Drying / Dehydrating
LEATHERS / ROLLUPS (fruits & vegetables)
Equipment
- Drying / Dehydrating system or machine: Home Dehydrator or Oven, Commercial Dehydrator, Sun Drying system or Solar Dehydrator
- Food-safe mesh trays for drying system
- Specialized food-grade plastic sheets or parchment paper for lining trays
Instructions
Making the Puree
- NOTE: Unlike fruit, most vegetables need to be blanched prior to using in puree.
- Wash all fresh fruits/vegetables in cool water.
- Remove any peels, seeds, and stems.
- Cut into chunks and puree until smooth.
- Optional: For a smoother leather, strain puree to remove fibers as they can make leather stringy and difficult to chew
Puree making tips
- Spices can always be added for flavor.
- On average, ≈ 2 cups of puree makes one 10" X 10" leather.
- Honey, sugar, and other sweeteners may be added; honey is best for longer storage as it prevents crystallization, sugar is adequate for immediate use and/or short storage. Keep in mind – added sugar and liquid sweeteners will alter your drying time as well as the finished texture/pliability of leather.
Making the Leather / Pouring and Spreading Puree
- NOTE: The only difference between a leather and a rollup is its thickness.
- Pour puree onto lined dehydrating tray.
- Spread purée evenly, ≈ ¼-inch thick, avoiding edge of liner.
- A liner of some sort must be used to dehydrate puree; parchment paper may be used but often will crinkle or fold as the puree dries.
- Puree can be poured as a single sheet (10" X 10" tray) or into several smaller sizes; the larger the leather, the longer to dry.
Dehydrating Puree
- Dry leathers at 130°–140°F.
- Test for dryness – touch center of leather, no indentation should be left.
- While warm, peel from liner and roll.
- Allow to cool and rewrap roll in cellophane or parchment paper and store.
- Most leathers will keep up to l month at room temperature in an airtight container. They may also be stored in refrigerator or in freezer but may be brittle upon removal. To avoid shattering, bring to room temperature prior to consuming.
DEHYDRATING TIME
- Standard 600W Dehydrator: ≈ 6–8 hours (based on continuous drying time)
Notes
To make vegetable chips, the same puree may be used. Spread puree thinly onto liner. Drying time may fluctuate between 2–4 hours at 140°F. Chip is dry when it is brittle and gently cracks/shatters when a little pressure is applied.
