Drying Foods Page 1 of 10

Drying Foods
Drying Foods

Drying or dehydration, the oldest method of food preservation, is particularly

successful in the hot, dry climates found in much of New Mexico. Quite simply,
drying reduces moisture necessary for bacterial growth that eventually causes
deterioration.

Successful dehydration depends upon a slow steady heat supply to assure that
food is dried from the inside to the outside. Drying is also an inexact art. Size of
pieces, relative moisture, and the method selected all affect the time required to
dehydrate a food adequately.

Methods of Drying

Foods may be sun dried with or without a solar dehydrator, in a gas or electric
oven, or with a portable electric dehydrator. Dehydrators with thermostats provide
better control over poor weather conditions and food quality than sun drying.

An effective solar dehydrator is the shelf above the back seat of a car. Clotheslines
are another popular drying rack for ears of corn and strips of jerky. Colorful red
chile ristras hung from vigas are practical as well as decorative.

Sun drying. Prepared foods are placed on drying trays. Stainless steel screening
and thin wood lath are good materials for home-constructed drying trays. As
aluminum screening reacts with acids in the fruit, it is less desirable. Do not use
galvanized, copper, fiberglass, or vinyl screening.

Trays measuring about 14" x 24" x 1" are an easy size to handle. If trays are to be
used in an oven, they should be 1 1/2" smaller in length and width than oven
shelves to allow air circulation.

Place trays of food away from dusty roads and yards. Elevate them at least 1"
above the table with spools or bricks to allow good air circulation below the food.

Cover the food with a muslin or cheesecloth tent to protect it from insects. Dry
fruits and meats in direct sunlight; move trays periodically to assure direct sun
exposure. Place vegetables in the shade to prevent excessive color loss.

If rain threatens or food requires more than one day to dry, cover with a waterproof
material or place the food in a sheltered area.

To destroy insects or their eggs that may be on sun-dried foods and to remove
additional moisture in thicker pieces, heat foods in a 150 degree oven for 30 min.

Oven drying. Either build trays as described for sun drying or convert oven racks

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to drying racks by stretching muslin or cheesecloth across the oven rack. Secure
with toothpicks or long sewn stitches. Alternate trays in the oven periodically to
assure even drying.

Set oven control at its lowest setting, but not below 140-150 degrees. If using an
electric oven, wedge a potholder between oven and door to allow a 1" opening.
Moisture from the drying food will vent through this opening. Close the door on a
gas oven, as into vent will permit moisture to escape.

Dehydrator. There are two types of dehydrators: solar and electric. For each type
of dehydrator, prepare food and place on racks. If using a solar dehydrator, adjust
the position of the food throughout daylight hours to keep in direct sunlight.

Follow manufacturer's instructions for the electric dehydrators. When purchasing

an electric dehydrator, select one that has a thermostat to regulate temperature
and a fan to circulate air.

General Directions for Preparing Foods for Drying. Refer to the tables at the
end of this guide for instructions for specific foods.

Vegetables. Choose tender vegetables. Wash, remove any damaged areas, and
cut into even pieces. Blanch, then chill as though preparing for the freezer. Note:
Do not blanch mushrooms, onions, or sweet peppers.

To blanch in boiling water, use one pound of food for each gallon of boiling water.
Immerse vegetable into the boiling water using a wire basket or mesh bag, cover
kettle, and boil the recommended time (see table). Blanching water may be reused
until it becomes cloudy. Drain vegetables thoroughly.

To steam blanch, place 1" of water in kettle and bring to a rolling boil. Suspend thin
layer of vegetables in basket or loose cheesecloth bag. Cover and steam blanch
required amount of time (see table).

Fruit. Choose firm, mature fruit. Wash, peel if desired, remove any damaged
areas, and cut into even-sized pieces or slices. Some fruits require little or no
pretreatment. However, pretreat apples, apricots, bananas, cherries, peaches, and
pears by one of the following methods to reduce vitamin and flavor loss, browning,
and deterioration during storage.

Immerse fruit in a solution of one of the following to a gallon of water: 1 tbsp of

sodium bisulfate or 2 tbsp of sodium sulfite or 4 tbsp of sodium metabisulfite.
These pretreatment mixtures are available from some grocery stores, pharmacies,
and wine-making shops. Soak fruit pieces for 5 min. and fruit halves for 15 min.

