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Home / Drying food / Blanching times for drying veg

Blanching times for drying veg

Most vegetables should be blanched before drying.

Blanching results in a higher quality product with better colours and storage life; evidence-based research shows that it also increases food safety, as some nasties have been shown to survive both the heat-drying process and the low-water activity afterwards.

Note that recommended blanching times for freezing vegetables will often differ from blanching times for drying.

See also: Blanching times for drying fruit

Contents hide
  • 1 Blanching times for drying vegetables
    • 1.1 Codes
    • 1.2 Reminders
    • 1.3 Altitude adjustment
    • 1.4 Blanching times table for drying vegetables
  • 2 Notes

Blanching times for drying vegetables

This table is just meant as a handy summary for quick time reference. Sources used are from 2012 onwards.

For actual detailed drying directions,  please see a reputable source such as one of the books mentioned below and refer to the item in question that you are drying.

Where recommendations differ, we present the differing recommendations for you to decide.

Codes

BBB: Ball Blue Book. Muncie, Indiana: Healthmark LLC / Jarden Home Brands. Edition 37. 2014. Vegetable  drying blanching tables on pages 166 to 167.

BAN: Butcher, Meredith L., Ed. The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. New York: Oxmoor House. 2016. Vegetable drying blanching tables on pages 338 to 340.

PIN: Excalibur. Preserve It Naturally. Sacramento, California. 4th edition, 2012. Vegetable drying blanching tables on pages 26 to 27.

SETP: So Easy to Preserve. Elizabeth L. Andress and Judy A. Harrison. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Bulletin 989. Sixth Edition. 2014. Vegetable drying blanching tables on pages 349 to 351.

Reminders

  • All procedures assume thorough washing first;
  • Steam blanching times start as soon as the lid is replaced on the pot of boiling water.
  • Blanching times must be adjusted for altitude.

Altitude adjustment

Add 1 minute to recommended water or steam blanching times when you are over 5000 feet (1500 metres) [1]Kendall, Patricia. High Altitude Food Preparation. Colorado State University Extension. 2013. Page 3. https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/high-altitude-food-preparation-p41/ .

Blanching times table for drying vegetables

ItemBoiling Water
(mins)
Steam
(mins)
SourceNotes
Artichoke hearts6 to 8SETPPer 175 ml (¾ cup / 6 oz) blanching water, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Aspargus3 ½ to 4 ½4 to 5SETP, BBBCut thick stalks in half.
Beans -- Green or wax22 ½SETPFreeze 30 to 40 minutes after blanching for better texture when dried.
Beans -- Lima2 to 33 to 5PIN
BeetsCook fullySETP, BBB
Broccoli23 to 3 ½SETPQuarter stalks
Brussels Sprouts4 ½ to 5 ½6 to 7SETPCut in half
Cabbage1 ½ to 22 ½ to 3SETPShred into thin strips
Carrots3 ½3 to 3 ½SETP, BBBThin slices or strips
Cauliflower3 to 44 to 5SETP
Celery22SETPSlice stalks
CornBBB, PINBBB and EXCAL say steam cook cobs until milk is set, then scrape off kernels.
Cucumber00PINNo blanching needed.
Eggplant33 ½SETP
Garlic00SETPNo blanching needed.
Greens (chard, kale, turnip tops, spinach)1 ½2 ½SETP
Horseradish00SETPNo blanching needed.
Kohlrabi3 to 55 to 8PIN
Leeks00BBBNo blanching needed.
Lettuce00PINNo blanching needed but may steam blanch until wilted
Mushrooms00SETP, BBBNo blanching needed.
Okra00SETP, BBBNo blanching needed.
Onions00SETP, BBBNo blanching needed.
Parsley00SETPNo blanching needed.
Peas (black-eyed)00PINNo blanching needed.
Peas (green garden peas)23SETP, BBB
Peppers including pimientos and hot peppers00SETP, BBBNo blanching needed.
Popcorn00BBBNo blanching needed. Leave kernels on cobs until dried.
Potatoes (white)5 to 66 to 8SETP, BBBSETP says steam 6 to 8, BBB says 5 to 6.
Potatoes (sweet)3BBB
Pumpkin12 ½ to 3SETP
Radishes00PINNo blanching needed.
Rutabaga3 to 5BBB
Squash -- Summer½2 ½ to 3SETP
Squash -- Winter12 ½ to 3SETP, BBBBBB gives steam option only.
Tomatoes for stewing 13SETPPeel first. Cut into ¾ inch thick wedges or slices.
Tomato slices00SETPNo blanching needed.
Turnip3 to 5BBB
Yams3BBB
Zucchini½2 ½ to 3SETP

Notes

Beans, Green or wax: Ball Blue Book says steam blanch for 4 to 6 minutes, then freeze 30 minutes (SETP also recommends the freezing step.) Ball All New drops freezing step.

Celery: Ball All New says steam blanch 4 to 6 minutes.

Mushrooms: PIN says you can optionally steam blanch for 2 to 3 minutes.

Okra: PIN says water blanch 2 to 3 minutes, or steam blanch 4 to 5 minutes

Tomatoes: Ball Blue Book advises to peel first regardless of intended use. PIN implies the same. Ball All New says peel if desired.

Zucchini: Ball Blue Book advises to dry without blanching. PIN advises not to steam blanch if you are intending the slices to be snacking chips.

References[+]

References
↑1 Kendall, Patricia. High Altitude Food Preparation. Colorado State University Extension. 2013. Page 3. https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/high-altitude-food-preparation-p41/

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