3 Ways to Dehydrate Food Without Adding Sulfur – wikiHow

The dehydration It is one of the oldest known systems for preserve food and one of the simplest to implement. With the right weather conditions, all you need is a well-aerated surface and a little bit of patience, while we let the weather do its thing.

The advantages of dehydrating any food are innumerable. On the one hand, it is a conservation system that is very respectful of the properties of the food –it does not add salt, sugar, fat or substances present in the smoke– and, furthermore, it is a good way to transform your organoleptic conditions.

By concentrating its nutrients, Dehydrated foods provide different textures and flavors in the kitchen. Some even become healthy sweets, ideal to enjoy in a snack or as a snack.

Just as our ancestors did, we too can drying fruit, vegetables, mushrooms or aromatic plants with the sole help of the sun. This system does not need any apparatus and with the right conditions it is the one that produces the most satisfactory results. Foods keep their colors alive, textures are better protected and flavors gain intensity.

traditional drying

To dehydrate any food in the traditional way, all you need is spread it out on a wire rack (which prevents the accumulation of humidity) and place it in a well-ventilated place, where it receives the maximum possible hours of sunshine during the day.

It is useful to prevent food from being invaded by insects or to protect it from dust and contamination. cover them with a thin cloth that allows perspiration. At sunset, the food is removed from the open air so that it does not collect moisture from the night and is exposed to the outside again when the first rays of the morning have warmed up the environment a bit.

exist solar dehydrators that greatly facilitate the process, thanks to its system of grids and air currents. With a home oven good results can be achieved and above all much faster than with the traditional method, since a few hours are enough (are left at 60 ºC and with the door half open).

The gas ovens They have vents for the gases generated by the flame to escape, which facilitates drying. The electric furnaces convection ovens allow uniform drying thanks to their internal fan (they can be left ajar).

the most modern way

who need dehydrate periodically Large amounts of fruit or vegetables – for example if you follow a raw food diet – can opt for an electric dehydrator. Although their price is somewhat high, they represent an excellent investment.

With these devices that include multiple trays, the process is fully automated, since they have programs with a timer.

Regardless of dewatering system chosen, food must be well washed and peeled. You also have to cut them into uniform pieces, in the form of dice or thin slices, depending on the result you want to obtain.

It must be borne in mind that the thicker the piece, the longer it will take to dehydrate. Although it is not always necessary, it is advisable to blanch them beforehand, placing them in boiling water for a few seconds, to inactivate certain enzymes that could interfere with conservation.

most of dehydrated foods keep well in a cool place, dry and protected from light. They can be stored in a tightly closed glass jar, but not in plastic bags, as they could mold.

three ways to dry out

It is important to choose the foods at their optimum point of maturation, free of blows or bruises, and in the best possible condition. By arranging them on the surface to dehydrate, be it a rack or the oven tray, they should be placed without piling upwell spread, leaving enough space between pieces so that air can circulate.

Traditional method: Fruits and vegetables with a high sugar content are best suited to be sun-dried. However, this method requires a dry and warm climate. The temperatures reached under direct sunlight should not be less than 30 °C. Oven: It is necessary that the oven, whether gas or electric, has a thermostat so that it the temperature does not exceed 50-60 °C. Convection ovens are ideal, because the fan ensures a uniform temperature. In traditional electric ones, the door is left ajar. Dehydrator: These devices allow dehydrate at low temperatures (40 °C) and through automated processes. The ones that give the best results are those that generate heat from the base, with an air outlet at the top, so that the heat current acts vertically.