Drying Fresh Vegetables and Herbs
| Preserving Fresh Produce | Freezing fresh produce | Bottling fresh produce (Jams, Pickles, Chutneys) | Drying Chart |
Laura's Recipes is committed to encouraging people to eat locally grown seasonal produce.
Often imported products lack flavour and their full compliment of nutrients due to the fact that they are picked young so they can be shipped without fear of spoiling before they get to us.
So, it can be realistically argued that eating produce which has been properly preserved when it was at its best is not only nutritionally as good (if not better) than eating out of season produce.
Drying probably isn't the first method of preservation which comes to mind, it is certainly one which should be considered.
Below is a chart showing various vegetables and how to dry them. There are a few "rules" to adhere to when drying produce at home to ensure good results:
Always use produce when it's at its peak.
Blanch vegetables before drying. This helps to stop enzyme activity which can cause changes in the flavour and texture during storage.
Ensure adequate ventilation and constant temperature during the drying process. This is best achieved by preheating the oven to (60C/140F), then prop the oven door open and adjust the thermostat to maintain a consistent oven temperature of 60C/140F. The door being ajar allows the moist air to escape.
Package the produce in air tight containers/bags and store in cool dark conditions (6-12 months).
Dry to the optimum degree. Dried vegetables should be hard and brittle. Remove a small amount of the dried food and cool for a few minutes before testing for dryness.
Vegetable |
Preparation |
Blanching Time (mins) |
Drying Time (hrs.) |
Dryness test |
Aubergine (Eggplant)
|
Wash, trim, cut into 1/4" slices. |
4 |
12-14 |
Leathery to brittle |
Beans, green |
Wash. Cut in pieces or strips. |
4 |
8-14 |
Very dry, brittle |
Beetroot |
Cook as usual. Cool, peel. Cut into shoestring strips 1/8" thick. |
None |
10-12 |
Brittle, dark red |
Broccoli |
Wash. Trim, cut as for serving. Quarter stalks lengthwise. |
4 |
12-15 |
Crisp, brittle |
Cabbage |
Wash. Remove outer leaves, quarter and core. Cut into strips 1/8" thick. |
4 |
10-12 |
Crisp, brittle |
Capsicums (sweet peppers)
|
Wash, stem. Remove core and seeds. Cut into 1/4 to 1/2" strips or rings. |
4 |
8-12 |
Tough to brittle |
Carrots and Parsnips |
Use only crisp, tender vegetables. Wash. Cut off roots and tops; peel. Cut in slices or strips 1/8" thick. |
4 |
6-10 |
Tough to brittle |
Celery |
Trim stalks. Wash stalks and leaves thoroughly. Slice stalks. |
4 |
10-16 |
Very brittle |
Chillies |
Wash thoroughly. Slice or leave whole if small. |
4 |
12-24 |
Shrunken, dark red flexible |
Onions |
Wash, remove skin, top and root ends, cut into 6mm/¼ " slices. |
4 |
6-10 |
Very brittle |
Herbs |
Wash thoroughly. Separate sprigs if necessary |
4 |
4-6 |
Flaky |
Peas |
Shell and wash. |
4 |
8-10 |
Hard, green wrinkled |
Spinach, Kale, Chard |
Trim and wash very thoroughly. Shake or pat dry to remove excess moisture. |
4 |
6-10 |
Crisp |
Squash |
Wash, trim, cut into 1/4" slices. |
4 |
10-16 |
Leathery to brittle |
Sweetcorn |
Husk, trim. Wash well. Blanch until milk in corn is set. Cut the kernels from the cob. |
4-6 |
6-10 |
Crisp, brittle |
Tomatoes
|
Plunge into boiling water to loosen skins. Chill in cold water. Cut into slices 12mm/½" thick |
1 |
6-24 |
Crisp |
|