It’s strawberry season here…well we actually have 2 seasons that last all year long. I kept asking the farmers at my local markets why they had strawberries in January. Awesome for berry lovers like me, although they really are sweeter this time of year. I didn’t have a lot of time this past weekend but I did manage to stop by my local ‘pick your own’ farm and walked away with a few pounds of strawberries and blueberries. So stay tuned for more berry recipes in your future!
I don’t own a dehydrator (yet) so I used my oven to dry out these beautiful ripe strawberries. Depending on thickness it can take about 3 hours to get a crisp berry. You certainly can add sugar or cinnamon, but I left them pure and natural and this slow drying method really brings out the sweetness. I sliced these pretty thin, but if you’d like a chewier berry, you can cut them in thirds. If you ever have those times when you look in your fridge and see those strawberries you purchased several days ago and think, I really need to eat those…well don’t toss them out! This is a great way to preserve and use them in recipes like trail mix, oatmeal, with yogurt, or a nutritious alternative to candy, as well as an impressive garnish to your favorite dishes!
- 3 lbs fresh strawberries
- Preheat oven to 200°F
- Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats, or parchment. (I prefer mats)
- Wash, dry, and slice the strawberries in thirds, or thinner if you prefer.
- Arrange the berries on the mats and dry for 1.5 hours, then flip for another 1.5 hours.
- Keep an eye on them as you may need to rotate your pans depending on the thickness of the berries.
- Cool at room temperature and store in an air-tight container. They'll last longer if stored in the fridge.
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