How to Dehydrate Strawberries With Sodium Bisulfate

If you enjoy fresh strawberries, then try dehydrating them to preserve their flavor. Add dehydrated strawberries to cereal, oatmeal or eat them as a healthy snack. Sodium bisulfate helps preserve the color and fresh taste of strawberries, and helps to preserve their natural vitamins. Strawberries dry when placed in a food dehydrator. Although preparing strawberries for dehydration appears simple, there is a lot of preparation time involved. When considering buying strawberries for your food dehydrator, buy only fresh and ripe strawberries.

Things You'll Need

• 1 to 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• Sharp knife
• 2 tbsp. sodium bisulfate
• Large bowl
• 1 gallon water
• Dehydrator
• Airtight container

Instructions

1. Inspect the whole strawberries for bruises. Set any bruised strawberries off to the side.

2. Wash the strawberries under warm water. Remove any dirt and debris on the strawberries.

3. Cut off the green strawberry tops. Cut the strawberries into smaller pieces by slicing them horizontally. The slices will be ¼ to 1/8 of an inch in size. One strawberry will produce 4 to 5 smaller round pieces when cut with a sharp knife.

4. Place 2 tablespoons of sodium bisulfate in a large bowl. Add 1 gallon of water to the sodium bisulfate, and mix the two ingredients together. Soak the sliced strawberries in the solution for 10 minutes. It may be necessary to weigh the strawberries down in the solution with a heavy plate.

5. Remove the strawberries from the sodium bisulfate solution. Pat the strawberries dry with a paper towel.

6. Arrange the strawberry slices on a drying tray. Set the dehydrator to 135 degrees. Dehydrate the strawberries for 8 to 12 hours.

7. Check on the strawberries around the 8th hour. Remove a strawberry from the dehydrator. Squeeze the strawberry slice between your fingers. If any juice is present, continue to dehydrate the strawberries while making sure to check on them every 30 minutes. The strawberries will feel "leathery," and you will be able to bend them in half without them breaking when they are finished dehydrating.

8. Remove the strawberry pieces as they dry. Some strawberry slices will dry faster. Place the strawberry slices in an airtight container.

Tips & Warnings

• Freeze the dehydrated strawberry slices to preserve them for 6 to 12 months.

• You can buy sodium bisulfate from your local drug store.

• If the strawberries are not stored in an airtight container or properly dehydrated, they can grow harmful mold and bacteria. Discard dried strawberries that vary in color, or have a foul odor.

References

• Dehydrating Fruit
• The Julia Journal: Dehydration 101, Strawberries
• Drying Food