Fruits and vegetables almost dry completely through the freeze drying process. They become airy, dry and crispy or brittle. They are delicious as a crunchy snack in their freeze dried state. But for such reasons as using them in meals, sometimes you may need to rehydrate freeze-dried fruits and vegetables.
Most freeze dried fruits suppliers provide specific instructions on how rehydration works. In this article, we discuss rehydrating freeze dried fruits and vegetables from a larger scope. We also answer a few related questions.
- Can freeze dried fruits and vegetables be rehydrated?
- Rehydrating freeze dried fruit and vegetable powders
- Rehydrate freeze dried fruits
- Rehydrate freeze dried vegetables
- How long does it take to rehydrate freeze dried fruits and vegetables?
- What happens after you rehydrate freeze-dried fruits and vegetables?
Can freeze dried fruits and vegetables be rehydrated?
The short answer is yes. Freeze dried fruits and vegetables can reabsorb the moisture they have lost during freeze drying. You can add hot water to bring the freeze-dried fruits and vegetables to the consistency you want. As mentioned earlier, freeze dried fruits and vegetables become airy while keeping their size, structure, and shape intact. This enables them to absorb the lost moisture when they come in contact with water.
However, I should point out that you actually don’t need to rehydrate freeze dried fruits and vegetables. They are delicious and crispy in their freeze-dried state. Also, there is no need for rehydrating freeze dried fruits and vegetables before using them in a recipe that requires cooking.
Rehydrating freeze dried fruit and vegetable powders
Not all types of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables need rehydrating. Take freeze-dried fruit and vegetable powders, for example. As mentioned earlier, freeze-drying gives a brittle, crispy consistency to freeze-dried foods. A great thing about this unique texture is that it can easily crumble up or fall apart. And you can turn freeze-dried fruits and vegetables into powders if you so desire. All you need is to grind them in a food processor, powder maker, or blender. And there you have it! A fine, uniform powder from any type of fruits and vegetables you like.
Freeze-dried fruits and vegetable powders still need to be stored away from moisture, but they require no rehydration for direct consumption, such as for seasoning, flavoring, topping, etc.
You may read and hear about rehydrating fruits and vegetable powders for milkshakes. much like other fruit powders, it’s a matter of choice and uses. For a fast fruit smoothie, just spoon your freeze dried fruit powder into a glass of water and stir.
Rehydrate freeze dried fruits
Rehydrating freeze-dried fruits is an easy job that may not be necessary at all. Their airy texture makes it easy for them to absorb water when placed in a wet environment.
After opening the container, just place the contents in a bowl of hot/warm water and let it soak until it has reached the consistency you want. If you have no hot water available, cold water will also work.
You can also spritz freeze-dried fruits and vegetables with water or add water a little at a time.
Rehydrate freeze dried vegetables
Rehydrating freeze dried vegetables is similar to that of freeze dried fruits. For vegetable pieces, you only need to soak them in hot water for about 5 to 10 minutes. They quickly retake their fresh forms.
In case you use freeze dried vegetables in soups, you need no rehydration at all since they will cook with the food.
Freeze dried vegetable powders also need no rehydration. They are used as-is to flavor dishes. However, freeze dried vegetable powders need to be kept in a sealed container with no contact with moisture or oxygen, the same as you would do with freeze dried vegetable pieces.
How long does it take to rehydrate freeze dried fruits and vegetables?
Rehydrating freeze dried fruits takes no time to a few minutes, depending on the type of fruit or vegetable you are rehydrating. Freeze-dried fruits start soaking as soon as they are placed in water and stop when they regain their fresh state. Vegetables are also easy to rehydrate.
Add hot water to a bowl of freeze-dried fruits and veggies, and cover the bowl for 5 to 10 minutes. Fruits and vegetables become as soft as fresh ones. You can also add water to freeze-dried fruits and vegetables and warm them in the microwave for a few minutes to accelerate rehydration.
Agin, freeze-dried fruits and vegetables need no rehydration when added to cooked foods, such as soup recipes.
What happens after you rehydrate freeze-dried fruits and vegetables?
Freeze-dried fruits and veggies rehydrate quickly when placed in a bowl of warm water. The styrofoam structure of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables makes it easy for them to regain their former state upon soaking. After rehydration, they look exactly like something you have just bought from the fresh fruit section of your local grocery store. Adding freeze-dried fruits and vegetables to your favorite soups eliminates the need for rehydration.
Conclusion
Rehydrating freeze dried fruits and vegetables takes only a few minutes if it takes time at all. Place the content in a bowl of hot water and before you know it, it has regained its consistency. Freeze dried fruit and vegetable powders need no rehydrating. They can be used for seasoning, flavoring or topping as is.
Now, how do you rehydrate freeze dried fruits and vegetables? Write about your experience in the comment section below.
FAQ
How do I make fruit juice out of my fruit powder?