How to Dehydrate Strawberries {Oven Method}

Making your own dehydrated strawberries is easier than you think and requires no special equipment.  There's no need for a bulky dehydrator taking more of your kitchen space.  Read this How to Dehydrate Strawberries {Oven Method} tutorial for tips to help you preserve those sweet berries for long into the future.

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I've made dehydrated strawberries and fruit leather many times for long camping and hiking trips.  It's a great way to take food that would other wise be perishable or easily smooshed with you.  Dried berries are great in everything from oatmeal, homemade trail mix, salads or just a  healthy snack.  The best part of the oven method is that you can pop them in on a day you are hanging around the house and go about other home tasks.

I worked on these strawberries while I cleaned the house one day.  It takes a few hours but is very little hands on time. Set a timer so you don't forget to check on the oven periodically.

what is dehydrated fruit?

It is fruit that has had all of the moisture removed.  You can actually do this process with more than just fruit.  You can do this with meat and make your own jerky, but today we are just talking about strawberries.

So why would we want to remove the water from the berries?  Well once the water is removed these can be stored for quite some time with no fear of spoilage.  Dehydration is one of the oldest types of food preservation.  Now we can get fresh fruit year around thanks to transportation.  This method for dehydrated foods was especially useful during the winter months when there was not access.  Even though we do not need to rely on dehydration today, dried fruit is quite tasty.  It intensifies the sweet and tangy taste and gives it a nice chewy texture.

Equipment needed to dehydrate strawberries

• oven or dehydrator
• parchment paper
• baking sheets
• sharp knife
• cutting board

These are all very basic kitchen tools.  Do not rush out to buy a dehydrator because you can dry strawberries with just your oven!

How to select the best strawberry to dehydrate

When drying strawberries you want to pick the perfect fruit for the best results.  Look for ripe strawberries that are in peak season.  The sweeter the berry, the better it will taste once it is dried.  Look at your local farmers market during strawberry season to find the freshest berries.

How do you dehydrate fresh strawberries?

So the good news is that you do not need to invest in another expensive kitchen gadget.  Trust me I have my pantry and cabinets jam packed but I do not own a dehydrator.   I used my oven with great results.  Ovens can go as low as 170 degrees.  I set mine to 200 because that low temperature is what you need to slowly pull the moisture out of the berry.

Wash your berries and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels.  Then remove the stem end and slice your berries in uniform ⅛ of an inch slices.  Next, line the berries in a single layer on a parchment lined baking tray.  The parchment is very important because as the berries start to dry they will stick a little.

Place the tray of sliced strawberries in the preheated oven and set a timer for 2 hours.  At this point you will want to evaluate how dry they are and if they are ready to flip.  Touch the strawberries to see if they are almost dry.  Then you will need to peel them from the parchment paper to flip them over.  Return the baking sheet back to the oven for about another hour.  You will need to keep a little closer eye on them now and check them more often.

How long does it take to Dehydrate strawberries in the oven?

When dehydrating strawberries or any fruit the amount of time will vary depending on how thin the slices are.  The best way to slice the strawberries is an ⅛ of an inch.  By keeping them uniform in size,  they should take 3-4 hours to fully dehydrate.  The thicker slices will take longer.  Just keep an eye on them and if a few finish sooner you can remove them from the oven.

How long do dehydrated strawberries last?

Dehydrated strawberries will last longer than a year.  Once the water from the fruit is removed by the dehydration process it can be stored without any issues from mold.  I have never personally kept any that long because they are just too tasty in my morning oatmeal!

If you do intend to store the dried strawberries for longer periods of time make sure that they are completely dry first.  I usually let them cool for an hour and touch the pieces just to make sure they have no stickiness to them.

Then I place the dehydrated berries in an airtight container like glass mason jars.  I find glass jars store the berries better than plastic bags.  Some foods absorb the plastic giving them an off taste.

If you want to go a step further and store the dehydrated strawberries for a longer time you can add an oxygen absorber.  The desiccant pack can be added to insure no moisture can ruin your dried fruit.  Then keep the jars in a dry place like a pantry away from the microwave or oven.

If you try this tutorial for How to Dehydrate Strawberries, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bluesbestlife on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day.

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