Home Drying of Fruits and Vegetables 



A. LOUISE ANDREA 



(This is a chapter taken from the recently published book 

 application of the topics of which it treats. — -Editor) 



'Home Canning, Drying and Preserving"* and which is a compendium of practical household 



DRYING is one of the oldest methods of 

 food preservation. The foods that 

 were formerly dried at home were 

 apples, peaches, beans, and corn, but 

 I'm inclined to think that Mother Nature at- 

 tended more to the drying of the beans than 

 did the family. For those who contemplate 

 drying or "evaporating ' in their home kitchens, 

 the equipment need not be expensive, but if 

 much food is to be preserved the drier will nec- 

 essarily be somewhat bulky. Driers can be 

 used on the cool parts of a range or suspended 

 above it. The latter method does not require 

 such careful watching but will take longer. 



Two things are important to remember when 

 drying; (a) to have the temperature right and 

 (b) to dry the foods so that a slight degree of 

 moisture is left — from 10 to 20 per cent. The dry- 

 ing temperature can be maintained by using a 

 thermometer, but to know just when food is 

 dried to the correct stage must be learned rather 

 by actual experience than from recipes. 



The usual test to determine whether the pro- 

 duct has been properly dried is to cut a portion 

 and see if any moisture can be pressed from the 

 cut ends. The food should be like a piece of 

 leather — pliable, and easily bent without crack- 

 ing. In fact, if the piece snaps and breaks off, it 

 is, in all probability, too dry. 



After the actual drying is finished, the next 

 step is called "conditioning," which means that 

 the diied food is left standing for several days at 

 the temperature of the room to absorb moisture 

 from the air. During this time it should be 

 stirred occasionally or changed from one con- 

 tainer to another so that the conditioning will 

 be uniform. 



Drying may be done out in the sun. In this 

 instance the product should be placed in layers 

 on trays (that have first been covered with white 

 cheesecloth). 



Drying by artificial heat, such as that from 

 the kitchen stove, is accomplished by having 

 the trays — or drier with its various trays — placed 

 either on the cool part of the range, or, as pre- 

 viously mentioned, suspended over it. Another 

 way is to use the surplus heat in the oven of a 

 coal range. When this is done and the fire is 

 moderately hot, both oven and top of range may 

 be used. When oven-drying the door should be 

 left partly open for two reasons; one to allow 

 a circulation of air in the oven, and the second 

 to prevent the product from being cooked in- 

 stead of dried. 



Another drying process is by means of heated 

 air in rapid motion. 1 his requires the use of 

 an electric fan. The trays are placed at a slight 

 angle say of 300, at one end of a range and the fan 

 at the other side so that the heat from the range 

 is driven over the trays by the fan. 



In mere drying, a slow process necessarily, 

 changes of color and flavor occur through the 



volatile essences being lost, as these evaporate 

 with the water content. Whereas dehydration, 

 scientifically perfected now, ensures a rapid re- 

 moval of just the water. I have frequently 

 cooked and served at the same meal vegetables 

 just picked from the garden — spinach, carrots, 

 turnips, etc. — and the same vegetables dehy- 

 drated several months previously. Not a per- 

 son eating them could tell which was which. 



Foods to be prepared for home drying should be 

 looked over carefully; all wilted, decayed parts 

 and foreign matter removed, then thoroughly 

 washed to cleanse. 



Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums and Apricots. — The first two 

 are usually pared, cored and cut into slices one-fourth inch thick before 

 drying, while peaches, apricots and thick skinned plums (similar 

 to the prune plum) are left unpeeled, cut in halves and stones re- 

 moved. The plum can be slit to extract stone without cutting in 

 two pieces. To prevent apples and pears from discoloring they are 

 dipped into either acidulated water (juice of one lemon to a gallon 

 of water) or weak salt water (eight level teaspoons salt to one 

 gallon water) and then dried between towels and placed in single 

 layers on trays. The peaches and apricots are placed on trays with 

 skin side down and plums slit side up to prevent loss of juice. The 

 temperature for all five fruits is the same — starting at 1 10° and in- 

 creasing very gradually to 150 . Time required is from 2 to 6 hours. 

 While drying, the fruits should be turned so that they dry uniformly. 



Small Berries — Look over carefully and use only perfectly sound 

 berries; crushed or broken ones will lose their juice and consequently 

 will lack flavor. \ Do not wash them unless dirty (this refers to home- 

 gathered fruits). Place on cheesecloth covered trays and dry at 

 a temperature of from 110° to I40 . Do not raise temperature too 

 rapidly or the outsides will dry before centres do, which would cause 

 spoilage when stored. Time required, from 3 to 42 hours. 



The usual test to ascertain when product is properly dried is to 

 press a berry between the fingers; if it stains, continue the drying. 



Berries should not be dried until they become hard enough to 

 rattle. Place in boxes — uncovered — and let stand in room tem- 

 perature 2 to 3 days to "condition." Then store in air-tight con- 

 tainers. 



Cherries — These are of better shape, color, and flavor when they 

 are not pitted. Much juice is lost with the removal of the stone 

 which naturally lessens the flavor. Wash in cold water, dry be- 

 tween clean towels to remove surface moisture, then stem and place 

 in single layers on cheesecloth-lined trays. Start temperature 

 at IIO° and gradually increase to 150 . Time required from 3 to 4 

 hours. Test for dryness is the same as for berries. Place in boxes — 

 uncovered — and let stand several days to "condition"; then store 

 in air-tight containers. 



