You dry zucchini the same as you do pumpkin:
Take directly from garden and do not prepare/condition for root cellaring.
Peel and remove any seeds, pith, etc. (some of my zucchini's were large with good-sized seeds).
Once peeled and ready, you can slice thinly or shred with the coarse blade of your food processor (we sliced ours about 1/4 inch, give or take).
In shallow layers in a steam basket, steam for 6 minutes (I didn't do this...but next time I will use the rice steamer I think).
Put slices in dryer and set to 120 F/49 C and increase to 150 F/66 C after first hour; reduce to 130 F/54 C when nearly dry.
Put shreds in dryer at 130 F/54 C and increase to 150 F/66 C after first hour; reduce to 140 F/60 C when nearly dry.
Condition and pasteurize. Cool down and store.
You rely on appearance and feel to judge dryness. Vegetables are generally brittle or tough to brittle when dry enough. Occasionally one is crisp. Most foods/fruits still warm from the dryer will seem softer and more pliable, more moist than they actually are. A cool test of a few will give you a better reading for the batch.
Conditioning must be done for fruits and vegetables coming from the food dryer as there is more of a chance of spotty results than in sun-drying, and you want moisture content equalized between under and over dried pieces.
Cool the food on trays, then pour into large, open, non-porous container **not aluminum** use a crock, enamel-or graniteware container, even a large washtub lined with food-grade plastic and then with clean sheeting (washtubs are typically galvanized).
Stir foods once a day -- twice of you can manage it -- for 10 days up to 2 weeks, depending on the size of the pieces. You can add freshly dried pieces to this initial batch but not too close the end of the conditioning time, obviously. Fruits, being dried in larger pieces typically, require more conditioning time than vegetables most often.
To pasteurize your dried fruits and vegetables:
This is recommended to kill any insect eggs deposited on foods dried open air/sun. It is effective in machine dried as well for retreating to be held in storage -- although if the vegetables show any signs of mold (some of which produce latoxin, i.e. food poisoning).
Work with small batches at a time and use your oven. Use a thermometer and preheat your oven to 170 F/80 C. Spread food loosely, not more than an inch deep, on a shallow pan/tray. Do not do more than 2 trays at a time.
Heat dried, brittle vegetables, cut small, for 10 minutes at 175 F/80 C. Fruits, cut thicker, need more time -- 15 minutes at 175 F/80 C.
Remove each batch and spread out to cool on clean toweling. Cover lightly with cheesecloth to keep it clean while cooling. Package one batch while the other is being conditioned.
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