How to Dehydrate Apples in Air Fryer

Drying out the apple significantly extends its shelf life. Ordinarily, apples last just a handful of days, but if you dry them out, their freshness can be preserved for many months. The process involves eliminating all the moisture before sealing them in an airtight container. Continue reading to discover the method for dehydrating apples using an air fryer.

There are several ways to dehydrate the apple. You can utilize a microwave, oven, dehydrator, and much more things to dehydrate the fruit. However, you should utilize an air fryer to dehydrate it quickly with the least effort. Our today’s article will let you know the step-by-step process of dehydrating apples in the air fryer.

How to Dehydrate Apples in Air Fryer

The dehydrated apple can be a great way to fulfill your desire for crunch in odd times. Some people even call these apple chips because of their taste and appearance. So, whether you call it dehydrated apple or crunchy apple, you can easily prepare it using an air fryer. Below, we will discuss how to utilize an air fryer to dehydrate apples.

Step 1: Select the Right Apple

Begin with picking the right apples for dehydrating. The usual sweet apples are one of the best options for dehydrating. After that, decide how many apple chips you want to produce. Based on your preference, pick the right amount of apple.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple

Preparing the apple is an important and tricky step. Begin with washing the apples properly by soaking in the clean water. Afterward, put them in the kitchen towel to air dry. Then peel the apple if you want or continue without the peeling. Then cut them into smaller crossways of 1/4 inch slices. Try getting rid of the seeds and cores.

Step 3: Pretreat the Apple

Apple typically begins browning once you cut them, which is a condition known as oxidation. If you put them for a long time after cutting, the apples start becoming darker and also soften the flesh. You can slow down the oxidation by dipping the apple in a pre-treatment solution. Here is how to prepare the solution.

Combine one cup of bottled lemon juice with one cup of cold water. Then soak the apple slices for around 10 minutes. Make sure to dry them after removing the apples from the liquid.

Step 4: Organize the Slices for Dehydrating

The next thing you will require doing is to organize the apple slices for dehydrating. Take out the basket of the air fryer and position the slices in a single layer all over the surface of it. Note that you shouldn’t put one slice on another which can cause uneven dehydration. To assure proper and even dehydration, you will require preparing them in multiple batches.

It would be better if you have an air fryer rack. You can put them in multiple layers, allowing you to cook large batches at once. Some of the air fryers arrive with a rack nowadays. These racks are also available to purchase separately. If you are preparing them in a rack, make sure that you leave enough space for proper air circulation.

Pro Tip: Make sure to sprinkle some salts to make them taste better while they dry. You can also consider adding ground cinnamon to get a bit of spicy flavor from the dehydrated apples.

Step 5: Prepare the Air Fryer

Dehydration is not like cooking anything in your air fryer. You will require putting the machine at less temperature for a comparatively long time.  Turn on the air fryer after adding the basket filled with the apple slices. If your air fryer doesn’t arrive with a Dehydrator mode, simply put the machine at 300-degree F.  Make sure to flip, rotate, and stir the apple slices in five minutes intervals.

If your air fryer arrives with a dehydrator mode then select it and set the temperature to 135 degrees. Afterward, you can put the slices and allow them to cook for around 6 to 7 hours in a row. You will get completely ready to preserve dehydrated apples following the way.

Step 6: Take them Out

After letting the apple slices prepare for the recommended time, take them out carefully. If you are utilizing the first preparation method, you will not find dry apple slices. Instead, you will find a big soggy, and shriveled. However, once you allow them to cook for a specific period, they will become dry and crunchy.

If you are utilizing the second and slow method, you will find dry apple slices right out of the box. They will be ready to be preserved.

How to Store Dehydrated Apples

After dehydrating the apples, you can store them for a long period if you can preserve them properly. Typically, they will be good and flavorful to eat even after six months of dehydrating. So, what is the best way to store the dried apples to preserve them for a long time? Well, you can store them in airtight jars or cans. Simply fill the jar with the dried apple slices and close it properly to stop air circulation.

Note that it is not recommended to utilize a metal container or jar for preserving the dried apples. That is because the metal can react with the food. You can put them in a plastic bag and then seal them on an air-tight container. It will be best if you can utilize a glass container or jar with plastic lids. The dried apples are very compact and don’t require much space for storage.

Make sure to check the dried apples frequently to check if they are still dry. Also, put them in a dark and cool place for keeping them better for a long time.

Conclusion

Every year, a lot of apples get wasted due to lower demand. Now you can utilize the above method to dehydrate the apples to preserve them for a long time. You can keep the dried apples in good shape even for one year simply by utilizing the right technique of preservation.