How We Dehydrate

Our Process

 

Dehydration is a pretty simple procedure, and there are plenty of printed and online resources on how to do it, so why post about our process? We admit it, it’s partly an excuse to show off some photos of the gorgeous produce our local farms provide. Don’t blame us if you start salivating just looking at them!

 

In addition to that, there are many ways to dehydrate, so this is a peek into one of them, along with a little bit of our story.

 

Dehydrating Basics

Dehydration is just the process of removing water. Some foods can be air dried, given the right conditions, but a dehydration machine speeds up the process. We use electric dehydrators, which combine constantly circulating air and controlled temperatures to create the optimal environment for drying our veggies and fruits in a safe, healthy way.

 

Is Dehydrated Food Safe?

Proper dehydration creates an environment where harmful bacteria and similar things you don’t want in your food can’t grow, but there’s a time span between preparing the food and when it’s dry enough to prevent bacteria growth. The heat used to dehydrate isn’t high enough to prevent pathogens growing in the meantime, so how do we keep everything safe?

 

To prevent those potential pathogens, commercially dehydrated items often require a “kill step.” Sounds drastic, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, we’re not murdering our tomatoes or offing our onions. It’s just a name for any step that prevents bacterial growth or eliminates any existing growth.

 

Some companies use antimicrobial agents, which are chemicals approved by the FDA (or similar organizations outside the US) for this use. While these chemicals are classified as “GRAS,” or “generally regarded as safe,” there is always the possibility of personal sensitivities.  Because these antimicrobial agents aren’t required to be put on the label, it’s hard to know if you’re sensitive to the food itself or something else. Part of our commitment to our customers is that if it’s not on the label, it’s not in the jar. The only thing in our food is food.

 

Because we want to keep our food simple, we chose to go with a heat treatment instead of chemical treatment for the kill step. While turning up the heat too high too soon would bake instead of dehydrate, turning it up for a short period after dehydration kills off any bacteria without damaging the food or changing its texture. This step may disqualify our products if you follow a strict raw foods diet (those tend to limit heat to temperatures below 118º or 120º Fahrenheit), but otherwise, we find that it keeps our food flavorful, crisp, and healthy for a long time. 

 

So what, exactly, do we do around here?

 

Start Fresh

You don’t always have to start with the prettiest produce when dehydrating, but truly fresh veg and fruit that’s at its peak ripeness makes the tastiest dried versions. We source from local farms, primarily through Washington’s great network of food hubs, grabbing up what’s in season and dehydrating it right away.

Clean Cuts

We start by washing each piece of produce by hand, checking for bad spots and scrubbing away the dirt. The kitchen we currently work in has a produce wash station overlooking some trees, so it’s a nice way to start a day of physical work with some relaxing scenery.

 

Originally we were slicing and dicing by hand, going from knife, to mandolin, to manual chopper. Now, we achieve more uniform cuts—which means better, more even dehydration—with some electric food slicers and choppers. Each item we work with is different, and part of the fun is figuring out the best way to prepare it. One setting on the slicer for bell peppers, another for celery. Not-so-secret spoon trick for scooping out jalapeño seeds? Check. Fast carrot peeling trick? Yep, got it.

On the Label, In the Jar

You may notice our labels say “May contain traces of extra virgin olive oil.” Kind of a weird thing to see on a “may contain” statement, right? We use a light spraying of organic olive oil to keep our produce from sticking to the dehydrator trays. It’s not enough to change the taste or texture, but the traces are there, so we want you to know it’s been in contact with your food (we see you, people with drupe sensitivities). 

 

After prepping the trays, we lay out the produce in a thin enough layer to allow plenty of airflow, then it’s time to turn on the dehydrator and wait.

Reaping the Rewards

After the food is dried, we kick up the heat for that kill step we mentioned. Thirty minutes later, it’s harvest time!

 

Trays are pulled from the dehydrator and emptied into sheet pans to finish cooling, then stored in bulk in glass jars until ready for grinding or packaging. We’ve found glass is the best way to lock out the Pacific Northwest’s natural moisture and keep everything crisp and dry.

That’s it! 

 

Source, clean, cut, dry, heat treat, harvest, and store. 

 

Sounds pretty simple, right? That’s just the way we like it.