How to Air Dry Fruit

Humans have preserved food by drying since ancient times. There are many ways to dehydrate fruit, including using ovens and special dehydrators. The most basic method is air drying fruit, which includes sun drying. Solar drying sometimes refers to a slightly more complex method. To air dry fruit, you must cut thin pieces and pre-treat them with ascorbic acid and water. The fruit is then arranged on a drying rack to air dry over several days.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Preparing Fruit

  1. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 1
    1
    Wash and peel the fruit.[1] Core or remove pits if applicable.[2]
  2. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 2
    2
    Slice the fruit thinly. Keep slices equally sized, so all the pieces will dry in the same amount of time.[3]
    • Trim apples into rings or slices about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) wide.
    • Cut bananas into portions about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) to 3/8 inch (1 cm) wide.
    • Cut apricots in half or slice them.
    • Cut pears, peaches, and nectarines into slices or quarters.
    • Slice pineapple into pieces 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) wide.
    3. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Pre-treating Fruit

  1. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 3
    1
    Pre-treat the fruit with ascorbic acid to prevent discoloration.[4] You don't have to pre-treat pineapple.
    • Buy ascorbic acid powder where you find canning supplies or at health food stores, where it may be labeled Vitamin C powder.
    • Blend 1 teaspoon (3000 mg) ascorbic acid with 2 cups (475 ml) water. You can use the mixture 2 times before you need to add more ascorbic acid.
    • Soak the fruit pieces for 3 to 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly on paper towels.
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Air Drying Fruit

  1. 1
    Check the local weather forecast for a hot, dry spell. You must have several consecutive days with at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). Humidity should be less than 60 percent.
  2. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 5
    2
    Get a screen or wood tray for a drying rack.
    • Choose a screen made from plastic, stainless steel, or fiberglass coated with Teflon. These types can be safely used for fruit.
    • Reject screens that can leave harmful deposits on food or alter food's nutritional value. Don't use screens constructed with aluminum, copper, or metal cloth covered with zinc or cadmium.
    • Avoid wood trays made with cedar, green wood, oak, pine, or redwood. These will taint the flavor or discolor the fruit.
  3. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 6
    3
    Choose a drying site in full sun where you can keep an eye on the fruit.
    • Place metal sheeting on the ground. Aluminum or tin will reflect sunshine and raise the drying temperature.
    • Select a concrete surface if metal sheeting is unavailable. A concrete patio without a roof or a paved driveway will suffice. A concrete surface is drier than soil, which will allow the fruit to dry more quickly.
  4. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 7
    4
    Make 2 stacks of cinder blocks or bricks.
  5. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 8
    5
    Set the drying rack onto the blocks or bricks. This will allow air to circulate around the fruit.
  6. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 9
    6
    Spritz the rack with cooking spray to prevent sticking, then put the fruit on the drying rack. Arrange the fruit in 1 layer. Leave space in between the pieces so they don't touch.
  7. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 10
    7
    Put a layer of cheesecloth over the fruit. This will keep out bugs, birds, and debris.
  8. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 11
    8
    Turn the fruit pieces after they have dried for about 2 hours. You will turn the fruit every 2 hours while it's drying in the sun.
  9. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 12
    9
    Bring the drying fruit indoors at night. You don't want your fruit in the damp, cool air after the sun goes down.
  10. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 13
    10
    Air dry the fruit for 2 to 6 days, until only about 20 percent of the moisture remains.[5]
  11. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 14
    11
    Check the fruit for sufficient dryness.
    • Slice some of the fruit pieces in half. You should not see any moisture nor be able to squeeze out any moisture.
    • Bend the fruit. It should not adhere to itself or be sticky.
    12. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Pasteurizing Dried Fruit

  1. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 15
    1
    Pasteurize the dehydrated fruit in your freezer. This is necessary to kill any bacteria that might make you will when you eat the fruit.[6]
    • Place the dried fruit in a plastic freezer bag.
    • Make sure the freezer temperature is at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 Celsius) or colder.
    • Keep the bag in the freezer for a minimum of 48 hours.
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Storing Dehydrated Fruit

  1. Image titled Air Dry Fruit Step 16
    1
    Transfer the fruit to a storage container after pasteurization. Select glass containers with tight lids, freezer bags, or freezer containers.[7]
    • Keep the containers somewhere cool, dim, and dry. Dried fruit will keep for up to a year at 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius).[8]
    2. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    Can I use an oven?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, as that will roast the fruit.
Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Fruit
  • Kitchen utensils
  • Ascorbic acid
  • Water
  • Drying rack
  • Metal sheeting
  • Cinder blocks or bricks
  • Cooking spray
  • Cheesecloth
  • Freezer
  • Freezer bags
  • Storage containers

You Might Also Like

Make Dried Fruit
How to
Make Dried Fruit
How to
Make Fruit Salad
How to
Tell if an Avocado is Bad
Tell if Carrots Are BadHow to Tell if Your Carrots Are Bad
How to
Cook Baby Corn
How to
Boil Cabbage
Eat a Star Fruit
How to
Eat a Star Fruit
How to
Cook Canned Chickpeas
How to
Buy a Good Avocado
How to
Boil Okra
Grow Celery from a Stalk
How to
Grow Celery from a Stalk
Tell if a Potato Is BadSigns That a Potato Is Bad: Raw & Cooked
How to
Eat Kiwi Fruit
How to
Core a Cabbage
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/7-tips-cleaning-fruits-vegetables
  2. ↑ https://skillet.lifehacker.com/how-to-pit-a-peach-1796987521
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD04_12Ir1c
  4. ↑ https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2781&context=extension_curall
  5. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/methods-drying-food-home
  6. ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/uga_dry_fruit.pdf
  7. ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/pack_store.html
  8. ↑ https://www.eatbydate.com/fruits/dried-fruit-shelf-life-expiration-date/
  9. https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/drying/dry-fruits-and-vegetables-at-home-zmaz77jazgoe
  1. https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/uga_dry_fruit.pdf
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_fruit

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 55,685 times.
49 votes - 81%
Co-authors: 6
Updated: August 24, 2020
Views: 55,685
Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
Advertisement