Alright, let’s gab about dehydratin’ them pineapple slices, ya know, the sweet kind that makes your mouth water. Now, I ain’t no fancy chef or nothin’, just a plain ol’ woman who likes to get things done the easy way. So, if you’re lookin’ for some complicated stuff, you best go somewhere else, ’cause I’m gonna tell it to ya straight, like it is.
First off, you gotta get yourself some pineapples. Don’t go buyin’ them pre-cut ones, them things cost a fortune! Get the whole dang fruit, it’s cheaper that way. Now, cuttin’ it up, that’s the tricky part. I usually just hack away at it, you know, get rid of that hard bit in the middle, the one that tastes like nothin’. You gotta cut it at an angle, like them fancy folks say, but honestly, I just do whatever feels right. Cut ’em into slices, not too thick, not too thin, just right, you know?
- Pick good pineapples
- Cut them right
- Not too thick, not too thin
Now, here’s where that dehydrator thingamajig comes in. I got one of them fancy ones with all the buttons and whatnots, but honestly, you don’t need nothin’ fancy. Any ol’ dehydrator will do. Set it to somethin’ warm, not too hot, not too cold. Them smart folks say between 125-135F (that’s 52-57C for you youngsters who don’t know Fahrenheit) is just right. And then you wait. That’s the hardest part, ain’t it? Waitin’.
So, how long you gotta wait? Well, that’s the million-dollar question, ain’t it? It ain’t a one-size-fits-all kinda thing. It depends on how thick you cut them slices, how wet the air is, and probably a bunch of other things I don’t even know about. But from my experience, and I’ve dried a whole heap of pineapples in my time, it usually takes a good long while. Some folks say 6 to 8 hours, but I always found it takes closer to 8 to 12 hours. Maybe my slices are thicker, I don’t know. But you gotta be patient, that’s for sure.
You gotta check on them every now and then, see how they’re doin’. Flip ’em around, make sure they’re dryin’ evenly. You don’t want one side all crispy and the other side still wet, that ain’t no good. And don’t you go crankin’ up the heat tryin’ to make it go faster, you’ll just end up with burnt pineapple, and nobody wants that.
Now, how do you know when they’re done? That’s another good question. Well, they should be kinda leathery, not hard as a rock, but not soft and squishy either. They shouldn’t be sticky, and they shouldn’t be drippin’ no juice. If you ain’t sure, just take one out and let it cool down. Then you can feel it and see if it’s dry enough. It’s better to dry them a little too long than not long enough, because if they still have moisture in them, they will get moldy. And that’s no good at all.
And that’s all there is to it. Dehydratin’ pineapple ain’t rocket science. It just takes a little time and patience. But trust me, it’s worth it. Them dried pineapple slices are mighty tasty, and they last a good long while. Perfect for snackin’ on, puttin’ in your oatmeal, or just about anythin’ you can think of. So go on, give it a try. You might just surprise yourself.
Once they are all dried, you gotta let them cool down completely before you put them away. I put mine in a jar, a big glass one, with a lid that seals tight. That keeps them fresh and keeps them bugs away. You don’t want bugs in your dried pineapple, that’s for sure. And then you can enjoy them whenever you want, all year long. It’s a good way to save fruit when it is on sale or when you got too much. Pineapple dehydration time varies depending on different factors, you just have to be patient, that is the long and short of it.
So there you have it, my way of dehydratin’ pineapple. It ain’t fancy, but it works. And that’s all that matters, right? Now go on and get yourself some pineapples, you won’t regret it.
Post Comment