Preparing Fruits and Vegetables for Pressing or Drying

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Preparing Fruits and Vegetables

Keep better color in your dried fruits and vegetables. The pre-treatment will be the same whether you plan to dry or press the fruit or vegetable. This treatment assumes that the fruits and vegetables are for decorative purposes and will not be eaten.

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When God blesses the harvest, there is enough for the thief as well as the gardener.

Preparing Fruits and Vegetables to be Dried

Pre-treat fruit by dipping in a sulfite, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or salt water solution. These methods are routinely used in preserving food for consumption, but the mixtures given are a bit stronger. Although not toxic, these treatments assume that the fruits and vegetables are for decorative purposes and will not be eaten.

Preserving Fruits With Sodium Bisulfite:
This is the preferred method for fruit. Mixing sodium bisulfite into water will release sulfur dioxide, which will penetrate the surface of the fruit to discourage oxidation and enzymatic browning. This works well as an anti-darkening agent.

Mix a solution of 1-2 tablespoons of bisulfite to a gallon of water. Soak sliced fruit for 5 minutes and halved or quartered fruit for 15 minutes. Rinse gently with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and begin the drying process.

Get food grade sodium bisulfite at wine-making supply stores or pharmacies. NOTE: Don't use sodium bisulfate. (use bisulfite with an "i", not bisulfate with an "a")

Preserving With Ascorbic Acid:
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) acts as an antioxidant. It helps keep fruit from darkening as it's being prepared for drying.

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of ascorbic acid crystals, or powder, or 5 one-gram vitamin C tablets into a quart of warm water. Slice or chop fruit directly into the solution. Drain fruit well, then dry.

Get ascorbic acid at a pharmacy or anywhere vitamins are sold.

Preserving With Salt Water:
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 quart of warm water. Slice or chop fruit directly into the saltwater. Soak about 10 minutes then pat dry.

You know how to get salt.

These pre-treatments help maintain good color, follow up by pressing or drying as you normally would. If you use the microwave for drying or pressing fruit I've found I get best results by starting at about 5 minutes on defrost.

Using a regular oven, load fruits and vegetables in a single layer onto cookie sheets or trays. Put the trays of fruit in the oven turn the oven on and let it heat to 150°, then turn it off. Check fruit and reheat the oven periodically to keep the temps up.