 150 degrees with the door propped open, you can use your oven to dry food.

Your oven must maintain a temperature of 130 to 150 degrees for 1 hour to safely dry food; maintaining these acceptable temperatures is difficult unless your oven can be set at less than the standard 200 degrees as the lowest temp. The problem with higher temperatures is that they cook — they don’t dry — the food. To test your oven’s temperature, put an oven thermometer in the center of your oven with the door propped open.

Oven-drying takes longer than using a dehydrator and costs more because the oven uses a greater amount of electricity than an electric dehydrator does. In addition, if you use your oven for drying, it isn’t available for any other use during that time.

To dry food in a conventional oven, follow these steps:

1. Preheat your oven to the temperature setting in your recipe.

Use a separate oven thermometer to check for accuracy. Check the oven frequently to be sure food isn’t over- or underdried.

2. Wash and prepare your food as directed in your recipe.

3. Place your filled trays in the oven and leave the door propped open to allow moisture to escape during the specified drying time.

If you use baking sheets or other trays without holes or openings in the bottom, you must turn your fruit to achieve an evenly dried product. After the first side of the fruit has absorbed all the liquid on the top of the food, turn it over and repeat this for the other side. After this has been done on both sides, turn the food occasionally until it’s done.

4. Test your food for doneness and then label and store it in an airtight container.

The sun

Sun-drying is the oldest and least expensive of the three methods and it lets you dry large quantities of food at one time. But — and these are big buts — it’s dependent on perfect weather conditions to produce a safely dried product and it can take days compared to hours in a dehydrator or a conventional oven.

Weather conditions must be perfect for sun-drying, making only a few climates suitable for this method. The ideal temperature for sun-drying fruit is 85 degrees or hotter for many consecutive days, with the humidity level low to moderate. If your temperature drops more than 20 degrees below your highest temperature during the drying period, your conditions are
not
suitable for this method. You also need good air circulation, a minimum of air pollution, and insect control around the food. Sun drying is even less attractive for drying vegetables because the temperature needs to be at 100 degrees or above for a number of days with the lowest evening temperature never dropping below 80 degrees (even at night)
and
the humidity level needs to be low.

Sun-drying isn’t safe for meats and fish because the low-acidity level of the food, the low drying temperature, and the long drying period (taking many days) don’t destroy the bacteria that cause your food to spoil.

If you’re willing to deal with the variances in weather conditions and the lengthy drying time, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Wash and prepare your food as specified in your recipe.

2. Line your drying trays or racks with a double layer of cheesecloth or nylon netting.

3. Place your food on the tray and cover your trays with a single layer of cheesecloth or nylon netting to protect your food from insects and dust.

Stretch the cover tightly over the trays, but don’t let it touch the food.

4
. Place your filled trays on benches or tables in full sunlight and check regularly.

Check your trays at different times of the day, keeping them in full sun at all times. If your nighttime temperature varies more than 20 degrees from the temperature at the hottest part of the day, move your trays to a warmer area (indoors or an enclosed patio area) for the evening, returning them outside when they can be in full sunlight. Relocate the trays if it rains, regardless of the temperature.

If you use baking sheets or other trays without holes or openings in the bottom, you must turn your fruit to achieve an evenly dried product. After the first side of the fruit has absorbed all the liquid on the top of the food, turn it over and repeat this for the other side. After this has been done on both sides, turn the food daily until it’s done.

5. Check your fruit daily for evidence of mold (refer to “
Other tips for successful drying
” earlier in this chapter).

6. Test your food for doneness and then label and store it in an airtight container.

If one day is hot and sunny, yet the next is cloudy, you have a problem because mold can develop on partially dried foods before the weather turns back to hot and sunny again. In this situation, you need to use an alternative to sun-drying to finish the foods.

Protecting the Life of Your Dried Food

You’ll receive many months of rewarding flavor from your dried foods when they’re protected from air, moisture, light, and insects. Generally speaking, food dried and stored properly can be kept from six months to one year.

Cooler air provides a longer shelf life for your food. The best storage temperature is 60 degrees or colder. This will hold your food for at least one year. Temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees preserve the quality of your dried food for only about three to four months.

Check your unused dried food from time to time for any visible moisture or spoilage. If the food has signs of moisture, such as droplets of liquid in the containers, your food isn’t completely dried. Use it immediately or repeat the dehydrating process and repackage it.

Suitable storage containers include the following:

Glass
: Home-canning jars with two-piece caps (see Chapter 2) are a perfect choice for storing dried food. Wash them with hot soapy water and rinse them well or wash them in a dishwasher. Dry and cool your jars completely before filling them and adding the two-piece caps. Reusing glass jars with lids also works well. Remove the cardboard liner that sometimes lines the underside of the plastic lid before washing and filling with herbs.

Plastic:
Heavy-duty (freezer) plastic bags with locking zipper-style seals work well. After placing your dried food in the bag, roll the bag to remove any extra air and press the seal together, making the bag airtight.

Metal:
If you buy coffee in cans, line the inside of a clean can with heavy plastic wrap, place your food inside, and add the tight-fitting lid.

Vacuum sealers:
If you own one of these units, now’s the time to use it. Check your owner’s manual for operating instructions and start packaging your dried food.

Always label your container with the type of food it contains, the date of processing, and, if you measure your food before placing it into the storage container or bag, list the amount.

Because some pieces of fruit contain more moisture than others, be sure all your fruit is dried the same for storage. Try this tip from the Oregon State Extension Office: Fill a plastic or glass container with cooled, dried fruit about 2/3 full. Cover or seal tightly. Shake the container daily for two to four days. The excess moisture in some of the fruit will be absorbed by the drier pieces. Vegetables dry almost completely, so you don’t have to do this with them.