How to Make Dried Fruit

Dried pineapple slices

Dried fruit is yummy and nutritious. Make some today.

  1.               Wash fruit and cut into thin slices.

  2.                Lay fruit on a parchment covered cooking sheet. Fruit slices should not touch each other.

  3.                 Place tray of fruit in oven. Turn oven on very low setting (150-200 degrees). You only want to dry the fruit, not to cook it. The drying process will take several hours; do not try to increase heat to speed up drying process.

  4.                 Remove from oven when fruit is sufficiently dehydrated. Fruit should be chewy, not crunchy or squishy.

  ·                   Sliced fruit can also be threaded on a clean cotton string and hung to dry in the sun. Knot thread between slices to keep slices separate. Tie fruit-filled thread horizontally between two upright posts or other convenient objects.

  ·                   Commercial dehydrators are also available to purchase. Most will include simple instructions.

  ·                   Before drying sliced apples or or pears, soak them in acidic juice such as pineapple or lemon to keep the fruit from turning brown as it dries.

  ·                   Peel and core the fruit (primarily apples) into chains. Hang them outside with a string through the core center. Let mother nature dry the fruit for a week or two.

  ·                   Fruit hung to dry may need protection from insects or other contaminants.

  ·                   Firm fruit

  ·                   Knife or slicer

  ·                   Oven

  ·                   Cooking Sheet

  ·                   Baker’s parchment

  ·                   (sugar)