How to Dry Apricots Without Sulfur
Apricots are a small fruit with golden orange coloring and a soft velvety skin.
Dehydration removes the water content from the apricot. Once dried, the apricots last for several months. A person can eat the dried apricots alone, bake them or add them to cereal. While some people use sulfur to dry apricots, there are a few methods for drying the fruit that don't involve sulfur. The easiest method is to dry the apricots in an oven, although some people use dehydrators or sunlight.
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Instructions
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Choose fresh apricots with good color and texture.
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Wash the apricots in cold running water.
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Cut apricots into half.
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Remove the pit with a spoon or your fingers.
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Place apricot halves on a drying tray or a cookie sheet. Have the skin of the apricot facing up.
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Turn the oven to 100 degrees F.
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Place the drying tray or cookie sheet into the oven.
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Keep oven door ajar about two inches.
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Place a small fan on a table in front of the oven. Turn it on to circulate the hot oven air. If your oven has its own internal fan, turn this on instead.
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Keep the apricots in the oven for 48 hours. When you are ready for bed, turn off the fan and oven as a safety precaution. Leave the apricots in the oven overnight. In the morning, turn the oven and the fan back on to continue the dehydration process.
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Remove the apricots from the oven near the 48th hour. The skin of the apricots should be pliable. The apricots are also smaller in size due to the loss of moisture.
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Turn off the oven and fan, and let the apricot halves cool.
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Store the apricots in airtight containers. Store the containers in a cool and dark place, like a pantry. Cool temperatures and darkness allow the dried apricots to last longer.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to rehydrate apricots, place them in a bowl filled with hot tap water for 15 minutes.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
