A green stem can indicate unripe fruit. If the fruit feels extremely hard, it’s probably not ripe yet.
For example, if you’re using peaches, slice them in half so you can remove the pits. Peel off banana skins, remove citrus rinds, core apples, and get rid of any stems. It’s usually best to remove most tough outer skins. For example, remove the skin from plums, mangoes, and apricots. Leaving the skin on will lengthen the drying time. [4] X Research source
For example, cut bananas into round medallions or sticks. Section oranges and other citrus fruits. Cut apples into rings or chunks. Small fruit, like blueberries, cherries, and cranberries, can be left whole.
Both techniques work equally well, but parchment paper will make cleanup much easier!
To be safe, keep children out of the kitchen during this time. You may want to crack a window in the kitchen, since leaving the oven door open will warm up the room.
You can check how dry it is by prodding it with a wooden spoon or scooping up a few pieces on a spatula and testing them out. Be sure to let it cool for a few minutes before you bite into it! If you don’t have any children or pets, you could turn off the heat and leave the trays in the oven as long as you leave the oven door open all the way. [12] X Research source
Let the fruit cool in an area away from direct sunlight.
Consider storing the fruit in divided portions. Every time you expose the fruit to air, the shelf life diminishes, so breaking the fruit into portions will keep it fresher for longer. [13] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source
The fruit will last 1-2 years in the fridge and indefinitely in the freezer. [14] X Research source