Note: Approximately 5% of asthmatics are sensitive to sulfites. Use one of the

following pretreatments if sulfites present a potential health problem:

Dip fruit in a commercial ascorbic acid/water mixture from the grocery store. Follow
manufacturer's instructions when preparing and using the solution.

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Steam blanch fruit for 5-6 min.; water blanch fruit for 4-5 min. (see information on
water and steam blanching above).

Dip prepared fruit in a saline solution composed of 2-4 tbsp of salt and l gallon of
water for 10-15 min.

Meat. Choose lean cuts of beef or venison. Partially freeze and remove all visible
fat. Slice with the grain of the meat into strips, 1" wide, 1/2" thick and 8-10" long.

Pound strips flat to tenderize and season with salt, chile, or other desired flavors.
Marinate and refrigerate overnight for additional tenderness and flavor. Popular
marinades include teriyaki, sweet and sour, soy, Worcestershire, and chile sauces.

Fish. Slice salmon filets into thin strips. Place strips in a dish or enamel pan. Salt
strips using 2 tbsp. salt per pound. Refrigerate overnight. Oven or dehydrator
drying is preferable to sun drying fish.

Drying Times

Drying time varies widely because of the method selected and the size and
amount of moisture in food pieces. Sun drying requires the most time; an electric
dehydrator requires the least. Vegetables take from 4-12 hours to dry; fruits take 6-
20 hours. Meats require about 12 hours. Making raisins from grapes may require
days/weeks when dried outside.

When testing foods for dryness, remove a piece from the center of the drying tray
and allow it to come to room temperature. Fruits and meat jerky should be leathery
and pliable; vegetables should be brittle.

Conditioning Dried Foods

Food should be conditioned for a week before being packaged for long-term
storage. To condition food, place it in a container such as a cloth sack or a clear,
covered container and allowing any remaining moisture to redistribute itself
through the fruit.

If using a clear, covered container, watch for moisture beads. If they form, continue
drying food. If using the cloth bag, hang it in a convenient location and shake the
bag daily to redistribute food and moisture.

Storing Dried Foods

Place dried food in freezer-weight plastic storage bags, press out air, and then put
in containers with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark, dry area.

Dried foods store well at room temperature for a month. Refrigerate foods if they
will be used within three months; freeze foods for storage periods between three
months and one year. Foods should be used within one year.

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Using Dried Foods

Dried meat, commonly called jerky, is normally not rehydrated and is eaten in the
dried state. Dried meats and vegetables used in soups rehydrate during the
cooking process.

Rehydrate vegetables by soaking them in 1 1/2-2 cups of water for each cup of
dried vegetable. If necessary, add more water during the soaking process. Heat
and eat.

Cover dried fruit with boiling water and let stand for 5 min. Drain. Dried fruit may
also be steamed for 3-5 min. until plump. Fruits may be eaten immediately or used
in a recipe.

Making Fruit Leather

Fruit leathers, also called fruit roll ups, can be made from almost all fruits or
combinations of fruits. However, peaches, apricots, cherries, and nectarines are
ideal. Pears and apples, sufficiently softened, also work well.

Wash well, peel (if desired), cut into pieces, and puree fruit in a blender. Sweeten
to taste with sugar or honey. Spread evenly, no more than 1/4" deep, on a cookie
sheet. The cookie sheet should either be lightly sprayed with a vegetable
shortening or covered with plastic paper.

If using plastic paper, tape edges down to prevent them from folding into the
puree. Dry fruit leather until it is slightly tacky to the touch.

When dried, lift leather (including plastic paper if used), and roll or cut into small
sections and roll. Storage recommendations are the same as those described
previously.

Nutritional Value of Dried Foods

Dried foods retain their protein, mineral and vitamin A content fairly well if soaking
water is also consumed. Because they are concentrated into a small mass, dried
foods can also be high in calories. It's important to brush teeth after eating dried
fruit because they stick to the teeth.

