Make Your Own :: Dried Blueberries

August 31, 2008

This summer I took full advantage of the blueberry harvest. Blueberries were among the fresh fruits we brought home from every shopping trip. I couldn’t seem to get enough of these precious berries and want to continue enjoying them long after their season has ended. One great way to extend blueberry season is to dry them using a dehydrator.

The process of making home-dried blueberries is easy. The prep time required is minimal and you know your dried blueberries are 100% natural, free of preservatives, sulfites, artificial flavors and colors.

Keep in mind when dehydrating fruits or vegetables to be sure they are completely dry to prevent the possibility of molding during storage.

Dried Blueberries

Dried blueberries have a concentrated flavor and chewy texture. They make a great snack on their own, and add nutritional power to trail mixes, cereals, salads, desserts.

Organic fresh ripe blueberries, rinsed
1 small lemon, juiced

Rinse the blueberries. Sort through the blueberries making sure to discard any that are moldy, soft, or bruised. Place the blueberries in a mixing bowl. Juice half a lemon and pour the fresh squeezed juice in the mixing bowl with the blueberries. Gently mix to coat all the berries. Strain the berries through a strainer and then spread them in a single layer on a dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate anywhere from 6 – 10 hours or longer – depending one how you want the finished texture. The longer the blueberries dehydrate they become smaller and more leathery. When the blueberries are completely dry, turn off the dehydrator and allow them to cool to room temperature before storing.

Store the dried blueberries in an airtight container, glass jar, or re-sealable plastic bag. Label and date the container; store in a cool dry place.

Three Methods for Rehydrating or Softening Dried Blueberries

Method 1: Soft Pliable Rehydrate Blueberries – Rinse the desired among of blueberries needed with cold water and drain well. Place the rinsed blueberries in a glass jar with lid or re-sealable plastic bag; refrigerator overnight.

Method 2: Rehydrated Blueberries – Place 1 cup dried blueberries in a bowl or glass jar, add ½ cup cold water, mix well and cover; refrigerate overnight.

Method 3: Rehydrated Blueberries For Sauce or Smoothie Recipes – Place 1 cup dried blueberries in a bowl or glass jar and add 1 to 1 ½ cups water or other liquid, cover; refrigerate overnight.

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Comments

7 Comments so far

hihorosie on September 2, 2008 Tuesday, 8:08 am
Hmmm…my hubby will love this! Now we’ll have to pick up some blueberries to dry. :)

Thanks!!

Hi Heidi – Have you dehydrated any berries or fruits? Every time I shop I pick up blueberries. Besides eating them fresh, I’m dehydrating some and freezing some. I wish I had access to a prolific wild blueberry bush.
Zara on September 2, 2008 Tuesday, 10:19 pm
I don’t have a dehydrator. What about freezing them?

Hi Zara – You can certainly freeze fresh blueberries this is another great way to preserve them for use later. Start by sorting through the blueberries, discarding any that are bruised, leaky, shriveled, or moldy. Spread the unwashed blueberries on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer until they are completely frozen. Transfer the frozen blueberries into a freezer bag or freezer container; label with the name of its content and date. That’s it.
Carmella on September 5, 2008 Friday, 4:24 pm
Ingrid,

As usual, we’re on the same wavelenght… I was wondering not long ago about dehydrating berries. ;-)

Tell me, what temperature do you set your D at for making these?

Hello Carmi! Setting the dehydrator from 112 to 115 is good – I set mine at 115. I dehydrated my first batch of blueberries [about 1 pound] on July 29th, and to date they are keeping well stored in a glass jar. Since then I’ve been big on dehydrating for preservation; two more batches are under my dehydrating belt and I definitely see another one or two batches in the D in the foreseeable future. ;-)
Lindsey on October 17, 2008 Friday, 9:30 am
What if I don’t have a dehydrator? Any way to dry them using the oven? Please email to advise….

Hi and great question Lindsey – Yes, you can use the oven in place of a dehydrator. Turn the oven to the lowest setting – I believe the lowest temperature is warm or 200 – and allow it to warm up and place your blueberries (or other fruits/veggies) in the oven to dry.

If you are focused sticking to the guideline of keeping it raw, you’ll want to use an oven thermometer to indicate when the oven heat has reached 105 – 115, at which point you turn of the oven. As the temperature cools you will turn on the over again and repeat the above directions until your food has dried.

If not, simply set your oven to the lowest setting and dehydrate. Remember to keep an eye on what you are drying.
Sharon on August 6, 2009 Thursday, 6:20 am
Thanks! I am going to try and dehydrate some fresh blueberries in my oven today (I don’t have a dehydrator, so the oven will have to do!)

Appreciate the info

You are welcome Sharon – I haven’t dehydrated fresh blueberries in an oven so I can only guess this suggestion – try setting your oven at the lowest temperature, which I believe is 200 degrees, and keep an eye on them. Check them every 10 minutes or so. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck and thanks for stopping by! :-)
Aaron on August 7, 2009 Friday, 5:57 am
You don’t have to freeze blueberries on a tray. Just wash and sort, then stuff them in the baggie and stick that in a freezer. The berries won’t stick together like most things will.
Trudie B. on August 18, 2009 Tuesday, 9:24 am
Hi, thanks for the article on drying blueberries. I have a bush I didn’t quite get to to harvest plump fresh berries, and they have started to shrivel. I was wondering if they could be either allowed to dry on the bush and be picked/stored in zippies, then used in muffins, cookies, etc.; or if I could make use of the shriveling berries by picking them and completing the drying process in the oven or dehydrator? They do not appear moldy or otherwise diseased; it seems they’ve just been left on the bush too long. They are in full sun and still being watered regularly.
Your thoughts?

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