28 



HOME DRYING MANUAL 



Peaches 



Select fruit which is uniformly and fully 

 ripe. Cut open with a sharp knife and re- 

 move the pits. Peaches are not usually pared, 

 as the juice is lost by dripping if this is done. 

 To sulphur arrange in single layers on trays 

 with the pit surface up. Sulphuring will take 

 from 1-2 hours and is complete when the 

 juice collects in the pit. Care must be taken 

 when transferring trays to drier to prevent 

 loss of juice. 



Start drying at a temperature of 130 to 

 145 F. and raise it gradually to 165 F. when 

 the process is nearly completed. 



Properly dried peaches are pliable and 

 leathery. 



Plums 



Select fruit which is ripe. Remove pits by 

 cutting fruit open with a sharp knife. Ar- 

 range halves on trays in single layer with pit 

 cavity uppermost. 



Treat with sulphur fumes 20 to 25 minutes. 

 When liquid collects in the pit cavity the 



plums are sulphured enough, and are ready 

 to dry. Start drying at a temperature of 

 130 to 145 F. When the surface begins to 

 wrinkle increase slowly to 175 F. 



Properly dried plums are leathery and 

 pliable. 



Prunes 



Prunes which are fully ripe and have fallen 

 from the trees are best for drying. Grade and 

 dip into boiling lye for 16 to 20 seconds. 

 Allow 1 oz. lye to 2 gallons water. When 

 dipped long enough there will be a slight in- 

 dication of cracking of the skin near the stem 

 end, but the skin will not be broken. Too 

 strong lye or too long a dip will cause the 

 skin to split and peel off. 



Rinse thoroughly in cold water and then 

 spread on drying trays in single layers. Start 

 drying at 130 F. and when the surface be- 

 gins to wrinkle, raise the temperature very 

 gradually to 175 F. Properly dried prunes 

 show no moisture when cut or when pressed 

 between the fingers. 



TABLE FOR BLANCHING AND DRYING 



The following table shows blanching time for vegetables and the temperatures to be used 

 in drying by artificial heat. 



The exact time for Drying cannot be given. Individual judgment must be used following the 

 directions in "Details of Drying," on page 22, and the directions on pages 25, 26, 27 and 28. 



