Using A Dehydrator
To Dry Herbs, Fruits and Vegetables
There's
no strange magic about using a dehydrator and how it works.
Simply put; these machines push warmed air around your herbs,
fruits, vegetables or other foods to dry the water out of them.
This gives you the ability to store them longer (as opposed
to
refrigeration or freezing) and requires much less effort than canning.
We all want to eat things that are as fresh as possible, and
I
strongly suggest using as many methods as you can to 'naturally'
preserve foods. Consider this method of food preparation as
another
for your long term storage. Dried herbs become your spices
and
medicines. Dried fruits become healthy snacks and wonderful
additions
to cooking and cereals. Dried vegetables can be added to
stews, soups
and salads.
Temperatures
95° F / 35° C
Leafy Herbs and Spices,
Delicate Plant Material |
105° F / 41° C
Nuts and Seeds,
Roots and Bark |
135° F / 58° C
Fruits & Vegetables
Highly Moist Plant Material |
Just
for your knowledge most craft projects are dried at 115° F
/ 46° C, and most meats, fish or jerky making is done at 155°
F /
68° C.
| I
was gifted with a wonderful box of green bell peppers and tomatoes.
After taking out what I need for meals I've decided to use
the
rest to share how to use a dehydrator. |
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| Everything
you dry should be washed and prepared while the herb, fruit or
vegetable is still fresh. Do all your cutting and lay things
out
on the tray so that air can circulate around the plant. |
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You
actually can combine 'like' types of foods at the same time.
So
you can do all your leafy plants together, than do all your fruits and
vegetables, etc.
Don't mix things that need different
temperatures (see chart above). NEVER put non-food items
(like
crafts) in with food items. And things with strong oder (like
mints, onions, or garlic) should always be done separately as well. |
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12 Hours Later
Both the tomatoes and peppers are crisp and perfectly dried. They
are ready to go from dehydrator into storage. And
WOW they are bursting with FLAVOR!
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This
is
the machine that I use. The brand is Nesco / American
Harvest. I've tried other brands and none of them made me
happy.
Just make sure that when you get a Dehydrator it has both temperature
control and a fan that circulates air. Not all
machines have this. |
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Accessories
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All
information, shared on
this web site, is for enjoyment and study only and is NOT meant to
diagnose or treat any medical condition. Only your
health care professional is qualified to diagnose or treat medical
conditions. Do not risk your health! Just because
something is 'natural' does NOT make it safe. Do not, under
any
circumstance, ingest or use herbs in any form
without consulting your Doctor. If you do, you do so
at
your OWN RISK.
Web Site
Content (text, graphics, look and feel) are Copyright Protected © All
Rights Reserved 2009, Sandy Marie.
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