Putting Food By - Janet Greene [184]
Sliced caps and stems process at the same temperature sequences, but stem pieces usually take longer.
Open-air/sun. Prepare as for an indoor dryer. Test dry. Condition if necessary; pasteurize certainly. Cool and store. Solar dryer: about 70 percent of open-air/sun time.
Dry test. Brittle.
Onions
Dried onions do not hold as long as other vegetables do in storage (they are like carrots and cabbage, above). Peel; slice carefully to uniform thickness. No steaming needed.
Indoor dryer. If using a dehydrator, put them in at 140 F/60 C and keep them there until nearly dry, watching carefully that thinner pieces are not browning. Reduce to 130 F/54 C for the last hour if necessary. In a stove oven or handmade indoor dryer, aim to maintain a temperature of 140 F/ 60 C throughout. Test dry. Condition. Cool and store.
Open-air/sun. Prepare as for an indoor dryer. Test dry. Pasteurize. Cool and store. Solar dryer: about 70 percent of open-air/sun time.
Dry test. Light-colored, but brittle.
Peas, Black-eyed
Treat like Beans (Shell), above.
Peas, Green
Choose young, tender peas as you’d serve them fresh from the garden. From there on, treat them like Shell Beans, above.
Dry test. Shriveled and hard; shatter when hit with a hammer.
Peppers, Hot (Chili)
Choose mature, dark-red pods. Thread them on a string through the stalks, and hang them in the sun on a south wall. When dry, the pods will be shrunken, dark, and may be bent without snapping.
Peppers, Sweet (Green or Bell)
Split, core, remove seeds; quarter. Steam 10 to 12 minutes.
Indoor dryer. If using a dehydrator, start at 120 F/49 C, gradually increase to I50 F/66 C after the first hour; reduce to 140 F/60 C when nearly dry (if any are thin-walled, reduce to 130 F/54 C toward the end, and keep stirring them well). In a stove oven or handmade indoor dryer, aim to maintain a temperature of 140 F/60 C throughout. Test dry. Condition. Cool and store.
Open-air/sun. Prepare as for an indoor dryer. Test dry. Condition if necessary; pasteurize certainly. Cool and store. Solar dryer: about 70 percent of open-air/sun time.
Dry test. Crisp and brittle.
Potatoes, Sweet (and Yams)
Only firm, smooth sweet potatoes or yams should be used. Steam whole and unpeeled until cooked through but not mushy, about 30 to 40 minutes. Trim, peel; cut in ⅛-inch slices, or shred.
Indoor dryer. Proceed as for sliced or shredded Beets. Test dry. Condition; pasteurize. Cool and store.
Open-air/sun. Prepare as for an indoor dryer. Test dry. Condition if necessary; pasteurize certainly. Cool and store. Solar dryer: about 70 percent of open-air/sun time.
Dry test. Slices extremely leathery, not pliable; shreds, brittle.
Potatoes, White
These root-cellar too well to bother drying. But dry like Turnips, below.
Pumpkin
Deep-orange varieties with thick, solid flesh make the best product. There’s not much use in drying in chunks, because they’re to be mashed after cooking. Take them directly from the garden (they shouldn’t be conditioned as for root-cellaring). Split in half, then cut in manageable pieces for peeling and removing seeds and all pith. Shred with the coarse blade of a vegetable grater (less than ⅛ inch thick) or using a Food processor fitted with a shredding disc. In shallow layers in the basket, steam for 6 minutes.
Indoor dryer. Proceed as for shredded Beets, above. Test dry. Condition; pasteurize. Cool and store.
Open-air/sun-drying. Prepare as for an indoor dryer. Test dry. Pasteurize certainly. Cool and store. Solar dryer: about 70 percent of open-air/sun time.
Dry test. Brittle chips.
Rutabagas and Turnips
Seldom dried, but treat like shredded Carrots.
Spinach (and Other Greens)
Use only young, tender, crisp leaves. Remove coarse midribs; cut larger leaves in half. Place loosely in the steaming basket and steam for 4 to 6 minutes, or until well wilted.