Dehydration is used to preserve and alter the flavor of foods, with methods including sun and wind drying. Meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables can all be dehydrated, with examples including biltong, jerky, raisins, and dried fish. Different cultures have their own dehydrated foods, such as biltong in South Africa and dried shark meat in Yemen. Dehydrated fruits and vegetables are often used in breakfast dishes, salads, and trail mixes.
Dehydration is a process that involves drying an item. Sometimes this is done intentionally with certain foods to help preserve them. It is sometimes done to produce an alternative flavour. There are several ways to do this, such as sun drying or wind drying. Examples of dehydrated foods that can be produced using these methods include biltong, raisins and dried fish.
There are many types of dehydrated foods. Some are associated with certain cultures. Others are widely consumed internationally.
Meats are commonly dehydrated foods. Depending on where you are in the world, the types of dehydrated meats can vary greatly. Examples include moose, ostrich and pig.
Two examples of dehydrated meats that could be mistaken for one another are jerky and biltong. Both biltong and jerky can be made from the same meat, such as beef and venison. The difference is in how these two dehydrated foods are made.
Jerky is usually cut differently and prepared with salt, spices, and heat. Biltong is often cut much thicker, includes vinegar in the preparation, and is dehydrated in cool conditions. Although the jerk is common in many cultures, the biltong is most associated with South Africa.
There are many dehydrated foods that come from the sea. For example, different types of fish are smoked and commonly used by people who often lack refrigeration in West Africa. In parts of the southern United States, dried salted fish called hake fish is commonly sold. The people of Hadhramout, a place in Yemen, are known for their love of dried shark meat.
The fruits are commonly dehydrated by businesses and homeowners. Some examples of commonly dried fruit include apples, apricots and cherries. Oddly enough, some fruits even change their names once they’re dehydrated. For example, a plum becomes a plum and a grape becomes a raisin.
Methods for drying fruit include sun drying, oven drying, and the use of dehydrating machines. Dehydrated fruits such as bananas, peaches and strawberries are often used in hot and cold breakfast dishes. Dehydrated smaller fruits such as raisins, cherries and dates are often added to salads or used to create trail mixes.
Vegetables are not dehydrated like meat and fruit. There are commercial sources that offer a variety of dried greens including squash, carrots and kale. These can be added to soups, stews and pasta sauces. Onions, celery and bell peppers are three types of vegetables commonly dehydrated and marketed as spices.
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