How to Make Dried Fruits

Drying is a great way of preserving fruits. Dried fruits available in the supermarket are usually expensive and you don't get much for the price. They also usually have added sugar.
Dried fruits can be used in cobblers and baked breads or added to granola and oatmeal. They also make tasty and convenient "on the go" snacks. Remember that they'll never reconstitute to their original state, so they might not be useful in recipes that need fresh fruit (pies, etc.). Another advantage of preserving fruit by drying is that most dried fruits do not need to be refrigerated if used in a short period of time and can be kept almost indefinitely in the fridge in airtight containers. Small fleshy fruits like plums and apricots can be pitted and dried whole. Larger things should be sliced. Most citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruits do not dry well.
Fruits should be pre-treated with a solution of ascorbic acid and water or lemon juice and water to prevent browning and retard bacterial/mold growth. If using ascorbic acid, follow the directions on the package for mixing with water. If using lemon juice, use equal quantities juice and water.
This article will show you how to easily make your own homemade dried fruits using a simple home dehydrator available in most home supply stores.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• fruit
• ascorbic acid powder or lemon juice
• electric dehydrator

1. APPLES:
   Core, peel and slice into rings or slices no more than 1/4 inch thick. Pre-treat by soaking in ascorbic acid (follow directions on package to mix with water) or equal parts lemon juice and water. Drain (do not rinse) and spread on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Dry until no moisture can be squeezed out (if youre not sure break a piece in half - if it's dry you won't be able to squeeze any moisture from the center). If you will be using them soon, they can be a little chewy. If storing longer, they should be dried enough that they snap in half when you bend them. Five medium sized apples will equal about 1-1 1/2 cups dried.

2. BANANAS:
   Peel, slice and pre-treat as same method as for apples. Since bananas brown quickly, slice them right into the solution. Drain (do not rinse) and spread on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Dry until leathery or hard. Note: don't be surprised if they don't come out looking like the nice crunchy ones you buy at the supermarket. These will be more leathery. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

3. THICK-SKINNED BERRIES (blueberries, cranberries, etc.):
   Cook in boiling water until the skins split (30-60 seconds). Drain, rinse in cold water and spread on dehydrator trays no more than 2 deep. Dry until hard and chewy.

4. APRICOTS AND PLUMS:
   Remove pits and soak in pre-treatment solution. Do not peel. Drain (do not rinse) and spread on trays. Dry whole or slice. Do not overlap.

5. PEACHES AND PEARS:
   Core/remove pits. Slice or cut into rings no more than 1/4" thick and soak in pre-treatment solution. Drain (do not rinse) and spread on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Dry until leathery if using soon or until hard (snaps in half when you bend a piece) if storing longer.

6. GRAPES:
   If thick skinned, cook in boiling water until skins crack. Otherwise, soak in pre-treatment solution, drain (do not rinse) and spread on dehydrator trays whole or sliced (whole if you want raisins). Dry until they resemble chewy raisins and no moisture can be squeezed out.

7. STRAWBERRIES:
   Wash and slice 1/8" thick. Pre-treat. Drain (do not rinse) and spread on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Dry until hard (pieces will snap when bent).

8. RASPBERRIES:
   Pre-treat, drain (do not rinse) and spread on dehydrator trays no more than 1 deep. Dry until leathery or crunchy.

Tips & Warnings

• This isn't meant to be a complete list. You can experiment with other types of fruit such as watermelon, melon, kiwi, mango, pineapple or whatever you can think of! Let me know if you find something that is particularly successful.
• Drying times will depend on the type of dehydrator you are using. Refer to your models manual - most have a chart to approximate drying times.
• Some pieces dry faster than others. Remove pieces that are done and give extra drying time to ones that are still moist. If you store them in a plastic bag or container and notice condensation on the inside, it means they need to be dried more.
• Always thoroughly wash fruits before drying to remove dirt and pesticides.

Resources

• An additional resource for fruit drying recommendations from Colorado State University extension office

[FrazzledNanny]

on 3/26/2009 Thanks for the directions on drying fruit. We love this for our snacking. 5*

[Handmadedreams]

on 3/25/2009 Why didn't I think of this. Thanks.

[goldiec]

on 3/24/2009 Thanks for the tips on drying fruit. I've never tried this 5*