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FOOD DEHYDRATING GUIDE (cont.)
Pretreatment Methods:
– It is recommended to blanch vegetables prior to dehydrating. Avoid hot water
blanching because it destroys the enzymes that produce off avors during
storage, resulting in poor texture and poor re-hydration.
– It is recommended to use the two below blanching methods instead:
– Steam blanching is preferred over water blanching because there is less avor
and vitamin loss.
– Microwave blanching is also excellent and usually keeps a brighter color in the
vegetables after dehydrating.
• Steam Blanching:
1. Layer prepared vegetables in the top portion of a food steamer, no more
than 2 to 2 ½ inches deep.
2. Steam until vegetables are heated all the way through but are not cooked
enough to eat (usually 2 to 3 minutes). Small pieces may need occasional
stirring to steam blanch evenly.
3. Transfer steamed vegetables directly to dehydrating trays, working as
quickly as possible.
• Microwave Blanching:
1. Microwave ovens are convenient for blanching fresh vegetables.
Prepare vegetables for steam blanching by placing vegetables with a
small amount of water (refer to your microwave oven cooking chart) in a
covered casserole dish.
2. Cook for only ¼ to 1/3 the time specied in the chart, stirring well after
half of the blanching time.
3. Transfer blanched vegetables directly to dehydrating trays, working as
quickly as possible.
DEHYDRATING TIPS:
Dehydrating time for pre-treated fruit will vary according to the following factors:
• Thickness of fruit pieces or slices
• Number of trays with food being dried
• Volume of food being dried
• Moisture or humidity in your environment
• Your preference of dehydrating for each type of dried food
It is recommended to:
• Check your food frequently every hour during the dehydrating cycle.
• Label food with the name of food contents, date and weight before
dehydrating. It will also be helpful to note the dehydrating time for future
reference.
• Blanched vegetables & fruits will give the best results in dehydrating.
• Correct food storage after dehydrating
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