Drying vegetables — The few rules given for drying fruits are 

 applicable to vegetables; removal of all wilted and decayed pro- 

 ducts, thorough cleansing, and removal of surface moisture. When 

 drying leaves and stalks (such as spinach with stems, or celery leaves 

 and stalks), a better finished product is obtained if leaves are dried 

 separately from the stalks. When spinach is so treated the dried 

 stems may be added to the dried leaves; the stems in many instances 

 being much thicker than the leaves (which means that the former 

 will take longer to dry than will the latter), the leaves, if dried with 

 the stems, would be over-dried by the time the stems were ready. 

 During "conditioning" this would right itself to a degree, but the 

 better way is to dry each separately and mix afterward. 



Leaves of vegetables such as spinach, beet tops, etc., may be cut 

 small or dried without cutting. Blanch in boiling water 10 minutes, 

 drain and dry thoroughly. Place in thin layers on trays and dry at 

 from 1 10 to 145 temperature. Time required, from 2 to 3 hours. 

 Let stand in uncovered containers several days to "condition"; then 

 store in air-tight containers. 



Root vegetables — such as turnips, carrots, beets, etc., are scrub- 

 bed and washed thoroughly with a brush to remove all dirt, then 

 cooked until two-thirds done, peeled, and cut into slices a quarter 

 of an inch thick and placed on trays. Temperature required, from 

 no gradually increasing to 150°. Time from 2 to 3 hours. Place 

 in boxes — uncovered — and stand in room temperature for several 

 days to "condition"; then store in air-tight containers. 



Dried Corn — Select corn in its prime; husk and cook in boiling 

 water from 3 to 5 minutes, to set the milk; drain and cut from cob 

 (being careful not to cut too deep), and place on trays in thin layers. 

 Start drying at !IO° and gradually increase to 145 . Time required, 

 from 3 to 4 hours. Stand several days in uncovered boxes to "con- 

 dition." Store in air-tight containers. 



Dried Peas — Shell and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes; 

 drain and dry between towels. Place on trays and dry at a tem- 



perature of from IIO° to 150 . Peas usually require from 3 to 4 hours 

 to dry. Let stand several days, in uncovered boxes, to "condition." 

 Store in air-tight containers. 



Lima Beans — Shell and blanch from 5 to 10 minutes in boiling 

 water, dry between towels, place on trays and dry at a temperature 

 of from no° to 145°. Time required, from 3 to 4 hours. Let stand 

 several days in uncovered boxes to "condition." Store in air- 

 tight containers. 



String Beans — Wash, string, stem, and cut into inch lengths. 

 Blanch for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain, and dry between 

 towels. Place on trays and dry at a temperature of from 110° to 

 145° — raising temperature gradually. Time required, from 2 to 3 

 hours. Pour into uncovered receptacles and stand several days 

 to "condition." Store in air-tight containers. 



Cabbage — Cut in halves, remove core and soiled outside leaves, 

 then shred with a sharp knife or cabbage slicer. Blanch in cheese- 

 cloth bag for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain and dry between 

 towels. Arrange in thin layers on trays and dry at a temperature 

 of IIO° to I45 . Time required, from 2§ to 3-3- hours. Pour into un- 

 covered receptacles and let stand several days to "condition." 

 Store in air-tight containers. 



Onions — Peel, slice, and blanch in wire basket, in boiling water, 

 for 5 minutes; drain and dry between towels. Place in layers on 

 trays and dry at a temperature of from IIO° to 140 . Time required, 

 from 2 to 3 hours. Pour into uncovered receptacles and let stand 

 several days to " condition. " Store in air-tight containers. 



Soup Vegetables — When drying the vegetables that are ordin- 

 arily used to flavor soup stocks — such as carrots, onions, cabbage, 

 turnips, leeks and parsley — a proportion of each may be dried, mixed, 

 conditioned and then stored in one container and so be ready to 

 use when making soup. 



When Does A Potato Grow Most? — It is 

 interesting to learn the result of some experiments 

 conducted by the Department of Agriculture of 

 Victoria, Australia, in observing the growth of the 

 potato. Conclusions reached show that in the 

 first month of growth the root develops 41 per 

 cent, of its total and by the second month 52 

 per cent, of its entire growth. As to the haulm 

 or vine, the figures are 22.5 per cent, of the total 

 for the first month and 49.8 per cent, during 

 the second month. The authors of this draw 

 the conclusion that considerable plant food must 

 be available during these two months. It is also 

 interesting to learn that the tops or vines are 

 particularly valuable as a fertilizer. The amount 

 of food contained in the haulms per acre is: nitro- 

 gen 45 lbs.; phosphoric acid 7 lbs.; potash 84 

 lbs.; lime 51 lbs. One ton of haulms supplies 

 three times as much nitrogen and phosphoric 

 acid and about ten times as much potash as a 

 ton of farmyard manure. The potato requires 

 an abundance of potash during its growing period, 

 using phosphoric acid, nitrogen, and potash in the 

 ratio of 1-4-6. 



Dangerous Barberry Bushes. — Lest there 

 should be any misunderstanding! Though the 

 common upright Barberry — the European form 

 — now runs wild in some sections, it is a dangerous 

 plant to the grain grower. The gardener is quite 

 safe in continuing the use of the Japan Barberry, 

 Berberis Thunbergii. The common tall Euro- 

 pean Barberry, both in its green and purple 

 leaved forms, is dangerous to farmers inasmuch 

 as it harbors the rust fungus that causes black or 

 stem rust of wheat, oat, rye, and barley. The 

 Japanese Barberry does not bear the rust, and is, 

 therefore, perfectly safe for planting in ornamental 

 groups. — L. B. 



♦Home Canning, Drying and Preserving by A. L. Andrea, illustrated, pp 150. (Garden City N. Y., Doubleday Page & Co.) price $1.38 mailed 



Dried products can be put away in any convenient container 



54 



Types of dryer for household use. There are many others 



