# Celery and carrots, dehydration/blanching q



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I would like to dry some carrots and celery for use in soup and stew later. We never use a whole bunch of celery but I do like some celery flavor in many dishes. Purchased dehydrated celery is too expensive. I bought a fresh head and used 3 stalks. Do I need to blanch or steam the stalks so they can rehydrate without being tough?

Carrots, dehydrated raw carrots before but did not like the results. Too hard to rehydrate. They don't get soft even after cooking an hour. Should they be blanched or cooked first and if so how long? 

Thanks everyone. I am trying to dehydrate fruit and veggies that we won't be using immediately so I can have them later and they'll still be good. I've got apples and herbs down pat but still learning with the rest of this. I can get better use of our food budget by dehydrating and storing these small amounts instead of letting them go to waste as happens all too often when I get busy.


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## windblown (Apr 18, 2011)

I would steam blanch them or can blanch in micro until hot clear through slice the carrots thin and chop the celery layer on dehydrator trays and dry untril crispy that way it won't take too long to reconstitute and thinner drys faster too


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

For me, cutting thin is also the answer.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My ultimate goal is to assemble the ingredients for instant "add hot water and eat" soup. Onions, greens and garlic are no problem. 

Peas is another ingredient I would like to add but I have none this year to mess with.

First batch of steamed celery is in the dehydrator. 

I asked dh about potatoes but he just made a face and said "eww, you mean like boxed potato meals? Yuck!". I might try some for me and the kids.


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