September 4, 2003

Prairie Fare: Drying Foods is Fun for Family

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Chances are you may have some dried foods in your kitchen cupboards. Raisins, of course, were once grapes, and prunes were plums. In fact, prunes are now known as "dried plums" commercially, because plums are viewed as more appealing.

Besides raisins, various dried fruits are common in many popular cereals. They add flavor, sweetness and sometimes, color.

For avid campers and hikers, dried foods are light and portable compared to their high-moisture, perishable counterparts. Banana chips, apple rings and fruit leathers are easy-to-make nutritious snacks that kids can help prepare at home. If kids help dry vegetables, which are later used in vegetable soups, they might be more tempted to eat the vegetable soup, too.

Drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. When water is removed from food, bacteria, yeasts and molds are not able to grow as readily. Foods become more compact and safe for an extended length of time at room temperature.

Food may be dried in the out-of-doors using the heat of the sun (and protected from insects and birds with a cheesecloth or screen covering). Tomatoes and raisins are commonly sun-dried. Beans may be vine-dried. Both sun-dried fruits and vine-dried beans, however, should be pasteurized by freezing for 48 hours or by heating in a 160 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Food dehydrators are available for indoor drying. If you choose to buy one, be sure it has a thermostat from 85 to 160 degrees, a dial for regulating temperature, a fan, at least four trays made of sturdy plastic and a timer.

Home ovens may also be used for occasional food dehydrating, but it might disrupt everyday cooking so it probably isn’t the most viable option for drying lots of produce. Oven drying is slower than dehydrator drying and takes more energy.

Following are directions from the University of Georgia Extension Service for fruit leather. Homemade fruit leather is easy to make and usually less expensive than commercial types. Children love to help make this simple snack, too. The added advantage is that you can mix fruit flavors and adjust sugar content to suit your tastes. Artificial sweeteners can be used in place of sugar, and you can use fresh, frozen or canned fruit.

Fruit Leather

Select ripe or slightly overripe fruit. Wash fruit in cool water, remove peel, seeds and stems. Cut fruit into chunks, and use about 2 cups of fruit for each 13" x 15" pan of fruit leather. Puree fruit in blender until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid for each 2 cups of light-colored fruit to prevent darkening. If desired add corn syrup, honey or sugar. For longer storage, use corn syrup or honey. If the fruit leather will be used immediately, use sugar (because it crystallizes during storage). Commercial apple sauce may be dried on its own as described here or may be used as an extender.

Cookie/jelly roll pans with edges (13 inches by 15 inches) work well if leather will be dried in an oven. Line with plastic wrap; do not use waxed paper or foil. Food dehydrators often have special inserts for fruit leather.

Pour pureed fruit mixture into pan, spreading evenly, about 1/8 inch thick, and staying away from pan edges. The optimum temperature for drying fruit leather is 140 degrees (usually the lowest oven setting works but use an oven thermometer to check). Keep the oven door open two to six inches and a fan near the door – but be especially cautious about keeping young children away from the oven. A commercial dehydrator is a safer option for use around children. Fruit leather will take up to 18 hours to dry in an oven, or 6 to 8 hours in a food dehydrator.

To test for doneness, touch center of fruit leather. No indentation should appear. Peel from plastic while warm; roll, allow to cool and rewrap in plastic. During initial cooling phase, leather may be cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Fruit leather will keep for about 1 month at room temperature.

Nutritional value varies depending on type of fruit and amount of sugar/sweetener added.

For more information about food preservation, visit the NDSU Extension Service Web site: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

[Editors: We’ve updated the illustrated column identifier for Julie Garden-Robinson’s Prairie Fare column. If you’re using an older version or if you would like to use the identifier, please download this printable EPS file. Prairie Fare (142 Kb eps file)]