Drying fruit in the oven?

[Cruise]

Does anyone do this? How does it turn out?

I had an actual food dehydrator years ago, but never used it enough to justify the space it takes up. I was thinking I could just do my own in the oven every so often.

Anyone have any tips or "recipes?"

Thanks!

 

[swilshire]

I think the oven method would be expensive and I'm not sure it would dry the fruit as opposed to cooking it. We get out our dehydrator a few times a year to make beef jerky. I can't imagine giving it up.

Sheila

 

[LJSquishy]

You can do it in the oven but it will tie up your oven all day, so make sure to do it on a day where you aren't planning on using the oven.

Here is a great guide on all different methods of dehydrating: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-make-dried-fruit/#axzz1trG6bmu7

If I were you, I would probably go ahead and purchase a new dehydrator, even a cheap one, if you think you will want to make dehydrated foods more than a few times per year.

 

[msmama]

I've done it with apples.

I've never really done more than we'd eat in about a day or so, though, so I don't really know about long term storage (I feel like I didn't let them get dry enough for that).

I don't feel like it took that long - I mean, I certainly wouldn't have left it in my oven all day, I don't think. A couple of hours, but, like I said, I only did a small batch.

Put it in the oven and walk away basically, though.

 

[Cruise]

Thanks for the insight.

Looks like I might just have to put a dehydrator on my Christmas list.

 

[swilshire]

I've never really done more than we'd eat in about a day or so, though, so I don't really know about long term storage (I feel like I didn't let them get dry enough for that).

We always put dried apples in the freezer to use later in baking.

My mother had the neatest way to dry apples. She put clean towels in the back window of an old car we had sitting around and spread the apples out on the towels. It got REALLY hot in there, of course.

Sheila

 

[Cruise]

We always put dried apples in the freezer to use later in baking.

My mother had the neatest way to dry apples. She put clean towels in the back window of an old car we had sitting around and spread the apples out on the towels. It got REALLY hot in there, of course.

Sheila

That's funny. I was watching one of those "what if - after a worldwide disaster" type shows and it followed a family that survived the disaster to show what people would have to do. Of course, they had to grow their own food and preserve enough to make it through the winter. And it showed them drying fruit on racks in an old VW van that they'd open and close the door on like an oven. Now I know people have actually done it!!