How to Make Raisins Using a Food Dehydrator: 8 Steps How to Make Raisins Using a Food Dehydrator Community Q&A Raisins, high in iron, are easy to make in your dehydrator. After making the raisins, you'll be able to store them for the long term. Here are the instructions for growing organic grapes, dehydrating your homegrown grapes, and canning the resulting raisins. Note: This method explains the use of a food dehydrator and canning for long-term storage. See also How to make sun-dried raisins if you're interested in drying on trays using the sun. Steps 1 Get seedless grapes . There are many brands, types, and colors of seedless grapes. A very common homegrown grape variety is the Thompson Seedless. It is prolific in bearing so you can make lots of grapes from one vine. It is self pollinating and can be trained as a climber, on a fence, or on a post with a 'T' arm, for a single specimen in your landscape. The grapes are medium size and greenish yellow at ripe stage. High in sugar , this grape dries faster than large seedless grapes.

All grapes take three years from planting to produce a crop. To get a large crop takes winter pruning, a little natural fertilizer in the spring and water through the dry season. With this little attention you'll have your own organic raisins drying in your dehydrator in September. 2 Keep predators away from your homegrown grapes. Birds love grapes, so be ready to pick the grapes when you see some falling on the ground. It doesn't matter if the grapes are so over-ripe that they're falling off the stems. They are just sweeter that way. Hold a pan under the clusters as you cut them from the vine. This way those very ripe ones will go to you, and not to the birds. 3 Wash the grapes. Remove the fruit from the stems after washing. Fill the sink full of grape clusters, fill the sink with water. Then swish the bunches and put them into the other sink with the drain strainer open, to drip. Of course, you can use a pan and colander to do this and if you have a lot of grapes, your dish drainer works well with its tray under it. This leaves your second sink free for other things.

Let the grapes drip for about an hour so they won't be adding moisture to the dehydrator. 4 Stem the grapes. When you remove the grapes from the stems, pay attention to the small top of the grape stems. If you're stripping the grapes with your hand you should do it in a flat baking pan. When you have a full layer in the bottom of the pan you can turn the grapes with the flat of your hand and see all of the small stems that are still stuck to the top of the grapes. They do not belong on your raisins. Remove them, then pour the grapes onto the dehydrator tray. When you get down past the middle of the rack of grapes, you may find the lower layers of grapes are still pretty wet. After you've finished stemming them, turn the pan full of grapes onto a towel and roll the them with the flat of your hand. This will dry them enough to make them ready for the dehydrator tray. 5 Use the dehydrator . When the trays are full, close the dehydrator and turn on the motor. The temperature should be at its highest setting for the first twelve hours at least.

If you must turn the trays, you will have to leave the heat on high another twelve hours. The skins on the raisins hold in the moisture and juice and you are making sure all of the grapes are warm enough to prevent souring. Turn the heat down to medium-high level, only after the drying grapes all look pretty dark and you can see they're drying out. These pretty little green grapes will turn a dark brown and look just like raisins in a couple of days. It will usually take two to three days to dry the raisins in a good dehydrator. If your dehydrator doesn't have a fan and heat mechanism, it is better to use your oven . Grapes will mold if the heat does not get hot enough to turn the juice to sugar within the skin. 6 Test for dryness. Squeeze several dark, drying grapes on the tray. If you feel them slip inside the skins, they're not dry enough. This means that they will mold in storage. If they feel firm, but pliable, they are done. You can dry the grapes till they are hard. This allows you to store more in a container, and you know they will last indefinitely.

When you go to use the raisins, put your recipe amount in a cup, add a spoon full or two of water, cover and steam for one-half to one minute in the microwave . This puffs them up like store bought raisins. If using for a salad or other recipe not in baking, pour the little bit of water left in the cup out and let the steam dry the raisins. 7 Store the raisins. Sometimes one is given a picking of grapes from a friend and may only get the one picking and need to store them for future use. Or you may have your own and want to do long term storage where the grapes can keep for more than a year. Storage for one or two years: Raisins dried hard in your dehydrator will keep in storage for a couple of years if you seal the lid with paraffin. This lets you use plastic peanut butter jars and the like to store in. Just melt the paraffin in in a tin can and pour it around the edges of the lid. Dump out the excess paraffin and screw the lid on the jar while the wax is still warm. Old candle butts can be used for this.

