Putting the "ate" in dehydrate: Part II

We've dehydrated apple, pear, peach, nectarine and strawberry.

As for vegetables, we've dehydrated zucchini, red pepper, carrot, parsnip, turnip and sweet potato.

Here's how we do it:

To dry fruits and veggies

• remove blemishes and wash well (no need to peel)
• cut into 1/4"-thick slices (or rings or strips)
• to minimize browning of apples, pears, etc., dip for 1 minute in solution of citric acid and ascorbic acid (1 1/2 tsps of each in 1 quart water; or use a commercial formulation such as Bernardin's Fruit-Fresh), then drain
• place on oven racks to dry (as explained in previous post)

Root vegetables seem to dry best at about 130°F; fruits and moist vegetables at 140°F.

Continue until dry to the touch. Root vegetables tend to be brittle when dried, but pears, zucchini, etc. are more desirable when leathery.

To add flavor, slices may also be pre-dipped in juices, honey, chili powder, garlic powder, and the like. Let your imagination run.

Disclosure

An oven is fine for a trial run or two, but unsuitable for drying large quantities. Ovens also consume considerable electricity and, lacking the built-in fan of a specialized dehydrator, they are less efficient, so drying time is considerably longer, upwards of twice that of a dehydrator.

If you intend to do this even semi-regularly, a dedicated food dehydrator is most useful. There are a number of brands. We own an old American Harvest, which was inexpensive and has proven dependable.