How to Dehydrate Beans in a Toaster Oven
Food dehydration is a process that involves removing water from food. Originally, this process started to keep food from spoiling. Once water is removed, mold can not grow on food and it can not spoil. However, dehydration has also become a way to ensure you can eat healthy foods while on the go, without having to stop to prepare them. Although typically dehydrated in a dehydrator, foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables can also be dehydrated in a toaster oven as long as the temperatures are below 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Run the beans under cool, running water. If needed, a small vegetable cleaning brush and/or a vegetable cleaning soap can be used.
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Lay out a clean paper towel. Place the wet beans on the paper towels. Allow the beans to air dry until they are no longer soaking wet. It is fine if they are slightly damp.
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Place the beans in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.
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Preheat the toaster oven to the lowest cooking heat setting. If your toaster oven has a warm feature, use the setting above this, as warm will not be hot enough. Ideally, you want the temperatures to reach 112 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is above 200 degrees, your food will overheat. Once preheated, place the baking sheet into the toaster oven.
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Leave the toaster oven door propped open. Place a small tabletop fan in front of the toaster oven, set on a low setting. The air should be blowing directly on the toaster oven. Both of these prevent water condensation from forming in the toaster oven, which could make the beans soggy.
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Check on the beans after three hours. They should appear dehydrated and brittle. Continue cooking until they are dehydrated. Depending on the type of beans and volume of beans being dehydrated, this can take up to six hours.
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References
- Photo Credit beans image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com