The principle for this type of storage is to keep bugs from creeping into the threads of the jar and entering the food area. Storage with no time limit: If you have a pressure canner , you can pack quart (4 cups) jars, seal, and place in the canner. Pressure at 5 pounds (2.26kg) pressure for forty minutes. Oven method: Since not everyone has a canner, it is easy to can raisins in your oven. Pack into clean sterilized jars adding one tablespoon of water. Wipe the top of the jar with a clean damp cloth to remove any minute particles that are on the rim from filling the jar. Put a sterilized lid on the jar , screw the band down firmly and place the jar on the bottom rack of your oven. When all the jars are in the oven, turn the heat on to 250ºF (120ºC) and process for one hour. Turn the oven off and let the jars cool in the oven. To speed this up you can crack the oven door but not wide open, as a draft can crack your hot jars. Canned, your raisins will keep indefinitely. Don't worry about an expiration date.

There is none on the sealed jars. 8 Test jars for seal. To test the cooled jars for seal, use a teaspoon handle and tap the top of the jar. If it sounds like a plink, instead of plunk, it is sealed. Saving an unsealed jar of raisins: If you get a jar that does not seal, just stick it in the back of your refrigerator and use it within the year. They won't spoil in the fridge , but could mold on the shelf because of the water you used in the jar to make the steam for canning. Community Q&A Updated: Views: 74,356 "Thanks so much for this great article. I've been waiting for this season for 3 years. I have 3 grape vines that I've learned to put on wires, then trim and now use. I'm excited to have some of my own home grown raisins. "..." more - C. G. Oertle "This article helped me in the discussion of canning the raisins. I had not thought of that, and have only kept them in sealed bags, but I love the idea of canned raisins! Thanks for the idea!"..." more - Laura P.

I wanted to know how to make raisins and wikiHow made it easy enough for anyone to understand. Thanks. :D - Kathy Bridges This taught me how to make sure that the raisins were done all the way. - Sue C. How to make Raisins (Dehydrated Grapes) - YouTube How to make Raisins (Dehydrated Grapes) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Aug 22, 2013 Relatively straight forward, but you want to make sure you take a couple simple steps to make sure you do it right. It's also worth doing a lot at once, not just one tray since it does take about 24-36 hours Category How to Make Raisins: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow How to Make Raisins Community Q&A Sun-dried raisins are a delicious natural snack and an addition for many recipes, such as oatmeal raisin cookies.

They're not hard to make if you just follow these simple steps. If you'd like to dry raisins using a dehydrator or an oven, see How to make raisins using a food dehydrator . Steps 1 Start with fresh green or purple grapes. Be sure they are fresh, ripe, not mushy or otherwise blemished. Check them carefully. 2 Remove the larger stems from the grapes and wash them thoroughly. Do not remove all grapes from the stems. If you are unsure of their origin, a rinse in a diluted bleach solution (two drops household bleach in a quart of water) may be safer. 3 Place them on a tray. Use a wooden, wicker, bamboo, or plastic tray that is slatted, so air can circulate around the fruit. 4 Place them outside in a dry sunny place (this requires warm, dry weather). If your climate produces night fogs or dew, take the trays inside at night. 5 Let them sit out in the sun for 2-3 days, or until dry (taste test). Rotate the fruit and/or trays to ensure even exposure to the sun. 6 Remove dried grapes gently from the remaining stems and store in a dry airtight container in a cool place.

7 What will happen if it gets wet? wikiHow Contributor There is a possible chance of mold. Keep grapes as dry as possible during the 'drying' process. Is there sugar in grapes? wikiHow Contributor Yes, one grape contains approximately 0.4 grams of sugar. About 7 grapes contains the equivalent of a sugar cube. However, sugar in fruits is much healthier for your body than processed/refined sugars. What if my home grown grapes are very tart and sour? wikiHow Contributor If your home grown grapes are tart or sour tasting, add 1tsp sugar to 1 cup cold water, let the grapes soak for about 4 hours. Then strain the grapes and start the drying process over again. Why do you have to bleach them and put them on a tray? wikiHow Contributor It kills germs. If the grapes have been handled with dirty fingers, then it can give you food poisoning. How can I wake up with great ideas? wikiHow Contributor Try brainstorming with friends. Write down all of your ideas. Any ideas you wake up with will most likely be influenced by whatever you were dreaming about, and it's very hard to control what you dream about. Will it work with other fruits?

