Dehydrating Fruits

Read the basic information on dehydrating on the dehydrating Menu Link.

Apples

• Wash apples.
• Peel (optional).
• Remove core.
• Optional: pretreat apples by soaking slices in a lemon juice or ascorbic acid solution for 2 or 3 minutes (for solution: use a ratio of 1 cup water to 1 tbsp lemon juice)
• Cut the fruit into 1/4" thick slices.
• Dry the apples at 100 degrees for about 8 hours or until just crisp.

To rehydrate dried apples: soak in hot water for about 15 minutes.

Use rehydrated apples any sort of baking that uses apples, such as: pies, baked items, pancakes, in hot cereal.

Dried apples make a great snack. My husband likes to sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the apple slices just before dehydrating them. Some people like sprinkling them with powdered Jello before dehydrating.

Apples are great mixed with other fruits to make fruit leather. It will stretch more expensive fruits and it is hard to tell the difference.

Apricots

• Wash apricots.
• Cut in half and remove pits.
• Place apricots on drying trays, skin side on top.
• Dry for approximately 48 hours at 100 degrees (F), or until pliable.

dehydrated apricots will be darker in color than store bought. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making smoothies.

To rehydrate: soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Dried apricots make nutritious snack treats. They're also great for baking, trail mixes, or even chop the apricots and add to dress up your cereal or oatmeal! Apricots also make a nice fruit leather. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Bananas

• Peel bananas
• Cut into 1/4 slices.
• Pretreat by soaking in ascorbic acid solution for 2 minutes and drain. Pineapple juice is also good. Some like to dip them in Jello powder before drying.
• Dehydrate bananas for about 55 hours. Should be crisp when done.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 10 minutes.

Dried banana chips are good in trail mixes. Rehydrate dried bananas for baked items. Banana is also a good ingredient in fruit leather mixed with other fruits. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Blackberries

• Wash and gently pat berries dry
• Remove stems from blackberries.
• Dehydrate blackberries at 100 degrees takes approximately 10 hours. Dehydrate until brittle.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
Blackberries are good in fruit leather. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Cherries, Berries

(Blueberries, Huckleberries)

• Wash and drain berries.
• Remove stems
• Drop berries in boiling water until skins crack (1-2 minutes). Drain and immediately immerse in ice water to stop cooking process.
• Drain and place on cookie sheets in freezer. Once frozen, remove and place on dehydrator trays.
• Dehydrate berries at 100 degrees takes about 10 hours. Cherries will take around 40 hours.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Boysenberries

• Wash and gently pat berries dry
• Remove stems from boysenberries.
• Dehydrate boysenberries at 100 degrees takes approximately 10 hours. Dehydrate until brittle.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Try putting some into blender with liquid other ingredients when making smoothies.

Cantaloupe

• Remove cantaloupe rind and seeds.
• Cut into bite-sized pieces about 1/4" thick.
• Dehydrate cantaloupe at 100 degrees for approximately 30 hours (or until pliable).

Cantaloupe is a good in fruit leather. Good in trail mix.

Citrus

(Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit)

• Wash fruit, leaving peels attached.
• Slice into thin, even slices.
• Dry at 100 degrees for about 45 hours. Finished consistency should be brittle. (Make sure it is completely dry (brittle). Dried citrus has a tendency to mold if there's any moisture left in the fruit.)

You can also just dry the peels. If doing this, try to remove the white part of the peel, as it's bitter. If drying just the peels, dehydrating should take only about 10 hours.

Uses for dried citrus: grind into a powder, and use as a spice/flavoring. Use to flavor beverages or teas. Use dried citrus in potpourris. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Cranberries

• Wash and drain the cranberries.
• Because they have such tough skin, you'll need to treat them as you would blueberries or cherries. To treat the cranberries, drop them in boiling water until the skins crack (up to 2 minutes). Drain.
• Dehydrate cranberries at 100 degrees for approximately 12 hours. (Should have the same consistency as raisins.)

To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
Use cranberries for leathers combined with other fruits. Use dried cranberries in your baked items or as a snack. Good in trail mix.

Dates

• Wash dates and remove the pits
• Cut in half lengthwise.
• Place cut-side down on dehydrator tray.
• Dehydrate dates at 100 degrees until leathery (+/- 20 hours).

Dried dates are a great snack, in baked items, in trail mixes, in hot cereal or blended as a sugar replacement in raw recipes.

Figs

• Wash figs and remove the pits
• Cut in half lengthwise.
• Place cut-side down on dehydrator tray.
• Dehydrate figs at 100 degrees until leathery (+/- 20 hours).

Dried figs are a great snack, in baked items, for trail mixes, in hot cereal or blended in raw recipes as a sugar replacement.

