How To: Dehydrate Pineapple
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Dehydrating pineapple is a great way to preserve and enjoy yummy tropical fruit any time. This guide will give you all the information, including picking a pineapple, preparation steps, drying times, storage tips, and more!
I scored a great deal on pineapple this week. Like even by super expensive Canadian grocery standards. A jumbo pineapple for $1.88.
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If I had more room in my freezers that overfloweth I would have bought more, but alas, I only had so much room for frozen pineapple.
Don’t worry! I fired up the dehydrator to pick up the slack. Dehydrated pineapple stays somewhat pliable and has a concentrated flavor that you just can’t beat. It literally tastes like candy!
This how to dehydrate pineapple guide is dedicated to picking up the slack.
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Tips + Tricks
No. 1 –> Pineapples are a non-climacteric fruit, which means they will not ripen further after picking. The fruit will continue to respire, and the cells within the fruit will continue to break down and get softer and juicer, but it won’t get sweeter! I know that seems counter-intuitive, but it’s the truth!
No. 2 –> Pineapples have a short shelf life, they can be stored on the counter for 1-3 days and that could be extended by placing them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Either way, they should be eaten or preserved within 3-4 days of purchase.
No. 3 –> Keep the size of your slice or dice consistent. This will improve your drying results as all your pineapple pieces will be dehydrated around the same time.
Key Ingredients
Pineapple: When shopping for pineapples, look for a golden yellow skin that yields slightly to a gentle squeeze. Choose a pineapple with green leaves, a little bit of browning is ok, but overly brown and your pineapple will be too mushy. Your pineapple should have an intoxicating, sweet scent, and be heavy for its size.
How To Dehydrate Pineapple
Prepare the pineapple:
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom of your pineapple. Then place the pineapple on the flat bottom and slice off the peel, cutting strips from top to bottom, all the way around.
- Then slice the pineapple into 4 pieces, cutting around the core.
- Dice the pineapple as desired. I did coarse chunks but rings or slices would work great too!
Dehydrate the pineapple:
- Spread the diced pineapple in a single layer on the mesh dehydrator trays.
- Dehydrate the pineapple for 8-10 hours at 135f. Pineapple is done when it’s darker in color, pliable, chewy and slightly sticky.
- Allow the dried pineapple to cool in the dehydrator until room temperature, this will take 30-45 minutes.
Package, condition + store the pineapple:
- Once cooled, transfer the dried pineapple to an airtight container, I like to use mason jars.
- Condition the dehydrated pinapple for 7 days before transferring to a cool, dark location for storage.
Conditioning
Conditioning is important for the safe storage of your dehydrated pineapple. Don’t despair, it’s quite easy to do!
Once the dry pineapple pieces are in their storage container, you simply shake them each day or so for a week and observe the container for signs of moisture.
- If there are no signs of moisture, you’re good to go, place them in a cool, dark place for long-term storage!
- If there is evidence of moisture in the container, you must add the pineapple back to the dehydrator and dry them longer. After they’ve been dried the second time, you’ll need to go through the conditioning process again.
Batch + Storage
Batch:
One jumbo pineapple coarsely diced and dehydrated yielded me just over a pint of dehydrated pineapple. This recipe is scaleable up or down! Got a half a pineapple in the fridge and your mouth is raw? Dehydrate it! Scored a deal on a crate of pineapple, dehydrate them– as long as you’ve got room on the dehydrator trays!
Storage:
Store your dehydrated pineapple in an airtight container or mason jar in a cool, dark room for up to 12 months after conditioning the dried fruit.
How To Use Dehydrated Pineapple
There are tons of ways to use your dehydrated pineapple!
- eat it like candy
- add it to recipes like you would raisins
- toss in your favorite granola
- make a trail mix
- add to a salad
- rehydrate then add to a spicy salsa for a sweet + spicy dip
How To Rehydrate Dried Pineapple
Remove dried pineapple from the container, transfer to a heat-safe dish and add hot or boiling water until just covered. Soak for 5-10 minutes until they reabsorb enough water to reach the desired texture. Avoid using too much water as they will become waterlogged.
More Dehydrator Recipes
Recommended Equipment
Dehydrator: I have and love(!) a 9 RACK EXCALIBUR DEHYDRATOR. We use it to DEHYDRATE CITRUS WHEELS, GARLIC, STRAWBERRIES, PEARS, onions and even, DEHYDRATE MARSHMALLOWS, and much more. It’s got a 24-hour timer and very precise temperature controls so it’s great for dehydrating various foods.
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📖 Printable Recipe
How To: Dehydrate Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 jumbo pineapple
Instructions
Prepare the pineapple:
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom of your pineapple. Then place the pineapple on the flat bottom and slice off the peel, cutting strips from top to bottom, all the way around.
- Then slice the pineapple into 4 pieces, cutting around the core.
- Dice the pineapple as desired. Larger and thicker pieces will take longer to dehydrate than thin pieces.
Dehydrate the pineapple:
- Spread the diced pineapple in a single layer on the mesh dehydrator trays.
- Dehydrate the pineapple for 8-10 hours at 135f. Pineapple is done when it’s darker in color, pliable, chewy and slightly sticky.
- Allow the dried pineapple to cool in the dehydrator until room temperature, this will take 30-45 minutes.
Package, condition + store the pineapple:
- Once cooled, transfer the dried pineapple to an airtight container, I like to use mason jars.
- Condition the dehydrated pineapple for 7 days before transferring to a cool, dark location for storage.
- conditioningOnce the dry pineapple pieces are in their storage container, you simply shake them each day or so for a week and observe the container for signs of moisture:
– If there are no signs of moisture, you’re good to go, place them in a cool, dark place for long-term storage!
– If there is evidence of moisture in the container, you must add the pineapple back to the dehydrator and dry them longer. After they’ve been dried the second time, you’ll need to go through the conditioning process again.
Notes
Batch:
One jumbo pineapple coarsely diced and dehydrated yielded me just over a pint of dehydrated pineapple. This recipe is scalable up or down as long as you have room in your dehydrator.Storage:
Store your dehydrated pineapple in an airtight container or mason jar in a cool, dark room for up to 12 months after conditioning the dried fruit.how to rehydrate dried pineapple
Remove dried pineapple from the container, transfer to a heat-safe dish and add hot or boiling water until just covered. Soak for 5-10 minutes until they reabsorb enough water to reach the desired texture. Avoid using too much water as they will become waterlogged.Recommended Equipment + Ingredients
Nutrition
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Great tips for dehydrating pineapple like your style