Instructions for Specific Food Drying

VEGATABLES (See text for general directions)

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Blanching Cooling Time

Vegetable Preparation Time(mins.) (mins.) with Dryness Test
with Steam Cool Water
Wash
Leathery to
Asparagus thoroughly.Halve 4-6 4-5
brittle
large tips.
Wash. Cut in
Green Beans 2-3 2 Very dry brittle
pieces or strips.
Cook as usual.
Cool & peel. Cut Included in Included in Brittle, dark
Beets
into shoe-string cooking cooking red
strips 1/8" thick.
Trim, cut as for
serving Wash.
Broccoli 3-4 2 Crisp, brittle
Quarter stalks
lengthwise.
Cut in half
Brussels- Tough to
length-wise 7-8 5-6
sprouts brittle
through stem.
Remove outer
leaves quarter
Cabbage and core. Cut 3 2 Crisp to brittle
into strips 1/8"
thick.
Select crisp,
tender
vegetables.
Wash. Cut off Tough to
Carrots 3-4 4
roots and tops, brittle
peel. Cut in
slices or strips
1/8" thick.
Prepare as for Tough to
Cauliflower 5-6 4-5
serving. brittle
Trim stalks.
Wash stalks and
Celery leaves 2-3 2-3 Very brittle
thoroughly, Slice
stalks.

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Wash. To
loosen skins, cut
slit in skin, then
rotate over
Green Chile flame 6-8 min. Crisp, brittle,
None None
Peppers or scald in medium green
boiling water.
Peel and split
pods. Remove
seeds and stem.
Wash. String
whole pods
together with
needle and cord Shrunken,
Red Chile
or suspend in None None dark redpods,
Peppers
bunches, root flexible
side up in area
with good air
circulation.
Husk, trim,
Corn on the
blanch until milk 3-5 3 Brittle
Cob
in corn is set.
Prepare as for
corn on the cob,
except cut the
Corn, cut 3-5 3 Brittle
kernels from the
cob after
blanching.
Wash, trim, cut Leathery to
Eggplant 3-4 3-4
into 1/4" slices. brittle
Wash, remove
small roots and
Brittle,
Horseradish stubs. Peel or None None
powdery
scrape roots.
Grate.
Scrub. Discard
tough woody
stalks. Slice
tender stalks
Mushrooms 1/4" thick. Peel
Dry and
(see note large None None
leathery
below) mushrooms,
slice. Leave
small
mushrooms
whole.

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Wash, remove
outer
"papershells."
Onions Remove tops None None Very brittle
and root ends,
slice 1/8-1/4"
thick.
Wash
thoroughly.
Separate
clusters. discard
Parsley and long or tough
None None Flaky
other herbs stems. Dry on
trays or hang in
bundles in area
with good
circulation.
Hard,
Peas Shell. 3-4 3 wrinkled,
green
Wash, stem.
Remove core
Peppers and Tough to
and seeds. Cut None None
pimentos brittle
into 1/4"-1/2"
strips or rings.
Wash, peel. Cut
into 1/4" shoe-
Potatoes 7-9 6-7 Brittle
string strips or
1/8" thick slices.
Trim and wash
Spinach and very thoroughly.
other greens Shake or pat dry 2-3 (until
2 Crisp
(kale, chard, to remove wilted)
mustard) excess
moisture.
Cut or break into
pieces. Remove
seeds and cavity
pulp. Cut into 1"
Squash, Tough to
wide strips. Peel 3 1-2
winter brittle
rind. Cut strips
crosswise into
pieces about
1/8" thick.
Squash,
Wash trim, cut Leathery to
summer or 3 1-2
into 1/4" slices. brittle
banana

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Steam or dip in
boiling water to
loosen skins.
Chill in cold
Tomatoes None None Crisp
water. Peel.
Slice 1/2" thick
or cut in 3/4"
sections.

Instructions for Specific Food Drying

FRUITS (See text for general directions.)

