Drying Whole Oranges?

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Does anyone know how to dry whole oranges? I want to use them to decorate with! I have seen in them in stores for up to 5$ each! They are cut on the sides and you can "see" inside of them. I have dried the apple and orange slices but never the whole ones! Thanks Debbie

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), November 13, 2000

Answers

Hi Debbie.

I have been drying orange slices for years in my dehydrator. I bet if you cut the sides and put them in the dehydrator it would work. Let me know, or I might try it. Mary

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), November 13, 2000.


The only whole dried oranges that I've seen are the ones stuck with cloves. Stick whole cloves all over the orange, make some sort of a hanger and hang it up, it will shrink as it dries.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), November 17, 2000.

Normally an orange will mold before it dries, but I think the cloves act as a preservative. Try it and see if it works!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), November 17, 2000.

Heavens, I have some that just dry out to lightweight shells sitting on the kitchen counter. To speed it up, I'd think about setting them on top of the central heating duct, if you've got one. If you're thinking about those ones with the decorative slashing in the skin, they dry out even faster that way. If you're worried about mold, try wiping them with dilute bleach first to kill the spores. I've got a peeled apple sitting on my counter right now that I didn't get around to cooking and it has completely dehydrated all on it's own, no discolouring.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), November 20, 2000.

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