An ancient form of food preservation that is still used frequently today is dehydration. In ancient times foods were left in the sun to remove water and prevent bacterial growth. Today we have a number of methods to dehydrate foods more efficiently in our homes. The San Joaquin Master Food preservers will present a Zoom Webinar on March 20, which will provide an overview of Dehydration as a food preservation method and will show many of the types of foods that can be dehydrated. Whether you are experienced at dehydration or have never done it before, this webinar will inspire you to try this technique and enjoy the rich flavors of many types of dehydrated foods. To register for this webinar, please click here. Registration is free.

The fundamental principle of dehydration is that at a water content of 70% or  below mold and bacteria will not grow. The removal of water can be accomplished in a conventional oven or in a dedicated dehydrator (see discussions of dehydrators below). If the dehydrated food is properly packaged and stored to keep it from rehydrating (adding back the water) it can be stored for many months, sometimes even years.

Dehydrating foods in your kitchen is simple and can be done without buying any expensive equipment. Your oven can be used to dehydrate foods and dedicated dehydrators (which are like little ovens that only go up to about 160F and contain a fan) can be purchased for under $100.

There are two types of dehydrators on the market. They differ by the direction that the heated air is pushed through the

dehydrator. In some dehydrators, referred to as vertical flow dehydrators, the heated air is moved vertically and the trays stack on top of each other. The fan and heating element are sometimes at the top and in some designs, at the bottom. These dehydrators look like mini towers and are compact and inexpensive (some sell for under $50).

The other type of dehydrator, horizontal flow dehydrators, the air moves horizontally (the heating element and fan are against the inside back wall), and push heated air from the back to the front of the dehydrator across trays that are inserted inside the dehydrator. This type of dehydrator is more expensive than the vertical flow type but have certain advantages.

The horizontal dehydrators move hot air across the trays and each tray is exposed to the same amount of hot air across all of the trays. In the vertical flow dehydrators, the trays furthest from the heating element and fan will be exposed to a lower temperature than those trays closer to the element. In other words, if the heating element is at the top of the tower, the trays at the bottom, furthest from the blowing heated air, will be at a little lower temperature than those closest to the heating element. In general this is not a significant issue but does result in different dehydration times for the different trays. However, some people prefer the small footprint of the tower type of dehydrator, especially if they are dehydrating in their kitchens.

The workshop on March 20 will cover a variety of fruits and vegetables with a focus on leathers. The beauty of dehydration as a preservative method is that it is both versatile and applicable to a wide variety of foods, including some which are not easy to preserve by other methods. We look forward to you attending the dehydration workshop.

 

 

February Lemon Workshop: Welcome Tennessee, Canada and Brazil!

On Saturday February 20 the Master Food Preservers of San Joaquin County presented a zoom workshop with two recipes that will use up some of the bountiful lemons available during this time of year.

Over 100 people attended. Many were California locals but several would definitely qualify as “distance learners”, one from Tennessee, another from Canada, where lemons are not growing on their trees this time of year and one from as far away as Brazil.

First Barbara Mattice gave our traditional Safety Talk. It covers the principles and actions that will insure that your produce is wholesome and safe to eat. These principles are good habits no matter what you do in the kitchen. For details on that follow this link to Fight Bac (bacteria):

https://www.fightbac.org

The first recipe was for a delicious marmalade called, Quick Lemon Ginger Marmalade. While this is very tasty on your morning English muffin, scone or toast, it is also delicious at dinner. It makes a wonderful glaze on baked or broiled fish or chicken. It can also make a great “Asian Tartar sauce”. Stir in a bit of mayonnaise and drizzle over

your cooked fish. Because the ginger easily pushes this recipe towards an Asian influence it can be modified by stirring in some soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil or sriracha sauce and using it to add flavor to many Asian recipes.

Here is where you can find the recipe:

https://ucanr.edu/sites/NSJMFP/files/299980.pdf  

The second recipe was for salt preserved lemons. This is a very simple recipe that does not require any special heat processing. The high salt content and acidity followed by refrigeration will give you at least 6 months of a unique flavoring agent.

Preserving with salt is an ancient form of preserving foods used long before refrigeration. This preserving process takes away much of the bitterness found in citrus peels and once the pith is discarded and salt is rinsed off, you are left with a unique, intensely citrus product. It is usually used in very small amounts,

often in dishes with Middle Eastern, North African or Indian origin. It is used in grain salads or chicken dishes but also makes a delightful addition to a cheese and cracker appetizer plate. There are many recipes that will inspire you to try salt preserved lemons.

To find the recipe for making preserved lemons follow this link:

https://ucanr.edu/sites/NSJMFP/files/299979.pdf  

Our next zoom workshop will be all about dehydrating foods. It will be on Saturday, March 20^th. Look for the registration link on the San Joaquin Master Food Preserver website as we get closer to that date. The workshop is for those new to the art of dehydration as well as those who are experienced in the techniques. Stay tuned for further details.

Also remember to visit this Blog at least weekly for updates, information and ideas related to Home Food Preservation.

Our January 2022 Workshop is all about Citrus. We have a few new recipes to share. Our workshop date is January 15 at 10:00 am. 

Please visit our Facebook page for registration information!

 

AVOID FOOD WASTE: USE THE ENTIRE LEMON!

 

Awhile back we wrote about how to stop food waste. Remember the mission of food preservation is includes the reduction of wasted food, fruits and vegetables. This week we will offer up four recipes that use up all parts of the lemons that are so abundant in February and March.

Many more recipes are available at the National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu; Ball Canning Books or So Easy to Preserve from the University of Georgia.

