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Drying food is a way to preserve it for years, but fruits with high sugar and acid content like blueberries are difficult to dehydrate. Dried cranberries are easy to prepare without a dehydrator, and both fruits can be used in trail mixes and desserts. Dehydrating temperatures and times vary, and some fruits take longer to dry than others.
Dehydrating food is a way of preparing food for use much later, for a few years. Most fruits, including blueberries, easily resist this process due to their high sugar and acid content. Dried cranberries also have the distinction of being some of the easiest to prepare, as no slicing will be required to make each piece similar in size.
Those preparing dried cranberries, whether for survival purposes or as a healthy outdoor leisure snack, won’t need a dehydrator, although it would help. These machines are useful and make the drying process more productive and less time consuming; however, an oven set to its lowest temperature will do, leaving the door slightly ajar to let the heat escape. The ideal dehydrating temperature of this fruit is around 52°C (125°F).
Thorough washing of the freshest blueberries is necessary to remove bacteria and produce the best final flavor and texture. To make sure the bacteria don’t set in, some boil blueberries in water for just half a minute or less to make sure the skin is intact on each berry. Others skip this step, however, out of fear that the dried cranberries will lose flavor. Before the berries continue, some lightly spray dehydrator trays or cookie sheets with cooking spray to keep them from sticking. According to the Backpacking Chef website, the crunchiest dried cranberries result from placing the fruit on the trays or sheets with the skins touching directly, not where the stems have been attached.
The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, focusing only on that fruit species, says dried blueberries aren’t just valuable for the variety of trail mixes. Desserts that use a thick batter such as muffins or bagels are suitable for using dried cranberries instead of the regular kind. Fresh or frozen blueberries may be damaged during cooking, while dehydrated fruits will be rehydrated during the cooking process and retain the best simulation of the original texture.
While their optimal drying temperatures and times vary, blueberries can be dehydrated alongside any other fruit such as sliced banana, strawberry, apple, and even grapes that turn into raisins. Grapes and blueberries will be the easiest to prepare, although many of the other fruits will need to be cut into equally sized portions for the sake of consistency. Some fruits like peaches can take up to a day and a half to dry completely. Blueberries, by contrast, should be ready for testing in no more than 18 hours.
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