FCS 8499

Drying Vegetables1
Susan Reynolds, M.S.2

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origin. For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office.
Florida Cooperative Extension Service / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences / University of Florida / Christine Taylor Waddill, Dean
Drying Vegetables Page 2

Table 1. Vegetables At A Glance

Vegetable Suitability For Drying Vegetable Suitability For Drying

Artichokes Fair Okra Fair to good

Asparagus Poor to fair Onions Good to excellent
Beans, green Fair to good Parsley Good
Beans, lima Fair Parsnips Good
Beets Fair to good Peas Fair to good
Broccoli Not recommended1 Peppers, green or red Good
Brussels sprouts Poor2 Peppers, chili Excellent
Cabbage Fair Popcorn Good
Carrots Good Potatoes Good
Cauliflower Poor Pumpkins Fair to good
Celery Poor Radishes Not recommended5
Collard greens Poor Rutabagas Fair to good
Corn, sweet Good Spinach Poor
Cucumbers Poor Squash, summer Poor to fair
Eggplant Poor to fair Squash, winter Not recommended
Garlic Good Sweet potatoes Fair
Horseradish Good3 Swiss chard Poor
Kale Poor Tomatoes Fair to good6
Kohlrabi Fair Turnips Fair to good
4
Lettuce Not recommended Turnip greens Poor
Mushrooms Good Yams Fair
Mustard greens Poor Zucchini Poor to fair
1. Difficult to dry because of small size and layered leaves; strong flavor.
2. Cabbage readily absorbs moisture from the air. Keeps well only if stored at extremely cold temperature.
3. Odor extremely strong during processing; place dryer outdoors or in basement area.
4. High water content; product will be undesirable for use.
5. Product would be of low quality.
6. Dried tomatoes re-absorb moisture readily which causes undesirable color and flavor changes; and shortens shelf life. Package tightly. Black color can
develop because of oxidation.

July 1998
Drying Vegetables Page 3

Table 2. Drying Vegetables At Home

Vegetable Preparation Blanching Time Drying Time
Dehydrator*(hours)
Steam (minutes) Water (minutes)
Artichokes, globe Cut hearts into 1/8-inch strips. 6-8 4-6
Heat in boiling solution of ¾ cups
water and 1 tablespoon lemon
juice.
Asparagus Wash thoroughly. Cut large tips 4-5 3½-4½ 4-6
in half.
Beans, green Wash thoroughly. Cut in short 2-2½ 2 8-14
pieces or lengthwise. (May
freeze for 30 to 40 minutes after
blanching for better texture.)
Beets Cook as usual. Cool; peel. Cut Already cooked no further blanching required. 10-12
into shoestring strips 1/8-inch
thick.
Broccoli Trim, cut as for serving. Wash 3-3½ 2 12-15
thoroughly. Quarter stalks
lengthwise.
Brussels sprouts Cut in half lengthwise through 6-7 4½-5½ 12-18
stem.
Cabbage Remove outer leaves; quarter 2½-3** 1½-2 10-12
and core. Cut into strips 1/8-inch
thick.
Carrots Use only crisp, tender carrots. 3-3½ 3½ 110-12
Wash thoroughly. Cut off roots
and tops; preferably peel, cut in
slices or strips 1/8-inch thick.
Cauliflower Prepare as for serving. 4-5 3-4 12-15
Celery Trim stalks. Wash stalks and 2 2 10-16
leaves thoroughly. Slice stalks.
Corn, cut Select tender, mature sweet corn. 5-6 4-5 6-10
Husk and trim. Cut the kernels
from the cob after blanching.
Eggplant Use the directions for summer 3½ 3 12-14
squash.
Garlic (chard, kale, turnips, Peel and finely chop garlic bulbs. No blanching needed. 6-8
spinach) No other pretreatment is needed.
Odor is pungent.

July 1998
Drying Vegetables Page 4

Table 2. Drying Vegetables At Home

Vegetable Preparation Blanching Time Drying Time
Dehydrator*(hours)
Steam (minutes) Water (minutes)
Greens (chard, kale, turnips, Use only young tender leaves. 2-2½ 1½ 8-10
spinach) Wash and trim very thoroughly.
Horseradish Wash; remove small rootlets and None 4-10
stubs. Peel or scrape roots.
Grate.
Mushrooms (WARNING, see Scrub thoroughly. Discard any None 8-10
footnote***) tough, woody stalks. Cut tender
stalks into short sections. Do not
peel small mushrooms. Peel
large mushrooms, slice.
Okra Wash, trim, slice crosswise in 1/8 None 8-10
to ¼-inch disks.
Onions Wash, remove outer "paper None 3-9
shell." Remove tops and root
ends, slice 1/8-to ¼-inch thick.
Parsley Wash thoroughly. Separate None 1-2
cluster. Discard long or tough
stems.
Peas, green Shell. 3 2 8-10
Peppers and Pimientos Wash, stem, core. Remove None 8-12
"partitions." Cut into disks about
3/8- by 3/8-inch.
Potatoes Wash, peel. Cut into shoestring 6-8 5-6 8-12
strips ¼-inch thick, or cut in slices
1/8-inch thick.
Pumpkin and hubbard squash Cut or break into pieces. 2½-3 1 10-16
Remove seeds and cavity pulp.
Cut into 1-inch strips. Peel rind.
Cut strips crosswise into pieces
about 1/8-inch thick.
Squash, summer Wash, trim, cut into ¼-inch slices. 2½-3 1½ 10-12
Tomatoes, for stewing Steam or dip in boiling water to 3 1 10-18
loosen skins. Chill in cold water.
Peel. Cut into sections about ¾-
inch wide, or slice. Cut small
pear or plum tomatoes in half.

July 1998
Drying Vegetables Page 5

Table 2. Drying Vegetables At Home

Vegetable Preparation Blanching Time Drying Time
Dehydrator*(hours)
Steam (minutes) Water (minutes)
*
Drying times in a conventional oven could be up to twice as long, depending on air circulation.
**
Steam until wilted.
***
WARNING: The toxins of poisonous varieties of mushrooms are not destroyed by drying or by cooking. Only an expert can differentiate between poisonous and edible varieties.

July 1998