How to Dehydrate Cherries

My Mom was so nice the other night to run into town and pick up 10# of Bing cherries for me.

We have had a really wet summer so far, and some of the cherry crops in the area are ruined.
I am really hoping I can find more!!

We LOVE them fresh, and if I have enough, I make jam.

Today, I decided to dehydrate them.

Oh, dried cherries are sooo good AND sooo expensive at the store!

Last time I checked, they were around $10 a pound.

Buying them at $1 a pound and dehydrating yourself works great.

I also watch for free deals, too.

Sometimes people have fruit trees in their back yards and are more than willing to let you pick all you want in exchange for a cherry pie:).

To dry cherries {according to the Ball Canning Book}:

Choose sweet or sour varieties.

Wash them thoroughly.

Using a cherry pitter, or your fingers, halve and take the pit out.

Place them in your dehydrator and set the temp at 165 degrees for 2-3 hours.

Then dry at 135 degrees until leathery and slightly sticky.

If you are worried about moisture content, just put a few of the dried cherries in a plastic lunch bag and seal.

If condensation occurs in the bag, then the fruit needs a little more time.

My cherries were dry in about 10 hours.

You can use dried sweet cherries as a snack or in place of raisins in baked goods. 

Use sour varieties in baked goods.

Here is a link on how to dry cherries in your oven...if you don't have a dehydrator.

Have a great day!

~Julia