Drying fruits and vegetables has distinct advantages over canning, freezing or other preserving methods that require extreme temperatures. Dried foods require little if any energy to store compared to frozen items that require refrigeration and canned items requiring cooking and container boiling.
Dried fruits and vegetables weigh less and take up less shelf space than canned. They retain most vitamins and minerals better than canning or freezing. They don’t lose fiber. And they don’t lose flavor. They concentrate it.
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Principles of Drying
Drying extracts moisture from fruits and vegetables. Removing this moisture inhibits the bacteria, molds and other microorganisms that cause spoilage. Drying at proper temperatures retains the natural enzymes and also prevents enzymatic deterioration during storage.
Two complimentary factors facilitate the drying: heat and humidity. Warm and less humid conditions encourage the fastest drying. Proper air circulation allows heat and low humidity to do their job quickly and efficiently.
Keeping temperatures around 130-140 degrees dries most produce quickly while preserving its nutritional content. (Drying meat and making jerky (PDF) requires special methods and higher temperatures.)
Air circulation — moving the evaporated moisture away from the food — facilitates rapid drying. The more surface exposed to moving air, the faster and more efficient the drying. Thin slicing and leaving space around your drying produce is important. Never stack or crowd fruit or vegetables that are drying in an attempt to process more than your equipment can effectively hold.
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Choosing and Preparing Fruits and Vegetables for Drying
Best results come from the best produce. Don’t use bruised apples or fruit that’s past ripe (best is fruit just before it’s completely ripe). Don’t use woody beans, peas past their prime or over-sized zucchini. No form of preservation will ever make them better than they once were.
Most vegetables need to be trimmed to size then blanched or steamed before drying. Beets are an exception. Roast them in the oven and take them out as soon as they are cooked all the way through before slicing and drying.
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Sulfuring fruit is probably the most effective way to prevent discoloration while drying. The sulfur the fruits are exposed to is said to dissipate during the drying process. Those of us who’ve eaten our share of sulfured fruits over the years can attest to post-digestion evidence that it does not.
Sulfuring is also somewhat difficult. The fruit is “smoked” with U.S.P. grade (pure, pharmaceutical) sulfur, a process that also helps preserve flavor and keep insects away during the drying process. Utah State University Extension offers a detailed look at sulfuring (PDF, page 9) in their online comprehensive guide to food drying. Never attempt to sulfur fruits in your oven or anywhere else indoors.
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Article source: Planet Natural
Image source: Tangled Branches