Depending on how much time you have to soak, there are three simple ways to rehydrate your dried foods.
- Soaking in Water (Long-Soak Method)
- Using Boiling Water (Quick-Soak Method)
- Toss It Right Into What You’re Cooking
This long-soak method is simple and requires no heat. Just follow these steps:
- Pour water into a bowl. (The temperature doesn’t matter though I usually use lukewarm to warm.) You’ll need at least twice as much water as the amount of food you are rehydrating.
- Add your dehydrated food to the bowl.
- Allow the food to sit in the water, giving it time to absorb the liquid and soften. Soaking time will vary, but expect it to take at least an hour. You can let it soak for several hours if needed. For instance, when I know I’ll need vegetables for supper, I’ll start this long-soak method at the same time that I take meat out to thaw 4-5 hours prior to cooking.
The quick-soak method uses boiling water which speeds up the rehydration process. Follow these instructions:
- Bring water to a boil.
- Pour the boiling water over your dehydrated food.
- Place a plate on top of the bowl to trap in the steam.
- Allow the food to sit for 15-30 minutes, depending on its density. For example, potato chunks require more time than potato shreds.
Two quick notes:
- I always use the quick-soak method for shredded, dehydrated cabbage. Something about the boiling water/quick-rehydrate combination makes the cabbage texture better.
- Likewise, I always use boiling water to rehydrate potato chunks. I’ve found that long soaks don’t work well with large chunks of potatoes as they can still be hard in the middle.
If your dish meets two criteria you can avoid soaking and toss dehydrated food right into the pan with other foods as they cook. The criteria are:
- The main dish is largely liquid-based (soup, stew, chili, and even casseroles that start out with heavy liquid)
- It will cook for 30 minutes or more.
