Recipe: Savory Eggplant Jerky (2024)

FAQs

How do you dehydrate eggplant? ›

Arrange blanched eggplant in single layers on drying trays. Dry at 140 degrees F (60°C) in an oven or dehydrator. If necessary, turn large pieces over every 3 to 4 hours during the drying period. Vegetables can scorch easily toward the end of drying, so monitor more closely as drying nears completion.

Blanch eggplant pieces (submerge in boiling water) for 1 minute or steam for 3-4 minutes (suspend over boiling water). We do this because blanching or steaming interrupts enzyme activity which causes loss of flavor, color and texture. Blanching the eggplants before drying them helps extend their life once dried.

A general rule of thumb for dehydrating vegetables: If you can normally eat them raw, you don't need to cook them before drying. Depending on your rehydrating method, though, you might want to cook all your vegetables first.

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

The veggie can cause allergies in rare scenarios and the symptoms include difficulty in breathing, swelling and hives. In some cases, eggplant can also cause anaphylaxis. Brinjal contains high amounts of calcium and excessive consumption of brinjal can lead to kidney stones.

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Eggplant-type names

First recorded in 1763, the word "eggplant" was originally applied to white cultivars, which look very much like hen's eggs (see image). Similar names are widespread in other languages, such as the Icelandic term eggaldin or the Welsh planhigyn ŵy.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

How do you preserve eggplant? ›

Start by poking the whole eggplant with a fork, then roast in a 400°F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant, until it starts to collapse. Once cool, halve the eggplant, scoop out the flesh, and freeze in freezer bags or containers.

Dried eggplant can be consumed in meals as a dietary product, Dried eggplant can be consumed as a healthy snack, Dried eggplant can be used for production of healthy candies. Dried eggplant used for smelling ,coloring, and flavoring.

Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before cooking it to draw out its bitterness. Brining can be used instead and has the added advantage of helping the eggplant keep its shape when it's cooked, whether your recipe calls for baking, frying, or grilling.