How to Dehydrate Peas at Home?

Peas, also known as ‘garden peas’, are seeds from Pisum sativum.

They can either be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are considered fruits since the peas are seeds from the pods.

In addition to being high in fiber, peas contain all the nutrients you need in your daily diet.

These green fruits blossom during the winter season, and so, aren’t available all year round.

This is why many people choose to dry peas to extend their shelf-life. When dried, the peas still hold their nutrients so remain healthy to eat.

There are many ways to dry peas, but if you are looking for some simple methods, don’t worry as we’ve got you covered.

Through hours of study and research, we’ve come up with four simple and easy methods to dry peas at home.

Dehydrate Peas Using the Sun Drying Technique

Clean the Peas

Gently scrub dirt off your peas and wash under warm running water.

Remove any pea pods that may have caterpillars inside and get rid of any pods that have holes in them as that will affect the drying process.

Blanch the Peas

You can either use a steamer or a pot filled with boiling water.

If using a steamer, let the peas boil for 2 to 3 minutes and if using boiling water, let the peas sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Directly transfer all peas to a large pot with ice so they can cool down.

Pat-dry the Pods

Lay down a single layer of paper towel on a platform. Place the pods on top and cover them with another layer.

Gently pat the pods with the paper towel to get rid of the excess moisture.

Arrange the Peas

Place your pea pods on drying racks and ensure some distance remains between each pod.

The distance allows proper air circulation to speed up the drying process.

Dry the Pods

Place the drying racks under direct sunlight and let the peas dry for a minimum of 3 days.

During the nighttime, bring the racks inside otherwise your drying process may get interrupted and you’ll have to start over.

The humidity levels are usually lowered when night comes and there are chances of slight precipitation that may moisten the pods.

The pods will be perfectly dried when their skin becomes wrinkled. The inside of the pods will be dried when you shake the pods and they rattle.

Dry them for a few more days if they don’t rattle.

Dehydrate Peas Using the Air-drying Technique

Air drying is the oldest method used to dry fruits, and vegetables.

The method is quite simple with a drying time longer than other methods since it doesn’t use any artificial heat.

Clean the Peas

Gently scrub your peas and wash them under cold running water for a perfect cleanse.

Remove pea pods that may have caterpillars inside. Get rid of any pods that are damaged or have holes in them as that will affect the drying process.

Pat-dry the Pods

On a platform, lay down a single layer of paper towel. Place the wet pods on top and cover them with another layer.

Gently pat the pods dry with the paper towel to get rid of the excess moisture.

String the Peas

Using a needle and some cotton string, pierce through the top of the pod.

Do so with the rest of them but, leave some space between each of them for proper air circulation.

You will also need to ensure the string doesn’t go through any peas.

Dry the Pods

Tie both ends of the string close to a window with adequate sunlight. Let the pods hang for 2 to 3 weeks and check on them every once in a while.

Only keep the pods near the window during the mornings or when the sun is out.

Otherwise, they may attract tiny insects in the house during nighttime.

The pods will be perfectly dried when their skin becomes wrinkled. The inside of the pods (the peas) will be dried when you shake the pods and they rattle.

If they don’t make a sound, you need to let them dry for a few more days.

Dehydrate Peas Using an Oven

An oven is used to dry peas in bulks.

It’s easy and takes less than a day before you get perfectly dried peas in the comfort of your home.

However, you will need to keep an eye out as the oven may burn or overdry your peas.

Clean the Peas

Scrub any dirt off your peas and wash them under warm running water for a perfect cleanse. Remove any pea pods that may have caterpillars inside.

Get rid of any pods that have holes in them as that will affect the drying process.

Shell the Peas

Split the pods open and take the peas out.

Blanch the Peas

Either steam or boil them in water. If using a steamer, let the peas boil for 2 to 3 minutes and if using boiling water, let the peas sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

You can choose to add citric acid into the water if desired.

Directly transfer all peas to a large pot with ice so they can cool down.

Pat-dry the Pods

Lay down a single layer of paper towel on a platform. Place the pods on top and cover them with another layer.

Gently pat the pods with the paper towel to get rid of the excess moisture.

Arrange the Peas

Carefully place your peas on the oven trays.

Dry the Peas

Slide the trays into the oven and let the peas dry at the required temperature. Halfway through the drying process, check to see if any peas are dried.

Take them out and let the others continue to dry.

The Right Way to Store Peas at Home

After drying the pods or peas, it is best to store them in an airtight bag. You can place your dried peas in glass mason jars as well, with regular canning lids.

However, avoid plastic mason jar lids as they won’t keep your dried peas as airtight as it needs to be.

Therefore, proceed with using metal lids and rings instead.

Make sure there isn’t any moisture inside the jar.

If you find your dried peas to feel soft or soggy, proceed with drying them once again and then store them as required.

Our Take on Which Method is The Best

People who live in regions that are relatively hot and dry benefit the most from sun-drying their fresh peas.

This process, combined with the use of a dehydrator, is ideal for drying peas in bulk for mass storage.

If you need to dry peas quickly, use a microwave or an oven. For a longer drying process that doesn’t require heat, you can refer to the air-drying method.

FAQs

Bottom Line

We have gone through four simple ways to dry peas for various purposes. Hopefully, this guide helped you learn ways to dry veggies like peas at home.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and family; please leave any queries in the comments section below!