Another great way to save the summer (and space in your freezer) is to dehydrate summer fruit. This fruit is perfect for trail mix, granola bars, fruit powders, baking, or just snacking by the handful.
If you’ve got a dehydrator, now’s the time to dust it off and put it to work. If you don’t, it is possible to dehydrate fruit using your oven. Set it to the lowest possible setting, and keep your eye on it to make sure your fruit doesn’t get too crunchy.
In general, the thinner you slice things, the less time they will take. How do you know if they’re done? Put a few pieces in a plastic bag and seal. If there’s any condensation after half an hour, they’re not dried out enough yet. This is most important to check if you’re going to be storing your dried fruit at room temperature.
For Strawberries: just wash, slice, and arrange in a single layer on your dehydrator tray.
For Blueberries and Cranberries: you need to pop the skins so that the berries dry out. You’ve got two options. You can either puncture each berry individually, or you can add berries to boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute, then dip in cold water. The skin should crack, allowing the moisture out. Once you’ve done this, spread berries in a single layer on a dehydrator tray.
For Cherries: halve, pit, and arrange in a single layer on a tray, skin side down.
For Bananas: slice and arrange in a single layer on a tray. Keep an eye on these to achieve your desired texture—some people like them crunchy, but others, not so much!
Store your dried fruit in mason jars or airtight plastic bags.
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