Strawberry Recipe {Oven Dried Strawberries} (2024)

FAQs

Can I dehydrate strawberries in my oven? ›

Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Arrange strawberries, cut-side down, on the prepared baking sheet; bake until completely dry, about 4 hours, flipping once halfway through bake time. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 20 minutes.

Dry cut-side up at 130 to 140 degrees F. Use a dehydrator or dry in an oven if you are able to set the oven temperature low enough. Drying time depends on the size of the berry pieces, exposure to air to cut surfaces, temperature, air circulation and method of drying. 7 to 15 hours for slices.

Dehydrated strawberries can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark area for one year. You can store freeze-dried strawberries for 10-15 years when vacuum-sealed with an oxygen absorber.

These berries keep their color when they are dehydrated without an acidic solution pre-treatment, unlike apples, pears, and many other fruits, making them beautiful all on their own. Remember that your dried strawberries will only be truly delicious if you start out with good quality fresh fruit.

Methods. Food dehydrators—either commercially made or homemade— give a good-quality dried product. Oven drying works well if you can set your oven to a temperature of 140 (60°C) to 150°F (65°C). Open the oven door 2 (5 cm) to 3 inches (7.5 cm) to allow moisture to escape.

The temperature of your oven is key for proper dehydration. Too hot and your foods will scorch or burn. You'll want the oven's temperature to be under 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 Celsius) for the best results. Simply set your oven to "warm" and you'll be all set.

Wash and dry the berries in fresh water and once dry, remove any greenery and any unripe sections towards the top of the fruit. From here you have a couple of cutting options. If you aren't pressed for time, you can use a sharp paring knife and cut the strawberries into slices 4 mm wide.

If you have fresh pears or apples, treat them like the citrus and brush them with some lemon juice, or if you would like them sweet, brush them with a really light sugar water. Once you have done that add them to either the dehydrator or an oven at 70 C / 160 F for between 5-7hrs.

Dried fruit can boost your fiber and nutrient intake and supply your body with large amounts of antioxidants. However, they are also high in sugar and calories, and can cause problems when eaten in excess. For this reason, dried fruit should only be eaten in small amounts, preferably along with other nutritious foods.

Add the strawberry slices in an even single layer and air fry for 1 hour (45 minutes if your air fryer is at 200 degrees). Flip halfway through. When the strawberries are fully dried, remove from the air fryer basket and serve or store for later use.

How to tell when dehydrated strawberries are done? ›

How to tell when strawberries are done. Strawberries should be pliable when they are completely dried but have no obvious remaining moisture (tear one in half and squeeze—if moisture appears, dry them longer). If you sliced your strawberries thin for crunchier chips, you can dehydrate them until they snap when bent.

Slice strawberries into slices (about 1/8 inch thick) and make sure they are around the same size or they will need different times in oven. Add strawberries to baking sheet and and to oven and cook for about 3-4 hours (flip after 2 hours) The strawberries should feel a bit dried out and not not wet anymore.

Pretreating light-colored fruits before drying is important for the quality and safety of the final product. Soaking the sliced fruit in an acidic solution preserves the color and texture of the dried fruits, and it increases the destruction of potentially harmful bacteria during drying.

Oven drying times vary, depending on the food. Plan on it taking 6 to 10 hours. Drier foods take less time, while juicier foods take longer. If the food is sticky or moist, it isn't done drying.

Air fryers are capable of dehydrating food as they function quite similarly to dehydrators. But you must check your own individual air fryer to see what settings you need to use to dehydrate your own food. Your air fryer needs to be on a low heat to be able to dehydrate food, and it must be at a temperature below 45℃.

While freeze drying involves much lower temperatures, drying requires hotter conditions (125° F to 140° F) to effectively remove water from each fruit. Because dehydrated fruit still contains about 20% of its moisture, it has a chewier texture.