A large amount of carrots is a great option for a healthy snack, but these vegetables can spoil and lose their flavor after months of refrigeration. You can dehydrate them in sticks or slices to add to soups and stews, so they can be stored in the pantry for up to a year.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparation
Step 1. Buy fresh carrots from the greengrocer or pick them from your own garden
Drying is an excellent method for preserving vegetables and always having them available for cooking soups, stews and other partially liquid dishes.
Step 2. Scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush if they have been freshly picked and are full of soil
Step 3. Pelale after cutting the ends
Consider keeping the peel and scraps to make a vegetable broth.
Step 4. Prepare only the amount of carrots that you can put on the dryer tray at one time
A small home model usually has enough space for 6 carrots, while a larger appliance can hold more than 30.
Step 5. Slice the vegetables into slices
If you want to dry them for later adding to stews, then it is best to cut them into 0.6 cm thick slices. If you want some sticks to munch on every now and then, then slice the carrots with a mandolin set at 0.15 cm.
You can also consider grating carrots if you know you will need them in this format in your recipes. The preparation is similar, but in this case the drying times will be shorter
Part 2 of 3: Steam Bleaching
Step 1. Consider blanching steamed carrots to preserve their nutrients
Step 2. In a saucepan, heat several inches of water on the stove
Step 3. Add the steamer basket when the water boils
Finally, put the sliced carrots in the basket.
Step 4. Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes
Remove the basket and cook another batch of carrots if you need to fill many trays in the dryer.
Part 3 of 3: Dehydrate the Carrots
Step 1. Fill the trays with the carrot slices
Try to space them out so as to allow the passage of air and reduce drying times.
Step 2. Insert the trays in the dryer and turn it on at 52 ° C
Step 3. Dehydrate the vegetables for 6-12 hours
Check them after six hours and every two hours thereafter. When ready they should be dry, brittle and leathery.
Carrots cut into thin sticks need 6 hours of dehydration
Step 4. Store carrots in airtight jars leaving about 2.5cm of space at the top edge
Store them in a dark and cool place to keep them and add them as you go to your recipes.
