Atividade

If you grow your own fresh vegetables or have produced fruit trees, grapevines or berry bushes, you would probably really appreciate being able to put some up without using up valuable freezer space (or having to dig it out – especially from a chest type).

Or you can go through the more labor-intensive process of canning it which, in the case of fruit, generally adds more sugar to the end product.

For those that do not have the luxury of owning your own garden, you can take advantage of seasonal offerings by shopping the sales in the produce market and benefiting from reduced prices.

Simple to use dehydrators come in many sizes with varying numbers of shelves or trays for drying.

You place the food on a tray and the appliance slowly distributes heated air throughout the mesh-covered trays.

The hot air dryer generates a very gentle heat (at least the good ones) that dries the food at a slow and even rate, preserving the organic matter and preventing “case hardening” on the outside.

Case hardening occurs when the fruits, vegetables, or meats are heated too fast, forming a seal on the outside and trapping in moisture. It is very important to remove as much water as possible in the drying process.

Each dehydrator will work a little bit differently and the rate at which foods can be dried will vary accordingly. For example, thicker, denser foods will take longer to dry compared to something like soft fruit, which breaks down more easily. As you begin to work with a new machine, you will come to learn the appropriate sizes to cut different fruits, meats and vegetables to obtain the most efficient drying process.