Boil in Bag

Thanks for that tip, Laurie. I didn't realize that you can "over-dry" veggies. I thought that more was better as far as long-term preservation goes. But a longer soaking time should do the trick.

You want them to be dry all the way through but not overdried. The best way to do this is to make sure you are drying at 135°F or below. Stir the veggies on occasion too… this just evens out the drying. I do that twice during a drying cycle. Also to tell if they are done just tear a piece open. The inside should be dry but there shouldn't be any tiny beads of moisture where you have torn the veggie. If you dry them pebble hard they'll take a much longer time to come back and, corn especially, won't fully hydrate. I found that canned, frozen or cooked corn works best.

Granted the freeze-dried veggies from Just Tomatoes are excellent but in my case they cost a fortune because of shipping, duties and such – so I love having the option of drying my own.

Thanks for your good help, Laurie, and for taking the time to answer my countless questions. Your response on my hummus thread was very helpful. You are a true asset for BPL.

Git the stuff sarah, love the cozys!