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Home and Farm Food Preservation
Food Preservation Recipes
Chapter XXIX - Recipes for Drying Vegetables


Vegetables may be readily sun dried in most climates but the quality of sun dried vegetables is usually not so high as that of artificially dried vegetables. Sun dried vegetables are usually exposed to attacks by insects, and insect eggs are usually deposited upon them during drying. This makes it imperative to sterilize vegetables that have been dried in the sun, to make certain that they will not be destroyed by insects during storage later. Careful attention should he therefore paid to the directions given in the various recipes for the sterilization of dried vegetables.

(83) Sun Drying String Beans and Peas.

1. String the beans and break into lengths as for cooking. Shell the peas. Peas and beans for drying should he young and tender. The vegetables will not become so tough during drying if they are parboiled 10 minutes before drying.

2. Spread on trays in the sun. Allow to dry about one-half day in sun. Then stack the trays one above the other or place the trays in the shade to finish drying. This will prevent bleaching.

3. Processing and Storing. Dip in boiling water for 1/2 to 1 mm. when dry to kill insect eggs; dry in the sun a few hours and pack in insect proof packages. Or the dried vegetables may he sterilized by heating in an oven long enough to heat them through thoroughly. This is a very satisfactory method. Peas are liable to attack by weevils unless sterilized as above.

(84) Sun Drying Corn.

1. Use freshly picked sweet corn. Cook in boiling water for 10 min. Remove and cut from the cob.

2. Spread on trays and dry in the sun.

3. Sterilize and store as directed for peas and beans. (Recipe 83.)

(85) Sun Drying Irish Potatoes.

1. Cook until almost done. Peel.

2. Slice and spread on trays. Dry in the sun until brittle.

3. Alternative Method. Peel. Slice the raw potatoes and spread on trays. Expose to sulphur fumes for 20 min. Dry in sun.

4. Storing. As in Recipe 83.

(86) Sun Drying Sweet Potatoes.

1. Cook with skins on until almost done. Peel and slice.

2. Dry in the sun.

3. Store as in Recipe 83.

(87) Sun Drying Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Cabbage, and Cauliflower.

1. Peel and slice carrots and turnips. Slice the cabbage. Break the cauliflower heads into small pieces. Place on trays.

2. Expose to fumes of burning sulphur for 30 to 40 min. (See Chap. XII, par. 64, for description of sulphuring box.)

3. Dry in the sun. Store as in Recipe 83.

4. Alternative Method. Prepare as in 1. Parboil in boiling water 10 min. Spread on trays and dry in the sun. This method produces darker colored dried vegetables than where sulphur is used but is probably better adapted to household use.

(88) Sun Drying of Beets, Pumpkin, and Squash.

1. Peel and cut in slices about 3/8 in. thick. Place on trays and dry in the sun. No sulphuring or parboiling are necessary.

2. It will usually be necessary to turn the vegetables occasionally during drying to prevent molding.

3. Store as directed in Recipe 83.

4. Alternative Method for Beets. Parboil the beets until they may be peeled easily. Peel, slice and dry.

(89) Sun Drying Tomatoes.

1. Use ripe firm fruit. Cut in half and place on trays with cut side uppermost.

2. Expose to fumes of burning sulphur for 1/2 hours.

3. Dry in the sun.

4. Alternative Method. Cut in half and sprinkle cut surfaces with salt. Dry in the sun. This gives a darker product.

5. Process and store as in Recipe 83.

(90) Sun Drying Peppers.

1. Use ripe red peppers.

2. String on a coarse thread and hang the peppers in the sun until almost dry. Hang in the kitchen to complete drying.

3. Storing. A good way to store dried peppers is to merely hang them from the ceiling or a nail on the string on which they were dried. No processing is necessary.

(91) Drying Vegetables in an Artificial Evaporator.

1. Prepare for drying as directed in Recipes 83 to 90, inclusive. Use an evaporator with wire screen trays and equipped with a thermometer. Any of the forms described and figured in Chap. XII, par. 67 may be used.

2. Begin drying at 110º F. and gradually increase the temperature to 145° F. until vegetables are brittle dry.

3. Allow the vegetables to stand in a bin or box securely covered with a cloth to exclude insects. They will in a few days absorb enough moisture to become leathery and tough.

4. Store in insect proof packages. If cloth or burlap bags are used, first tie in paper to exclude insects. Store in a dry place.


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