by Green onions (also known as scallions) are packed full of flavor, and a terrific addition to many camping meals. They can be fragile to store and need a cool environment to stay fresh for more than a day. They are also susceptible to bruising, leaving the stocks wilted and unappetizing. Drying them is a handy way we have to bring them with us on any kind of camp-out.
Step 1: Prepare green onions for drying
You could dry the stalk as a whole, but it will take longer to dehydrate and rehydrate. Cutting them to the desired length you plan to use is ideal, the shorter the better. Some dishes call for finely sliced green onions, others call for batons (around an inch in length). You should cut your green onions to the desired length for your dish.
Step 2: Prepare your drying rack
Ideally, you want to use some kind of fine mesh screen or grill to speed the drying time. In a pinch, you could use your fruit leather tray, but this will take longer to dry properly.
Spread your green onions out on a single layer on your tray. You can crowd them a little (if necessary) as they will shrink, but try to disperse them evenly on the tray.
Dry them around 135º F for 6-8 hours until crispy.
Store them in a airtight bag once they dry, preferably in a cool environment (like your refrigerator) until your trip. Don’t prepare them too far in advance to avoid spoilage.
The Verdict
Dehydrating the green onions did take away some of the flavor and substance of the ingredient. Using them fresh (if possible) would result in a better meal. Even as a dehydrated ingredient, it still added something to give the meal a bit more favor. It didn’t take a whole lot of effort to add these onto one half of one of my drying trays, and the result was worth repeating in the future.
