8 DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 3, U. S. DEPT. OF AGR. 



DRYING VEGETABLES. 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION. 



Equally as great care should be given to the selection and prepa- 

 ration of vegetables for drying as for canning. To secure a fine 

 quality of dried products much depends upon having the vegetables 

 absolutely fresh, young, tender, and perfectly clean. Wash and 

 clean all vegetables well. If steel knives are used in paring and 

 cutting, have them clean and bright so the vegetable will not be 

 discolored. 



Keeping green plants by drying is a very old process. It has been 

 customary for ages to dry grass for cattle feed and store it under the 

 name of hay. It has also long been customary to dry garden herbs 

 and medicinal plants for home use. However, green vegetables dried 

 in the sun and air as hay is dried become tough and of a brownish 

 color. This is partly due to the so-called "hay bacteria.'' If the 

 green color and the crisp condition are to be preserved, the drying 

 must be quicker, by artificial heat, and the vegetables should be given 

 a preliminary treatment to prevent or retard the action of the hay 

 bacteria. This preliminary treatment is called blanching, and con- 

 sists in subjecting the vegetables to a short cooking in live steam or 

 in boiling water. The steaming is preferable. 



Blanching is done after the vegetables' are prepared properly. Be- 

 sides retarding or preventing the action of the hay bacteria, it gives 

 the vegetables a more thorough cleaning, removes the strong odor 

 and flavor from certain kinds of vegetables and softens and loosens 

 the fiber. This allows the moisture in the vegetables to evaporate 

 more quickly and uniformly. It also quickly coagulates the albumi- 

 nous matter in the vegetables, which helps to hold in the natural 

 flavors. Use a wire basket or cheesecloth bag for blanching in boil- 

 ing water or use a steam cooker for blanching in live steam. The 

 steaming can also be done in a common wash boiler with 2 to -i inches 

 of boiling water in the bottom. Use a wire basket to fit inside the 

 wash boiler or a piece of cheesecloth tied to the handles of the 

 boiler and suspended down into the boiler so it does not touch the 

 water. Lay the vegetables to be blanched on this cloth and cover 

 with a close-fitting lid so as to let the steam from the boiling water 

 act on the vegetables for the time given in the recipe. 



Where it is desirable to preserve the green color of the vegetables, 

 as with string beans, spinach, etc., it is advisable to blanch in boil- 

 ing water to which has been added 1J level teaspoons of salt and 1 

 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) for each gallon 

 of water. Id case sail ami soda are used in the blanching water, the 

 green vegetables, after blanching, are quickly dipped in cold water. 

 Drain well (the surface moisture can be further removed by press- 



