Preserving the Harvest Drying the Dinner! www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

What we will be talking about Why bother? Drying techniques Pre-treating General drying tips Drying fruit, vegies and meat Testing for dryness Other uses for your dehydrator Storing and using your dried produce What we will be talking about www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Preserve excess home grown produce Preserve cheap, in season bought produce Reduce storage weight and volume No added chemicals when home produced Low energy/no energy Concentrate flavours Improver portability Why bother? www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Commercial/home made electric dehydrator Oven (gas or electric) Microwave Air drying Mesh bag on clothesline Solar – Direct Solar – indirect Automobile Drying Techniques www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Blanching (steam or water boil) Sat water dip Honey dip Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) dip Sulphuring Pro Last longer, retain colour and flavour Con Adds chemicals, another step, not needed Pre-treating www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Best in = Best out Prepare food to be dried correctly Place in one layer, not touching Make sure it gets as long as it needs Store dried food correctly Be diligent about labelling General Drying Tips www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Cut the fruit in half and remove pit if present. Dip in a solution of one table spoon of vitamin C to 4 litres of water for 2 min Place in the dehydrator Most fruit has finished drying when still pliable but leathery. Fruit leathers – strain ripe or cooked fruit, add juice or water to thin down, spread on plastic or waxed paper 6mm thick & dry until it peels off the backing Drying fruit www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Wash & dry the vegetables Remove any tops and/or roots Slice 3-4mm thick as uniformly as possible to ensure even drying. Where appropriate blanch vegetables Leave the vegetables in the drier until crisp or brittle in texture Pack off immediately to prevent any re- absorption of moisture. Drying vegetables www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Jerky or biltong not cooked prior to drying and is eaten “as is” Meat to be rehydrated in soups or stews etc and this is cooked before dehydrating. In either case remove all fat before drying Meat for cooked dishes, cook until done but still tender, slice & dry until crisp. Freeze jerky meat, slice thinly across the grain, marinate overnight & dry until brittle Drying Meat www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Well dried foods will vary from 5% moisture (leafy veg like spinach) to 25% for juicy acid fruits (apricots) Cool before testing Weigh before starting, then weigh regularly until no more weight is lost Use tests in previous sections If in doubt, dry some more! Testing for Dryness www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Other Uses for Dehydrator Rising bread Making yogurt Ripening milk for cheese Re-crisping cracker biscuits and cereal Drying seeds (carefully! Less than 40°C) De-crystallising honey Drying crafts (dough art, flowers etc) Other Uses for Dehydrator www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Store after produce has cooled Store in small batches in airtight, insect proof containers Cool, dry and dark place Storing Dried Produce www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

Sustainable Living in the Suburbs Rehydrate vegetables - soak 1 cup of dried vegetables in 2 cups hot water for 30 min then cook until tender or add to soups/stews before cooking Rehydrate fruit – soak a cup of dried fruit in a cup of warm water until the fruit is soft or eat as is Add dehydrated meat to soup or stew at the start of the cooking process or eat as is for jerky. Using Dried Produce www.underthechokotree.com Sustainable Living in the Suburbs

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