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Show I fiio Dry Look: yj(jc, Goodie d k. K s.- litM of energy and 'f, food drying. $ ardenCr0P" k -ilitr example. well, and is J JS. B " dr,es "So salty, crisp IpfB crops' o( peaches, iera to ripen at dried into fn.it fordriedfruitpieces ' -ous additions to all hes, or to eat out of 1 ,((is lose considera-, considera-, unprocessed so : is easier. And they longtime. Properly J lots can be kept for 'i years. I i1PMENT for drying ss complex as mo-. mo-. ydrators complete r, and thermostats. Or :is as a screen tray and ' dry day. ,,(Sly, the steps are Focd is washed and c then prepared for 'w blanching a few :s in boiling water or ; 0( by treating it with ",or other chemicals. its steps, the food is on trays outdoors, in or a special dryer, jh. until it is dry. i !i SURE to use only 1 ripe foods, cleaned iree of defects, for all :ruit leathers, overripe i, -n spoiled) fruit and old 1 1 -ed fruit (with liquid off) also can be used. " i'lEMOVE stones or pits 3 rait; peel or leave un--ed, depending on taste :pt for pears; peel -i Cut fruit into chunks . ; it in a food chopper .-.ader. jrule, don't try to puree than 1 cup of fruit at a v il you're using a R puree onto a plastic-.- lined cooky sheet. (Foil nx paper also can be .ti Tilt the sheet to evenly I nute (lie pulp; don't with a knife or spa- i '-. leather should be I I :.:it, but you can swee-i swee-i purees, such as ! or pineapple. Use 1 '-p or honey to swee-s:tat. swee-s:tat. Start with 4 tablespoon of a sweetener and blend well; taste; add more if needed. Remember, flavors will intensity as food dries. ONE 14-in-by-16-in. cooky sheet will hold 2V4 to 3 cups of puree. Only pans with low sides (no more than inch) should be used, so air will properly circulate. If you're drying leather in the sun, cover the pan with nylon net or cheesecloth to protect it from insects. Use pins to keep the covering above the level of the fruit, but be sure all the sides are protected. IF THE weather is above 85 degrees, and relative humidity is below 60 percent, the trays can be placed in the sun. Bring them in at night if temperatures drop more than 20 degrees, or if fog or high humidity is expected. Drying will take two to three days, depending on the weather. IF YOU want a more surefire drying time, use the ' oven. Set the oven at its lowest, usually 140 degrees. Place the sheets in the oven and leave the door cracked two inches on an electric oven; up to eight inches on a gas oven. The fruit leather will be dried in four to five hours. IN A dehydrator, set temperature at 140 degrees and dry for four to five hours. Properly dried fruit leather will be sticky to the touch. Lift the edge and peel it back about an inch. If it peels readily, it's properly dried. STORAGE is important in food drying. If air and moisture mois-ture are allowed to get at the food, it will dehydrate and possibly spoil. When preparing jerky, use very lean beef (flank or similar cut) cut into strips l4 to inch thick, 1 to 114 inches wide and 4 to 12 inches long. FOR oven drying, blot meat strips dry with paper toweling and stretch meat across oven racks. Allow edges to touch, but not overlap. Leave enough space on the racks for air to circulate. Set temperature at 140 degrees and let strips dry for about 11 hours. Feel the oven air to be sure it is warm, but not hot enough to cook the meat. Keep the door ajar to allow air to circulate cir-culate and carry away moisture. mois-ture. An electric fan placed in front of the oven door will help remove the moisture. JERKY also can be dried in a dehydrator, following the directions given for the brand you use. And it can be dried outdoors. For air or sun drying, use a grill suspended over an open barbecue. Line the barbecue with foil to reflect the sun; stretch strips of meat over the grill. PLACE in the sun and allow meat to dry for 4 to 6 days, depending on the temperature tempera-ture and how dry you want it to be. Meat strips also can be strung on wire, with a small button between each strip to keep them from touching. Protect from birds and insects in-sects with cheesecloth or net. BE SURE to bring the jerky in if nights are very humid. Jerky is properly dry when it is chewy and leathery. It can be stored at room temperature in air-tight containers. con-tainers. (Moist jerky should be frozen in plastic bags.) |