ADVANTAGES OF DRYING FOODS.—While preserving foods by drying does not take the place of canning foods and storing them in jars or cans, it has certain advantages, viz.:

1. Little storage space is required for dried foods.

2. Dried foods can be stored in containers that cannot be used for canning.

When foods are dried, they may be reduced in bulk as much as 90 per cent; for example, 10 pounds of fresh food may be reduced to 1 pound of dried food. By this reduction no food value is lost, and the flavor is not greatly changed.

Dried foods may be stored in paper bags and boxes which are much less expensive containers than glass jars or tin cans. Hence if space is limited and glass or tin containers are difficult to secure or are expensive, drying may prove a very satisfactory method of preserving food.

METHODS OF DRYING AND DRIERS.—Food may be dried by:

1. Sun.

2. Steam (placing food on a specially constructed tray (see Figure 93) which is heated with steam).

3. Stove or oven drying (placing food above a stove or in the oven).

4. Fan drying (placing an electric fan near the food).

A combination of these methods, especially the two latter, is often used in drying foods.

Plates or dishes may serve as driers when the drying is done in the oven. Trays for drying may be constructed at home or they may be purchased. Most of them consist of a wood or metal frame over which wire netting is tacked. Single trays or a series of trays one placed above the other may serve as driers. When drying is accomplished by heat from a stove, the drier is hung over a stove or it rests on the top of the stove. In the latter case, it is necessary that the frame of the tray be constructed so that the bottom tray does not rest directly on the stove. In case the drying is done over a kerosene stove, the bottom of the tray must be of tin or galvanized iron to protect the food from kerosene fumes. The lowest tray must be placed at least 4 inches above the metal bottom.

SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF VEGETABLES FOR DRYING.—To secure the best results, select mature but fresh vegetables. They should be in good condition, free from blemish.

Certain foods, such as berries, cherries, peas, lima and shell beans, are dried whole. Most vegetables should be cut into slices from 1/8 to 1/4 inch in thickness. The slicing may be done with a paring or kitchen knife, or it may be done by means of a slaw-cutter or a rotary chopper. Foods are sometimes cut into pieces for drying by means of the food chopper. It is necessary that all knives and cutting devices be clean. There should be no discoloration of the vegetable from the cutting utensil. It has been found advisable to blanch most vegetables before drying. The method of blanching given previously can be used in drying vegetables as well as canning them. Foods are not cold-dipped, however, after blanching when they are to be dried. Fruits are usually not blanched before drying.

FOOD PRESERVATION

METHOD OF DRYING FOODS.—Place the prepared food on drying trays. Unless the drying is done in the oven, cover the food with cheese-cloth. If possible, tack the cloth to the frame so that no dust or insects can come in contact with the food. Stir or turn foods once or twice a day while they are drying. This is especially necessary when foods are dried in the sun.

If the food is to be dried in the sun, place the tray containing the food in the sun, where there is a breeze. If it rains, take the trays indoors. Also bring the trays indoors just before sunset.

If food is to be dried by means of steam, a special device is needed (see Figure 93). The device consists of a large pan for holding water and a hollow tray. The under surface of the tray has an opening about the size of the diameter of the pan. To this opening is fastened a collar which fits snugly into the pan. The pan filled with water is placed over a burner. When the water boils, the steam rises and fills the hollow tray and escapes by means of the small pipe in the upper surface of the tray. The food is placed on the upper surface and is dried by steam heat.

If the food is to be dried in the oven, place the food on suitable trays. Oven drying is much more satisfactorily done if the oven is provided with a thermometer. The temperature for drying foods is much less than that of boiling water,—it varies from 115 degrees to 175 degrees F. It is often necessary to keep the oven door open so that the temperature does not become too high.

[Illustration: FIGURE 93.—-DRIER FOR VEGETABLES OR FRUITS.]

If food is dried over a stove in a series of trays one placed above the other, the position of the trays should be changed so that the food may be uniformly dried.

