How to Use a Food Dehydrator

Do you want to be healthier and save money? Make your own dried fruits and vegetables for up to 90% less than store prices. Learn how to dry seasonal produce with a dehydrator, and you'll be able to stock up for year-round savings. Unlike canning or freezing, food dehydration is a great option, as dried and bagged fruits/vegetables require less space, need no electricity, and have a long shelf life. This article will teach you how to use a food dehydrator.

Things you’ll need

A dehydrator

8-12 hours of drying time on average

Spices, sugar, or salt

A knife

A cutting board

Air-tight containers or freezer bags

Step 1

First you must choose your food to dehydrate. Fruits and vegetables are cheapest when they're in season, so I use my dehydrator a great deal in the summer. Begin with the very best quality fresh fruits and vegetables. Overripe or bruised produce will not produce good results when dehydrated. Except for bananas, I like them to be a little ripe when I make banana chips. They are sweeter.

Step 2

Wash and slice all fruits or vegetables you are going to dry. It is best to process foods as soon after harvest as possible. Be sure to make all the pieces the same size to be sure that everything will dry at the same rate. Thick pieces are harder to dry. Plus, it is hard to make sure they are dry in the middle. This can cause problems with storage, see Step 7.

If you are drying apples and pears (fruits that turn brown when cut), rinse with a little lemon juice and water before you starting drying to keep them from turning brown.

Step 3

If you are drying veggies, blanch in boiling water for 2-5 minutes to speed drying time and to maintain color. Lay out on paper towels to dry off a bit before putting into the dehydrator.

Step 4

Add any seasonings, such as salt, sugar or spices to flavor your fruits and vegetables. This step is optional. I like to sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on my apple chips.

Step 5

Next, load up your fruit and vegetable slices onto the dehydrator trays leaving a little space between them. Be careful not to overlap them because this will slow down the drying time. You can dry more than one type of fruit or veggie at a time, but use common sense. Don’t dry your herbs and your apples at the same time. It gets really weird! I don’t even dry herbs together anymore. On a personal note, I dried rosemary, oregano, basil, and thyme (2 kinds) together once. You couldn’t walk into the house, the smell was so strong! The neighbors thought I had put in an Italian restaurant! However, tomatoes and basil do well together (put basil at the top). I try to keep a record of my drying experiments as there are some things you do not want to repeat!

Turn on the dehydrator when you have everything placed properly. It takes about 8 to 10 hours for most fruits and vegetables to dry.

Step 6

Towards the end, check your fruits/vegetables for dryness. Simply remove a piece from the dehydrator, allow it to cool and then feel it with your fingers. If it is dry to the touch, it should be adequately dried. You can also cut several fruit slices in half, and check for moisture. When your fruits or veggies are done, turn off the dehydrator. Allow to cool for 30 to 60 minutes or until completely cool to the touch.

Step 7

Packing your dried foods is next. Place all dried foods in air-tight containers or freezer bags. Store in a cool place until you are ready to use them. Other dehydrators (people who also dehydrate fruits and veggies) have told me that the fruits need to go through an additional drying period before they are ready for storage to ensure they are completely dried. They say to place them in loosely packed jars, and shake once a day for 7-10 days to ensure the remaining moisture is evenly distributed between the dried pieces. If condensation appears on the jar, the fruit needs to be returned to the dehydrator for further drying. I haven’t tried this because the bananas and apples don’t make it that long! And, I put my tomatoes in olive oil.