How to Dehydrate Foods

Anyone can dehydrate their own foods right at home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dehydrator
• Veggies
• Fruits
• Electricity for this type
• Water

1. 
   Drying Potatoes

   Dehydrating your own foods at home is fairly simple and easy.
   If you are dehydrating potatoes, you will need to peel, and slice them. Next you will want to blanch them (to keep them from turning colors). Put your potatoes into the dehydrator, evenly distributed, without them touching each other. Plug in your dehydrator, and go do something else. It will take your potatoes about 8 hours to dry out completely.
   When they are finished. Unplug the dehydrator, and let the potatoes have a cool off period of about 20 minutes. When they have cooled completely, store them in a plastic bag. A coffee can, will hold several packages of dried potatoes.

2. 
   Red Onion

   Drying carrots is done similarly to potaotes. You will need to blanch them, in order for them to retain a good coloring when they come out of the dehydrator.

3. Onions, do not need to be blanched. I usually use a food processor to chop up the onions. I do not recommend drying onions on a day when everyone is home, or at night time, because the onions will put off a very strong aroma that can make the bravest cry.
   Dried onions are definitely great in cooking. I never buy dried store bought onions since i got my dehydrator as a gift from my sister.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a manuel that goes with your dehydrator, use it. It is filled with lots of veggies, fruits, and other things.
• Don't dry onions at night. No one will get a restful sleep.

[shirleybill]

on 10/10/2009 Yes, i have tried fruit leather. It is very healthy also.

[racheltexas]

on 10/9/2009 Have you tried dried applesauce (aka fruit leather)? It is SO good!

[puput]

on 5/19/2009 I like dried onions

[shirleybill]

on 12/11/2008 Your food dehydrator should already be set for drying, so you would not have to worry about it getting too hot.

[DaughterNature]

on 12/11/2008 I have been wanting to do this for a while... Will give it a try. I also understand we have to be careful not to go above 120F, I believe... so not to kill enzymes.