Drying Apples and Pears
Method:
- Peel and core the Apples or Pears.
- Apples should be cut into ¼" (5mm) rings and pears into halves or quarters depending on their size.
- Place the pieces into a bowl of cold salted water immediately for a few minutes to prevent discoloration. Use about 2 oz (56 g) of salt to each 1 gallon (4.5 litres) of water.
- Lift out with a perforated spoon and pat fully dry with kitchen roll.
- Place the pieces of fruit in single layers on the drying tray and cover with a piece of muslin to keep the fruit clean whilst it is drying.
- Check that they are fully dry by pressing 2 or 3 pieces together and, if they feel rubbery and spring back into shape, they are ready.
- Remove from the heat source and leave for about 12 hours.
- Pack into wooden or cardboard boxes lined with greaseproof paper or, alternatively, airtight jars or containers and store in a very dry place.
Drying Foods Help
These articles will get you started and give you some basic guidelines on drying foods and methods such as oven drying, air drying etc. along with how to build a drying box and other equipment you might need.
Filed under All Recipes, Apples, Drying, Fruit, Pears, Val's Preserves, Vegetarian Recipes by 
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Comments on Drying Apples and Pears
Jasper Burford @ 7:59 am
Your site looks refreshing, exciting and easy to follow. However, I can't find details about the "drying tray" that is often being used in in your drying methods. Is a fine mesh tray like a steel gauze available that could be used to dry halved grapes inside a fan-assisted 50C-65C oven (or outside in a conservatory)?
Val @ 2:05 pm
Ventilation is important so that the warm air can circulate freely.
Consequently the food should be placed on either perforated trays, trays or racks with wooden slats or a cheesecloth or muslin base. Wire cake trays with cheesecloth or muslin stretched over them and fastened at the corners with pin can also be used. This stops the imprint of the wire from marking the fruit or vegetable.
If new cheesecloth or muslin is used, wash and dry before use or it could give the food an unpleasant flavour. There may be a fine mesh tray available but it would still be advisable to cover it with cheesecloth or muslin to stop it marking something so delicate as grapes. Try Lakeland through the Allotment Shop.
Sharon @ 9:05 pm
I would love to dry some apples but not sure if I will be able to as our oven is fan assisted and its lowest temperature is 80c, it would be impossible to prop the door open for ventilation as, as soon as the door is open the oven goes off. Also how long does it take to dry the apples? Is it several hours or more?
Thanks
Nicola Lemercier @ 5:41 am
My sister has a drying machine and with that apples take 24hrs or more – we live in the Snowy Mountains in Australia and last year when we dried our apples and other fruit we were still in drought – this year we have had good rain (unlike Queensland and Victoria that had bad rain) and I imagine that it will take longer to dry stuff. We are trying to make a solar dryer so we don't have to use all that electricity – with the dryer it is a bit like having a light bulb on permanently. Your oven will use more power. The apples didn't last very long because my family decided they tasted like lollies and ate them as soon as I took them out of the dryer.