wikiHow Contributor It depends on the fruit. For example, cranberry raisins exist. They are made by drying cranberries in the sun. Other fruits may not work so well with the same process, for example, a banana. If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Video Tips Watch for dampness or rot. If a few grapes go bad, remove them immediately from the tray and spread nearby fruit out to dry. Remember that drying grapes will shrivel up and get small, not turn to mush and rot. Over-ripe grapes will take longer to dry and may rot before drying. It's preferable to have slightly under-ripe, yet sweet, grapes. Protect drying fruit from insects such as flies. Cover them lightly with cheesecloth (not plastic) or gauze if necessary. Professional raisins are often dried by hanging bunches of grapes from a string or wire. This is harder than using a flat tray but works better as the fruit has maximum air exposure. Warm air (such as a breeze) will help fruit dry faster. Place your drying trays in a southern exposure in the prevailing wind if possible.

How to Make Raisins | Garden to Table Recipes and Edible Growing Ideas | HGTV Homemade raisins are easy to make without the need for special equipment. Homemade raisins are easy to make without the need for special equipment. Homemade raisins are easy to make without the need for special equipment. Half of the world’s raisins are produced in California. But the best raisins? Those just might come from your own backyard. Grapes have become a popular backyard crop. Depending on what type of grape you’re growing, they may be just about ready for picking. Some may try their hand at winemaking and others simply enjoy the juicy goodness of freshly picked fruit, but homemade raisins are easy, fun and a treat you may have overlooked when preparing to preserve the harvest. I’ve dried all manner of fruit for preservation over the years, but somehow overlooked the best known of all. Grapes have been dehydrated for centuries and are perfectly suited for the process, remaining tender and flavorful for as long as you care to store them.

Historically, grapes were left in the sun to dry for several weeks to reach that sweet and wrinkly state and this method holds up fine today, but that seems like an awfully long time to wait. Home dehydrators do a great job, but without special equipment, raisins can be made in the oven with little effort and no added expense. Raisins have just one ingredient: grapes. They can be placed on a rack to dry without any preparation (other than washing), but blanching them before dehydration softens the skin, making the grapes more tender and amenable to even drying. Red grapes will give the most familiar results, but green grapes work just as well, yielding a raisin with a paler, golden-brown hue. If buying grapes, seedless are a good way to go, but not necessary. Grape seeds give a slight crunch to the sweet treat and are loaded with heart-healthy nutritional value. The time it takes for grapes to become raisins varies significantly depending on oven temperature and type of grape. Check after about 18 hours and revisit as needed. When it looks like a raisin, it’s done.

Homemade Raisins Recipe Blanch grapes by dropping by the bunch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transferring into a bowl of ice water. Remove stems. Pat dry with a towel and spread in a single layer onto baking sheets. Place baking sheet in an oven set to warm (180 degrees is ideal) and allow to dry 18-24 hours, turning after 12 hours to prevent sticking. Once dark and wrinkled, remove from oven and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container. How to Make Raisins (Dehydrate Grapes) - WellPreserved WellPreserved Published by Joel MacCharles 20 Comments It`s an odd time of year to make raisins for us – grapes are hardly in season and won`t be for some time. But there`s a few reasons that motivated this effort: I am doing a bunch of other dehydrating. Our dehydrator raises the temperature of our kitchen by several degrees. Since we`ve planted seeds for the gardening season I`m using the opportunity to dehydrate and to add warmth to the room they`re in (I keep them on top of the highest furniture where they get the most warmth).

I`ve tried raisins a few times and not been happy with the results. Doing small batch off-season experiments are a great way to learn and allow you to develop skills and determine if you want to make larger batches mid-season. The difficulty in drying grapes is two-fold: there`s a lot of moisture and a tough membrane (the skin) which makes the evaporation of it`s water content difficult. There are two ways to over come this: `Check`the skin by breaking it. This typically means piercing it with a skewer, toothpick or needle or freezing it to burst the skins. I believe you could also drop individual grapes in boiling water for moments to do so (this works great for cranberries which suffer a similar fate). Cut them. Piercing can actually take more work than slicing – and the drying times can be considerably longer. A sliced grape will dry in 12-20 hours while a pierced whole grape will become a raisin in 24-36 hours (we dry all of our fruit at 135 F or 57 C). Sliced grapes have a slightly odd shape when dried as a raisin but I love them!

