Dehydrating Peas

[Jeepers]

I dehydrated peas this week. This is my first time drying them and they were easy to do but took a long time. But, after you load the trays and plug it in you can forget about them for hours. I got one of those cheapy dehydrators from Wal-Mart just to try. It worked fine and was only about $35.00. I don’t know how long it will last but it served its purpose and then some.

 

I dried each batch for about 9 hours. I probably over did it by an hour but I wanted to be real sure they were dry. They are. I’m going to store them away for my long term 'there is nothing else to eat' preps.

 

I bought frozen peas. They were 2 pound packages. One package will fill 4 of the trays. I did 6 of the 2 pound packages. So, 12 pounds of frozen peas filled 3 quart jars of dried peas. The jars are filled to the top. I’m storing mine in ½ gallon jars but I measured them in regular quart jars. Or, 12 pounds of frozen peas netted almost 3 pounds of dried peas. Actually, 2.12 pounds to be exact. It would probably be 3 pounds but you will lose some because the peas are round and they roll…a lot.

 

I learned some tricks along the way:

 

1. When you use the dehydrator for the first time, before you fill your trays, plug it in to make sure it actually works. If/when it doesn’t work, go buy a new one. Put the new lid on the already filled trays then box up the new trays with the old lid and return that. Sigh.

 

2. The bottom of the unit gets very hot. I wasn’t comfortable using it on my countertop. I used a flat wooden TV tray I already had. If I hadn’t had that I’d have put a piece of plywood or cardboard under it.

 

3. They will fall through the tray. Line it with wax paper. Don’t go out and buy new screen wire/nylon. The stuff stinks and probably isn’t food safe anyway. Wax paper works fine.

 

4. After you line the trays with wax paper, be sure to make a hole in the center of the paper so the heater/blower thingy can go through it. Again, do this before you fill the trays. Sigh.

 

5. When the peas fall down through the center hole, and they will, forget about them. You will just knock more down there from the other trays trying to get to them. They are round…they roll. If you can’t see them, they don’t exist.

 

6. Peas are small. When they dry they are smaller! Don’t worry about trying to have space between each pea. As they dry they separate themselves. Pour them on the tray, flatten them down with your hand and they will know what to do next.

 

7. When filling trays, put one hand over the center hole and pour peas with the other hand. OR turn the lid upside down on your counter, put the tray on top (actually bottom) of the lid and pour. That way the hole is automatically blocked. One thing though, the lid is not flat. It’s domed. It will act like a giant weeble, except it will fall down. And peas are round…you know the rest.

 

8. When the peas are finished drying you need to get them off of the tray and into their new home. Forget trying to pick them off of the tray. Peas are round. They roll…all over the place. Place the tray over a pan or bowl and brush them in the pan through the center hole. Then pour them from the pan into their permanent container. A wide mouth canning jar funnel work great for pouring peas into their container.

 

9. Between filling the trays and unloading the trays, some peas will fall on the floor. Forget about them too. Kick them under the counter and sweep them all up after you are finished drying all of the peas. They are round…etc. If you have a dog, you are way ahead of the game.

 

10. Embrace the roundness…peas are little, they are round, they roll. You can’t change them…embrace the roundness. Embrace the pea. Ommm.

[susie]

I LOVE drying peas, they shrink so much and they're cute. Plus you can throw a handful of peas into just about any recipe.

 

I put a piece of net curtain under them.

 

 

PS Frozen greenbeans are wonderful, too. And broccoli...but you have to slice it up.)

[PoGo]

Ya did good, Jeepers. I just have one question...

 

Did you have any trouble, I mean, with peas being, you know, round and all?

 

[Stephanie]

That was a great step by step post, and I truly needed it. I just couldn't understand the dehydrating frozen vegies, Thanks!

[sjllm]

Good tips, thanks. I have also been dehydrating peas, have you noticed how round they are yet? LOL.

[Melissa]

Omigosh! Too funny!

I bet you were so frustrated by the time you were done!

[Andrea]

"Embrace the roundness . . ."

