Overview

Dehydrating food is a method of preservation that removes water and moisture to prevent the food from spoiling. Food dehydrators are the best way to dry strawberries, as they produce an evenly dried product and can be used at any time of the day or year. Dehydrating strawberries concentrates the sugar in the fruit so the final product tastes sweeter than the fresh alternative. Strawberries dry in a food dehydrator in eight to 12 hours, but will lose some vitamin A and C due to the heating process.

Step 1

Clean fresh strawberries and remove the stems and hulls. Cut the berries into halves, quarters or 1/4 inch slices.

Step 2

Place the strawberries in a single layer on food dehydrator trays, making sure they do not touch. Stack the trays in the food dehydrator and place the cover on top with the vent holes open.

Step 3

Turn the dehydrator temperature to 135 to 140 degrees F. Let the strawberries dry for eight to 12 hours, depending on the size and moisture level of the berries.

Step 4

Check the berries after four hours and rotate the trays. Berries on trays closer to the heat coil will dry faster.

Step 5

Check the berries after eight hours to see if all the fruit is dry. Remove a berry from the dehydrator and let it cool. The fruit is dry if the berry feels dry and leathery. Cut the berry in half to see if there are moisture beads inside.

Step 6

Turn the dehydrator off once all berries are dry and let them cool completely for 60 minutes.

Step 7

Package cooled berries immediately after they have cooled to prevent the berries from pulling moisture from the air. Place berries in an air tight container or bag and store in a cool, dry location.