Home dried grapes, like much dehydrated food, are simply superior to commercially bought product. The texture is closer to a date – almost crispy on the outside with a chewy inside. These were super sweet and I`d use a fraction of the amount of these compared to commercial raisins. Any thoughts we`ve missed on raisins? They`re well worth making and we`ll be ready for when the season hits this year. DIY Raisins (Yes, Raisins) | Serious Eats DIY Raisins (Yes, Raisins) DIY Raisins I've never been much of a dried fruit fan, and I think I can trace the root of this back to those little red boxes of raisins so frequently tossed onto my elementary school lunch bag. In my memory, the raisins always ended up packed tightly into the bottom of the box, requiring precision coaxing to remove them from their cardboard shell. They may very well have been nature's candy, but I would just as well have skipped dessert altogether. Considering the marketing tag line that raisins are just "grapes and sunshine," DIYing your own might not seem all that necessary or cost effective, and I would give you that.

Still, I had read some things about how lovely homemade grapes could be and wanted to try them out before those really amazing grapes I can never stop myself from purchasing in large quantities hit the farmers' market this year. I ended up being very glad I did, because even though the process is rather obvious, the taste was something of a surprise. I've always found commercial raisins to be small and papery bits of sugar that practically dissolve on the tongue after one or two bites. However, the Red Magic seedless I dehydrated last week, for example, offered a subtler though richer sweetness and more complex flavor overall. I don't mean to get all wine snob on you—though, admittedly, I just used writing that description as an excuse to eat a few more handfuls—but as you might expect, different varieties will net different flavor profiles. Grape Types Most commercial raisins are made from sultana, aka Thompson Seedless, grapes. Dehydrating your own opens up your options and is perhaps the biggest reason to do so. For those who have their own vines, another big motivator may be managing a sudden yet bountiful harvest.

Either way, you will likely want to select a seedless variety, unless you're game to de-seed them yourself (I've done this for other projects and will never, ever do it again) or chew through seeds in your dried fruit. One thing I noticed when purchasing fresh grapes to dehydrate is that some are treated with sulphur dioxide as a food preservative, while the raisins in my pantry specifically say "sulfite free" (not the same thing, but related). Point being, if additives are of concern, be sure to read your labels/chat with your farmers. Before You Dehydrate The dehydration of fruits and berries with a waxy skin is more efficient if they're blanched or "checked" for about a minute in hot water so that the skin develops cracks through which moisture can better escape. I've also read that following that up by freezing the fruit for a few hours before dehydrating aids the process, but I've never taken it that far. Dehydrator vs. Oven (vs. Sunshine) I find that using a dehydrator is the most efficient way to make raisins at home with less chance of over drying.

However, realizing that not all readers have that option, I also tried a batch in the oven at 165°F with the fan on (if you have a convection option) and the door cracked a couple of inches (I use a old wine cork wedged in over top of the oven light switch on the door). The higher temperature resulted in faster drying, but required diligent tossing and more careful babysitting. Sun drying is also an option once the weather is offering high heat and low humidity. Even if the steamy summers here in Maryland would cooperate, I doubt the pests in my urban lot would let me get very far with this method unless I also developed a screened-in drying cage that could fight off attacks by land and air. But by all means, make use of the free sunshine if you can. Drying this way will likely require at least a few days in strong sun. From left: commercial vs. DIY raisins The Verdict This is a DIY project I would say is all about unique taste and quality rather than cost—at least until the season hits locally. What began as two pounds of grapes (@ $4.98) reduced to approximately six ounces after drying.

To put that in perspective, I can buy 20 ounces of standard commercial raisins for $3.19. Still, as a former raisin-despiser, I have now found a dried grape product so attractive to me that it seems quite worth the occasional time and expense. Get the Recipe Dehydrating Grapes - Raisins in Disguise Dehydrating Grapes Raisins in Disguise! By dehydrating grapes to make raisins yourself, you'll find they taste better and plump up more than store-bought raisins. Raisins, as we all know, are a great handy snack – whether you are sat at home or are backpacking in the great outdoors! Great nutrition for your kids ... Add grapes to fruit roll-ups too and for added sweetness to smoothies! Raisins are also great in breads and in your breakfast cereal. Grapes Contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids! Grapes Contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids! Grapes have been dried for thousands of years and have many hidden health benefits.

