How to Dry Apple Rings
Now that the temperatures are dropping into the lows 30s and 20s where we live, our apple harvesting season is almost at an end. In truth, we harvested very little this year. We still have gallons of apple cider that we made and froze from last year, so we decided to only add a small amount of 2022 cider to our stores. Instead, we have been doing our best to keep on top of canning applesauce as my children absolutely love eating it all winter long. We never seem to have enough applesauce! I still have yet to make an apple pie this year, as I have been so busy with both work and life. The autumn is my favorite time of year, but it can also be a bit overwhelming and overstimulating to me as we have three birthdays, holidays, and many traditions to uphold. Still, it is a magical time and one that should be celebrated for its bountiful harvest.
Another way that we like to preserve our apples is by dehydrating them as rings to snack on later. There are several ways to do this, whether it is in a dehydrator or oven or even simply air drying them. We have tried all of these methods, and they each have their benefits. It really just depends on how you enjoy eating them, or what you plan to use the dried apples for later down the road.
Air drying apples is one of the easiest ways to dehydrate apple rings. It is truly a piece of history all on its own! I always loved the scenes in the Netflix show Anne With an E where Marilla and Rachel are slicing up apples in their linen and calico aprons. You can see the rings of apples strung behind them nearby and over their wood stove, where the air would have been warm and dry, perfect for drying out the apples in a short amount of time.
I loved reading this blog post on the history of apple drying in 18th century Pennsylvania. People would gather together to cut “schnitz” or apple slices and dry them in a warm brick oven. These dried slices were used in pies and other baked goods throughout the winter months, which is why you would so often find recipes for Christmas with dried apples and other dried fruits in them. This was an easy way to preserve fruit, something naturally sweet, when nothing was growing. These apples were stored in woven baskets someplace cool and dry, probably an enclosed pantry or nearby their cooking stove.
what you will need:
Apples
Lemon Juice
Apple Corer or small round cookie cutter, about 1-inch diameter
Twine or String
preparing apple slices:
Wash the apples and remove the stem. There is no need to peel the apples, if you do not want to. If you have an apple corer, core the apples and either save or discard the core for later use. If you do not have an apple corer, you can slice the apple first and then cut out the centers with a cookie cutter.
Slice the apples thinly. The thickness of your apple slices will depend entirely upon your preference. If you want more chewy apples, slice them more thickly. For apple chips, slice paper thin. We like somewhere around 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick.
Mix a bowl of water with some lemon juice. We like to do about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to every 1 cup of water. Dip the apple rings into the solution, which helps prevent browning as they dry.
how to air dry apples:
String the apple rings on some twine or heavy duty string. Hang the string somewhere with plenty of air circulation and dry, like near a wood stove or oven. Separate the apple rings so that they are not touching each other.
Let them dry out completely, or until they are leathery and very dry. This is can take about 5 days or longer. Apples dried this way are usually a bit whiter and crisper.
how to dry apple in a dehydrator:
Lay the apples out flat on the trays of the dehydrator in an even layer without touching. Place the dehydrator at about 140° F and dehydrate until fully dried, or until they are leathery and very dry. This can take about 12-24 hours.
how to dry apples in the oven:
Preheat the oven to its lowest setting, ideally around 180° F. Place apple slices on baking sheets in a single layer without touching each other. Bake them in the oven for about 6-8 hours. At this temperature, they will be more baked and crispy than dehydrated, making them leathery and somewhat squishy. If you prefer to dehydrate them in the oven, it should ideally be around 150° F and will take 10-12 hours.
The apples need to be flipped every hour or so, and check them often to make sure that they aren’t over-browning or burning.
how to store dried apples:
Dehydrated or dried apples can last for quite a while! If dried properly without any moisture left, they can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for about 6 months or longer. If you want, they can also be frozen in bags.
I love how our apples look drying in our home! It feels so cozy and historical to me. I find it both funny and endearing how these simple traditions can bring us joy, just upon seeing them. The art of old-fashioned cooking and food preservation is something that warms me heart and makes me excited. Do you feel the same way?
xoxo Kayla
