How to Dehydrate Food

The use of dehydration as a food-preserving method has been around for thousands of years. Prior to the advent of refrigeration, people only had two options - dehydration and canning. Canning requires a supply of airtight glass jars and equipment to boil those jars. Dehydration requires only a gentle source of heat. Bacteria, yeasts and moulds need a food source and water to grow. When we dehydrate food, we remove most of the water and prevent this growth process. Drying also slows down the action of enzymes in the food. Enzymes are naturally present in food, causing it to ripen (and eventually spoil). By slowing down enzyme action, we help the food last longer. We can further slow down the enzyme process by blanching our food before dehydration. So, when summer's bounty turns to harvest time, consider buying fruits, vegetables and meat at bargain prices and prepare them to store over winter, take on the trail, or go camping - by dehydrating!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A good food dehydrater, although you can use plastic mesh screening and solar power.
• A kettle to blanch foods in to help fight bacterial growth, although this is not altogether necessary.
• Salt, spice, sweetener, or marinade to flavor before dehydrating
• Airtight storage containers or plastic freezer bag.

1. Fresh fruits and veggies You should always start with fresh, good quality food. Don’t buy the old produce in the bargain bin because you won’t be happy with the dehydrated results. Inspect the food to ensure it is clean and free from damage. Just like canning, your end product is a direct result of the quality food you start with.
2. Blanching Beans Although not necessary, pre treatment through blanching can help fight bacteria, preserve color and maintain flavors. After washing and inspecting your fresh vegetables, boil water in a large kettle, then place the vegetables in the water for approximately 3-5 minutes, then remove and pour cold water over to stop the cooking process.
   
   Meat may be blanched in the same way to control bacteria.However, one may use the marinating method and bypass blanching meat.
3. Marinade You may choose to marinate, salt, spice or sweeten any foods before you dehydrate them. For example, with meat jerky, you rub the meat with spices or place in a marinade before dehydrating.Marinate overnight, in the refrigerator.
4. Layering Food on Racks Place the food on the dehydrator screens (or other mesh screens, if solar drying) - using ONE layer only. Try to remember to keep everything in the dehydrator uniformly sliced so that it all dries at the same time. If using a solar dryer, cover food lightly with a thin layer of cheesecloth to help keep insects away.
5. Meat Sliced for Jerky Most produce takes between 8-12 hours to dry.
   Meat, sliced thinly, takes about 12-18 hours, depending on thickeness.
6. Airtight Container Cool all dehydrated food before storing. Choose airtight containers or plastic freezer bags to keep moisture out. Properly dried and stored foods will last 1-2 years if kept in a cool, dark place.

Tips & Warnings

• Slice or dice your food uniformly and thinly so that you maintain even dehydration.
• A key element in learning how to dehydrate foods is to recognize that the smaller the pieces, the faster they will dehydrate. Also, a food high in fructose, like fruit, will be leathery when it is finished with the dehydrating process.
• Slightly freeze meat to make slicing easier. Cut cross-grain.
• Test each batch after drying to ensure it is done.
• If in doubt, freeze.
• There are some foods that are not appropriate for drying, and they tend to be foods with high fat contents. Dehydration removes water, not oils and fats.
• Remember to keep dried foods away from moisture, otherwise bacterial growth can occur.