Drying Apples for Winter Storage and Holiday Gifts!
Fall is certainly apple season. One of the ways I like to celebrate my favorite season, autumn is by picking apples and pumpkins. I know here in Northern Vermont, apple picking season is pretty much over, but for all of you in slightly warmer climates, you probably have abundance all around you right now.
I must admit, as I have before on this blog, that I have never been a huge fan of apples. I am not sure why. But I think maybe they are just too sugary sweet for my taste buds. Over the past few years, I have learned to really enjoy whole, fresh apples in savory applications like this Apple Chard Cheddar Tart, which we love making at this time of year, when all the ingredients are still in season, or how about a new take on pulled pork with an Apple Barbeque Sauce? I have another fresh apple recipe I will be sharing with you soon.
I also have come to really love dried apples. In fact, this is my favorite way to enjoy apples. I first made Roasted Pork Chops and Cherry Sauce with Wine Kraut and Red Cabbage last year for our Yule celebration, and this combination of roasted pork, cabbage and slices of dried apple have become a favorite meal of ours this fall season.
Generally, I just sear the chops in coconut oil, butter or bacon fat, and then put them in my tagine. Then I dump shredded cabbage, maybe some homemade sauerkraut, sliced onion and minced garlic and some strips of dried apple. I season this all with salt and pepper, some coriander and raw apple cider vinegar. I put it in the oven at 350 F, for about 2 hours. If you don’t have a tagine, you could use a Dutch oven. It is simple, yet super delicious and flavorful.
So as you can see, there are a lot of savory applications for apples. Since we use them now, I thought about drying some for use over the winter. Drying apples at home for winter storage is really easy. You don’t need any special equipment and all it takes is time. This is a great homemade gift to send to anyone on your holiday list as well!
We harvested about 12 lbs. of apples. I saved about a dozen for eating, and used the rest to make dried apples. I cut the apples in thin, round slices. Then I laid them out on cookie trays, being sure to give them space. When you oven dry fruit or veggies it is important they don’t touch. This helps them to dry better and more evenly.
The first batch I did at 200 F for about 2-3 hours. They didn’t really feel dry enough, so I put them in mason jars and stored them in the fridge for later use. For the second batch, I did about 3 hours. I wasn’t sure they were dry enough either, so I put them on a plate on my kitchen counter and covered them with a kitchen towel. I mixed them with my hands every day, and then put the towel back over them until they felt really dry – about a week. Use your own judgment here. If you have eaten dried apples before, you know what they are supposed to feel like, leathery and a bit sticky from the caramelized sugar.
I made about 4 trays of dried apples, which equates to about 6-7 pints.
We are really hoping to revitalize the apple trees we have here on the homestead, and maybe add a few more trees next year. I am really excited at trying my hand at hard cider and making my own raw apple cider vinegar. Dried apples also make a great DIY handmade holiday gift for the foodies in your life. In fact some of my loved ones may receive some in one form or another this year. That is, if I don’t eat them all myself, first!
Sometimes if I have a craving for something sweet, I reach for a slice of dried apple. Its concentrated sweetness kicks the craving, and all I need is one!
Equipment for Drying Apples at home:
*An oven set at 200 F
*Cookie sheets covered with parchment paper (makes it easier to remove the apples, the sugar tends to caramelize and stick to a naked tray)
*Plate and kitchen towel for extra air drying time
*Mason jars for storage
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos - October 24, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Such a great idea! I had to get a dehydrator for the Sous Pug (his vet won’t let him eat commercially made banana chips so I have to experiment). Guess I know what I’ll be doing with the plethora of apples around the house 🙂
Bad Mama Genny - October 24, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Love it! I overpicked apples again this year, and despite eating them fresh, using ’em in baked goods, making hard cider, canning 12 pints of applesauce, and forcing them down the throats of loved ones (it shows you care), I still have a ton left. I was thinking about drying them this week, and you’ve made my decision for me!
If you were looking for that sparkling hard cider recipe:
http://www.badmamagenny.com/2011/09/30/friday-food-porn-homemade-hard-sparkling-apple-cider-or-you-impressive-little-bitch/#axzz1bd31bABh
Here’s my no-sugar, pink applesauce recipe, too, just in case:
http://www.badmamagenny.com/2008/10/26/apple-fever/#axzz1bd31bABh
Thanks, and let us know what else you do with those dried apple rings!
Bad Mama Genny
Patsyk - October 24, 2011 at 1:40 pm
I love dried apples, and it seems like it is really easy to do it at home. I like that it doesn’t require any special equipment!
Rosa - October 24, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I love homemade dried apples! My Swiss grandfather used to dry his apples on the roof of his rabbit shacks… ;-P
Cheers,
Rosa
bellini - October 24, 2011 at 9:06 pm
I have made dried apples in the oven to make wreaths back in the day, but it has certainly been a while Jenn. Thanks fot the timely reminder.
Abigail (aka Mamatouille) - October 24, 2011 at 11:00 pm
I just borrowed my friend’s dehydrator recently and did some Honeycrisp apples and persimmons. We all love them!
hungryandfrozen - October 25, 2011 at 12:19 am
This sounds really cool. I love dried apple and while it’s not autumn here, they’re always cheap. Also, that chard/apple tart and apple barbeque sauce sound amazing, might try making the latter for the upcoming summer.
Ben - October 25, 2011 at 10:16 am
Oh, I love the idea of apple bbq sauce 🙂
Sylvia@bascooking - October 25, 2011 at 11:12 am
Love dried apples . I wish I could make them at home
Arlene (Mom) - October 25, 2011 at 2:41 pm
I think dried apples would make a great snack. And the pork dish sounds yunmy too. That is a favorite combination of mine too. Gorgeous photos. 🙂
Miz Helen - October 25, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Apples and Pork are one of my favorite fall combinations. Your Apples are just beautiful and you have inspired me to give this a try. Thanks for sharing and hope you are having a wonderful week!
Miz Helen
angela@spinachtiger - October 26, 2011 at 12:34 am
My husband’s grandmother dried apples every year and then used them to make her famous fried pies. I can think of lots of ways to use them. I also am reminded of that delicious pork dish of yours and now I want to make it.
5 Star Foodie - October 26, 2011 at 2:07 pm
A terrific idea, those dried apples must be terrific for snacks and to use in cooking too.
michele malone - October 29, 2011 at 1:26 pm
When I was making applesauce and apple butter last year, my mom told me how her mother used to dry apples when she was little. that’s how they preserved all of theirs. She said they’d slice them & layer them between two old (clean) window screens in wood frames to keep the birds from getting to them. then they’d put them on top of their tin roof all day. She’d turn them once a day & bring them in at night till she’d dried all of them. mom grew up very poor & they grew everything they could (for a family of 12.)
lynn - October 29, 2011 at 5:26 pm
We dried some apples this year, too, from our backyard tree. They are yummy, and they seem to disappear almost as fast as we dry them 🙂 It’s a great use for apples that may have been pecked at by the birds, too, because you can just cut off any parts that look a bit sketchy.
Ann M. Leach - October 29, 2011 at 9:40 pm
I am trying to make this dried apples as I write this they are in the oven. Can they be stored at room temp. once they are finished and put in jars or do you have to refrigerate them?
The Leftover Queen - October 31, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Ann – if they are dry enough they can be stored at room temperature. If you are worried you can always keep them in the fridge.