Grapes are a great source of vitamins A, C and K before they become raisins BUT when they ARE raisins, they have more Choline, Niacin, Folate, and Betaine, with higher trace amounts of Thiamin, and Riboflavin! In the mineral department, raisins beat grapes hands down in Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Fluoride. Both grapes and raisins contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Dehydrating Grapes – Fun to Do – Everyone Loves Raisins! to Make Raisins Rinse the grapes and blanch in a small amount of boiling water Cut the grapes in half and place on your food dehydrator sheets, cut-side up to prevent drips on the lower trays! Turn on your dehydrator and set the temperature between 125°F and 135°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions). Drying time: between 6 – 10 hours The raisins, er, dehydrated grapes will feel pliable when sufficiently dried. Remember to rotate your food dehydrator trays, for even drying.

Cut Grapes In Half – Saves On Drying Time Cut Grapes In Half – Saves On Drying Time Reminder: If drying your grapes whole, the drying time jumps to 10 – 36 hours so please bear that in mind. I highly recommend cutting the grapes in half! I did try the 'whole' method, but the trays got really sticky ... and as stated, they took far longer to dehydrate ... so cutting the grapes in half won out for me!For the green grapes, I decided to try just washing and slicing the grapes in half, without blanching first. They worked a treat! There's something about home-made raisins, they have that sweetness, but also a great tangy/tart taste too!

(Try saying that fast three times!) From your friends at Easy Food Dehydrating Copyright © 2010-2016 ~ easy-food-dehydrating.com How to Dehydrate Fruit - Grapes, Bananas, Blueberries, Strawberries, Peaches, Mangos by Tiffany 62 Comments Once the flood gates of produce were opened and a round or two of fruit had been flash frozen and stowed away, we realized that unless we picked up the pace a bit, the produce was going to rot in my foyer before making it to a pie or smoothie. Enter Duke the Dehydrator. (Like the name? We gave it to him last October when we made caramel apple chips for Halloween instead of candy. They’d be excellent as a non-holiday snack too!) Up until this point in time, my experience in dehydrating put me in the “intermediate” category. I could proudly claim dried apples , bananas, mango, strawberries, carrots and almonds as successful attempts and winners with the family. The 150 pounds of various fruits sitting on my kitchen counter was challenging me to a duel.

18 pounds of grapes and 15 glass pint jars later, I can now add grapes, blueberries and peaches and to the list of successes as well. Each type of fruit has its own peculiarities as to how they dry best. The easiest way to explain is to simply run down the list of fruits one at a time. So here goes! Note: This is a very long post with instructions included within each individual fruit. This makes it easier if you’re looking for one in particular. Also, since curious minds probably want to know, I have this exact dehydrator . Affordable and it gets the job done. It was a birthday gift last year and one of the best birthday gifts ever! How to Dehydrate Grapes Want to learn how to make raisins? Although I learned growing up that raisins were dried grapes, I don’t think I ever put two and two together until I made them myself! The 18 pounds of grapes from the produce bash provided an excellent, hands-on learning opportunity for everyone in the family. We started with seedless green and seedless red grapes for experimentation. Both varieties turned out to be excellent for dehydrating.

I imagine it’s possible to use seeded grapes as well, but you would definitely have to halve and remove the seeds first, before dehydrating. Wash the fruit thoroughly using an all natural produce wash . Drying is optional, since they’ll dry in the dehydrator anyway. Although working with dry fruit is easier and less messier than working with wet fruit. If the grapes have seeds, halve the grapes and remove the seeds. It is not necessary to slice whole, unseeded grapes. Lay the clean fruit on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 135 degrees, the “fruit” setting on most dehydrators. Allow to dehydrate for 24-48 hours. Grapes are raisins when you squeeze them gently and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: 2 pounds of grapes yields approximately two 16 oz glass jars of raisins, depending on the grapes used. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours).

