How to Build a Rack for Drying Vegetables

Contributor

By Mande Mischler
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (0 Ratings)

Using the power of the sun to dehydrate fruits and vegetables is one of the oldest methods of preservation. Dehydration works because it removes the water from food. Without water, mold spores that might cause the fruit or vegetable to rot, can't survive. In our technology-driven lives, it is easy to use an oven or specially designed food-dehydrator to preserve food. However, the sun is still readily available and with a little upfront work, you can build a rack for drying your garden's bounty with the heat of the sun.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

1 24 by 24 inch Teflon-coated stainless steel screen
4 20-inch 1 by 2 beams
Nails or screws
Hammer or screwdriver
Staple gun
2 concrete blocks
Aluminum foil

Step 1

Make a square using the 1 by 2 beams. When the corners are flush, secure them, one at a time, with nails or screws. Plan to use two nails or screws per corner to increase stability. Holding the wood in place is most easily done with an extra set of hands, so ask a friend to join you and make two racks while your at it.
Step 2

Stretch the screen across the square and secure with staples. Secure one side with two or three staples and then do the opposite side (the one that's parallel). Finish with the remaining two sides.
Step 3

Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the ground in a sunny spot to reflect the sun onto the bottom of the screen. Put the two concrete blocks on top, approximately 1½-feet apart. Rest the screen on top of the blocks. Prepare the vegetables for drying.

Tips & Warnings

The air temperature for drying should be above 86 degrees. Drying is most effective in areas of low-humidity. Bring screens in overnight to avoid condensation. Since the ground is often damp, place the blocks and screen on a concrete driveway or path. Cover the drying vegetables with a cheesecloth to keep off birds and insects. Vegetables can be challenging to dry outside since they have a low sugar content. This makes them prone to spoilage. Unless your climate is very dry and hot, you may want to do vegetables inside in the oven or dehydrator and save the outdoor drying for fruits.
Be careful not to use screens made of "hardware cloth" since they can oxidize and leave a dangerous residue on the vegetables. Also avoid screens made of copper or aluminum.