Would we even be humans if we didn’t cook and preserve food the way we do?

Dehydrated foods are how humans have been able to sustain our whacky adventures all around the globe and beyond. Whether it was a saddlebag full of hardtack and jerky or freeze-dried meals for space or camping, everyone from cowboys to astronauts to backpackers have benefited from this preservation method.

Dehydration preserves foods by removing water from the produce or meat, thus making it less attractive to molds and bacteria. Dehydrated foods are lighter and take up less space so make for excellent on the go-snacking. 

Many cultures were able to just air dry or sun dry before there was access to electricity making it a very energy efficient method. This is a method you can use for fruits, veggies, and meats of all sorts. 

Sun drying - For this method - dry clear days are best as humidity interferes with the drying process. This technique is more popular in arid climates that regularly get into the 80s during the warmer months. Food is generally cut and placed on a rack with a tray below it to catch any run off and a screen is used to deter pests. This can take several days, but once fully dry, the food will be shelf stable for months. The process generally leads to a more concentrated flavor and chewier texture.

Air drying - This is similar to sun drying but it is usually done in the shade for more fragile foods that would be damaged by the sun, like leafy greens, herbs, teas, and spices.

Oven drying - This can be done in a home oven or an electric dehydrator. This method just requires a steady low heat with good ventilation and air flow. So if you use a home oven, set it to about 140-170 degrees F and crack it open with a wooden spook for some air flow and to allow the water vapors to escape without steaming your food.

Curing - The earliest curing was actually dehydration. Curing is the process of drawing moisture out of food using salt. This method is most often used on fish and meat products. After the meat is either marinated or encased in salt, herbs, and or spices, it is hung up to air dry in a cool well-ventilated room. In some cases, the meat even ferments and is covered in a friendly fungus akin to blue cheese.

Freeze-drying - This is a relatively new method compared to the other ancient drying methods discussed earlier. A freeze-dryer flash freezes foods to well below 0 degrees and creates a vacuum that suctions out water and air from the food. Freeze-drying will draw out about 98% of water as compared to 80% with regular drying methods.

Many of these foods can be rehydrated and used in soups and stews and cereals. However, none will ever return to their original condition.

There are plenty of resources available if you’d like to get into dehydrating your own foods that you get at the markets. We hope you have fun and feel free to tag us on Instagram if you want to share! Our markets also have plenty of vendors that sell dry ingredients that are ready for use if you don’t have the time to do it yourself.

Be sure to check out Foraged and Found Edibles for dry mushrooms and truffle salts, Salt Blade for cured meats, and Harbor Herbalist for loose teas.

We recommend doing more research on recipes and techniques so you get the desired results. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes when learning a new technique. Always make sure to check specific recipes for temperature and time as some foods are more sensitive, especially meats.