Contents

Drying Food
Food Preparation for Drying
Blanching
Other Preparations for Drying
Four Types of Drying
Air-Drying
Sun-Drying
Dehydrator
Oven-Drying
Post-Drying Methods
Pasteurizing
Packing and Storing
Rehydrating
Fruit Leathers
Puree
Drying Herbs
Harvesting and Air-Drying Herbs
Oven-Dried Herbs
Drying Herbs in the Microwave
Drying Meats
Drying Beef
Recipes


Excerpt from page 5-6 - Air-Drying

The process of air-drying is very similar to sun-drying. Puffs of dry air circulate around the food, absorb the moisture, and carry it away. Keep the food out of direct sun to prevent loss of color.

Try air-drying steam-blanched green beans by stringing them on a cotton thread and hanging them under the eaves of the house or porch or in a well-ventilated attic. Depending on the conditions, in two or three days you will have dried, pliable "leather britches", great for adding to soups. Bring the beans inside at night to prevent dew from collecting on them. Keep them out of direct sun: It will make them lose all color.

To dry mushrooms, wipe them clean, string using a needle and thread, and hang in an airy location. Or you can place clean mushrooms on several thicknesses of newspaper; turn them several times as the day progresses, and change the newspapers as moisture is absorbed. Place the mushrooms in a dry, airy spot (in direct sun if you wish, but don't forget to bring them in at night.) In one or two days the mushrooms will be almost brittle.

After the drying process, both the green beans and the mushrooms must be heated in a 175 degree oven for 30 minutes to destroy insect eggs. Condition the produce (see Post-Drying Methods, page 9) and then store in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

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