20 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 404 



Broccoli: Heads should be crisp and green. Trim, wash, and cut into approx- 

 imately half-inch lengthwise sections. Blanch in steam for 15 minutes or until 

 stalks are heated throughout. Spread one layer deep on the trays. The average 

 tray load Is between 1 J^ and 1 ^ pounds. 



Brussels Sprouts: Wash, trim, and sort the sprouts. Cut lengthwise into approx- 

 imately half-Inch sections. Blanch in steam for 12 minutes or until pieces are 

 practically cooked. Spread one layer deep on trays. The average tray load is 

 1 }/2 pounds. 



Carrots: Carrots should be tender and crisp. Wash thoroughly, and scrape 

 and trim by hand to remove outer skin. Slices or julienne strips three-sixteenth 

 inch thick dehydrate and rehydrate well. Blanch for 10 minutes in steam. The 

 pieces should be heated throughout. Tray load is 13^ to 1 3^ pounds. 



Corn: Corn should be fresh, tender, and in the milk stage. Husk the corn and 

 trim out any poor kernels or blemishes. Blanch on the cob for 20 minutes in boiling 

 water. Cut the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife, making sure to Include 

 the germ. Particular care should be taken that the kernels are spread uniformly 

 over the trays at about 1% pounds per tray. 



Green Lima Beans: Beans should be young and tender. Remove from pods. 

 Sort to remove defective and overmature beans. Blanch for 12 minutes in steam. 

 Spread uniformly on trays. Load Is 1^ pounds per tray. 



Green Peas: The peas should be young, tender, and sweet rather than over- 

 meture. Blanch in steam for 12-15 minutes immediately after shelling. Some of 

 the peas are likely to burst during the blanching operation. Load evenly on the 

 trays with an average load of 13^ to IM pounds. Because of their sugary nature 

 peas require a longer time for dehydration than most vegetables. The dried 

 peas should be hard through to the center. Since In some Instances the peas are 

 pliable when warm, a few should be removed from the trays, allowed to cool, 

 and tested to see whether they are crisp and hard when cool. 



Snap Beans: The pods should be young and tender. Beans in which the coty- 

 ledons are not over one-quarter Inch In length dehydrate and rehydrate best. 

 They should be washed thoroughly, the ends trimmed off, and any strings and 

 blemishes removed. The pods may be cut crosswise or lengthwise, ciosswlse 

 slices of approximately one inch giving a rehydrated product of pleasing appear- 

 ance. Blanch in steam for 20 minutes or until the beans are practically cooked. 

 Tray load should be approximately 1 3^ pounds. 



Spinach: Young, crisp, tender plants give the best product. Wash thoroughly, 

 trim to remove butts, and discard unsuitable leaves. Make sure that all sand 

 and grit are removed, washing and soaking the leaves three or four times if neces- 

 sary. Blanch in steam for 7 minutes, or until the leaves are practically cooked, 

 but not mushy. Tray load should be approximately 1 pound. Care should be 

 taken that the leaves are evenly distributed and not matted. 



Swiss Chard, Kale, Mustard Greens, Beet Tops: Wash very thoroughly. Trim 

 to remove tough stalks, blemishes, discoloratlons, and unsuitable leaves. Cut 

 into pieces the size of young spinach. Blanch in steam for 9 minutes (or until 

 the heaviest part of the stalk is cooked through). The leaves should be practically 

 cooked as with spinach. Tray load should be approximately 1 pound. 



