Food Drying
Food drying is one of the oldest methods of preserving food for later use. It can either be an
alternative to canning or freezing, or compliment these methods. Drying foods is simple, safe
and easy to learn. With modern food dehydrators, fruit leathers, banana chips and beef jerky
can all be dried year round at home.
How Drying Preserves Food
Drying removes the moisture from the food so bacteria, yeast and mold cannot grow and spoil
the food. Drying also slows down the action of enzymes (naturally occurring substances which
cause foods to ripen), but does not inactivate them.
Because drying removes moisture, the food becomes smaller and lighter in weight. When the
food is ready for use, the water is added back, and the food returns to its original shape.
Foods can be dried in the sun, in an oven or in a food dehydrator by using the right combination
of warm temperatures, low humidity and air current.
In drying, warm temperatures cause the moisture to evaporate. Low humidity allows moisture to
move quickly from the food to the air. Air current speeds up drying by moving the surrounding
moist air away from the food.
Sun Drying- need temperatures of above 84 degrees with very low humidity. Can be risky because weather is unpredictable. Leaves food exposed to animals/insects- fruits only recommended because of high acid content.
Dehydrator- dries food quickly and efficiently at 140 degrees
Oven drying- ideal for occasional drying of meat jerkies, fruit leathers, banana chips or preserving excess produce like celery or mushrooms. It is slower than dehydrators because it does not have a built in fan for air movement and takes about twice as much time as a dehydrator.
Fruits:
wash and core fruit
cut in half or slice, some can be left whoe
thin, uniform, peeled slices dry the fastest
spray drying trays with nonstick cooking spray before placing fruit on trays
pretreatment of some fruits is required
Vegetables:
Vegetables can also be preserved by drying. Because they contain less acid than fruits, vegetables are dried until they are brittle. At this stage, only 10% moisture remains and no microorganism can grow.
Jerky:
Jerky is a lightweight, dried meat product that is a handy food for backpackers, campers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. It requires no refrigeration. Jerky can be made from almost any lean meat, including beef, pork, venison or smoked turkey breast. (Raw poultry is generally not recommended for use in making jerky because of the texture and flavor of the finished product.)
Raw meats can be contaminated with microorganisms that cause disease. These harmful bacteria can easily multiply on moist, high protein foods like meat and poultry and can cause illness if the products are not handled correctly. If pork or wild game is used to make jerky, the meat should be treated to kill the trichinella parasite before it is sliced and marinated. This parasite causes the disease trichinosis. To treat the meat, freeze a portion that is 6 inches or less thick at 0ºF or below for at least 30 days. Freezing will not eliminate bacteria from the meat.
Food drying is one of the oldest methods of preserving food for later use. It can either be an
alternative to canning or freezing, or compliment these methods. Drying foods is simple, safe
and easy to learn. With modern food dehydrators, fruit leathers, banana chips and beef jerky
can all be dried year round at home.
How Drying Preserves Food
Drying removes the moisture from the food so bacteria, yeast and mold cannot grow and spoil
the food. Drying also slows down the action of enzymes (naturally occurring substances which
cause foods to ripen), but does not inactivate them.
Because drying removes moisture, the food becomes smaller and lighter in weight. When the
food is ready for use, the water is added back, and the food returns to its original shape.
Foods can be dried in the sun, in an oven or in a food dehydrator by using the right combination
of warm temperatures, low humidity and air current.
In drying, warm temperatures cause the moisture to evaporate. Low humidity allows moisture to
move quickly from the food to the air. Air current speeds up drying by moving the surrounding
moist air away from the food.
Sun Drying- need temperatures of above 84 degrees with very low humidity. Can be risky because weather is unpredictable. Leaves food exposed to animals/insects- fruits only recommended because of high acid content.
Dehydrator- dries food quickly and efficiently at 140 degrees
Oven drying- ideal for occasional drying of meat jerkies, fruit leathers, banana chips or preserving excess produce like celery or mushrooms. It is slower than dehydrators because it does not have a built in fan for air movement and takes about twice as much time as a dehydrator.
Fruits:
wash and core fruit
cut in half or slice, some can be left whoe
thin, uniform, peeled slices dry the fastest
spray drying trays with nonstick cooking spray before placing fruit on trays
pretreatment of some fruits is required
Vegetables:
Vegetables can also be preserved by drying. Because they contain less acid than fruits, vegetables are dried until they are brittle. At this stage, only 10% moisture remains and no microorganism can grow.
Jerky:
Jerky is a lightweight, dried meat product that is a handy food for backpackers, campers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. It requires no refrigeration. Jerky can be made from almost any lean meat, including beef, pork, venison or smoked turkey breast. (Raw poultry is generally not recommended for use in making jerky because of the texture and flavor of the finished product.)
Raw meats can be contaminated with microorganisms that cause disease. These harmful bacteria can easily multiply on moist, high protein foods like meat and poultry and can cause illness if the products are not handled correctly. If pork or wild game is used to make jerky, the meat should be treated to kill the trichinella parasite before it is sliced and marinated. This parasite causes the disease trichinosis. To treat the meat, freeze a portion that is 6 inches or less thick at 0ºF or below for at least 30 days. Freezing will not eliminate bacteria from the meat.
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