Tips
Somethings we have leant along the way.
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When drying goods or making chutneys, it is crucial to sterilize your jars properly. The method may vary depending on the type of jars you have, and instructions are usually provided with new purchases. Personally, I boil mine in a pan of water. I personally prefer Kilner jars as they have full instructions available on their website and come in a massive range of types and sizes.
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Jars are reusable and can be cleaned multiple times. Ensure to discard any cracked glass jars.
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Only specific types of jars are suitable for freezer or microwave use, so double-check for the correct ones if using them for these purposes.
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If any lids fail to seal, causing them to pop, discard those.
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"Fill your own" shops in local communities allow for taking your own jars to be filled.
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Dry goods should be added to dry jars, and hot goods require hot jars.
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For making jam and chutneys, a thermometer is recommended to ensure you have reached the right setting temperature.
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Purchase wax disks for jams and chutneys to place between the food and the lid.
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Periodically shake jars with dried food; if any stick, return them to the dryer.
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Store items away from direct sunlight.
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Remember to label and date your jars.
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Discard any items that change appearance during storage.
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Use tongs, spoons, or scoops instead of fingers to prevent oils from your hands transferring to the food.
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Food-safe moisture absorbers can be added to dried goods, but ensure they are food-safe.
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Jars with pickled items may ferment and explode, so open them with caution.
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A rule of thumb for measurements, one cup of fresh would equal half a cup once dried and one tablespoon of the dried item if it’s been made into a powder.
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Herbs can be dried, frozen, or used fresh in my recipes.
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Dried fruit goes very sweet in the drying process, so do vegetables like carrots etc. Factor this in if you make them into a powder.
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If you dehydrate pineapple, none will make in into the jar. It will all get eaten as soon as it’s done (and if you have a children/friends like mine, they will take it direct from the dryer!)
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Granola will get eaten straight out of the oven as its cooling so always make more than you need to store!
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Be prepared to have to make bread for everyone you know once you start making your own.
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Dried chilies seem to go very hot when dried so use with caution! Sometimes taking off the lids make my eyes water.
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When using any dried fruit/vegetables in a recipe it is usually important to re-hydrate them. You do this by covering them in hot water, covering and leaving to plump up. When you are setting out portions, you will need to measure them rehydrated, not in their dried state.
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Vegetable peels can be dried and ground into powders, discussed in more detail later in the book.
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Utilize the entirety of vegetables, such as beetroot peels for food colouring and edible leaves and stalks.
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Unusable items can be composted. Compost bins are affordable, and many councils offer reduced compost bin schemes.
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Not all flowers are edible; refer to the overview provided later in the book before consumption.
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I only consume flowers that I have personally dried or picked to avoid chemicals found in store-bought bouquets.
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Edible flowers suitable for culinary purposes can be bought online from various sources. Ensure that dried flowers are intended for cooking, as some may be artificially scented for other uses.
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I found that the metal trays in a dehydrator stand up better than plastic ones as the plastic can discolour over time.
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Dehydrator sheets for small items such as herbs are brilliant to add to the trays as they shrink quite small.