Smaller fruit will dry faster than larger fruit. They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more fruit if you’d like. Water and juices will be released from the grapes as they dry, causing them to have a spot on the outside where the sweet, sticky juices are trying to escape. These juices made it a bit more important to shuffle every 8 hours if possible to prevent long-term sticking. This was more prevalent in the red grapes than the green grapes. Although they were the same size starting out, dried green raisins are noticeably larger than dried red raisins. When I handed out to some friends for taste testing, comments such as “Wow, these are so much more flavorful than regular raisins” were common. You can jump start the dehydrating process by raising the temperature to 145 degrees for the first 12 hours. After that, reduce it to 135 degrees to prevent burning or over-drying. I plan on keeping my raisins in jars and stored in the pantry for several months (so I don’t have to spend my grocery budget on dried cranberries).

Because of this, I chose to keep the grapes in the dehydrator for close to 48 hours. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. How to Dehydrate Bananas Banana chips are almost as much fun as homemade raisins. If you’re looking for crunch, these are definitely the way to go. Peel the banana. Cut into 3/8″ rounds for thin strips, or 1/4″ for thick strips. Lay the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 135 degrees. Allow to dehydrate for 8-12 hours. Bananas are done when you bend them and they are not pliable. Ideally, they should come very close to breaking when bent. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: one banana yields approximately half a cup of dried banana chips. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours).

Smaller slices will dry faster than larger fruit. They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more bananas if you’d like. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. If you want chunks instead of slices, dehydrate thicker slices of fruit and chop up with a sharp knife after the dehydrating process. Bananas may change colors through the dehydrating process. If this is a concern, gently slice the bananas into a 1 part apple cider vinegar to 4 part water solution. A very quick soak – one minute or so – is enough to cancel out the discoloration. Bananas can be flavored before drying by sprinkling spices into the water bath, or gently on top of the slices fruit once laid in the dehydrator. Remember that the flavor will condense through the drying process, so a little bit goes a long way. How to Dehydrate Blueberries Dehydrating blueberries provides a way to incorporate the fruit into fun snacks like granola bars or trail mix .

If your blueberries are small to begin with, they will inevitably fall through larger holes in the trays. You can use the solid trays that come with dehydrators (often used for fruit rolls) to prevent escaping berries. Wash the fruit thoroughly using an all natural produce wash . Drying is optional, since they’ll dry in the dehydrator anyway. Although working with dry fruit is easier and less messier than working with wet fruit. Remove all the stems and lay the clean fruit on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 115 degrees. The low temperature ensures the fruit doesn’t burn or char. Allow to dehydrate for 8-18 hours. Blueberries are done when you squeeze them and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: a clamshell of blueberries (18 oz) yields approximately one 8 oz glass jar of dried blueberries. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours). Smaller fruit will dry faster than larger fruit.

They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more fruit if you’d like. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. How to Dehydrate Strawberries Strawberries are another fun fruit to dehydrate – they’re SO easy to snack on! Wash the fruit thoroughly using an all natural produce wash . Drying is optional, since they’ll dry in the dehydrator anyway. Although working with dry fruit is easier and less messier than working with wet fruit. Remove the stems and cut the fruit in half. Laying the strawberries on their sides, cut into 3/8″ slices for thin strips, or 1/4″ for thicker strips. Lay the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. End pieces should be laid with skin side down. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 115 degrees. The low temperature ensures the fruit doesn’t burn or char. Allow to dehydrate for 8-18 hours.

Strawberries are done when you squeeze them and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: 1 pound of strawberries yields approximately one 16 oz glass jar of dried strawberries. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours). Smaller fruit will dry faster than larger fruit. They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more fruit if you’d like. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. If you want chunks instead of slices, dehydrate thicker slices of fruit and chop up with a sharp knife after the dehydrating process. How to Dehydrate Peaches Slices of dehydrated peaches are so much fun to gnaw on, even as an adult! Thick slices would be excellent for teething babies as they won’t break off easily. Like blueberries, dried peaches would also be great in granola bars or trail mix .

Maybe some dried pineapple and coconut chunks too for a tropical variation! Wash the fruit thoroughly using an all natural produce wash . Drying is optional, since they’ll dry in the dehydrator anyway. Although working with dry fruit is easier and less messier than working with wet fruit. It is not necessary to remove the skin, you may if you’d like. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Laying each peach with skin side up, cut into approximately 3/8″ slices for thick strips, or 1/4″ for thinner strips. Lay the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. End pieces should be laid with skin side down. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 135 degrees. Allow to dehydrate for 8-12 hours. Peaches are done when you squeeze them and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: one large peach yields approximately half of one 8 oz glass jar of dried peach slices. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours).

