Preparation is the key to surviving an emergency with dehydrated foods.
Be prepared by having a supply of food for an emergency. Use a food dehydrator to make meats, fruits, vegetables and snacks readily available for emergencies. Dehydrating food removes moisture by moving heated dry air over the foods for long-term storage, while keeping vitamins and minerals intact. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Cut fruits, such as strawberries, kiwi, bananas, peaches, apricots, pineapples or apples in thin slices with a sharp knife. To prevent oxidation (turning brown), place fruit slices in a solution of lemon or lime juice (one quart of water to one cup of juice), for three to five minutes. Drain fruit slices on paper towels. You can also use ascorbic acid crystals or blanching for pre-treating the fruit. Fruits should be dehydrated at 140 degrees F. Properly dehydrated fruits should be leathery, with no obvious moisture left in them.
2. Cut vegetables in thin slices with a sharp knife. Use carrots, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers mushrooms or green vegetables. Put slices in a wire basket and blanch or steam in boiling water for three to eight minutes to pre-treat. Correctly dehydrated vegetables should be leatherly and curve back when bent.
3. Dehydrate pre-packaged or pre-cooked thinly sliced ham, turkey, or beef. Make homemade jerky by soaking the slices in a Worcestershire sauce marinade. Heat meat to 160 degrees F in marinade prior to dehydration. Dry at 140 degrees F. Dehydrated meat should snap or break when completely dry.
4. Make homemade strawberry or applesauce fruit roll-ups by purchasing pureed fruit or pureeing your own in a blender or food processor. Cut a piece of plastic wrap to fit the food dehydrator tray, leaving a hole in the center. Place the plastic wrap on the tray. Pour a thin layer of the pureed fruit on top. Spread it with the back of a spoon. Drying time is approximately three to six hours depending on your machine. When dry, lift and peel the fruit roll-ups off the plastic. They will be sticky, but you will be able to remove the roll-ups from the plastic wrap.
5. Dehydrate fruit for emergency storage.
Place the prepared sliced foods on the dehydrator trays so that they are not touching. Dry foods at 140 degrees F or higher. Follow dehydrator manufacturer's directions.
6. Test or condition the foods after drying by cooling them on wire racks, and then place them in an airtight container with lid. Store in a warm, dry place. Shake or stir the container contents once a day for two weeks to equalize any moisture left in the foods. Make sure there is no condensation on the lid, which causes spoilage. Discard any moldy food immediately.
7. Place the dehydrated foods in separate heavy plastic bags or glass containers with lids. Keep in a cool, dry place.
Tags: plastic wrap, dehydrated foods, food dehydrator, fruit roll-ups, fruit slices