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The ideal storage temperature for
dehydrated food is 60°F (15°C) to
below freezing. The ideal storage place
is your freezer or refrigerator, particu-
larly for storing low acid foods such as
meats, fish, and vegetables.
All fruits dried with skins intact should
be packaged and frozen for a minimum
of 48 hours to prevent any possibility of
insect infestation.
Record Keeping
Recording the following information
can be helpful in improving your dehy-
drating techniques and determining
quantities of food to dry each season.
•Date dried
•Quantity dried, including weight
of produce before and after drying
•Drying time, temperature, and
humidity
•Packaging: size of containers and
packaging materials used
•Storage temperature
•Length of storage time before use
By labeling storage containers with
the contents and date dried, you can
keep track of your supply, rotate as
needed and avoid mix-ups.
Rehydrating Dried Food
Eat dehydrated foods dry or rehydrate
for use in recipes. Rehydrate by
placing dried foods in a container (with
enough water to cover food) and soak-
ing for 30 minutes to 2 hours Boiling
water rehydrates foods more quickly
than cold water or water at room tem-
perature.
Fruits or vegetables may also be rehy-
drated in liquids other than water,
including fruit juices, cider, vegetable
juices, milk, consommé, etc. Refrigerate
these foods while they are soaking to
reduce any risk of spoilage.
Do not add seasonings, especially salt or
sugar during rehydration because they
slow the rehydration process.
Cooking Dried Food
After rehydrating food, cook it as you
would normally. If foods are cooked
before they are fully rehydrated, they
will cook in a shriveled state and will
not be plump. Most fruits and vegeta-
bles will rehydrate to about 80% of their
fresh state. Consequently they are a
little more chewy than a fresh or
frozen fruit or vegetable, even when
rehydrated.
Dried food used in cooking will absorb
additional liquid, so adjust the recipe
accordingly by adding more water:
• Vegetables – add 1 additional cup of
water for one cup dried food.
• Stewed fruits – add 2 additional cups
of water for each cup of fruit, allow to
stand for 1 hour, and simmer until
tender.
• Pies or fillings – use 1 additional cup
of water per 1 cup of fruit – less, if
you desire a thicker consistency.
Note: When using fruits in baking or
for ice cream, they may be softened by
covering with boiling water and allow-
ing them to stand for 5 minutes. Drain,
then chop or blend, depending upon
use.
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