what is the best food dehydrator how to dehydrate vegetables (with pictures) | ehow

Dry vegetables are one of the oldest ways to preserve food.Because the growth of bacteria, mold and yeast requires moisture, the dehydrated vegetables remain fresh and do not deteriorate.They also become lighter and take up less space, making it more convenient to store them.They do not deteriorate as long as they are stored in a dry, dark, closed container.Most dehydrated vegetables can be stored for one year at 60 degrees Fahrenheit or for six months at 80 degrees.
Before drying, vegetables need to be bleached to stop the enzyme action responsible for maturity and corruption.This means you need to wash, wash and chop the vegetables to the desired size and then put them in boiling water to cover them.Colorado State University recommends adding 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid to each quart of boiling water (available in canned channels ).Citric acid can prevent the action of microorganisms and help to keep the color of vegetables.The time required to cook vegetables depends on the type of vegetables and the size of the block.From 2 minutes to 7 minutes.No matter which drying method you choose, cover the vegetables first.
Many fruits can be dried safely by placing them on a tray in the sun, but most vegetables cannot because the vegetables do not contain a large amount of acid.But with solar drying, you can still dehydrate vegetables with the sun.This usually means making a solar box that is lined with aluminum foil and covered with glass or plastic.Food trays are placed inside the solar dehydrator and they are subject to higher heat and dehydration before they deteriorate.According to the online cooking site Kitchn, you can layer cut vegetables on cookie paper and dry them on the back window or dashboard to achieve the same purpose.
Your oven can be used as a dehydrator to dry the vegetables you have prepared, but it does need to be monitored.The temperature must be kept at 140 degrees Fahrenheit and the air must circulate.If your oven does not have a circulating fan, open the door 3 to 6 inch and place a small fan near the door.Place the prepared vegetables on a tray 3 to 4 inch shorter than the oven depth and clean the side of the oven easily.This allows the air to flow freely around your vegetables.If you have pets or children at home, please use this method carefully.
The design of the food dehydrator provides an ideal environment for the drying of fruits and vegetables.Place the prepared vegetables on the tray of the dehydrator and set the temperature to 140 degrees F.Temperatures above 140 degrees will cook or harden before there is time to dry inside the vegetables.A lower temperature may spoil the food before drying.Depending on the vegetables and the dehydrator, the drying time ranges from 6 hours to 14 hours.