Nesco FD-1040 Manuel télécharger pdf (Page 16)

Drying Vegetables

Some vegetables are quite good dried. Others lose

their appeal and are better frozen or fresh. Some

vegetables are far better frozen than dried, if you

must preserve them. Vegetables have a low acid

and sugar content that makes them more subject

to spoilage, and tend to have far shorter shelf life

than dried fruits. Packaging and ideal storage

conditions are key elements to producing dried

vegetables which will taste as good in December

as they did from your Summer garden!

Selection

Choose fresh, crisp vegetables for a high quality dehydrated product. Just like fruits,

vegetables should be picked ripe and dried as soon as possible to minimize loss.

Preparation

Wash vegetables thoroughly and remove any blemishes. Peel, trim, core, and/or

slice vegetables.

Blanching

Most vegetables must be blanched, either steaming over boiling water or in the

microwave oven to slow the enzyme action which will continue during drying and

storage.

Note: Blanching softens the cell structure, allowing the moisture to escape more easily and

also allows vegetables to rehydrate faster. There is no need to blanch onions, garlic, peppers,

and mushrooms. Herbs also are not blanched. Water blanching is not recommended because

of the loss of water-soluble vitamins and minerals.

Steam Blanching

Use a commercial steamer or a pan with a tight fitting lid and a steaming rack.

Bring about 1 inch of water to a brisk boil and drop in sliced vegetables. Cover.

Steam until vegetables are heated completely through, but not cooked. This is

usually about 1/3 of the time required to cook the vegetable. Vegetables should

still be crunchy. Drain in steamer rack and place immediately on dryer trays.

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Nesco FD-1040 Manuel Page 16