How to Dehydrate Pineapple

A pineapple, ready to be dehydrated.

Dehydrated fruit is a great snack with a long shelf life that maintains all the nutritional value of a normal piece of fruit. Many fruits and vegetables can easily be dehydrated and used later in baking recipes, trail mix, oatmeal or just plain as a snack. Use this recipe to dehydrate pineapple to have a dried supply of the tropical fruit during every season.

Things You'll Need

• Pineapple
• Knife
• Food dehydrator

Instructions

1. 

   Use a knife to remove the skin of the pineapple. Cut just deep enough to remove all traces of the outer skin.

2. 

   Remove the core and cut the pineapple into 1/2-inch pieces.

3. 

   Place the pineapple pieces spaced evenly on the dehydrator tray. You can also place other types of fruit on the tray with the pineapple. Fruit dries well at 135 degrees, but drying time of fruit varies.

4. Turn on the dehydrator, set at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 to 16 hours. Check the consistency of the fruit throughout the dehydrating process. If the inside of the pineapple is free of significant moisture, drying is complete. Drying time depends is affected by the size of fruit pieces and how many are in the dehydrator at once.

Tips & Warnings

• Set dehydrator in a secure spot and keep an eye on it as the fruit dries.

• Drying time depends on the size of the pieces and the amount of fruit in the dehydrator at once.

• Dehydrating ripe, fresh fruits will yield the best end result.

• Store dried fruit in a cool, dry place.

• Use dried pineapple in baking recipes or in oatmeal.

• Dried pineapple is also great plain.

Resources

• Purchase Nesco American Harvest Dehydrator
• Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook
• Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling