The Pilgrims found the Native Americans drying food. Pioneers used dried beef jerky and other dried foods as staples on their journeys across the country. More recently, Astronauts who landed on the moon enjoyed desserts of dried fruit.
PrinCiPles of dehydraTion There are no uniform rules that apply to all food dehydration pro- cesses. The best way to become proficient is to experiment using this booklet as a guideline and then adjust your techniques accordingly. Dehydrating is a method of heating the food to evaporate the mois- ture present and then removing the water vapor formed.
Pretreating Fruits & Vegetables Enzymes in fruit and vegetables are responsible for color and flavor changes during ripening. These changes will continue during drying and storage unless the produce is pretreated to slow down enzyme activity. Blanching (immersing briefly in boiling water) can be used in the pre- treatment of vegetables.
Before drying pretreated food, remove any excess moisture by plac- ing the food on paper towels or clean cloths. Trays should be loaded with a thin layer of food as directed. If needed, clean cheesecloth can be spread on the trays to prevent food pieces from sticking or falling through.
reConsTiTuTing foods Not all dehydrated foods need to be reconstituted. Some fruits are preferable in their dried form. Most vegetables taste better when reconstituted. To reconstitute vegetables for cooking, merely wash product in clean water, then place in an amount of cold, unsalted water and cover. Soak 2 to 8 hours.
helPful TiPs and reminders always use fresh, quality food and wash everything before starting to dehydrate 1. best results are achieved when the quality of the food is high. Select ripe produce in good condition. Bad food may give an off-flavor to the entire lot. 2.
mosT imPorTanT The food dehydrator has two vents (adjustable lid vents and base vents) in order to maintain adequate circulation while dehydrating. do not operate with lid or bottom vent blocked or closed at any time, as this will interfere with proper airflow. Occasionally check to see if your food is dehydrated.
It is recommended that raw meat be boiled/blanched at 160°F before dehydrating. raw meat for beef Jerky: Any kind of beef is good for making Beef Jerky. The secret is to trim off all of the fat before slicing. In many cases, your local supermarket butcher will slice the selected meat for you free of charge.
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greaT Jerky reCiPes Classic marinade for beef, fish or Turkey Jerky Makes enough for 4 pounds of meat 1/2 lb brown sugar 3 cups soy sauce Spices of your choosing 1⁄4 cup liquid smoke (optional) Mix ingredients in bowl and let stand while you are cutting the meat. Place beef, fish or turkey into the bowl of marinade, secure lid and let stand about 10 minutes.
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hot & Tangy Jerky marinade Makes enough for 4 pounds of meat 1 tsp salt 2 cloves crushed garlic 1/4 tsp cracked pepper 2 tbsp steak sauce 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp paprika Combine ingredients and rub thoroughly into sliced meat.
drying Table for fruiTs & VegeTables The times given are approximate. your drying times will vary with room temperature, humidity, moisture content of the food, how thinly the food is sliced, how many trays you are using, and personal preference. Keep vents open completely when drying moisture heavy foods like watermelon, close vents slightly when drying low moisture foods like carrots.
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Fruit Preparation Dryness Test 3-5 Tray Brussels Cut sprouts from stalks, cut in half Brittle 1 - 1 1/2 days Sprouts length wise through stem. Broccoli Trim and cut as usual. Steam until Brittle 1 - 1 1/2 days tender - 3 to 5 minutes. Cabbage Trim. Slice into strips 1/8˝ thick. Leathery 1 day Carrots Select young tender roots. Steam Leathery 1 - 1 1/2 days until tender. Cut into slices, shreds, cubes or strips. Cauliflower Separate into flowerets. Place in Leathery 1 - 1 1/2 days 2 quarts of water (with 3 table- spoons salt) for 3 minutes. Steam until tender. Brittle 1 - 1 1/2 days Celery Separate stalks from leaves. Cut stalks into 1/4˝ slices. Leaves dry first, so remove when dry. Flake leaves after drying, for use in soups, stews, etc.
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Fruit Preparation Dryness Test 3-5 Tray Mushrooms S elect mushrooms with cap Leathery to brittle 1 - 1 1/2 days curling under-these are young and depending on size. tender. Wipe off with damp paper towels or brush gently to remove dirt. Nectarines N o need to peel. Halve and Brittle 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 days remove pit. Cut in 1/4˝ slices and (3 tray max) arrange on tray. Onions and Peels and cut into 1/2˝ slices or Leathery 1 - 1 1/2 days Leeks nuggets, or chop. Stir several times during drying. Okra U se young pods. Trim and cut into Leathery 1 - 2 days 1/4˝ circles. Orange Rind P eel in long strips and dry. Do not Brittle 1 - 1 1/2 days grate until ready to use.
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Fruit Preparation Dryness Test 3-5 Tray Plums Cut in half and remove pits. Pliable 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 days (3 tray max) Pumpkin Bake or steam small pieces until Leathery 2 days & Hubbard tender. Cut into strips 1 to 3 Squash inches wide, peel and remove pulp. Slice strips 1/2˝ thick. Scrape pulp, place in blender to puree. Dry with paper towels. Rhubarb U se only tender stalks. Wash, cut No visible 1- 1 1/2 days in 1˝ lengths. moisture Rutabagas Same as carrots, but slice thin. Leathery 1-1 1/2 days Tomatoes R emove stems. To remove skin, Leathery 1 - 2 1/2 days dip briefly in boiling water then (max 3 trays) peel. Cut in halves or slices.
fruiT reCiPes glazed banana Cinnamon Chips Slice Bananas into lemon juice or ascorbic acid. Drain on paper towel. Arrange on tray. Sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinna- mon. Dry to shiny crispness. honey glazed banana Chips Slice bananas and dip into a glaze of 1/4 cup honey thinned with 1/4 cup water.
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spiced Peach Pie Soak 1 1⁄2 cups dried peaches in the refrigerator overnight. Then stew until soft (about 45 minutes). Chop peaches. Add a mixture of: 1 1⁄2 tablespoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons flour 1⁄2 cup white or brown sugar 4 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons water 1⁄8 teaspoon salt Add mixture to peaches and stir lightly.
1 cup pecans or almonds, chopped Mix all ingredients together until evenly distributed. Spread out on de- hydrator tray lined with cheese cloth or use the Ronco Herb Screen (sold separately). Dry until crispy, then store in an air-tight container or in resealable plastic bags.
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food dehydrator Clay 2 cups flour 1 cup salt 1 cup water Mix flour and salt together, then add water. Blend mixture by hand. Knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes into a pliable, moist ball. Roll dough on a well-floured surface, adding flour to the top of the dough so it will not stick.
herbs Most herbs dry overnight. You will have about one pound of dry herbs for every eight pounds of fresh herbs. Dried herbs retain their flavor best if they are crushed just before using. Home dehydration saves a lot of money. Dry chives, oregano, basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, pars- ley, mint, peppers and almost any herb you can find.
Puree with a kitchen blender or food processor and add a little fruit juice. Sweeten to taste with sugar, honey or fruit juice. Pour the puree onto the Ronco Fruit Rollup & Liquid Tray Insert (sold separately) or cover an entire tray with plastic food wrap. Be sure to cut out the middle hole to allow the hot air to circulate up through the center of the trays.
Do not use oil sprays on the trays. one year limiTed WarranTy Ronco, warrants to the original purchaser-owner of this new product that it is free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year from documented date of purchase. We will repair or replace any part of the product, which in our opinion is defective, provided the product has not been abused, misused, altered or damaged after purchase.
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