Drying vegetables: Varieties dry differently
The more water the vegetable contains, the longer it will take to dry. Seasoning vegetables such as celery, for example, are well suited for seasoning mixtures.
- Basically, you can dry all vegetables. Since each vegetable contains a different amount of water, it takes different amounts of time until it is completely dry.
- This is important so that the vegetables can be kept for a long time and do not go moldy. Therefore, you should always dry the vegetables until they no longer contain any moisture.
- Carrots, tomatoes, and zucchini, as well as mushrooms, are very suitable for drying. But you can also preserve peppers, celery, and leeks in this way.
- Herbs such as dill, thyme, chili peppers, or chives, for example, are just as suitable for drying as vegetables. You can then process the vegetables together with the dried herbs into a seasoning.
- Onions and garlic are also great for drying. You can use it to make onion or garlic powder, for example.
Always keep the dried vegetables in a dry, dark, and light-protected place. So you can keep it for years.
You should keep this in mind when drying vegetables
Depending on how you dry your vegetables, you have to consider different things.
- For a natural result, it is best to air dry your vegetables. It is very important that drying takes place in a very dry place with low humidity.
- Otherwise, the dry vegetables will draw in moisture from the air. As a result, it spoils faster because it hasn’t dried out completely.
- Air drying takes many days or weeks. Therefore, put the vegetables in a place where they will not disturb you.
- A dehydrator is best for drying vegetables. The drying process only takes a few hours and can be individually adapted to each type of vegetable. Because your vegetables are dried in a dark place, they retain their color and look much more appetizing.
- Incidentally, a dehydrator is suitable for large quantities of vegetables that you need to dry.