Step 0: The Ingredients

One of the most inspirational cookbooks I’ve ever encountered is Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables, by Joshua McFadden. This way with vegetable isn’t exactly new, but more like ways humans have always approached seasonal cooking — but have sadly forgotten about with the development of industrialized agriculture. The dehydration of fresh food has proven to be present in human food culture since around 12,000 BC. When fresh food is dehydrated, it means that all water present in fruit, vegetable, or meat, is completed removed. Why? Because with the presence of water, comes the presence of bacteria and mold.
This is accomplished by taking your product, slicing it very thinly, and drying it by force of the sun, air, smoke, or wind. Before commercial dehydrators, meat was thinly sliced and often put into smokers, as smoking techniques quicken the drying process and also add antimicrobial agents that aid in preservation.
Find out what are the easiest methods for drying apples at home.
Drying or dehydrating is the best way to preserve and store fruit. Almost all fruit can be dried, including apples. Dried apples not only have a long shelf life, they’re also convenient and make for a delicious, low-fat treat you can enjoy anywhere.
Some dried fruit manufacturers add sugar to their dried apples, which adds nothing but calories to the fruit. Apples are naturally sweet and the drying process intensified that sweetness, so you don’t really need the additional sugar. Worried that the usual brand of dried apples you buy may contain too much sugar or other preservatives? Here are some ways you can dehydrate your apples at home.

Easy Methods for Drying Apples at Home

Drying apples with a dehydrator

Instructions:

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  Wash, peel and core your apples.
  
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  Slice apples thinly and evenly (about ¼ inch)
  
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  Soak the apple slices in the lemon juice mixed with 1 quart of water to avoid any browning.
  
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  Shake off as much liquid as possible then place the slices on the dehydrator trays. Make sure to leave a little bit of space between the slices for air to circulate.
  
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  Sprinkle a light dusting of cinnamon over the slices.
  
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  Dehydrate at 135°F (57°C) for 6 to 8 hours.
  
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  Check apples for any moisture. The slices should feel dry and leathery. The inside should look like a dry, dense sponge.
  
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  Allow cooling for a few hours before storing in an airtight container.
  

You can store these apples in a cool, dry, and dark place for several months.