How to Freeze-Dry Foods

Freeze-drying protects food against spoilage, making freeze-dried foods the favored fare for astronauts, campers and survivalists. The foods must be frozen first and the water content forced to evaporate without returning to a liquid state. Though freeze-drying usually requires highly specialized equipment, you can freeze-dry certain fruits and vegetables at home, using your freezer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cake rack

1. Select fruits and vegetables you would like to freeze-dry. Do not try to freeze-dry lettuce, watermelon or cucumber, as these have a very high water content. Apples, bananas, carrots and potatoes are good choices for learning how to freeze-dry.

2. Cut the foods into thin slices. Slice as thinly as possible--no more than 1/8 inch thick. Make all slices the same size.

3. Arrange the slices on a rack, like one used for cooling cakes. Trays that allow for complete air circulation are most effective.

4. Place the racks in your freezer immediately. The racks should be flat, without any obstruction to air flow around the food slices.

5. Check the slices in 30 minutes. They should be frozen. Leave them in position in the freezer.

6. Allow the food slices to sublimate. Over the next week to 10 days, the frozen water in the food slices will evaporate without returning to a liquid state. This process is known as sublimation.

7. Remove the food slices from the freezer. To reconstitute, put the freeze-dried food in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Cooking in water or liquid will also reconstitute freeze-dried foods.

8. Store freeze-dried foods by sealing in plastic wrap or other airtight packaging.

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