Buying a food dehydrator is an investment on your health as you can dry fruit and vegetables for and store them as healthy snacks. This makes emergency food needs an easy and health task. Of all the fruits, pears are one of the easiest fruits to dry and make a delicious snack to binge on without any guilt.
Pears: a Fruit of Choice to Dehydrate
Not only does the fruit taste great but pears are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, folate, manganese, magnesium, potassium and several other B-complex vitamins and most of these nutrients are considered to be under-consumed from the standard levels through our regular diet. They are loaded with antioxidants which delay aging. Dehydrating pears retains almost all the vitamins and minerals of the fruits, therefore you can enjoy dried pears without any nutrient loss.
The Dehydration Process Details
The process of dehydrating different fruits varies with the type of fruit you want to dry and does not categorically remain the same. So, to get the best results for dried pears it is necessary to follow steps that are specifically suitable for pears. Let’s have a look at the stepwise details of how to dehydrate pears.
What Do You Need?
- Pears
- Water and lemon juice/vinegar (acidulated water to prevent browning)
- Plain water
- Vegetable peeler
- Knife
- Pear corer (optional)
- Food dehydrator
- Storage Jar
Step by Step Process for Dehydrating Pears
1) Washing
Wash the pears with cold water to get rid of dirt and pesticide residues if any.
2) Peeling
If you wish to peel the pears you may do so, however it is highly recommended to refrain from peeling the skin of the pear fruit. This is for two simple reasons – firstly peeling the skin of pears makes the dehydrating process all the more time consuming, and as the peels are not that thick, tough and fibrous, therefore unpeeled pears turn out equally tasty as peeled pears. Secondly, not removing the peel of the pear makes dried pears a healthier snack as it retains all the fibers in the peel.
3) Coring
With the help of a sharp knife cut the pears in half and then remove the core and seeds from the center with the help of a pear corer. Now slice the fruit into eight or more pieces based on how big the pears are. You can cut them either horizontally in circular sections or vertically. Always remember, thinner slices will dry faster than thicker ones.
4) Pre-treatment
In a large bowl and dissolve lemon juice in water. Alternatively, you can also use vinegar for this step. Dip the pear slices in the lemon-water solution for some time and then take the pieces out and place them on the dehydrator tray so that the excess liquid dries off. This method is an antioxidant treatment, a way to prevent premature browning of pears while undergoing dehydration.
5) Dehydrating
Place the pear slices on the dehydrator trays at sufficient distance from each other, without overlapping. After arranging all the pieces on the trays put the trays into the dehydrator and set the temperature and time according to the manufacturer’s manual or your specific dehydrator model guide. Look out if your dehydrator needs a frequent tray rotation to achieve even drying, if so rotate the trays as and when needed. In case the sugar within the pears starts to caramelize resulting in a very dark brown color of pears, reduce the temperature of the dehydrator.
Video Guide on How to Dehydrate Pears
How to Check the Doneness?
- Your pears slices are completely dehydrated if they are dry when touched.
- When you crush your pears with the finger, they have no give. They are no longer squishy.
- They are more stiff than soft and do not bend easily However, they are not brittle either.
- When the dried pear pieces are at room temperature they no longer feel cool on touching.
- In case the pears are cool, damp, squishy or are slightly pliable areas, dry them for a little longer. If they are not dried completely your pear slices will mold when stored at room temperature.
How to Store?
Completely dried pears should be stored at room temperature in glass jars or in freezer bags in the container or plastic bucket with a tightly fitted lid. If you want a dried pear that has some moisture content in them, then store such pear pieces in a freeze to prevent the development of molds.
Tip: 5 Products Which helps in Storing Dehydrated Food
Types of Dishes Made by Dehydrated Pears
- Pear Fruit Roll-Ups
- Pear Chips
- Pear Candies
- Dried Pear Bread
- Chop the dried pears into very small pieces and add them to salads, breaded stuffing, or rice dishes.
- Soak dried pears in wine, fruit juice or water for some time to reconstitute them enjoy them as a fresh fruit. Serve it with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Add dried pears to hot oatmeal or other cereals as along with water and cook them together with the cereal. And enjoy a healthy breakfast.
Conclusion
Dried pears are a delicious and fulfilling with the goodness of fibers and vitamins that can be enjoyed by the whole family. They can be used to make several other mouth-watering dishes like fruit bread and fruit cakes. Most importantly you can enjoy tasty dried pears like candies without the worry of added sugars or preservatives, as drying at home makes them a healthy option and also saves your money from buying store bought dried snack.