How to Dehydrate Your Own Foods

Drying foods has been a technique of preserving them for hundreds of years. Although we don't exactly use the same techniques as our ancestors did, the process is still handy. New machines make it easier to dehydrate foods at home. Before beginning, learn a few basic rules and techniques to have the best dried foods possible.

Dehydration, or food drying, is the process of removing all liquid from foods. The process inhibits the growth of microorganisms and bacteria that can make foods go bad. Most dehydrators work using the same basic process, so there's no need to spend a fortune on your first dehydrator, but do make sure to purchase a quality product that has several trays.

It's not hard to dry foods if you have the food dehydrator. Simply arrange the foods on the provided trays and turn the machine on. The dehydrator heats air enough to dry foods without cooking them, allowing you to store for a period of time longer than normal. Non-dried foods must be used up immediately but dried foods can be opened and shut repeatedly, without spoilage.

After foods have been dried they may appear different in color. Although it's not an absolute must, many people pre-treat foods to enhance color, flavor and texture of some foods. Pre-treating can include marinating, blanching or dipping. You can get lots of online recipes that will help you to decide which process to do with which foods.

Foods that can be dried include fruits, vegetables, fish, meats, frozen foods or previously canned foods. You can also use the dehydrator to dry bread for croutons, make homemade noodles, and dry potato slices to make your own chips.

Your dehydrator will come with a pamphlet that will help you determine how long to dry various foods. The amount of time needed depends on how much water and sugar are in the foods, the amount of food placed in the dryer, and the actual dehydrator itself. Some dehydrators dry foods much quicker than others.