We have had an overabundance crop of wild blackberries this year. We have foraged at least a half gallon every day. We have been freezing a lot of them so I can make jams, jellies, syrups, muffins, pies and cobblers this winter but we are also dehydrating some.
To prepare your berries for dehydrating (or freezing), fill your dish sink about 1/2 full of cold water. Add in 3 T. of vinegar and let them set for 15-20 minutes. Drain the berries and lay them out on your dehydrator trays.
Turn on your dehydrator and let them dry for 12-14 hours (until they are hard with no moisture remaining). I usually just turn my dehydrator on before I go to bed and they are ready the next morning. Blackberries generally turn back to red when they dry but they still taste like a ripe blackberry.
Now you can eat the dried fruit or you can store them for future use and rehydrate them. Dried blackberries can be stored for many years.
To rehydrate the blackberries, just place them in really hot water for about 15 minutes and then you can use them as you would any fresh berry.
To prepare your berries for dehydrating (or freezing), fill your dish sink about 1/2 full of cold water. Add in 3 T. of vinegar and let them set for 15-20 minutes. Drain the berries and lay them out on your dehydrator trays.
Now you can eat the dried fruit or you can store them for future use and rehydrate them. Dried blackberries can be stored for many years.
To rehydrate the blackberries, just place them in really hot water for about 15 minutes and then you can use them as you would any fresh berry.
You can also blend up the dehydrated blackberry and make it into blackberry powder. The blackberry powder goes great in some yogurt, icings, oatmeal and even ice cream.
To have an overabundance of blackberries, what a blessing! If you have a moment, join our homemaking link up today :)
ReplyDeleteI did. Thanks!
DeleteI have never used them dehydrated we usually just can them..I may just have to try this...I have 2 dehydrators that we use when we make jerky or dehydrate veggies...We also have and abundance of blackberries in this area...Been a good year for them I guess!
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about dehydrating them is they reconstitute into regular blackberries again.
DeleteThis looks like a great way to preserve the harvest! I just started a new series called Eating Inside the Box it would be awesome if you would share this with us! Please linkup any other recipes to any fruit/veggie category you'd like!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cultivatenourishing.com/raspberries-black-raspberries-blackberries/
Enjoy the Harvest!
Lindsey
Lindsey, thank you for the invite and I linked them up. :-)
DeleteHello there! This post has been featured on The Art of Home-Making Mondays for our "Preserving the Harvest ~ Link Up Love". You will find it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://strangersandpilgrimsonearth.blogspot.com/2014/07/preserving-harvest-link-up-love.html
Thank you so much for sharing and we hope you join us again next week :)
JES, that is wonderful and such an honor. Thank you so very much!!!
DeleteWe are about to have an abundance ourselves this year, your instructions are timely. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome!
DeleteI'm trying this for the first time today and she ate this post! Can you tell me what temp you used to dehydrate them? Thank you!
ReplyDelete135 degrees works just fine.
DeleteExcellent article! We are linking to this great content on our site.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great writing.
That is a great tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere.
ReplyDeleteShort but very precise information… Thanks for
sharing this one. A must read article!
bookmarked!!, I really like your web site!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! Exactly what I needed now that I too have an abundance of blackberries!
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful! Can you tell me what you are storing the dried berries in to keep?
ReplyDeleteI just put mine in an airtight glass container. I tried rehydrating them too and it takes about 20-30 minutes in hot water.
Delete