We spent the summer and early summer working on freeze-drying food for the winter, especially eggs when they were plentiful in the long days. It works well for us, do the work when it happens and eat later. A Little Red Hen tale always. Don’t be lazy when it is on. Often we freeze-dry a lot of the same things over and over (that we use often).
This treat is one we do often. It uses the prime harvest time or even when the best of it shows up in markets. Process it, and you will eat well for months.
And what is that?
Carrots!
Just out of the Harvest Right Freeze-dryer, ready to be put into small MRE-style mylar bags.
Yes, it is that simple. Raw carrots were freeze-dried. They become even more sweet when dried and can be eaten as a snack. You can, of course, soak them in water and cook with them after drying, but it is so easy that there is no need to blanch the produce beforehand. Just peel and slice up, then proceed.
What is the sweetest vegetable out there? For me, I would say carrots. When you freeze-dry them, they become intensely flavored and even sweeter.
Buying dehydrated carrot dice is easy, but they are not the same. Dehydrated carrots are tiny bits that must be rehydrated before eating. They are pre-cooked, so they work fine for meals with a 15-minute rehydration time or to be added into say stews and soups and left to simmer.
If freeze-dried raw carrots can be found commercially, they are often marketed as a dog treat (lucky them!).
So, if you want a fun snack, it will be a DIY project!
Freeze-Dried Carrot Coins
We usually prep 15 to 20 pounds of carrots at a time. If you are harvesting from your garden, you can process them as they are ripe, and once you have enough, put them on a run in the machine. This makes it very easy.
Try out the carrots. You want them to be as crisp as possible and taste great. You won’t get a good final product if they are soft, limp, or mealy.
This also opens up choices. Buy or grow the fancy carrots for a different look. Freeze-drying white, yellow, and purple instead of orange? Easy!
I buy carrots when I see them at good prices or when the harvest flow is happening. I give them a good wash, then peel and trim.
Slice into coins or on the bias (so at an angle). We have done it both ways. I find that the bias cut is best for enormous carrots. For smaller carrots, cut coins.
I spread them out on rimmed baking sheets and freeze them. Unless I work on a big lot (say 15 to 20 pounds at once), I transfer to bags once frozen and keep them frozen until I have enough. This lets you harvest carrots over a couple of weeks in summer and early fall. (We have a Large size unit, so we pack it pretty full)
Once you have enough to run a batch, lay the carrots on the freeze-dryer sheets and put them on. The machines are automatic, so it is quite easy.
Once dry, open the machine and test a carrot to ensure it is fully dry. If not, put it on for a few more hours. Otherwise, bag the carrots (or put it into mason jars) and seal it with a desiccant and an oxygen packet. If you use the small MRE-style mylar bags, you have a ready-to-go trail snack. Be sure to note the date dried and what is in the bags.
Enjoy your naturally sweet and crunchy treat!
Tip: When enjoying freeze-dried treats, drink water with it. Your stomach will appreciate you.
Want to see what else we have freeze-dried?
The Black Friday November Harvest Right Sale Is On!
This is Harvest Right’s best sale all year long, with the machines hundreds of dollars off. If you have been contemplating getting one, this is the time.
~Sarah