Dehydrated pineapple is possibly my favorite dried fruit! If you've never tried it, you'll be surprised how much dried pineapple retains it's sweet and tangy flavor. What you end up with, are bite size pieces of tropical flavored fruit that are the perfect addition to granola, cereal and salsa.
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I've been putting my dehydrator to good use this spring time, and dehydrating fruit when it's at it freshest and juiciest. If you haven't see it, I've just posted my tips for dehyrdating strawberries. In this article, we'll go over how to dry pineapple, one of my favorite fruits.
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
✅Homemade dehydrated pineapple is free from all the refined sugar you might find in commercially dried pineapple.
✅Dried pineapple is the perfect addition to homemade trail mixes.
✅Drying pineapple is super easy. All you need is a pineapple and a dehydrator.
✅It's vegan, gluten free, and Whole 30 friendly.
✅Dried pineapple is rich in bromelain, manganese and dietary fiber.
What Types Of Pineapple Can You Dehydrate?
- Fresh Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is always my first choice. You can usually find pineapples year round in your local grocery store, but they're at their sweetest and freshest from March - July.
- Canned Pineapple: Yes, you can dehydrate canned pineapple. I don't recommend drying the shredded pieces. You'll want chunks that are between ⅛ -¼ inch big. You can also dehydrated pineapple rings. They'll take 14-18 hours in a dehydrator. Canned pineapple frequently comes with added sugar, so if that's a concern for you, I'd stick with fresh pineapple.
- Frozen Pineapple Chunks: Defrost frozen pineapple before dehydrating. Blot dry with a paper towel.
How To Dry Pineapple In a Dehydrator
- If using fresh pineapple, cut off the top and bottom. Stand the pineapple up, and cut it straight down the center to form two large pieces. Using the edge of your knife, slice down and inward to remove the core. Do this on both halves of the pineapple. Cut each half into two pieces. Now, using your knife, make ¼ inch slices all the way down each quarter of pineapple. Finally, cut the pineapple away from the skin. Check out this video on how to prepare a pineapple.
- If using canned pineapple, drain the pineapple chunks and blot them dry with a paper towel. Cut the chunks into ⅛-1/4 inch size pieces. You can also dehydrated pineapple rings, but they'll need more time in the dehydrator than chunks will.
- If using frozen pineapple chunks, thoroughly defrost and blot dry with a paper towel.
- Whichever type of pineapple you choose, be sure to blot the pieces dry with a paper towel before putting them in the dehydrator.
- Once you've prepared your pineapple chunks, all you need to do is load them into your dehydrator, making sure that you leave adequate space between each piece. The general rule of thumb is not to cover more than ¾ the area of the mesh inserts.
- Dehydrate your pineapple at 135ºF (52ºC) for 10-14 hours until the pineapples are dry.
- You may need to rotate your trays every few hours to ensure even dehydration. Check your dehydrator's instruction manual, to see if you need to do this.
Storage Instructions
- Let the pineapple cool completely. Pineapple that is still warm will sweat in the container, causing mold contamination.
- Once cooled, transfer to a clean jar, or an airtight plastic container.
- Store dried pineapple in a clean, dark area. It should stay fresh for up to a year.
Serving Suggestions
- Make your own trail mix.
- Make yourself a smoothie, by adding the dried pineapple to your blender with a little bit of water, give it a whir, and then add the rest of your ingredients.
- Sprinkle some dried pineapple over the top of your porridge or cereal.
- Garnish cocktails with dehydrated pineapple.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If so, I'd love to see it. Tag me on Instagram @thisdailydish. Or, leave me a comment below. It makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers!
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a piece of pineapple out of the dehydrator and bend it to see if it's pliable. It should be pliable, not crispy. Give the pineapple a squeeze. If any moisture is released, return the pineapple to the dehydrator.
You should set your dehydrator between 135 F - 145 F. Check your dehydrator's manual for specific instructions, as time between dehydrators may vary.
Yes, you can. A common mistake is to set the temperature too high; this, and leaving the fruit in the dehydrator for too long, can result in an inedible end product.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
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Recipe
Dehydrated Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 large fresh pineapple *or an equal amount of canned or frozen pineapple
- water for rinsing
Instructions
- Rinse the outside of the pineapple with cold water.
- If using fresh pineapple, cut off the top and bottom. Stand the pineapple up, and cut it straight down the center to form two large pieces. Using the edge of your knife, slice down and inward to remove the core. Do this on both halves of the pineapple. Cut each half into two pieces. Now, using your knife, make ¼ inch slices all the way down each quarter of pineapple. Finally, cut the pineapple away from the skin.
- Blot the pineapple pieces with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid.
- Load the pineapple chunks into the dehydrator, making sure that you leave adequate space between each piece. The general rule of thumb is not to cover more than ¾ the area of the mesh inserts in your dehydrator.
- Dehydrate your pineapple at 135ºF (52ºC) for 8-12 hours until the pineapples are dry.Depending on your dehydrator, you may need to rotate the racks every few hours to ensure even hydration.
Notes
- If using canned pineapple, drained the pineapple chunks and blot them dry with a paper towel. Cut the chunks into equal sized pieces. You can also dehydrate pineapple rings, but they'll need more time in the dehydrator thank smaller chunks will.
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