HOME DRYING MANUAL 
22 
directed along the trays, lengthwise. Insects 
must be kept out by the use of cheesecloth 
or similar material. Drying by this proc- 
ess may be done 
in twenty-four 
hours or less. 
With sliced string 
beans and shred- 
ded sweet pota- 
toes a few hours 
are sufficient, if 
the air is dry. Re- 
arrange the trays 
after a few hours, 
as the drying 
will be more 
rapid nearest the 
fan. 
As artificial 
heat is not used 
in fan drying it 
is important to blanch or steam the vege- 
tables for the full specified time. It is also 
necessary that all fan-dried products be 
heated in an oven to 180° F. for 10 or 15 
minutes before storing. 
DETAILS OF DRYING 
As a general rule vegetables or fruits, 
for Drying, must be cut into slices or shreds, 
with the skin removed. In using artificial 
heat be careful to start at a comparatively 
low temperature and gradually increase. De- 
tails as to the proper scale of temperatures 
for various vegetables and fruits are given in 
the directions in this Manual and in the time- 
table on page 28. To be able to gauge the 
heat accurately a thermometer must be used. 
An oven thermometer may be bought at slight 
cost. If the thermometer is placed in a glass 
of salad oil the true temperature of the oven 
may be obtained. 
Fig. 12. Simple tray drier made at home. 
In the detailed instructions on pages 25, 26, 27 
and 28, the temperatures used are Fahrenheit. 
The temperatures indicated are for Drying by 
artificial heat. 
The actual time required for Drying can- 
not be given, and the person in charge must 
exercise judgment on this point. A little 
experience will make it easy to determine 
when products are sufficiently dried. When 
first taken from the Drier vegetables should be 
rather brittle, and fruits rather leathery and 
pliable. One method of determining whether 
fruit is dry enough is to squeeze a handful, 
if the fruit separates when the hand is opened, 
it is dry enough. Another way is to press a 
Fig. 13. Electric range, useful for drying. 
single piece; if no moisture comes to the sur- 
face the piece is sufficiently dry. Berries are 
dry enough if they stick to the hand but do 
not crush when squeezed. 
PREPARING MATERIAL FOR DRYING 
A sharp kitchen knife will serve every 
purpose in slicing and cutting vegetables 
and fruits for Drying if no other device is 
at hand. The thickness of the slices should 
be from an eighth to a quarter of an inch. 
Whether sliced or cut into strips the pieces 
should be small so as to dry quickly. They 
should not, however, be so small as to make 
them hard to handle or to keep them from 
being used to advantage in preparing dishes 
for the table such as would be prepared from 
fresh products. 
Food choppers, crout slicers or rotary 
slicers may be used 
to prepare food for 
drying. 
Vegetables and 
fruits for Drying 
should be fresh, 
mature and in prime 
condition for eating. 
As a general rule 
vegetables will dry 
better if cut into 
small pieces with the 
skins removed. 
Berries are dried 
whole. Apples, 
quinces, peaches and 
pears dry better if cut into rings or quarters. 
Cleanliness is imperative. Knives and slicing 
Fig. 11. Commercial drier 
with furnace. 
