Pre-Treatment Of Foods - Weston Realtree OUTFITTERS 75-0301-RT Mode D'emploi

PRE-TREATMENT OF FOODS

As with most types of cooking, proper preparation is essential for successful results.
Adhering to a few basic guidelines will greatly increase the quality of your dried foods
and decrease the amount of time necessary to dry them.
Pre-treated foods often taste better and have a better appearance than non-treated
foods. There are several methods to pre-treat food to prevent oxidation, which will
darken apples, pears, peaches and bananas while drying:
• Remove any pits, skin or cores.
• Shred, slice or dice the food uniformly. Slices should be between 1/4" (0.6 cm)
and 3/4" (1.9 cm) thick. Meats should be cut no more than 3/16" (0.5 cm) thick.
• Steam or roast meat to 160˚F (71
with a food thermometer before dehydrating.
• The temperature of the Dehydrator must be maintained at 130-140˚F (55-60
throughout the drying process.
• Drying fish into jerky requires a lot of attention. It must be cleaned and de-boned
properly and rinsed thoroughly to ensure that all the blood is washed away. Steam or
bake the fish at 200˚F (93
• Soak cut fruit in either lemon or pineapple juice for a few minutes before placing
out on the Dehydrating Trays.
• Use an ascorbic acid mix which can be purchased in most health food stores or
pharmacies. It may come in either powder or tablet form. Dissolve approximately 2-3
tablespoons into 1 quart (1 liter) of water. Soak the fruit slices into the solution for 2-3
minutes, then place on the Dehydrating Trays.
• Fruits with a wax coating (figs, peaches, grapes, blueberries, prunes, etc.) should
be dipped in boiling water to remove the wax. This allows moisture to escape easily
when dehydrating.
• Blanching can pre-treat food for dehydrating. Blanching does not destroy helpful
enzymes and helps retain nutrients. There are two ways to blanch food:
1. WATER BLANCHING: (Water Blanching will leave a cooked flavor)
Use a large pan; fill it half way with water. Bring water to a boil. Place food
directly into boiling water and cover. Remove after three minutes. Arrange
food on the Dehydrating Trays.
2. STEAM BLANCHING: Using steamer pot bring 2-3" (5-7 cm) of water
to a boil in bottom section. Place food in steamer basket and steam for 3-5
minutes. Remove steamed food and arrange on Dehydrating Trays.
CAUTION! It is important to follow the "Food Safety" guidelines outlined in this
manual. For the most up to date instruction visit the USDA website.
C) and poultry to 165˚F (74
o
C) until flaky before dehydrating.
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-7-
C) as measured
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C)
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