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Learn all about drying pears in a food dehydrator or in the oven. Dried pears are a delicious snack, or add them to baked goods and oatmeal for a tasty treat.

dried pears in a mason jar
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When you’re out of freezer space or room for canning pears or pear sauce, a dehydrator is a wonderful way to preserve extra fruit, veggies, and herbs. These dried pears are delicious and poppable little treats that turn a favorite fruit into a wonderful shelf-stable snack.

Looking for more dehydrator tutorials? Check out our posts on: Dehydrating Apples, Dehydrating Oregano, Dehydrating Marshmallows, Drying Oranges, Drying Peaches, Drying Chives, Dehydrating Mint, Dehydrating Onions, Drying Rosemary, Dehydrating Peppers, Dehydrating Garlic, Drying Limes, Homemade Tomato Powder, How to Dry Basil, and Dehydrating Tomatoes.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRY Pears?

The length of time they will need to dry out will vary based on how many trays you have going at once, and how thick your pear slices are. On average, it takes 4-8 hours for up to nine trays of pears.

If the pears aren’t sticky/tacky and there is some give when you fold it, they’re done. If the pears fold in half like a piece of paper, they are overly dried. Still edible and delicious, but likely a little tougher.

sliced pears on a dehydrator tray

Some pears will finish before the others on the same tray. Remove those that are done and set them aside. You’ll also want to rotate the trays every few hours to make sure the pears dry evenly. 

Store dehydrated pears in an air-tight container like a mason jar. If you see any condensation inside the container after a day or so, they were not dried long enough. It would be best to store them in the fridge or freezer at this point.

HELPFUL DRYING Pears SUPPLY LIST

  • Dehydrator (I have this one)
  • Lemon juice or citric acid
  • A sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Large bowl for soaking the slices
  • Refuse bowl for cores

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

  • All pears, including Asian pears, will work in the dehydrator. Choose ripe pears that you would select for eating fresh.
  • You can peel the pears if you prefer, but I find them easier to work with if the skin remains on. Unliked dried apples, the skin on dried pears will not get tough or hard.
  • Soak the pears in a bowl of lemon juice (dunk the slices in 1/4 cup per 6 cups of cold water), citric acid, or Fruit Fresh prior to draining and placing on the dehydrator trays.
  • Dried pears will last for up to a year if stored in a cool dry place.
dried pears in a mason jar
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Drying Pears

Prep: 15 minutes
Drying Time: 6 hours
Total: 6 hours 15 minutes
dried pears in a mason jar
Dried pears are a delicious snack, or add them to baked goods and oatmeal for a tasty treat.

Ingredients 

  • pears {choose ripe pears suitable for fresh eating}
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice per 6 cups of water

Instructions 

  • Fill a bowl with 6 cups of cold water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice.
  • Set up a workstation with a peeler, cutting board, sharp knife, and a bowl for the cores.
  • Rinse pears, and remove the stem and blossom end with a sharp knife. (optional): remove the peel.
  • Cut the pear in half from the top to the bottom.
  • Use the knife to make a cut from the stem to the bottom on one side. Repeat on the other side, then jiggle the core out.
  • Cut pear halves into uniform slices. Place slices into the bowl of lemon water while you work with the other pears.
  • Drain soaked slices through a fine-mesh strainer.
  • Arrange the slices on your dehydrator so that there is space around each slice, and the slices are not touching.
  • Set your dehydrator to the "fruit/vegetables" setting (135 degrees F).
  • Rotate trays every few hours.
  • Pear chips are done when they don’t feel wet anymore (4-8 hours). Some pears will finish before the others on the same tray. Remove those that are done and set aside.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container. They will keep for at least a year if not exposed to too much light or heat.
Oven-Drying Instructions:
Follow the peeling and soaking instructions above and then place pear slices on baking drying racks set n baking sheets.
Place in the oven at the lowest temperature possible (usually 140-170 degrees F) and prop open the door with the handle of a wooden spoon. This allows condensation to escape instead of just settle back onto the pears.
Bake for 5-8 hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 236kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: How To
Cuisine: How To
Tried this recipe?Mention @sustainablecooks or tag #sustainablecooks!

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Helping you serve up budget-friendly sustainable recipes with a side of balanced living.
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2 Comments

  1. Crazy questions…but what would be your guess to how many pounds of fresh pears yeilds 1 pound dried pears or 8 cups of dried pears?