How to Dry Foods [Paperback]

Deanna Delong (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 5, 2006

When you dry food, you're saving everything: energy, nutrients, money, and, best of all, taste. This step-by-step guide to drying all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and nuts is also the most comprehensive reference available for methods of drying and home dehydrating equipment. The only book needed to master this age-old culinary tradition, How to Dry Foods includes:

• Step-by-step instructions on how to dry a wide variety of foods
• Updated information about equipment and drying techniques
• More than 100 delicious recipes, from main courses to desserts and more
• Helpful charts and tables for at-a-glance reference
• Food safety tips
• Clever crafts that are made from dried foods

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Deanna DeLong has worked for more than two decades writing, consulting, and teaching about dehydration. She has lectured to audiences around the world, worked as a dehydration consultant to major manufacturers in the housewares industry, and written numerous publications about drying.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: HP Trade (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557884978
• ISBN-13: 978-1557884978
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

117 of 119 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference September 16, 2001

By apoem TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

This is a fantastic reference for drying food.

The author takes the time to explain in detail the different methods of preparing food for dehydrating food. She discusses sulfiting, steaming, no prep. etc. The author also explains the various methods of drying food (oven, dehydrator etc.) The pictures only enhance the text. Further more, the author provides several charts (one for fruit, one for vegies, one for meat, one for herbs) regarding how well certain foods dry, how long each food will save when dried. I particularly liked the recipes that used dried foods.

This is a great book to have if you are interested in drying foods. I constantly refer to this book every time I dry the extra food we have on hand.

109 of 112 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but disappointing August 29, 2008

By MyrtleZ

Format:Paperback

So far this book is very thorough in how to dry just about everything and there are some fun recipes but I'm disappointed, too. One of the main reasons that I'm trying to dry my own fruit is that most commercial dried fruit is treated with sulfer dioxide and I am highly allergic to sulfa. (Hives, trouble breathing,...very bad.) This book's answer to pretreating just about every fruit and fruit leather is to sulfer it. I'm sure that makes it better but aren't there other options?

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The only dehydrator book that you'll need!!! September 28, 2004

By BakersDozen

Format:Paperback

If you are only going to buy one book--this is the one!! It covers everything, yet is not complicated or overwhelming. It's directions are very clear and has lots of wonderful pictures. I can't think of anything that it doesn't cover. It also has a nice section of recipes to use all those wonderful foods that you've dried. A definite winner.

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great reference for anyone interested in food-drying August 24, 1998

By Alyson Whitaker

Format:Paperback

This book provides step-by-step instructions for drying fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats, along with tasty recipes that use dried foods. I loved the creative ideas for fruit roll-ups, a hit with kids of all ages! If you have a baby in the house, there are several recipes for making your own baby food! The author also gives references for different products on the market. This book is easy to read and understand - a must for anyone who would like to learn more about food-drying.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A very usefull book March 19, 2008

By Miglena St Delcheva

Format:Paperback

I purchaised this book as I wanted to learn more about drying foods before investing in a dehydratator and also to know which mashine would accomodate my needs. The book gave me exactly the information I was looking for:
- modes for drying different types of foods from fruits and vegetables, through herbs, seeds and nuts, all the way to meets and fish; including special preparations as yougurts, soups and breads
- comparison of different drying techniques (sunlight and air, oven, different dehydratators) and recomendation for their best use according to product specifics
- recomendation on dehydratator's features and options depending on needs and results to be achieved.
It was definetelly a very good choice!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond banana chips and beef jerky.... December 7, 2004

By Fruit Loop VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Ms. Delong gives the dehydrator cook many more choices and new introductions to use of their machine with this great book. Learn to dry fruits and vegetables and flowers, how to use them in conventional recipes - this book has it all. If you have a dehydrator but want to move beyond dried meat, this is for you!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of good info October 11, 2010

By smili

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has a lot of valuable and useful information. Unfortunately, I have had to use it with other books because she uses sodium bisulfate as pretreatment. The recipes for finished product are awesome and her suggestions for which vegetables and fruits are good candidates for dehydration are right on (I am a vegan). I would recommend this as a reference book, but with a "second opinion" book as back up.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good-could be better April 18, 2012

By susan wippich

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought a food dehydrator to make my own fruit leather and yogurt. I purchased this book so I would understand how to dry particular fruits, vegetables, etc. The book does DEEPLY cover historical information about many vegetables and fruits. For example, carrots were originally white, purple and yellow. Thanks for the information. But, I knew this and its not relevant to dehydrating. I would have appreciated a table of information: storage, prep, drying temp etc. More importantly, I was expecting recipes for dehydrating. Not a recipe using dehydrating ingredients in another recipe. I think listing recipes that use dried tomato (devilled eggs)is not a recipe for dehydrating. I was looking for something unique, like say: zucchini pineapple chips, peanutbutter banana leather or apple pie cheddar roll-ups. So if you are looking for recipes this book is weak in this regard. I love my dehydrator. Best investment! Book-useful but not the best.