Dehydrating bananas

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I've been dehydrating some fruit this week end and I have a question about dehydrating bananas. I've been slicing mine into round, coin-sized pieces. I like them crunchy like you buy them in the stores, but mine are quite chewy. I don't add anything to them. I just slice them and lay them in the trays. I prefer them with no additives. I thought maybe once I took them out and they had time to "cool" they would firm up a bit, but they didn't so back into the dehydrator they went. Now I'm just wondering just HOW long will it take to get them crunchy? They have been in there now for several days. Anyone else have this problem? Also what is the best way to store dehydrated fruits/veges? Right now I have mine stored in a tupperware container. Thanks for your help.

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), September 03, 2001

Answers

Can't help with the bananas- I tried them once and thought they were disgusting. IN fact I am amazed whenever someone else writes about their success with them, cause I don't see the attraction! As for storage, I use glass canning jars with the plastic Ball lids. I keep all my dried foods in a seperate cupboard, which I only open to transfer jars down to my pantry as I use them, so I don't worry about light affecting the food while in storage. I prefer glass to plastic for food storage whenever possible.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), September 03, 2001.

I dehydrate bananas on a dehydrater that has a fan, does yours? I've done them before on one I have that does not have a fan and they never did get crunchy. They are pretty crunchy the way I do them now though. Not exactly like store bought, but the store bought ones are fried in oil, not dehydrated. I put them in a zip lock bag and freeze them for a few days after dehydrating them so they don't get moths. It works pretty well. I love them!

-- Sharon (spangenberg@hovac.com), September 03, 2001.

I read once that the store bought ones are fried in cocanut oil to get them crisp. They are not supposed to be very good for you.I my self like the chewy ones.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), September 03, 2001.

Store bought ones have been fried in palm or coconut oil, dipped in sugar and/or honey and added banana flavoring. I usually pretreat bananas with Fruit Fresh; or pineapple, orange or lemon juice which does increase the sweetness or flavor, and prevents oxidation that makes them a less attractive product. You could add a little honey to the juice, but it makes a mess in your dehydrator. I dry them for approx. l5 hours @ l35 degrees. Also, I don't try to dry really ripe bananas, but get them when they are on sale and a bit on the unripe side. The too ripe ones I freeze in the skins until I get enough to make several batches of banana bread for the freezer. The longer you dry them the crunchier they would get, though they may get hard as a rock rather than crunchy. I think it is all the frying and sugar they add to commerial ones that makes them "crunch". I seal my dehydrated foods in mason jars with my Food Savor vacuum sealer for long term storage, though zip lock bags that are tight would work just as well, I am sure, and take less storage space.

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), September 03, 2001.

I dip ours in a little honey and water then use a forced air dehydrator. After about 8 hours, they are golden brown and crunchy. I slice both circular and long ways at about 1/4 inch thick. I'm still munching on a few bags from '99 and they're still fine. Think I'm gonna try some orange and lemons this winter after my wife goes to FL to visit her Grannie.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 03, 2001.


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