How to dry vegetables at home, the pros and cons of various ways

Lack of sunlight, lack of fruits and vegetables in the menu, vitamin deficiencies in the winter and spring provoke weakening of the immune system, increase the risk of infection with a cold and avitaminosis. Dried fruits and vegetables will help to cope with this problem. How to dry the workpiece for the winter at home.

What vegetables can be dried

The variety of products that are suitable for drying at home - from dill and potatoes to bananas and watermelons, is impressive. Drying peppers, carrots, beets that make up an excellent set for cooking borscht is in demand among hostesses. Dried herbs of greens will add aroma and piquancy to food.

Not dried fruits oversaturated with moisture and signs of damage

Dried fruits are a concentrate of useful substances that exist in fresh analogues.

The benefits and harms of dried vegetables

To save and stockpile supplies for the winter, dried products. This method has advantages, but not without its weaknesses.

Advantages of admission:

• safety of vitamins, nutrients, taste;
• suitability for the diet of children, the sick and the elderly;
• possibility of use in camping trips, on picnics;
• duration of preservation dry;
• elementary procurement process;
• ease of use of dried supplies;
• space saving during storage of products;
• There is no need for costs for complex household equipment.

Garden vegetables are dried under natural conditions, as well as in a gas or electric oven, dryers and microwaves

The disadvantages of this technology include:

• the mass and volume of raw materials in the finished form are significantly lost - up to 90% by weight;
• useful substances are lost - up to 30% of vitamin C and trace elements;
• cooking is complicated due to excessive dryness and harshness of the product;
• drying is not suitable for all fruits;
• sometimes vegetables are affected by mold.

Drying vegetables in the oven at home

Artificial method of drying fruits is popular among users. The advantages include the availability of equipment in each kitchen of the apartment or cottage.

Baking sheet covered with parchment paper, lay out the cooked products and put on the top shelf

When using the oven set the minimum temperature and keep the door open. After 25 minutes, move the vegetables down, bring to readiness. Important! Juice extraction means partial drying. Cracking the root during compression signals the unavailability of vegetable harvesting.

The disadvantages of the method are associated with the need to dry vegetable products in several stages so that they do not turn into crackers. As a rule, it takes 2 or 3 days to harvest vegetables.

Drying in the dryer

You can use the device, created specifically for harvesting dried products for the winter. The distinctive feature of the reception:

• convenience;
• time costs - several hours;
• uniform heating is provided by the air convection option.

In order to speed up vegetable processing in an electric drier, it is necessary to lay the fruit with the skin down and lightly press on the pulp to activate the evaporation of the liquid.

Some samples of devices, such as VOLTERA 1000 Lux, are additionally completed with a grid with a fine mesh, which is intended for drying small fruits: beans, peas, tomatoes. The ideal temperature is considered when drying in an electrical device: + 40 ... +60 ° C.

Imperfection of the workpiece:

• regular mixing, periodic change of location for uniformity of drying;
• power consumption.

Microwave Drying

Microwave allows you to get dried root vegetable in the shortest possible time. To the positive aspects of the option belongs:

• speed of operation;
• uniform drying;
• preservation of natural properties, color, smell.

Microwave dry vegetable in a few minutes

You will need a suitable container of ceramic or glass, which is lined with a paper towel. The cut fruits are put in 1 row and covered with a napkin on top. It is advisable to place in a microwave a glass with liquid and monitor the water content. Microwave turn on at full capacity and put the workpiece for a maximum of 3 minutes Monitor readiness. When the fruits are not brought to the condition, it takes 40 seconds to dry. It is valuable not to overdry products.

Disadvantages of admission:

• observance of the sizes of cutting;
• power consumption.

To ensure the diet of vitamin products, it is desirable to stock up on dried vegetables, and what method of house harvesting is preferable to choose the consumer. We recommend to read how to dry the cabbage and beets at home.