Grapes

(Raisins)

• Check the grapes by dropping them into boiling water until the skins crack (should take no longer than 2 minutes). Remove from water and drain.
• Dehydrate grapes at 100 degrees for about 70 hours, until leathery there should be no moisture pockets.

Rehydrate: plump raisins for baked items by soaking them in hot water for about 20-30 minutes before adding to recipes.
Use your as you would store bought raisins.

Kiwi

• Peel kiwi
• Cut into 1/4" slices.
• Dehydrate kiwi at 100 degrees for about 48 hours (should be pliable, not brittle).

Eat dried kiwi as a snack or in trail mix.

Mangoes

• Wash and peel mangoes
• Remove seed
• Cut into 1/4" slices
• Dehydrate mangoes at 100 degrees for approximately 20 hours. Should be pliable

Mangoes are good in fruit leather. Dried mangoes make a good snack. Rehydrated mango is best used in baked items, or try in salsa. Try putting some into blender when making smoothies.

Nectarines

• Wash and peel nectarines
• Remove pit
• Cut into 1/4" slices
• (Optional) Soak nectarine slices in lemon juice solution (1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup water) for 2 minutes. (Dried nectarines tend to discolor. Note: this doesn't affect taste, only the appearance).
• Dehydrate nectarines at 100 degrees for about 30 hours (should be pliable when done).

Nectarines makes good fruit leather. Dried nectarines are good for snacks or in baked items. Add to your smoothies.

Papaya

• Wash and peel papaya
• Halve and remove the seed
• Cut into 1/4" slices.
• Dry papaya at 100 degrees for about 20 hours. Finished consistency should be pliable.

Papaya makes great fruit leather, and combines well with other fruits for leather. Dried papaya is a tasty snack. Does not rehydrate very well. Add to your smoothies.

Peaches

• Wash peaches.
• Drop into boiling water for about 30 seconds.
• Place immediately in cold water. (This loosens the skins, so that you can easily remove them.) Remove skins.
• Halve the peaches & remove the pits.
• Cut into 1/4" slices.
• (Optional) Soak peach slices in lemon juice solution (1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup water) for 2 minutes. (Dried peaches tend to discolor. Note: this doesn't affect taste, only the appearance).
• Dehydrate peaches at 100 degrees for about 28 hours (should be pliable when finished).

Peaches make good fruit leathers. Dried peaches are great in baked items, trail mix, hot cereal, and granola. Add some to your smoothies.

Pears

• Wash, peel and core pears.
• Cut into 1/4" slices.
• (optional) Soak in lemon juice solution (1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup water) or ascorbic acid solution for 2 minutes. (Pears tend to discolor as they dehydrate. It doesn't affect taste, only their appearance.)
• Dry pears at 100 degrees for about 10 hours. (Should be pliable when done)

Use dried pears in baked items, as a snack by itself, in trail mixes, etc. Pears also are good for making fruit leather.

Pineapple

• Peel pineapple
• Core and cut into 1/2" slices (or cut into bite-sized pieces, if you prefer).
• Dehydrate pineapple at 100 degrees for about 70 +/- hours. (Should be leathery when done.)

Use dried pineapple as a snack, in baked goods, trail mixes. Pineapple also makes a good fruit leather.

Plums

Makes prunes

• Wash the plums
• Halve and remove pits.
• If looking for "prunes" type of outcome, flatten plums. Otherwise, slice into 1/4" slices.
• Dehydrate plums at 100 degrees (F). Whole plums will take around 72 hours. Sliced plums will take about 30 hours. Finished consistency should be an even leathery consistency throughout.

Dried plums make a good snack, remember moderation (for their laxative effect). Use in baked items, sweet and sour dishes, etc.

Raspberries

• Wash, and dry (gently pat dry).
• Remove stems from raspberries.
• Dehydrate raspberries at 100 degrees takes approximately 10 hours. (Dehydrate until brittle.)

Raspberries make very good fruit leather also. Dried raspberries are great as additions to hot cereal, in baked items, trail mixes, and yogurt. Makes a good snack. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Strawberries

• Wash strawberries and remove caps.
• Cut into 1/4" slices.
• Dehydrate strawberries at 100 degrees for about 30 hours. (When finished, they should be leathery.)

Strawberries make nice fruit leather. Dried strawberries are great as additions to hot cereal, in baked items, trail mixes, and yogurt. Makes a good snack. Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Melons – Watermelon Cantaloupe

• Remove rind and seeds.
• Cut into 1/4" thick bite-sized pieces.
• Dehydrate melon at 100 degrees for about 30 (+/-) hours. (When finished, it should be pliable.)

Makes a nice snack. Try them in your smoothies.