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TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DRYING FOOD
Drying is one of the methods of food preservation, in which they are heated and
subsequently water evaporates. By gently drying, the food retains a high proportion of
vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Proper storage guarantees the use of dried food
throughout the year.
Always use high quality ingredients. Choose ripe fruits and vegetables, not overripe, with
no signs of rot, mold or damage. The meat should be lean and fresh.
Preparation of food
Some vegetables or fruits you buy in the store may have a protective wax layer or be
chemically treated. It is therefore necessary to remove such a layer from fruit or vegetables
before processing. To do this, you can use a biodegradable cleaner or vinegar water and
then rinse the food with clean water. It is also possible to scrape the food before drying.
Note:
Always prepare only the amount that corresponds to the capacity of the dryer.
Fruit
Wash, dry the fruit thoroughly and remove the pits and cores. Cut into slices or pieces
of equal thickness. Pieces of different sizes can prolong the drying time and also cause
uneven drying of the food.
Leave small fruits, such as berries, whole. However, halve or slice larger fruits.
Dry the sliced fruit with a clean cloth or napkin.
Some fruits (e.g. apples, pears or apricots) oxidize in the air and cause the flesh to brown.
To prevent this, soak the sliced fruit in water with lemon or pineapple juice before drying,
and then dry with a clean cloth or napkin.
You will achieve interesting flavors if you drizzle the fruit with honey, sprinkle it with sugar,
cinnamon or coconut.
You can dip fruits with naturally hard skin (grapes, plums, or even figs) in boiling water
for 1-2 minutes to speed up the drying process. Then immediately immerse them in cold
water, cool, dry and cut into slices.
Place unpeeled fruit with the skin facing down and the cut surface facing up. Always place
uneven shapes on the edge of the skin, not on a flat surface.
Vegetables
Thoroughly clean and wash the vegetables. Cut into slices or pieces of equal thickness.
It is good to peel tomatoes before drying. Cut them and pour hot water on them. Let it
work on them for a while, the skin will loosen and it will be possible to peel it easily.
You can soak the chopped vegetables in salt water.
Some vegetables, such as root or cruciferous vegetables, berries, potatoes, should be
slightly cooked or steamed before drying.
Meat
You can dry beef, venison, poultry or fish. We recommend using lean meat that contains
as little fat as possible for drying. Lean meat requires a shorter drying time, while meat
with a higher fat content requires a longer drying time and in addition, the fat shortens its
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