As berry season wraps up I wanted to leave you with one final idea: The dried blueberry or the blueberry raisin is a terrific way to preserve those last berries that won’t fit in your freezer.
Creating a Dreied Blueberry is easy to do and it’s the perfect way to use those end-of-season berries, or any overripe berry that wouldn’t freeze well. They are a fantastic treat in the winter or in a summer trail mix for a day of hiking and picnics.
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Dehydrated or Dried Blueberry
What you’ll need:
Dehydrator
Stainless Steel Pot
Stainless Steel Colander
Blueberries (washed and any stems removed)
Related: Blueberry-Raspberry Fruit Leather Recipe
Directions for Dried Blueberry
1. Boil blueberries by dipping them into boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Put the berries in a stainless steel colander for dipping so you don’t have to worry about fishing them out.
The quick boil “checks” the blueberry skin, allowing the heat of the dehydrator to permeate and dry out the pulp of the berry.
2. Place berries on racks of Dehydrator, no touching allowed (so that they don’t stick together).
I use the Excalibur 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator and love it.
3. Dry berries at 135° F until leathery.*
*Different areas of the country have different humidity levels so the times will fluctuate. The upper midwest summer is humid so I usually dehydrate 11-13 hours at 135° F. If you are in a dry climate, start checking your berries after 7 hours and every hour from there.
4. Eat and Enjoy your Dried Blueberry.
You can eat the dried blueberries plain or use them in any recipe that calls for dried raisins or dried cranberries.
Depending on how quickly you plan on eating your blaisins you may want to package them to freeze. I typically use my mason jars for their storage.
Related: How to Freeze Blueberries