Fruit Preparation Pretreatment Drying Procedure

Wash. Pare, if
desired, and core.
Cut in rings or
Arrange in single
slices 1/8-1/4" thick Choose one: Soak
layer trays, pit side
or cut in quarters 5 min in sodium
up. Dry until soft,
or eighths Coat sulfite solution.
Apples pliable and
with ascorbic acid Steam-blanch 3-5
leathery; no moist
solution to prevent min., depending on
area in center
darkening during size and texture.
when cut.
preparation (uses
2 1/4 tsp/cup
water).
Arrange in single
Wash. Cut in half layer trays, pit side
and remove pit (do layer up; pop the
Choose one: Soak
not peel). Coat cavity up to expose
5 min. in sodium
Apricots (firm, fully with ascorbic acid more flesh to air.
sulfite solution.
ripe) solution to prevent Dry until soft
Steam blanch 3-5
darkening during pliable and
min.
preparation (1 leathery; no moist
tsp/cup). area in center
when cut.
Arrange in single
No treatment
Bananas (firm, Peel. Cut in 1/8" layer on trays. Dry
necessary; may
ripe) slices until tough and
dip in lemon juice.
leathery.

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No treatment
Spread in layer not
necessary; may
more than two
Wash. Leave dip in boiling water
berries deep. Dry
Berries (firm) whole or cut in 15-30 sec., to
until hard and
half. crack skins. Steam
berries rattle when
blanch 30 sec. to 1
shaken on trays.
min.
No treatment
Arrange in single
necessary; may
layer on trays. Dry
Wash. Remove dip whole cherries
Cherries (fully ripe) until tough,
stems and pits. in boiling water 15-
leathery and to
30 sec. crack
slightly sticky.
skins.
Arrange in single
Citrus peel (thick-
Wash. Thinly peel layers on trays.
skinned with no
outer 1/16-1/8" of No pretreatment Dry at 130 degrees
signs of mold or
the peel; avoid necessary. 1-2 hours; then
decay and no color
white bitter part. 120 degrees until
added)
crisp.
Wash or clean with
damp towel. Peel
No treatment
dark-skinned
necessary; may Arrange in single
varieties if desired.
crack skins of layer on trays. Dry
Figs (fully ripe) Leave whole if
whole figs in until leathery and
small or partly
boiling water 15-30 pliable.
dried on tree; cut
sec.
large fig in halves
or slices.
No treatment
Wash, sort, leave Spread in thin
necessary; may
whole on stems in layer on trays. Dry
Grapes (seedless crack skins in
small bunches, if until pliable and
varieties) boiling water 15-30
desired, May also leathery with no
sec. Steam blanch
remove stems. moist center.
1 min.
Arrange in single
Melons (mature, Wash. Remove
layer on trays. Dry
firm and heavy for outer skin, any
No pretreatment until leathery and
size: cantaloupe fibrous tissue and
necessary. pliable with no
dries better than seeds. Slice 1/4-
pockets of
watermelon) 1/2" thick.
moisture.
Peel. Cut in half
Arrange in single

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Arrange in single
and remove pit.
Choose one: Soak layer on trays pit
Cut in quarters or
5-15 min in sodium side up. Turn
Nectarines and slices if desired.
sulfite. Steam halves over when
Peaches (ripe, Coat with ascorbic
blanch halves 8-10 visible juice
firm) acid solution to
min., slices 2-3 disappears. Dry
prevent darkening
min. until leathery and
during preparation
somewhat pliable.
(1-tsp/cup)
Wash. Pare, if
desired. Cut in half
lengthwise wash
Arrange in single
and core. Cut in
Choose one: Soak layer on trays pit
quarters or eighths
Pears (Bartlett 5-15 min. in side up. Dry until
or slice 1/8-1/4"
variety is sodium sulfite. springy and suede
thick. Coat with
recommended) Steam blanch 5-7 like with no
ascorbic acid
min. pockets of
solution to prevent
moisture.
darkening during
preparation (1-
tsp/cup)
Arrange in single
No treatment
layer on trays pit
necessary; may
Wash. Leave side up, cavity
choose: Steam
whole if small; cut popped out. Dry
blanch halves or
Plums and prunes large fruit into until pliable and
slices 5-7 min.
halves (pit leathery; pit should
Crack skins in
removed) or slices. not slip when
boiling water 1-2
squeezed if prune
min.
not cut.

(1) Blanching times are for 3,000-5,000 ft. Times will be slightly longer at higher
altitudes, or if the quantity of vegetable is large.
(2) Dry in thin layers on trays to desired state of dryness.
(3)WARNING: The toxins of poisonous varieties of mushrooms are not destroyed
by drying or by cooking. Only an expert can differentiate between poisonous and
edible varieties.

By Alice Jane Hendley, Extension Diet and Health Specialist . New Mexico State
University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

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