Smaller slices will dry faster than larger fruit. They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more grapes if you’d like. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. If you want chunks instead of slices, dehydrate thicker slices of fruit and chop up with a sharp knife after the dehydrating process. How to Dehydrate Persimmon Fuyu persimmon are a bright orange fruit, naturally sweet and have the texture of a firm peach, or a soft apple. Avoid the Asian persimmon, as those are bitter and should be roasted first. Wash the fruit thoroughly using an all natural produce wash . Drying is optional, since they’ll dry in the dehydrator anyway. Although working with dry fruit is easier and less messier than working with wet fruit. It is not necessary to remove the skin. Cut the persimmon in half and lay each half on its side. Cut into approximately 3/8″ slices for thin strips, or 1/4″ for thicker strips.

Lay the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 135 degrees. Allow to dehydrate for 8-12 hours. Persimmons are done when you squeeze them and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: one large persimmon yields approximately half of one 8 oz glass jar of dried persimmon slices. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours). Smaller slices will dry faster than larger fruit. They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more fruit if you’d like. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. If you want chunks instead of slices, dehydrate thicker slices of fruit and chop up with a sharp knife after the dehydrating process.

How to Dehydrate Pineapple Pineapples are naturally sweet and when dehydrated, the sweet becomes richer and deeper, making an absolutely delicious snack! Cut the tops and bottom off a fresh pineapple. Stand the pineapple on its end and carefully cut the outer skin off, leaving just the yellow flesh. Cut the pineapple into quarters from top to bottom. Remove 1/2″ of core from each quarter. Laying each quarter on its side, slice the pineapple into 3/8″ slices for thin strips, or 1/4″ for thicker strips. Lay the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 135 degrees. Allow to dehydrate for 12-18 hours. Pineapples are done when you squeeze them and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: one large pineapple yields approximately two 8 oz glass jars of dried pineapple slices. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours). Smaller slices will dry faster than larger fruit.

They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more fruit if you’d like. If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. If you want chunks instead of slices, dehydrate thicker slices of fruit and chop up with a sharp knife after the dehydrating process. How to Dehydrate Mango Mangos tied with peaches for which fruit was the most fun to chew on – my son chose mangos and my daughter chose peaches! The mangos are in the far left of the above picture. (Strawberries are in the middle and apples on the right. We kept those jars on the kitchen table for easy snacking and it was PERFECT.) Hold the mango so that the oblong shape is vertical (points at the top and bottom). Cut off one side of the mango approximately 1/2″ from the center. Repeat with the other side. Cut each half into thirds, for one long strip and two boat-shaped end pieces. Lay the fruit skin side down and using a sharp, non-serrated knife, carefully filet the flesh from the skin.

Cut off any smaller remaining pieces of flesh from the skin and reserve for smoothies or snacks. Slice the flesh of the skin into 3/8″ slices for thin strips, or 1/4″ for thick strips. Lay the slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer. End pieces should be laid with skin side down. It’s okay if some of the fruit touches. Set the temperature to 135 degrees. Allow to dehydrate for 8-12 hours. Mangoes are done when you squeeze them and there is very little “squish” left. Taste as you go since this may be a learned test of doneness. Yield: one large mango yields approximately half of one 8 oz glass jar of dried mango slices. Tips: Periodically check on the fruit to see the speed at which they’re drying (every 6-8 hours). Smaller slices will dry faster than larger fruit. They will also shrink in size as they dry, so you can combine trays and add in more fruit if you’d like.

If you have a hard time testing whether or not the fruit is “done,” turn off the dehydrator and let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to cool before tasting. If you want chunks instead of slices, dehydrate thicker slices of fruit and chop up with a sharp knife after the dehydrating process. How do you dehydrate fruit? Share your tips and ideas in the comment section! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. By making a purchase through those links, I will earn commission that helps to keep the lights on in the Crumbs house – with no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crumbs in this way. Read my full disclosure statement here . Share this post:

Question: What are dehydrated to make raisins?
Answer: Grapes