Don't throw out your Apples - Dehydrate them!
After washing and peeling, we place all the apples in a big bowl of cool water with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Lemon juice keeps the apples from browning.
Next we cut the apples in half and remove the cores. Slice the apples with a mandolin for uniform thickness, or a knife if you prefer. Make the slices about a quarter of an inch thick. Arrange the slices on your dehydrator trays. We usually do this at night before going to bed.
By the next morning, the apples are dry and leathery. Let them cool for a half hour or so before placing them into bags for storage. The apples stick somewhat to the dehydrator sheets due to the sugar but they are easy to remove as you bend the flexible plastic sheets.
We use a foodsaver for long term storage. Once the air is drawn out, the bag is sealed. If you leave a little extra at the top of the bag, you can remove some of the apples for snacking, and then reseal it.
It's always a good idea to write the date on the bag.
Believe it or not, this bag contains approximately 25 average size apples. The apples will stay fresh for a long time. Just keep the bags in a cool dark place, like a plastic storage container or bucket.
I bought a medium sized dehydrator and would dehydrate all kinds of fruit and veggies. Problem I have is keeping up with the amount the kids eat? Not really a problem as I love that they would rather eat it than normal SAD diet kiddie snacks. Maybe I need another dehydrator or better yet build one of those big outdoor sun ones? Hmmm now there's an idea :) Enjoyed!
You have got to be really happy your children will eat healthy food instead of what they try to shove down their throats at the impulse buy section of your local food store.
I do like the idea of seeing you build an outdoor dehydrator???
Hey listen were right in the middle of trying to get a little land and moving but after the chaos I hope to be more like you! Vids are on the list and a larger outdoor dehydrator is one project on my mind. Yeah we started our kids out on mostly fruits and veggies and they love em' but with the introduction to school it's slowly changing. It amazes me how brain dead some of these people are on what they actually believe to be food. They wonder after years of eating this mess why they have problems and are stacked up on meds when all they have to do is detox and eat real foods that are meant for our species. SAD my brother.
Week said Brother. Looking forward to following your journey to your own land!
GREAT alternative! If an apple has one little blemish or soft spot, hubby is ready to toss it. I think I'll take your post into consideration and dehydrate those. I can always add to my yogurt breakfast cups I make- thanks!
Yogurt breakfast cups....now I'm hungry!!!
I actually went through the refrigerator last night and have three apples I know he wouldn't eat, so I have them set aside to dehydrate. I'm thinking apple and cinnamon yogurt cups with some crushed pecans on top. Too bad no caramel... sigh
LOL- hungry! Yes those little cups are so good. Sometimes I eat two a day!
oh dryed apples are very popular where i live (latvia, but i think it would be true for the whole post-ussr area) :)
i remember from my childhood in the country side that some families used to have whole big greenhouses filled with drying apples hanging there hehe
Building a greenhouse is on the agenda here at the homestead!