Dehydrating Zucchini for Winter Use

If you’re a gardener, you have zucchini coming out of your ears right about now. You’ve made bread, and grilled it, stir-fried it, stewed it, and pickled it. And you go out to the garden every morning, and there’s more. What’s a girl to do?

Freezing it is a good option, but I personally like to save my freezer space for venison and the meat we purchase from local farms. So I prefer dehydrating zucchini for winter use. It’s a lot easier than freezing, too.

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Zucchini is always best when harvested before seeds begin to form. Occasionally, you’ll miss one, and it will get ginormous. Those are ones to leave on your neighbors porch while they’re sleeping!

To prepare your zucchini for dehydrating, wash it, and remove any seeds that may have formed. Zucchini may be cut into slices, diced, or shredded before dehydrating. Blanching is not necessary.

Zucchini that is cut into thin slices, around 1/8″ thick, may be salted, or seasoned, dried until crisp, and used as chips for a nice treat.

Simply layer the zucchini, however you’ve cut it, into your dehydrator and dry at 125°F/52°C until brittle. I love my 9 tray

I prefer to dice my zucchini for dehydrating and use it during the winter months in soups, stews, and even in chili. Sliced, or grated may be used the same way.

Dehydrated zucchini may also be reconstituted before using by soaking it in equal parts of water for up to 2 hours depending on how large your pieces are.

What’s your favorite method of preserving zucchini for winter use?

Original article and pictures take http://learningandyearning.com/dehydrating-zucchini site