If food is dried by means of an electric fan, the fan should be so placed that the current of air is directed along the trays lengthwise. The drying will be most rapid nearest the fan; hence it is necessary to change the position of the tray or of the food every few hours. Foods may be dried in less than 24 hours by means of an electric fan. A few foods such as sliced string beans may be dried in a few hours. Before drying by means of a fan, food should be blanched. It is also necessary to heat food dried in this way in an oven at 180 degrees F. for 10 or 15 minutes before storing.

Testing for Sufficient Drying and Conditioning.—The time for drying varies with the method of drying and the kind of food. A definite time of drying cannot be stated. There are some tests which may be applied in determining when a food is sufficiently dried. The following is quoted from the Bulletin of the National War Garden Commission, Victory Edition, p. 22:

"When first taken from the drier, vegetables should be rather brittle and fruits rather leathery and pliable. One method of determining whether fruit is dry enough is to squeeze a handful; if the fruit separates when the hand is opened, it is dry enough. Another way is to press a single piece; if no moisture comes to the surface the piece is sufficiently dry. Berries are dry enough if they stick to the hand but do not crush when squeezed."

When the food is judged to be sufficiently dried, it should be placed in boxes or bowls and covered with clean cloths. The dried foods should be stirred or poured from one container to another once a day for 10 days or two weeks. If at the end of this time the food is found to be moist, it must be subjected to the drying process for a short time. After the second drying, it should be treated as directed above. If the food is observed for several days and found to be dry, it may be stored away. This process of testing and making them sufficiently dry after removing from the drier is termed conditioning.

DRIED CORN

Select such sweet corn for drying as you would for immediate table use. Blanch the corn (on the cob) for 8 to 12 minutes in boiling water. Drain thoroughly. Then cut the corn from the cob as directed in Lesson IV. Dry by subjecting to a temperature of 130 degrees F. gradually increased to 140 degrees F. Stir the corn often. It is sufficiently dried when it is hard and semi-transparent.

(Adapted from Bulletin of the National War Garden Commission, Victory
Edition.)

TABLE FOR BLANCHING AND DRYING [Footnote 134: From Bulletin of the National War Garden Commission, Victory Edition]

The following table shows blanching time for vegetables and the temperatures to be used in drying by artificial heat.

VEGETABLES BLANCHING TEMPERATURE
TIME (FAHRENHEIT)
Minutes Degrees

Beets 2 120 to 145
Cabbage 3 to 4 115 to 135
Carrots 2 120 to 145
Cauliflower 4 to 6 120 to 130
Celery 2 to 3 135
Figs 120 to 140
Garden peas 3 to 5 115 to 140
Green string beans 5 to 8 130 to 145
Lima beans 3 150
Okra 3 115 to 135
Onions 140
Parsnips 2 120 to 145
Potatoes 2 to 3 125 to 150
Prunes - 130 to 175
Pumpkin and winter squash 3 to 6 135 to 160
Spinach 2 130
Summer squash 3 to 6 135 to 160
Sweet corn 8 to 12 130 to 140
Sweet potatoes 6 to 8 145 to 165
Tomatoes 1 1/2 120 to 140
Turnips 1 to 2 135 to 165
Wax beans 3 150

Fruits

Apples 130 to 175
Apricots 130 to 165
Berries 130 to 155
Cherries 120 to 150
Peaches 130 to 165
Pears 130 to 175
Plums 130 to 165

QUESTIONS

Under what conditions do you think it would be advisable to dry foods rather than can them?

Name the advantages of dried over canned foods and the advantages of canned over dried.

From what you have learned regarding the cooking of dried fruits and dried peas and beans, how would you cook home-dried vegetables?

Give a reason for each step of the process.

Why is it necessary to stir foods occasionally while drying?

Why is oven drying of foods much more satisfactory when the oven is provided with a thermometer?

Explain why it is necessary to condition dried foods before storing.