Steffi NellLast Updated on March 27, 2023 by Steffi Nell
Wondering how to dehydrate fruit at home? Fruit leathers, dried strawberries, and apple rings in little packets are so delicious. The only problem is that they can be expensive to eat regularly. Summer is a great time to buy a lot of them because they’re a great snack while camping, hiking, or traveling. You can easily make your own dehydrated fruit at home, thanks to the fact that it’s so easy to do. You might want to try drying blueberries?
Make dehydrated fruit:
Depending on the type of equipment you have, there are several ways to make dehydrated fruit at home. It is actually more cost-effective to make it in the sun versus an oven if you plan to do this regularly. Start with the oven method first if you just want to try a few batches to see how you like it.
Solar oven for dehydrating fruit:
In the summer, our kitchen is kept cool by a GOSun Solar Oven. Dehydrating fruit or vegetables is also a great way to preserve them. If you want to dry a large amount of products, you may need a drying rack, or you may use cookie cooling racks. This is how we dehydrate apple slices. Slice the apples thinly, dip them in water and this powder, and allow them to soak for 3 to 5 minutes.
Put parchment paper over the racks. You should leave enough space between each rack for adequate air circulation while layering apples. Allow air to circulate by slightly cracking the top. Make sure to check frequently every morning. Dehydration will be slower if the oven is moved toward the sun and not allowed to become too hot. Trial and error is involved but it is a fun way to organize your workspace and it does not require electricity. Ensure that the lid is tightly fitted on the jar.
How to dehydrate fruit leather?
Dehydrated fruit can be made into fruit leather if you learn how to make it at home. Dehydrating fruit leather in a food dehydrator is my preferred method (for me) since the time is more closely controlled. Using normal baking trays will result in the puree oozing through. You will need to use fruit leather trays to prevent this. The fruit should be blended together with the optional sweetener. Using the time in the dehydrator, spread the puree on the fruit leather tray.
Oven dehydrating fruit:
How to dehydrate fruit in the oven is easy, we’ll show you how! Afterwards, cut the fruit into thin slices and spread it on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. The oven should be preheated to 130-160F. A thermometer is very useful when checking the temperature of an oven because most ovens do not have this setting. Once the fruit is in the oven, check on it every hour and turn it if necessary until it is dry.
Fruit dehydration times:
Approximate times are listed here. The amount of ripeness of the fruit will determine how thin you slice it.
| Fruits | Time in Hours |
| Apples, bananas, peaches, pears, and plums. | 6 hours |
| Citrus peel, and grapes. | 8 to 10 hours |
| Apricots, strawberries, and Cherries. | 10 to 12 hours |
You and your kids can enjoy making dehydrated fruit together. Check out these dehydrated fruit recipes if you want to use up your dehydrated fruit after you’ve made it. In my Schnitz a Knepp recipe, I use apple rings. In homemade granola, dried berries make a delicious addition. These instructions and tips will show you how to dehydrate your favourite fruits.
These examples will help you understand how fruits are dehydrated.
1. Apples:
A quick and easy way to get sweet and healthy snacks is to dry apples. Slice the apples in circular shapes after washing them properly. While you can peel the skin, keeping it intact will give you a better texture. After soaking for ten minutes in citrus water, remove the slices. Preventing browning of apples with this step. When all slices are taken out, lay them on the tray and dehydrate for 7-15 hours at 58°C or at 94°C for 6-8 hours in the oven.
2. Bananas:
Bananas are a popular snack for kids, as well as a great addition to cakes, breads, and cookies. They are simple to make too. Slice thin bananas that are soaked in citrus water to prevent them from browning. Place the soaked slices on the tray and dehydrate at 58°C for 6-10 hours or in the oven for 5-7 hours, depending on your preference.
3. Mangoes:
It is also possible to store and hydrate mangoes. Slice the fruit long and thin after peeling off the skin. A slice should have a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. You can either dehydrate it in a dehydrator rack at 58°C for 7-15 hours or bake it at 94°C for 6-8 hours.
4. Pineapples:
Trim away the rough exterior skin by first cutting off the top and bottom parts. Then cut the slices into 14-inch-thick slices, removing the core so they are not too thick. Dehydrating on a rack takes 10-18 hours at 58°C or 8-10 hours in a hot oven.
5. Strawberries:
Breakfast bowls are made even better with dried strawberries. The strawberries should first be washed properly in warm water containing salt or vinegar. If any worms or insects are present, this eliminates them. Put the strawberries on the tray and cut them into ⅓ inch slices. For a seven-to-fifteen-hour dehydration, place the rack at 58°C or place in the oven at 94°C.
Storage of dehydrated fruits:
Before transferring the dried fruits to containers, first let the fruits dry completely. Hot fruits stored directly in a container may sweat, causing mold to grow. Make sure your packaging is airtight and don’t open and close it too frequently. The smaller container makes it easier to keep dried fruit for everyday consumption, and the larger container can be filled from it whenever necessary.
Final Words
There you have it, we hope that this guide on how to dehydrate fruit is so easy for you to follow. Let us know if you have additional tips or suggestions by writing a comment below.
