Learn How to Dehydrate Carrots
Discover the simple steps to making sweet and savory dehydrated carrots with tips from The Beginner’s Guide to Dehydrating Food.
Carrots are so common in the supermarket that we tend to take them for granted. However, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating a just-pulled carrot, still warm from the sun, you understand that freshness counts with carrots. And although they may look tempting, know that most “baby-cut” carrots in the market are simply larger carrots that have been cut to appear like small specimens; they are often woody or less sweet than fresh, full-size carrots.
Preparation. Select young, tender carrots with no hint of softness, darkening, or wet areas on the surface. Scrub with a stiff vegetable brush and cut off the tops; for more tender (but less nutritious) dried carrots, peel thinly with a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler. Slice crosswise into ¹⁄8-inch circles, or dice into ¼-inch cubes. For an attractive variation that also is quicker for both drying and rehydrating, cut carrots into 2-inch chunks, then slice lengthwise into ¹⁄8-inch-thick planks; slice these lengthwise into ¹⁄8-inch sticks (referred to as julienne). You can also buy julienned carrots in small bags in the produce department, and these work fine for dehydrating.
Dried shredded carrots work well in salads, soups, and even baked goods; thicker shreds are better for drying than thin, wispy shreds. Blanch sliced, diced, or julienned carrots until they are bright, deep orange and just beginning to soften on the outsides; the insides should still be crisp. Julienned carrots will take about 1½ minutes in steam or 1 minute in boiling water; slices and diced carrots will take 3 to 4 minutes in steam or 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water. Chill in ice water, then drain and pat dry. Shredded carrots should not be blanched.
Doneness Test. Leathery, shrunken, and deeply colored, with no moisture in the center; julienned and shredded carrots usually twist and curl up a bit. Slices may be slightly flexible.
Yield. 1 pound of fresh carrots yields about 1 cup dried. When rehydrated, 1 cup of dried carrots yields about 1½ cups.
To Use. Julienned and shredded carrots may be added without rehydrating to soups and stews that will cook for at least 30 minutes longer. To rehydrate carrots, cover with boiling water and soak until no longer hard. Julienned and shredded carrots rehydrate fairly quickly, generally in about 30 minutes; slices or diced carrots take about an hour. Add rehydrated carrots to soups or stews for additional cooking, or simmer in the soaking water until tender for use as a plain vegetable or for use in recipes. Crisply dried carrots may be powdered for use in soups.
Drying Methods
Dehydrator or Convection Oven. For diced or julienned carrots, use screens on trays or racks; use solid sheets for shreds. Stir pieces after 2 to 3 hours. Julienned or shredded carrots generally take 3 to 6 hours at 125°F (52°C); sliced or diced carrots may take up to 9 hours.
Oven (Nonconvection). For diced or julienned carrots, use screens on racks; use baking sheets for shreds. Stir pieces several times during drying. At 125°F (52°C), carrots may take as little as 2½ hours to dry, or as long as 12 hours; julienned and shredded carrots dry more quickly than sliced or diced carrots.
Excerpted and adapted from The Beginner’s Guide to Dehydrating Food © Teresa Marrone.
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