The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [18]
Ascorbic Acid Dip. Ascorbic acid is a form of vitamin C. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of ascorbic acid crystals, 2 tablespoons of ascorbic acid powder, or five crushed 1-gram vitamin C tablets in 1 quart of lukewarm water. Slice or chop fruits directly into the solution. When 1 or 2 cups of fruit have accumulated in the solution, give it a stir and remove the fruit with a slotted spoon. Drain well before loading drying trays.
Fruit Juice Dip. Dip peaches, apples, or banana slices into 1 quart undiluted pineapple juice or 1 quart lukewarm water into which ¼ cup lemon juice has been stirred. Let fruits remain in the dip for no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well before drying.
TESTING DRIED FOODS
Before dried foods are stored, they should be tested to be sure enough moisture has been removed. If the foods have not been adequately dried, it is possible for mold and bacteria to grow and cause decay. Well-dried foods will vary from a moisture content of 5 percent for leafy vegetables, such as spinach, to 25 percent for juicy acid fruits, such as apricots. You can judge the percent of moisture by weighing the food before and after drying. One pound of fresh tomatoes will weigh 4 ounces when properly dried to a moisture level of 25 percent.
All dried foods should be cooled before testing for drying because warm foods feel more moist than when they have cooled. In general, dried foods feel dry when they are squeezed.
Root vegetables, squash, and pumpkin are dry when they are tough and leathery, still pliable, but with no moisture in the center. Celery should be hard and brittle. To test, cut through the center with a knife or take a bite of it.
Green beans should be dark green and leathery. Greens, such as spinach, should be brittle enough to crumble in the hands. Corn, peas, and dry beans should be dry enough to shatter or split in half when tapped with a hammer.
Fruits are dry when leathery enough that several pieces will spring back without sticking together after being squeezed. Fruits such as peaches, pears, apples, and plums should remain pliable. Berries, rhubarb, and lemon or orange peel should be crisp and brittle. Banana slices may be crisp or slightly pliable, depending on the thickness of the slices and the method of pretreatment.
Fruit leathers are still slightly sticky to the touch when they are dried, but will pull away from the plastic wrap easily. For long-term storage, dry leathers until they are no longer sticky.
Herb leaves are dry enough for storage when they are so brittle they will crumble easily in your hands.
tip Leathers have almost as many names as they have uses. The first settlers in the Old West made leathers to preserve the goodness of fruits and vegetables that would otherwise have gone to waste. They called them “papers” because of their paper-thinness, or “fruit leathers” because of their pliable, leathery texture. Today they may be called fruit rolls or fruit taffy because of their delicious, candylike taste.
STORING DRIED FOODS
Dried foods should be stored in small batches that are either vacuum-packed or sealed in airtight, insect-proof containers — glass or plastic jars or plastic freezer bags (avoid lightweight plastic, which can be slightly porous).
After the dried food has cooled, place it in a storage container and seal tightly. Don’t delay this step, or the dried produce will begin to accumulate moisture. Watch for signs of moisture inside the jars or bags. If moisture appears, either the food is not dry or the container was not properly sealed. If there are no signs of mold, return the food to the dehydrator for further drying. Moldy foods should be thrown out.
Fruit leathers can be rolled in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Stand the rolls in a metal or glass container — clean, dry coffee cans work well — and seal with a tight-fitting lid.
Because their flavors are easily lost, herbs, herb mixtures,