7 Methods for Dehydrating Food at Home
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Did you know there are 7 methods for dehydrating food? Let’s go over each method with a few pros and cons for each.
I’ll start with some more common methods like using a dehydrator. Then I’ll go into how to dehydrate foods without using any electricity. Finally, you’ll see a list of dehydrating recipes to browse.
Dehydrating Foods
1- Electric Dehydrators
This is the most common method of dehydrating and what most people turn to. There is good reason to use this method. It’s easy and beginner friendly. Dehydrators are machines that gently heat your food and blow air across trays to remove moisture and speed up the drying process.
Dehydrators come in all shapes and sizes. Many have adjustable temperature settings and timers. Some are large. Some small. Some have stackable trays. Here are a few tips on choosing a dehydrator that is perfect for your needs.
2- Microwave Drying
I’ve never dried anything in a microwave. In fact, I was surprised that it is even a thing. Personally, I don’t think it would be as efficient as other methods, but it is a quick solution for small quantities of foods. A downside I’ve read is that it can cause uneven drying. I’ll be doing more research on this method.
3- Freeze Drying
Freeze drying is a fantastic way to preserve food. It is now available to the home food preserver with the Harvest Right freeze dry machine. As far as I know, this is the only home-based freeze dryer available. (Please let me know if you hear of another!)
Freeze drying results in food that is crunchy and airy. It maintains the most nutrients of any food preservation method.
4- Oven Drying
By using your oven’s lowest setting, you can gently remove moisture from your food. It works by turning the oven on low and propping the door open a bit to allow moisture to escape. Keep careful watch to prevent scorching.
In my view, I don’t think dehydrating food in an oven would be very cost-effective. It seems like it would not be an efficient use of energy. But, in a pinch, with a small amount of food, it would certainly work.
How to dry Food Without Using Power
The next few dehydrating methods work best if you live in a very dry climate. I did this often when I lived in the high desert plateaus of western Colorado. We moved, and I’m finding here in humid East Tennessee it’s trickier.
- Foods with less moisture, like herbs, work great! Other foods might include greens like chard or spinach, green beans, or even apples.
- Choose to dehydrate in seasons of less humidity. Hot, humid summer days should be avoided. But hot dry days work great. This is of course dependent on your climate.
- Juicy foods can be difficult. Peaches, cherries, and apricots can all take a long time to dry, and you risk spoilage in humid areas.
5- Sun drying
This traditional method for dehydrating foods involves placing your food in direct sunlight for several days. This can be done directly outdoors, or in a sheltered area. I’ve done this in my greenhouse.
If you are sheltered (like a greenhouse) you need to have cross ventilation to allow a breeze to flow through.
Expert Tip: Cover the food to protect it from pests and dust. A bug netting would probably do a great job.
You’ll need to treat your food after sun drying to control bug eggs that may have invaded your food.
I KNOW! It sounds disgusting. But I’m pretty sure commercially prepared foods are treated in a similar manner.
There are 2 methods that kill any eggs and prevent future infestations. This is called pasteurization:
- Freeze your food for 48 hours. Freezer must be set at 0 degrees or lower.
- Bake in an oven for 30 minutes at 160 degrees.
6- Air drying
This involves simply setting your food out in a well-ventilated area. It can be in the sun but doesn’t need to be. I did this in Colorado right out on my kitchen counter with basil and other herbs. Simply chop the herbs, place them in a shallow layer, and stir them around every so often.
7- Solar Dehydrators
Harness the power of the sun! Solar dehydrators use the sun, heat, and airflow to quickly dry your food, but they require dry, sunny weather to work well.
My husband built a solar dehydrator for me back in Colorado. It was big and dried a lot of food at a time. It didn’t make the Tennessee move, so I don’t know how it would have done here in East Tennessee.
There are a lot of DIY solar dehydrator ideas and plans online if you do a search.
There are many ways to approach dehydrating foods, from modern conveniences like electric dehydrators and freeze dryers to more traditional techniques like air drying and sun drying.
Here are some specific foods and how to dehydrate recipes.
Dehydrating Foods Recipe List
Dehydrating Fruit
Learn more here…
Fruit Leather Recipe
Dehydrating Strawberries
Dehydrating Tomatoes
How to Dehydrate Peppers: A Quick Guide to Preserving Peppers
Learn more here…
Dehydrating Vegetables
Learn more here…
Dehydrating Green Beans
Dehydrating Zucchini
Dehydrating Corn
How to Dehydrate Carrots
Dehydrating Tomatoes
How to Dry Herbs
Harvest Right Freeze Dryer
Learn more here…
How to Freeze Dry Cherries
Best Food Dehydrator For Your Needs
Learn more here…
Cabela’s Commercial Food Dehydrator
Learn more here…
Excalibur Dehydrator
Learn more here…
