Apple season is at hand 🍎 With so many fresh varieties, its time to get some and preserve them.
Growing up in Washington State, we often thought of ourselves as the apple capital of the US. Maybe a bit too proud fully. While Eastern Washington does grow more than half of all apples produced in the US, the Shenandoah Valley of West Virginia is no slouch. It’s a treat to be introduced to new varieties I hadn’t enjoyed before. Many locally grown in this vast valley I call home now. Out here we still have orchards that allow U Pick still.
I picked up a peck of them. The farms here still use the old measurements I grew up with in rural Washington. A peck is on average 10 to 12 pounds and is a quarter of a bushel.
To dehydrate, get your biggest mixing bowl out. Squeeze a lemon or two into it, then fill a third up with cool water. I use filtered here, as we have extremely hard well water. Clean water, but rich in carbonate.
Peel your apples, quarter, and core. Then thinly slice, adding the apple slices to the water.
Once you sluce all your apples, drain off and spread on the dehydrator trays.
Turn on the dehydrator to 135*, and let do its thing.
About every two hours, I flip the trays with the bottom one going to the top (my dehydrator is bottom heat). This helps keep the drying even. If you use a Nesco dehydrator, just move the trays to the bottom.
How long will it take? That depends on the thickness of slices, how juicy your apples are, and how bad the humidity is if you’re south of the Mason Dixon Line.
Ours took a little over 24 hours. It could take 8 to 48 hours, especially if your trays are crowded or thick slices.
Once fully dried (no damp spots), turn off and let cool.
Then pack into preferably mason jars. Add in a dessicant packet if desired.
Every month, I shake dehydrated items to move them around to avoid clumps. Home dehydrated ingredients will often retain some moisture. Keeping it shaken makes sure it stays stable.
To take with you on trips, pack up in snack size zip top bags.
~Sarah