Dehydrating Kale
Overview of harvesting & drying Kale for long term storage
Kale leaves are ready to pick when they are the size of your palm
remove leaves using pruning scissors/shears at the main stem taking care not to damage the young new leaves. This will ensure continued production throughout the growing season
wash leaves to remove extraneous material if required
fold leaves along midrib and remove leaf material from stem by tearing motion
place whole leaves or pieces onto trays in the oven or a dehydrator
set dehydrator at lowest setting (if possible below 30’C) and start drying
Optional (depending on dryer) - every 2 hours rotate trays to ensure even drying
Kale is done when leaves are crispy dry and crumble readily
store in glass mason jar with a lid in order to preserve dryness
I use a dehydrator with 4 trays like the one picture below. The lowest temperature setting is 35’C, but the actual temperature inside may not be that high.
After 12 hours in the dehydrator.
after being crumbled and stored in glass mason jar
