How to Dehydrate Pineapple (with Honey)

While dipping fruit in a honey or sugar glaze does add some calories, it is a great way to add flavor and prolong storage time. The easiest way to create healthy tasty snacks using fruit is with a dehydrator. Once you learn how to dehydrate pineapple – adding a light honey glaze – you need never be without a great fruity snack.

Dehydrating Pineapple Chips at Home

Dried pineapple is an excellent snack to keep on hand. It stores well and will last for months in the freezer.

Full of dietary fiber, snacking on dehydrated pineapple can help support a healthy digestive tract and help you feel full between meals.

However, when fruit is dehydrated, the water is removed but the sugars remain. For this reason, your dried pineapple should be viewed as an energy booster or small snack and consumed in moderation.

How many calories will this sugar add to your finished dried pineapple treat? Well, that depends in part on how much honey you leave on the fruit. For this reason, brushing a thin layer on each piece of fruit results in less calories than dipping.

Ingredients

• pineapple
• honey

Pineapple

When choosing your fresh pineapple for dehydrating, be sure to get a ripe one – but one that is still firm. A mushy piece of fruit will not work well. It will also be more difficult to peel, core and slice.

Instructions:

1. The first step involves preparing the pineapple. This involves cutting off the top, peeling, cutting out the eyes and coring your piece of fruit. This can be a juicy adventure so protect your counter.

2. Use a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer (which is wonderful) to slice the pineapple into uniform thick slices. This helps insure even drying.

3. Place pineapple slices on dehydrator tray in a single layer. Brush each side of the slice with a light coating of honey.

Some recipes suggest, creating a water soak using 1 cup of honey to 3 cups of hot water. Once stirred well, the fruit is soaked for a few minutes – then removed and allowed to drain.

In making these dehydrated pineapple slices, we chose to brush on a small amount of honey rather than using the soak method. When making honey dried apple rings in the dehydrator – I use the soak method.

4. Dehydrate until pineapple is firm and dry. The time required depends on many factors including the model of your hydrator, weather conditions and fruit thickness.

Storing Dried Pineapple Slices

After allowing the dried pineapple to cool, store in an air-tight container. Clear mason jars (with wide mouths) are wonderful storage containers for dried fruit.

Inside a glass jar, moisture condensation should not be a problem if you have dried the pineapple sufficiently.

However, If you are concerned about mold or the product absorbing moisture – pop a few packets of food grade silica gel (link in recipe card) in there.

If you plan to consume it within a few days, a jar on the counter is fine. It also stores in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze it for months of storage. If you want to add some

Honestly, I also like to use vacuum seal bags for my bulk food storage. They are easier to stack in the pantry and I can open them and transfer to a jar if desired.

Learning how to dehydrate pineapple is a great way to store fruit for future use. The shelf life is long and it does not take up a lot of room in the freezer or pantry.

Dehydration as a way of food storage has many applications in the kitchen. If you really want to get creative, you can try your hand at dehydrating honey.

But, you don’t have to worry as honey has a very long shelf life in its natural state. Perhaps, these Honey Caramel Apples would be a great snack for another day!

Another great idea using honey for food preservation is making honey blueberry syrup. Its a yummy topping for pancakes and waffles. And a great way to use up the blueberry harvest.

This healthy honey lime fruit salad is another way to use up fresh fruit – don’t let it go to waste.