I had my biggest haul of pears from my tree this year but there was one problem: I had too many pears to eat before they spoiled so, in this quick-fire reference guide, I'm going to teach you how to dehydrate pears in less than 5 minutes.
There are 3 methods you can use to dehydrate pears:
- Leave them out in the sun to dry for 24 hours
- Put them in the oven on a low heat to dry for 6 hours
- Put them in a dehydrator at 60c for 10 hours
Each method requires you to peel and slice your pears into slices no thicker than 5mm.
Once peeled and sliced, dip them in some lemon juice solution (1 part lemon juice to 4 parts water) or some fresh orange juice and place the dipped slices on a drying rack.
Leave the drying rack out in the sun or slide it into the oven or dehydrator for the alloted amount of time and boom! Dried pears that will store for a year in an airtight container.
I'll be honest, I think dried pears are one of the tastiest dried fruits known to man! Beating even Mango to my top spot.
And that's it. It really is as simple as that but if you'd like the more detailed version with pictures, reference links, and dehydrator recomendations, follow on below.
How To Dehydrate Pears: Complete Method With Pictures
Step One: Choose Your Pears
Choose pears that are soft to touch but not squishy. Squishy pears are too far gone to slice properly and you won't be able to get uniform slices.
Pears don't ripen on the tree so you'll have to pull them off the tree and leave them for a couple of weeks before you select your pears for dehydration.
If you buy from the store you may not need to wait at all. You can test how ripe a pear is by gently squeazing the top. If it's soft, it's ripe. If it's hard, it's not quite ready yet.
Step Two: Peel the Pears
Wash the pears thoroughly under running water and then peel. I've tried both peeled and unpeeled pears and I prefer the taste and texture of the peeled variety.
Of course, if it's extra nutrition you're after, leave the skins on for the boost.
Step Three: Remove The Core And Seeds
I'm old fashioned so I do this manually with a sharp knife by cutting the pear in half and then cutting out the core and seeds in a bell-like shape but you can use a corer if you're fancy (or lazy).
Step Four: Slice the Pears
Slice the pears into uniform pieces of about 5mm (or 1/4 inch) thick. Uniform slices ensure even dehydration.
You could also cut the pears into rings or chunks depending on your personal preference here.
Step Five: Pre-Treat the Pears
If you want to prevent browning (flesh changing colour from whitish to brownish), you can pre-treat the pear slices by dipping them in an acidic solution. I used a mixture of lemon juice and water in this example but I've also used straight orange juice to good effect too.
You could also use a honey dip solution which I wrote about in my complete guide to dehydrating food for long term storage.
Dipping in an acidic solution helps preserve the pears' natural color which might make them look a little more appetising to guests.
I sometimes skip this step entirely in our homestead because we eat them either way and the colour doesn't really bother us.
Step Six: Arrange the Pears on the Dehydrator Trays
Place the pear slices evenly on the dehydrator trays. Make sure there is some space for air to flow between each slice. Good circulation helps the pears dry evenly.
Step Seven: Set the Dehydrator Time and Temperature
Set the dehydrator to 60c. I've tested this extensively and wrote a full guide about the best dehydrator temperatures for different food types. Pears at 60c for 10 hours in my dehydrator are perfect.
A little chewy but totally dry and absolutely delicious!
Some dehydrators have specific fruit settings and I'd be interested to hear from you in the comments if your fruit setting beats my 60c for 10 hours in an ElectriQ 8 tray dehydrator.
Step Eight: Dehydrate the Pears
Let the pears dehydrate for 10 hours.
There are some things to watch out for that will effect your drying time though:
- The exact time required may vary depending on the thickness of the slices.
- The moisture content of the pears.
- The spacing between pears on the drying trays.
To check if the pears are dehydrated properly, take a piece out and let it cool for a few minutes. It should be leathery and pliable but not sticky or too soft.
Step Nine: Cool and Store
Once the pears are dehydrated to your liking, let them cool completely before popping into airtight containers or jars.
I use empty jars that have had sauces and things in that we just rinse ready for re-use.
Store your dried pears out of direct sunlight preferably in a cool, dry place – but it doesn't really matter as long as you dried them properly.
These will store for between 1 – 2 years in your jar.
Step Ten: Enjoy Your Dehydrated Pears!
If your house is anything like my house, your dehydrated pears will be lucky to last a week, let alone a year!
You can eat them fresh out of the jar as a snack or use them in various recipes to sweeten them up like trail mixes, granola, or as a topping for oatmeal and yogurts.
You could even pop them in a nutri-bullet and grind them into a powder if you wanted pear powder for pies and flavouring.
Either way, you won't find a tastier dried fruit – or I'll eat my hat!
How To Dehydrate Pears: Most Common FAQS
What is the best way to dehydrate pears?
The best way to dehydrate pears is to put them in a dehydrator for 10 hours at 60c. You can also leave them outside to dry in the sun or dry them in an oven.
How long do you dehydrate pears for?
You should dehydrate pears for 10 hours at 60c if you want delicious, chewy dried pears that will store for over a year in an airtight container.
How do you keep pears from browning when dehydrating?
Keep pears from browning by dipping pear slices into an acidic solution like lemon and water with 1 part lemon to 4 parts water or some clean orange juice. This will prevent browning during drying.
