How to Dehydrate Blueberries in the Dehydrator
Here’s how to dehydrate blueberries in a dehydrator. Use either fresh or frozen blueberries to make tasty little treats.
I enjoy dried blueberries much better than raisins. I find the flavour much richer and they’re not so sticky and overly sweet. If that sounds like something you’d like as well, check out this recipe.
Also Read: How to Make Healthy Trail Mix, How to Store Dehydrated Food, Top Tips for Dehydrating Food
This recipe for home dried blueberries does not include any sweetener or preservatives. For that reason, they’re firmer and drier than store bought blueberries, which tend to be more like raisins. Commercial blueberries often include cane sugar, sunflower oil and sulphites to keep them soft, chewy and supple. Because we’re not adding preservatives it’s important we dry our blueberries so that there is no more than 10% moisture remaining in the berries.
Blueberries like grapes, saskatoons and cranberries must be cut, pierced or checked (plunged in boiling water for 30 seconds) in order for them to dry safely inside and out. Their skin is actually quite tough and is designed by nature to keep moisture in. Therefore, if we want to draw moisture out, we need to somehow open up the skin. We can do this by piercing with a fork or toothpick, cutting the berries in half, squishing them or plunging them in boiling water for 30 seconds to scar the skin.
Recipe for Dehydrated Blueberries
How to Dehydrate Blueberries
Equipment
- dehydrator
Ingredients
- blueberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- If using fresh blueberries, wash and pick out any unwanted berries and debris.
- Cut, pierce or "check" blueberries by placing in a mesh strainer and dipping in boiling water for 30 seconds and then shocking them in cold water to stop them from cooking further. This opens up the skin to allow moisture to escape from the inside.
- Place pierced or checked blueberries on mesh trays leaving a little space between each berry. Put in dehydrator and dry at 135°F (57°C) for 8 to 18 hours. Time will vary with each dehydrator, size of berries and with temperature and humidity levels in your house. (My house in the middle of winter on the Canadian prairies is extremely dry and foods dehydrate very quickly).
- Rotate trays and check blueberries at 6 hours to get a sense of how quickly they are drying.
- Finished blueberries will be pliable and leathery with no signs of moisture when squished or cut open. Natural sugar in the blueberries may make them a little sticky. It can be tricky to distinguish between wet and sticky but you'll get the feel of it. If you have any doubt, dry the berries longer or let them cool a little. As they cool they will become firmer. Let rest on tray until cooled, at least 2 hours.
- Once cooled totally and completely, place in an airtight container (glass jar is best). To condition the blueberries and ensure they are absolutely dry throughout, watch and shake jar for next 7 days. If the blueberries soften greatly, clump together or if there is any sign of moisture on sides of jar – return to dehydrator. If all is good, store in a cool, dark place for a year or more.
How to Condition and Store Dried Blueberries
Like all fruit, dried blueberries should be conditioned before storing.
Conditioning dried fruit allows the pieces to balance out any moisture differences. After drying, some berries may have higher amounts of moisture than other pieces. When all the pieces are stored together, the moisture tends to equalize between all the pieces. It takes about 7-10 days for this to happen. This is called conditioning and it’s very easy to do.
Pack cooled blueberries loosely in a glass jar. Seal, shake daily and observe for 7 days. If at any point you see any signs of condensation in the jar, dry the fruit more. If the berries clumps together (more than when you put them in the jar) or go quite soft, you’ll need to dry them more. If the berries look and feel dry after 7 days – you’re cleared for storing that jar in a cool, dark place for a year or more.
Store dried blueberries in a tightly sealed container, away from light in a room with consistent temperature (ideally cool). Read How to Store Dried Food for more details.
Vacuum sealing is optional.
How to Use Dried Blueberries
Just put them out for your family to eat – they’ll be gone in no time!
Dried blueberries are great in homemade baking, but I do recommend soaking them in water first. This will re-hydrate and plump them up nicely. Simply put berries in a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain the water and they’ll be ready to add to your favourite baking recipe.
Otherwise, use them as is for
- in oatmeal or homemade instant oatmeal
- in homemade tea blends
- in trail mix
- in porridge, chia seed pudding or other soft, wet foods
Other Dried Fruit Recipes
Do you have any questions about drying blueberries? I love getting reader’s questions and comments, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.
Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist, speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas. She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener. When she’s not working on growing or cooking food, she’s likely hiking or kayaking in the backcountry.
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