Candied Citrus Peel                    Yield: about 2 pints

A tasty treat that is both sweet & tart. It is super easy to make & so much better than store- bought.  You can use lemon peel, or any other citrus peel such as orange, lime, grapefruit or mandarins.

Ways to use candied citrus:

As garnish for pies, cakes and cupcakes

Chopped up and added to cookies, cakes, muffins, cupcakes, scones, etc. 

Sprinkled over ice cream or yogurt

As garnish for citrus-flavored drinks

Finely chopped and added to streusel topping for muffins and cakes

Dipped in chocolate for an elegant sweet treat

 

INGREDIENTS:

• Peels, including pith, from 6 oranges or other thick-skinned citrus fruit
• 1 cup water, plus more for boiling peels
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 vanilla bean

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the peels into 1/4-inch strips. Cover the peels with cold water in a large nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure that all of the peels are heated through. Strain and repeat two more times to remove the bitter flavor from the pith and to soften the peels. After the third round, set aside the peels to drain while you make the syrup.

2. Bring 1 cup water to a boil and gradually add 4 cups of the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add the peels and the vanilla bean. Return to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, cooking gently until the peels are translucent and tender, about 1 hour.

3. Using tongs, remove the peels to a drying rack placed over a baking sheet and separate them so they don't touch. Let drain, and then dry for 4 to 5 hours.  Save that citrus syrup to add when you want a sweet citrus flavor.

4. When quite dry but still tacky, roll the peels in the remaining 1 cup sugar to coat. 5. Peels keep, stored in an airtight container, for up to 1 month.

                       

Citrus Salt                             Yield: about 1-1/4 cups

Make your custom-blend citrus salt by using the zest from any citrus. If trying to cut back on salt you can alter the ratio of zest to salt.

How to use your citrus salt:

Great in dressings, on steamed veggies, sprinkle on fish, poultry or other meats as a custom-blend rub.

Sprinkle on popcorn or chips for a tangy lemon or lime flavor.  

Spice up cocktails with flavorful rims. When serving up margaritas, try a lime-salt rimmed glass.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup flake salt or coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons citrus zest (any kind)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix salt and zest in a bowl; work zest into salt with your fingers to release oils and flavor.

2. Spread on a baking tray. Air-dry until dried completely, 8 hours to overnight. 3. Keep airtight at room temperature for up to 2 months.

Notes: • Zest's color will fade over time, but this won't affect taste. • Another drying option is to heat the oven to 200°F, insert the baking tray and turn off the oven. Let the tray sit in the oven overnight. Use a fork to separate any clumps.

 

Citrus Pulp Powder

After you have juiced your citrus, pour through a fine mesh strainer to get clear juice but save the pulp to make citrus pulp powder. This can be used to sprinkle over foods or drinks when you don't want to add any extra liquid.

 

1. Spread pulp from juiced citrus in a thin, even layer on parchment paper placed on a dehydrator tray. Remove seeds.

2. Dry at 140°F in dehydrator for 8-12 hours.

3. Place dried pulp in blender, herb, or coffee grinder and blend until a fine powder.

 

Dried Citrus Wheels                                                             20 Minutes; Bake Time: 6 Hours

Sliced thinly, these will dry into beautiful “citrus wheels”. Add them to a cheese board, float one on a mug of hot apple cider or tea, or use them as garnish.  You can add them to a custom potpourri mix or string them together for a pretty garland that will see you through the holidays—they'll keep for weeks.

1. Preheat oven to 150°F.

2. Wash the citrus fruit and cut into uniform slices, about 1/8”- 1/4” thick.

3. Arrange on a baking tray over two paper towels to absorb the juices and continue layering the paper towels and fruit in a stack.

4. To bake, arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. After 3 hours, place a sheet of parchment paper over the citrus slices and cover with another baking sheet. Hold both baking sheets together and flip so that the citrus slices bake evenly on both sides.

6. Return to the oven for another 3 hours or until dried; they should be bendable and no juice should come out.

Alternate technique: dry the slices in a dehydrator at 130°F for 16-18 hours, flipping several times for an even dry.

 

These and many more recipes can be found in Master Food Preserver groups from throught the state of California and across the country. These lemon recipes can be found in Central Sierra Master Food Preservers Handout from their online class Preserving Citrus (January 9): https://ucanr.edu/sites/mfp_of_cs/files/342435.pdf Thanks Jim and Sue Farr for your contribution this week!

Enjoy your lemons!

 

Covid-19 has changed the way we communicate, the way we meet with friends and family and the way we teach and learn. Across our county and the state, teachers have learned to be creative, even more than before, and conduct all their classes using virtual media. I am still amazed at how my daughter-in-law can keep her kindergarten children's attention. I'm sure its difficult enough face to face, but now virtually? Wow!

The Master Food Preserver volunteers of San Joaquin County have not given up on teaching food preservation strategies, techniques and skills. All of our virtual workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month from9:50 am to Noon. All workshops come with recipes and informational handouts. Additionally all workshops are recorded and will be posted to our Facebook page, our website: https://ucanr.edu/sites/NSJMFP/, and then to our blog. PLUS all the workshops are free!

Here is what we have planned for 2021. Mark your calendar and watch for sign up opportunities on Facebook.

February 20     Citrus - including preserved lemons

March 19         Dehydrating

April 16           Pressure Canning and Freezing

May 15            Its all about berries

June 19            Pickles - more than just cucumber

July 17             Stone fruits

August 21         What to do with all your home grown TOMATOES

September 18    Cheese and peppers

October 16        Gifts from the Kitchen - in time for holiday gifting

November 20    Seasonal favorites

Its a packed year covering all the major food preservation strategies. Mark your calendars and join us for some fun, educational virtual workshops.