Simple methods on how to dehydrate broccoli
Want an easier way to preserve your food? Let’s dive into some simple methods on how to dehydrate broccoli!
Dehydrated foods are an easy way to preserve your veggies and get them to last longer than they would in the fridge. Dehydrated vegetables are a great snack to have in your pantry.
Dehydrated foods are also a great addition to any soups or side dishes that you are preparing throughout the week.
My husband and I love doing multi-day backpacking trips. Dehydrated foods great lightweight option to bring along! The best part is that dehydrated foods and more specifically dehydrated broccoli doesn’t loose out on all the healthy vitamins that it carries.
Health benefits of dehydrated broccoli
The nutritional value of dehydrated broccoli is pretty close to that of fresh broccoli. Dehydrating maintains the vitamins better than canning as it doesn’t cook the broccoli. Adding heat for long periods of time will cook out some of the nutrients.
I still love canning to preserve my harvest, but if I can dehydrate my broccoli I will! What vitamins do you find in broccoli? Broccoli is rich in vitamin k and vitamin c. It is also high in fiber and protein. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.
Broccoli really packs a punch when it comes to nutrition. Dehydrated broccoli is a great way to get in those vitamins as a healthy snack!
How long does Dehydrated broccoli last?
Broccoli lasts 4-7 days in the fridge, which isn’t very long. Dehydrated broccoli, when stored properly, can last anywhere from 12-24 months.
That being said, it will likely have some coloration fade and vitamins lost after about a year. That is a pretty good shelf life compared to fresh in the fridge. So this can be somewhat of a long term storage option for your broccoli.
How to store dehydrated broccoli
To keep your dehydrated broccoli in storage for long periods of time you need to do a few things. First make sure that it is dehydrated fully.
If it still has large amounts of moisture in it, the shelf life will be shorter. Next you will want to store it in a airtight container. Some options for airtight containers are, mason jar or canning jars or mylar bags.
When I am storing my dehydrated APPLE CHIPS or other foods I will usually put a oxygen absorber inside the container. This will extend the self life and keep your dehydrated food crispy.
How to prepare broccoli for dehydration
Part of your success for dehydrated broccoli will come from the way you prepare your broccoli before dehydrating it.
- wash broccoli in cold water
- cut off the stems so you are left with the fresh broccoli florets
- remove blemishes, yellow spots, broccoli flower, or leaves from the broccoli
- Slice the broccoli into thin bite sized pieces
- blanch the broccoli (not completely necessary, but will help the broccoli retain it’s color and make your dehydrated broccoli crisper)
- How to blanch broccoli: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. put clean broccoli into the pot and let sit for four or five minutes. Quickly remove from the water and put into a bowl of iced water to end the cooking of the broccoli.
- Dry broccoli thoroughly
- If you are wanting your broccoli to be a snack food then you will season it at this time. Season with:
- salt and pepper
- garlic salt
- spices
- salt and vinegar(very small amount, you don’t want it to be really wet)
How to dehydrate broccoli
I am going to give you three different ways that you can dehydrate broccoli.
How to Dehydrate broccoli using a food dehydrator
Once you have used the steps above to prepare your broccoli for dehydration, you are ready to dehydrate your broccoli.
Line your bite sized broccoli pieces onto the dehydrator trays. Make sure they are in a single layer and aren’t overlapping.
Overlapping broccoli will slow the dehydration process. Slide your trays into your dehydrator and set the temperature to 135 degrees F and the timer to 6-8 hours. Check your broccoli at four hours and at six hours. Mine was done at about 6 hours.
Some dehydrators work more quickly than others. You will know when your dehydrated broccoli is done when it is crispy. After your broccoli is finished dehydrating let it cool. Store your dried florets in an air tight container.
How to dehydrate broccoli using a regular oven
Dehydrating broccoli in the oven will work, but it is a lest cost efficient way of dehydrating veggies in general because you have to keep your oven running for hours on end.
Although a dehydrator is an up front cost, you may spend that much in your gas or electric bill after a few days of dehydrating your vegetables. Anyway, the temperature and drying time for dehydrating in an oven are similar to that of the dehydrator.
Turn your oven to it’s lowest heat setting. Hopefully it will be around 140 degrees F. Put your broccoli on a cookie sheet in a single layer and put your trays in the oven.
Don’t close your oven door all the way. In order to keep your moisture content low, you will need to keep the oven door propped open.
Dry your broccoli for 6-8 hours. Check about half way through and stir the broccoli around so that all sides can get dry.
Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat to quicken the process. This will simply burn your broccoli. As you can see, this will also heat your house up a bit and might be something you only want to do in the cooler months.
How to dehydrate broccoli using the sun
This is the cheapest method for drying broccoli, but you must have specific conditions in order for it to work. First you will line your broccoli on a tray in a single layer.
Then you will put your trays in a dry place in direct sun. Make sure to remove on rainy days. This drying process can take up to six days depending on the weather you have. With temperature fluctuations drying times vary.
Another factor is the humidity. I have lived in some pretty humid places and things take FOREVER to dry there.
If you live somewhere humid, this may be a more difficult option for you. You will know when they are fully dehydrated when the broccoli is crisp.
Can you dehydrate the broccoli stems?
Yes! the stems can be dehydrated. The reason I have you remove most of the stems when dehydrating the broccoli florets is because they have different dehydrating requirements than the stem.
If you want to also dehydrate the broccoli stem simply chop it into smaller pieces (after washing and drying) then spread out evenly on the tray and set temperature at 125 degrees F for around eight hours.
Can you dehydrate frozen broccoli?
For the best results when dehydrating frozen broccoli, you will want to thaw it first. It will already be blanched so you won’t need to do that step.
If you don’t have time to completely thaw, then at least break up the large chunks of broccoli florets. You can do this by running hot water over the large chunks making it easier to break them apart.
Do your best to chop the broccoli into smaller pieces and line on trays. Then follow the instructions above for how to dehydrate the broccoli.
How can I re-hydrate my dehydrated broccoli?
So you have some dehydrated broccoli stored in your pantry and now you want to re-hydrate it. Typically you can re-hydrate frozen vegetables in general by following this recipe.
Using one part veggie to two parts water. Simmer them or let them soak for 10 – 15 minutes and they should be fully rehydrated.
What can I use my dehydrated broccoli for?
Dehydrated broccoli is a simple vegetable to add to many different recipes. But first you can simply eat it in its dehydrated form as a healthy snack.
You can also add it to salads as a yummy crunchy addition. Use your dehydrated broccoli for side dishes by rehydrating them, adding oil, salt and pepper, or other seasonings. My favorite way is to add them to soups or stews.
You can simply add these dried florets to your soup and they will rehydrate! You can rehydrate them and make broccoli soup too.
Another yummy option is to rehydrate them and add them to your stir fry! Play around with these ideas and you will find you favorites!
What type of dehydrator should I use?
There are a ton of different dehydrators out there. There are some pretty affordable smaller ones you can purchase if you want to try them out before diving into the more expensive ones.
The Cosori dehydrator I have is somewhere in the middle as far as cost goes It does the trick and looks nice. I have heard lots of good things about the EXCALIBER dehydrator as well.
You could check that one out too, but it isn’t necessary to create perfectly dehydrated foods.
What else can I dehydrate?
Check out my DEHYDRATED APPLE CHIPS and DEHYDRATED CILANTRO recipes. I have also dehydrated oranges during Christmas time and plan to dehydrate many more things in the future!
What are you favorite things to dehydrate?
Comment below on the success that you have had dehydrating veggies or fruits!
