Can You Dehydrate Frozen Fruit?
Dehydration is a great way to preserve fruit and to turn it into a healthy and convenient snack.
If you love frozen fruit like us, then we have great news! Since you can get any fruit all year round thanks to industrialized flash-freezing, you can dehydrate just about any fruit that comes out of the bag.Â
Can you dehydrate frozen fruit? Yes. Dehydrating frozen fruit is an excellent method for storing your favorite fruit and turning them into a healthy snack that you can take along with you. All you need is a couple of bags of frozen fruit, a dehydrator, and up to 12 hours.
Read on below to learn the correct method of dehydrating frozen fruit and how you can get the most out of their taste while also preserving them for the long term!
Dehydrating Frozen Fruit
Frozen fruit makes life easy as you don’t need to worry about quality, storage, or cutting them up. Just pop open a bag, thaw, and dig in!
But if you want to go a step further then we highly recommend that you dehydrate the fruit and experience a new way of consuming them.Â
You can find any frozen fruit in the supermarket. The best way to go about this method is to either dehydrate large bags of a single fruit that you love or go with the recommended method and get a mixed bag of frozen fruit.
Fruit like berries, mangoes, strawberries, pineapples, and more make a great starting point for dehydration. As stated, some of these fruits are seasonal but you can still find them in the frozen section at any supermarket.Â
First, you will need a dehydrator. This machine is designed to draw out moisture from the fruit and to dry them from the inside out. Dehydration only affects the moisture content and texture of fruit and will keep their flavor intact.
Dehydration also allows for long-term storage as you can simply shift the dehydrated fruit in an airtight bag and store them in the fridge for several weeks!Â
Typically fruit and vegetables require the dehydrator to work at a temperature of 135-140°F for up to 9-12 hours. Yes, it takes time but if you are dehydrating frozen fruit in bulk then it will be worth the while!
To begin, simply open a pack of mixed fruit and lay them out on the kitchen counter. Look for very large chunks of fruit like pineapples or strawberries.
The best way to dehydrate every fruit equally would be to cut them into uniform pieces so that they all dehydrate at the same time.Â
Once cut, move the pieces into a strainer. You will need to gently rinse the fruit to remove any ice and to partially thaw them. Leave the fruit in the strainer for about 10 minutes so that they drain properly.Â
Now plug in the dehydrator and lay the fruit in the dehydration basket or tray. Make sure that all the pieces of fruit are evenly apart.
Do not overcrowd the tray. If the design of the dehydrator allows for stacks, then you can divide the fruit over different layers.Â
Once all the fruit is in, simply set the temperature at 135°F or as specified on the machine or in the manual. Start the dehydrator and leave it on for about 9-12 hours.
You can take a peek after 6 hours to see if everything is going as planned.Â
Check the fruit again at the 9-hour mark to see how they are doing. If they have shriveled up and reduced in size but are still pliable and dry then you have successfully dehydrated frozen fruit!Â
Simply move to a zip lock bag and enjoy this delicious and healthy snack any time!
Related Questions
Dehydrated frozen fruit is a great snacking alternative to other low-nutrition foods like chips or cheese puffs.
Now that you know how to dehydrate fruit, here are a few related questions we thought you might’ve had while reading this article!
Can you dehydrate fresh fruit?Â
You can dehydrate fresh and frozen fruit! Both will have more or less the same flavor and texture once dehydrated.
If you have the time then we recommend that you start with fresh first as it is marginally better than frozen fruit.
Can you rehydrate dehydrated fruit?
Yes, you can! To rehydrate, simply put the food in water or if you are cooking with fruit then just add the dehydrated pieces to the pot and they will rehydrate within 5-10 minutes.
Should you dehydrate fruit overnight?
Yes! You can dehydrate the fruit overnight in a dehydrator since you would need about 9-12 hours for the fruit to become fully dehydrated.
You should always read the manual and operating instructions for your dehydrator for the best results! Â
Thank you for sharing all the great content.