preparation
Drying is by far the simplest and most natural method of preserving food,” writes Carol W. Costenbader, in The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest, from which these instructions for how to go about drying your own are drawn.
- Use only peaches that are fully ripe but not overly ripe.
- Wash, pit and slice the peaches. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they will dry. But keep all pieces uniform in size so they’ll dry at the same time.
- To preserve the color of the peach, blanch or dip the slices before drying them. There are several ways to do this. As indicated below, some methods work better for some fruits than others.
- 2 tbsp ascorbic acid (FRUIT FRESH) or 5 1-gram crushed vitamin C tabs and 1 quart water
- Mix 1 box of powdered pectin with 1 cup water. Boil together for 1 minute, then add ½ cup sugar and enough cold water to make 2 cups.
- Mix 3 cups water and 1 cup sugar. Heat and then add 1 cup honey. Stir well.
- Combine 1 quart pineapple juice, 1 quart lukewarm water and ¼ cup bottled lemon juice.
a) Place peach slices directly on oven racks or first spread 100 percent cotton sheet or cheesecloth over oven racks.
b) Preheat oven to 145 degrees, propping door open with wooden spoon to allow steam to escape.
c) Allow 4 to 12 hours to dry the fruit.
d) peaches should be dry but pliable when cool. Test a few pieces to see if the batch is ready - Put peaches in a big dry open pot in a warm, dry, airy location. Stir once or twice a day for 10 days to two weeks.
If you want to store the dried peaches for any great length of time, it is best to pasteurize the slices. After drying is complete, freeze the peaches for several days at zero degrees in a deep freeze (the freezer compartment of a refrigerator won’t do), or heat in a 175 degree oven for 10-15 minutes
Store in airtight ziplock bags or glass containers kept inside paper bag to protect from light. Store in cool dry place. Since a refrigerator is cool and moist, keep the dried fruit there only in the heat of summer, but make sure the package is air tight.
http://www.seasonalchef.com/preserves21.htm
FAQs
a) Place peach slices directly on oven racks or first spread 100 percent cotton sheet or cheesecloth over oven racks. b) Preheat oven to 145 degrees, propping door open with wooden spoon to allow steam to escape. c) Allow 4 to 12 hours to dry the fruit. Put peaches in a big dry open pot in a warm, dry, airy location.
Can you dry peaches with the skin on? ›
Also, there is no need to peel your peaches. The skin actually helps the peaches during the drying process.
Do you need to blanch peaches before dehydrating? ›
Remove the skin (optional!): Peach skin is thin and totally edible, so if you want you can leave it on—just make sure you wash them thoroughly. If you'd rather remove the skin, the fastest way is to blanch the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove and place them in an ice bath.
Can you sun dry peaches? ›
The peaches are washed, cut and pitted, then carefully laid on wood drying trays, sulfured (for color retention and as a preservative), and laid in the sun to dry. The peaches are removed from the trays, sorted, cut, packaged, and stored. The sun drying process locks in the intense fruit flavors.
How to dry peaches without a dehydrator? ›
Put peaches in a big dry open pot in a warm, dry, airy location. Stir once or twice a day for 10 days to two weeks.
What is the easiest way to preserve peaches? ›
Freezing Peaches (Sugar Pack)
- Dissolve ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid in 3 tablespoons cold water and add to each quart of peaches to slow darkening.
- Add ⅔ cup sugar to each quart (1⅓ pounds) of prepared fruit.
- Stir gently until sugar is dissolved or let stand 15 minutes. Place into containers.
- Seal, label and freeze.
Most fruits do not need to be peeled before freezing, however, peaches and nectarines are an exception because their skins get tough when frozen. You can peel them raw, but it is easier to blanch the peaches first so the skin falls right off.
Should dried peaches be refrigerated? ›
Refrigerating dried fruit isn't necessary. (“That's the point of it. Stuff can't grow on it because there's not enough available water,” says LaBorde.) But doing so will extend the shelf life to six months after opening, according to the USDA.
How long do you leave peaches in boiling water to remove skins? ›
Boil just until the skins start to soften and separate where the peach was scored, about 30 seconds to a minute. Use the slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the boiling water, lowering them directly into the prepared ice bath.
Do you put anything on fruit before dehydrating? ›
Pretreating Fruits
Place cut fruits in a solution of 3¾ teaspoons of powdered ascorbic acid (or crush 20 500-milligram vitamin C tablets) or ½ teaspoon of powdered citric acid in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes before placing on trays to dry.
Dried Peaches are excellent sources of iron, as well as rich sources of beta-carotene and Vitamin A. The presence of Vitamin C as well as copper in these dried peaches also works as excellent antioxidants. Dried peaches are also rich sources of several vitamins from the Vitamin B group.
Why is my fresh peach dry? ›
So if you get a mealy peach or nectarine from the supermarket, the reason is probably because it was stored at too low of a temperature, below about 45°F, according to McGee. That's why, as a general rule, you shouldn't store nectarines or peaches in the fridge until they are fully ripe.
Do dried peaches go bad? ›
On the bright side, if you store it correctly, it can certainly last longer than a bowl of fresh fruit on your countertop. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, most dried fruit lasts up to one year at 16ºC and up to six months at 27ºC if they are stored properly.
What is the air drying method? ›
Air Drying
The natural raw materials are laid out on an open surface for several days, during which time they are turned over multiple times in the sun. This natural process removes water from the natural raw materials, sharply reducing their water content.
How do you dry peach skin? ›
Simply collect your peach skins, bake them at a low temperature to dry them out (around 200°F), and grind the dried peach peels to a powder.
Are dried peaches good? ›
These tasty bites of juicy, fruity goodness are a good source of vitamins A, B3 and C. They supply the body with essential minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium and fiber. Adding a serving of this delectable dried fruit to your diet can be beneficial to your heart, bones, digestive system, eyes and skin.
