Extension Connection

Drying Vegetables
By Janet Hackert, Nutrition Specialist     

As with any preservation method, use high quality food when drying. Food does not increase in quality with preservation and storage, so starting with the best produce results in the best quality dried food.

Each vegetable has its own recommendations for preparation, but generally start by making sure it is clean. Remove core, seeds, stem or other parts typically not eaten. Whether a particular vegetable is peeled or not depends on the item and on personal preference for the final product.

Many fruits and vegetables can be dried either whole, chunked, or sliced, again depending on shape preference. Keep in mind that the bigger the size of the piece that is being dried, the longer the drying time needed.

Next pre-treat vegetables by blanching. This destroys the enzymes in them and reduces loss of color and flavor during drying and storage. The process can be done in steam or boiling water. Some blanching times include green beans – 2.5 minutes in steam or 2 minutes in water; cabbage – 2.5-3 minutes in steam (till wilted) or 1.5-2 minutes in water; peppers – no blanching is needed; tomato sections – 3 minutes in steam or 1 minute in water. When the time is reached, dip vegetables in cool water just enough to prevent further “cooking.” They should be slightly hot, hotter than room temperature.

Dry immediately by placing vegetable pieces in a single layer on drying trays. Do not let pieces touch or overlap. Spreading the pieces out slightly allows for good air circulation around each one, making the most of the heat circulating in the dehydrator. Drying times vary, depending on the type of vegetable. Some commonly dried vegetables’ times are: green beans – 8-14 hours; cabbage – 10-12 hours; peppers – 8-12 hours; tomato sections – 10-18 hours.

Examine a sampling of items to determine dryness. For vegetables, the final product should be at about 10% moisture content. This means they will be brittle or crisp.

Store home-dried vegetables in a cool, dry, dark place. Use containers that are both air-tight and moisture-tight.

For more information, go to http://homefoodpreservation.org and search for what you need.

 (Written July 17, 2009)

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Extension Connection Barb Ubben, Web Manager harrisonco@missouri.edu Last revised: 05/25/04