TIP OF THE DAY: Home Dehydrating

January 18, 2012 at 8:56 am · Filed under Fruits, Nuts & Seeds, Salts-Seasonings-Herbs-Spices, Tip Of The Day

Chef Johnny Gnall hasn’t made kale chips yet (see the review), but he does dehydrate.

Dehydrated foods are used in a myriad of applications, says Chef Johnny. From Michelin-star kitchens to backwoods cabins full of deer jerky, people have long been removing the moisture from their food in a variety of ways. The technique began thousands of years, initially to preserve meat and other foods.

You can purchase a dehydrator (they’re reasonably priced—here’s a good model) and dehydrate your favorite fruits and veggies into crisp snacks—with no preservatives, sugar or salt.

You can also dry meat, fish, granola, herbs and flowers (to decorate cakes or make your own potpourri and sachets). It‘s easy to get hooked on dehydrating.

You don’t need a dehydrator like this one, but it helps! Photo courtesy Nesco.

But unless you plan to make a lot of jerky or dried fruit and veggie snacks, an electric dehydrator may not be worth the space it takes up. If you simply want to experiment at home, just head to the hardware store for a dessicant.

A desiccant—familiar as the small, white silica gel packets placed in some packages of foods and in boxes of shoes—absorbs moisture. Desiccants are made in a variety of forms but not all are safe near food. So go for the small white packets, which are.

Then, all you need is some cheesecloth, a plastic food storage container and an airtight plastic bag to place it in.

What food should you dehydrate? Stick to fruits and vegetables. This simple technique isn’t successful for jerky.

RECIPE: DEHYDRATED CITRUS RIND

While dehydrated citrus rind isn’t a snack like dried apple chips or carrot slices, it will provide you with a delicious seasoning that works in certain situations that don’t work with fresh lemon, lime, grapefruit or orange zest.

A favorite way to use dehydrated citrus rind is to grind it and add it to savory rubs for meat and fish. Try it finely ground in whipped cream: It will add an earthy twist to your favorite dessert. Experiment with your daily recipes to see where it best adds a flavor spark.

Dried foods have a long shelf life in airtight containers, so you can fill your shelves with little jars of your creations for creative cooking. You may find yourself unlocking some unique flavors.

Preparation

Cut. With a sharp paring knife, remove the rind from the citrus in strips, avoiding as much of the bitter white pith as possible. Lay the strips flat and use the small knife to shave or scrape off any remaining pith, which contains water and will inhibit the drying process.

Dry. Place a few of the desiccant packs in the food storage container and stretch a piece of cheesecloth across the top, securing it in place with a rubber band or some string. Lay the strips of rind on the cloth, then carefully place the container into the plastic bag and seal it (don’t use the top of the container).

Wait. Set it aside. In a few days, the peels should become shriveled, hard and ready to grind. Success! (In an electric dehydrator, the food will be dehydrated in hours, not days.)

The dehydration procedure alters the citrus flavor profile somewhat, concentrating it and adding a slightly different shade of citrus to your kitchen’s repertoire.

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