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!!
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
