Prep/Cook Time: 3 to 25 hours

Drying Temp: 125° to 135°F

Drying Time: 2 to 6 hours

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

8 medium beets or 2 average rutabagas or 1^1/2 to 1^3/4 pounds any combination of root vegetables

^1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

^1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon chopped dried orange or lemon zest

^1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

^1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Procedure:

1. Wash root vegetables under running water and peeled.

2. Roast the vegetables, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the whole vegetables in a baking dish, cover, and bake until tender but still slightly firm in the center, about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.

3. Steam-blanch the vegetables, slice the raw unpeeled or peeled vegetables (see step 4). Steam-blanch in a shallow layer (1 to 2 inches) over boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds; pat dry.

4. Slice the raw or roasted vegetables to 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. You may wish to cut large roots (more than 3 inches in diameter) in halves or quarters before slicing.

5. Combine the vinegar, honey, orange zest, salt, and pepper. Add the raw or cooked slices, turn until evenly coated, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Drain and pat dry.

6. Preheat a food dehydrator to 125° to 135°F. Arrange the slices on the drying trays in a single layer without overlapping.Dry until crisp, 2 to 6 hours. Raw vegetables will take longer to dry than cooked.

Storage:

Up to 1 year at room temperature in an airtight container.