 

Too funny. Mind if I try that line out on my hubby next time I need a hug?

[Stephanie]

[Jeepers]

Well, I'm all finished with the round devils. I stopped when I got a 1/2 gallon.

 

Next week it's on to corn. Guess I'll get to embrace the cob!

[Stephanie]

[Jeepers]

Ack! Some of the peas got scorched.

 

I guess I dried them too long and cooked them. They looked okay at first. Now I have to do over half of them again to fill up my jar. New ones that is...not the old ones. Another trip to the store. I'll bet they wonder why I'm buying so many frozen peas. Vitamin deficiency?

 

Just when I thought those round demons were behind me.

[Ambergris]

But you know all the tricks now--it'll be easy! Or as a friend of mine says, "Easy peasy!"

[serendipity]

Jeepers, this was hysterical! Thanks for sharing!

 

One drying handbook I read did say to "shake and move" the peas around as they were drying, periodically.

 

Maybe this is why some scorched? I am getting ready to do some here as well so I am interested if you moved yours around or not (er...voluntarily, that is!)

 

[Peg]

Thanks for the info. my hubby just bought a new dehydrator for me yesterday.

[Mt_Rider]

LOL I just emptied my dehydrator of frozen --> dried peas too! I did note just a handful were scorched. I did a Walmart 5 (?) lb bag and it filled 4 of my eight trays. I have square trays with a rim so I didn't have the hole-in-the-middle problem.

 

But ya know..... I DID notice they are ROUND! Dog will notice too.... She loves veggies. She'll think I did that on purpose...throwing those round peas to the floor...and I'll be her hero.

 

 

 

 

MtRider [canning and dehydrating!!!!! ]

 

 

[Jeepers]

Originally Posted By: serendipity

Jeepers, this was hysterical! Thanks for sharing!

One drying handbook I read did say to "shake and move" the peas around as they were drying, periodically.

Maybe this is why some scorched? I am getting ready to do some here as well so I am interested if you moved yours around or not (er...voluntarily, that is!)

Shake them?! I didn't dare to even breath on them. They roll ya know! Actually, I probably should have moved them around a little bit as they were drying. One thing I find is helping me as I'm doing carrots now, is to rotate the order of the trays about half way through the drying time. It isn't so much as fill the trays and forget about them as I first thought. The trays don't all dry at the same rate. Now I check on the food every other hour or so. Good luck on yours!

[DenimDaze]

I'm thinking I now know why they sell 'split peas' when you buy them dried in the store. I had always thought it meant they cooked quicker or something.

 

Great post Jeepers!

[Leah]

Will the peas rehydrate well enough to stand on their own, or do they need to be used in soups and the like? We mostly use frozen alone or in casseroles. I'd like to try drying them, they would store better.

[MamaTiger]

Excellent post! Thanks Jeepers. I"ve been drying potatoes and I'm doing carrots next. Any hints you want to share with us?

 

 

[Jeepers]

I'm really enjoying the flat carrots. Unlike the peas, I spaced them out so they didn't touch. Mostly because they are easier to work with and they are thicker and stickier. I'm drying them until they are brittle and not pliable. I'm worried about moisture ruining the whole batch so I really make sure they are good and dry. I'm still using the wax paper as liners on the trays. The carrots would probably fall through the cracks as they dry plus the paper keeps the trays clean. I really like using it.

 

The carrots I bought were crinkle cut slices. When they dry they shrivel up to about the size of a plump pea. I was suprised when I rehydrated one, the crinkle showed again. I'm drying them for about 7-8 hours.

[etp777]

Leah, I just throw them in some water with some beans or corn or carrots etc (basically, just grab whatever two jars of dehydrated veggies I have open) with a dab of butter, some salt and pepper, never had any complaints. Same way I use the original frozen veggies.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted By: NYDebbie

I'm thinking I now know why they sell 'split peas' when you buy them dried in the store. I had always thought it meant they cooked quicker or something.

Great post Jeepers!

Divide and conquer?

[Andrea]