# Dehydrating pineapple



## Stephan1eMitchell (Jun 12, 2016)

I am starting to dehydrate pineapple pieces.

I cut them into cubes and then ran them for 12 hours in my shiny new dehydrator. (https://www.amazon.ca/Pyle-Pro-Nutr...XAQC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467066172&sr=8-1)

I am attaching a picture of what they look like.

I am hoping to find a dehydrating expert here who can tell me if I'm in the ballpark.

They have shriveled up and turned slightly brown (due to "sugar" cooking?) but are still a little spongy. I'm wondering if they should have been dehydrated longer before being vacuum-sealed away for a year or two. Can anyone here tell my looking if they are dry enough, or if perhaps they are ridiculously overdone?


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Pineapples are real hard to dehydrate due to the High water content. If they tastes good then why worry. I've eaten some ugly stuff that tasted great! If you know what I mean!:vs_smirk:


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Congrats. Think you just reinvented digestive enzymes. Papaya works even better. Had an old pal years ago who was fixing to commit sewercide over indigestion. I got him on the Papaya enzymes from Walgreens..which tastes just like candy..after each meal. He still thanks me for saving his life.


----------



## azrancher (Dec 14, 2014)

Stephan1eMitchell said:


> I am hoping to find a dehydrating expert here who can tell me if I'm in the ballpark.
> 
> They have shriveled up and turned slightly brown (due to "sugar" cooking?) but are still a little spongy. I'm wondering if they should have been dehydrated longer before being vacuum-sealed away for a year or two. Can anyone here tell my looking if they are dry enough, or if perhaps they are ridiculously overdone?


They look more overdone than I do, mine don't turn brown I don't use the anti-browning stuff, I start with slices about 1/4" and in pieces, in an excalibur at 135*, 12-24 hours, YMMV
*
Rancher*


----------



## redhawk (May 7, 2014)

I have found that if I soak my pineapple in lemon juice for 15 minutes or so before dehydrating that it cuts down on the "browning". Do not compare what you end up with the dried pineapple from the store, they add lots of sugar to theirs. It will take about 12 hours in my dehydrator (Presto)...JM2C


----------



## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Citric acid helps with the browning. Make sure you slice your pineapple thin. I use my mandoline to get even slices.


----------



## Prepp(g)er (Feb 18, 2014)

ive dehydrated pineapple for years..from what i can see, they were dried to hot..that when the sugar becomes brown..maybe they even taste a little bitter?! try turning off the dehydrator from time to time so it cools down a bit..or lower the temp if you can...

also...dried pineapple should be real dry..not leathery...

rule of thumb: if you drop if, it should sound a bit like plastic...try cutting thinner strips, and dry longer at a lower temp...


----------



## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

redhawk said:


> I have found that if I *soak my pineapple in lemon juice for 15 minutes or so before dehydrating *that it cuts down on the "browning". Do not compare what you end up with the dried pineapple from the store, they add lots of sugar to theirs. It will take about 12 hours in my dehydrator (Presto)...JM2C


^^This is correct! ^^


----------



## Stephan1eMitchell (Jun 12, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the useful info.

Slippy: behave yourself! :^)

Unfortunately I can't adjust the heat on my dehydrator. I guess I can try to turn it off now and then to keep the temp down, but I was hoping to make the process as automatic and easy as possible, since I would like to process dozens of pineapples to vacuum seal for later.

I am going to put some oxygen and moisture desiccant in the vacuum sealed bag with the dried pineapple.

From reading the replies here it sounds as though dehydrated pineapple that is "leathery" might not last as long in the vacuum sealed bag. Is that correct?

THANKS AGAIN for the info everyone.


----------

