How to Dehydrate Peaches

Dehydrating peaches is a great way to preserve them for later use. Dehydrated peaches are a great healthy snack and make an excellent addition to pies, bread, cakes, or any dish where you want a nice peach flavor without all the liquid. Dehydration is an easy process that everyone can master with some practice. Dehydrating peaches is super easy to do in your own home, and not having special equipment is not even a show stopper so there are no excuses if you want to learn how to dehydrate peaches!

There are different ways to dehydrate peaches, depending on the equipment you have available. The steps, however, remain the same. You always have to start with preparing the peaches. Next, peel and treat them, slice them into small pieces, and finally dehydrate them depending on the technique you choose to use.

In this blog post, you will find everything you ever need to know about dehydrating peaches. We start right from buying the correct peaches, prepping them, detailed steps about different methods you can use to dehydrate, store and use them, and some valuable tips. So, let’s get started!

How to Buy Peaches

You must buy the best peaches when you are preserving them for long-term use. Here are some quick tips that will help you buy the best peaches:

• Peaches will not ripen after they are picked, but they will soften. So always buy peaches that are ripe but still a little firm.
• Peaches that give a little when you squeeze them are perfect.
• Make sure there aren’t any bruises or spots on the peaches.

Preparing the peaches

Prepare the peaches by first rinsing them with cold water and air dry them. One of the most preferred ways to dehydrate peaches is to peel them first, and while you can use a knife to peel the peaches, the easiest way to go about it is to blanch them for a few minutes.

Peeling the Peaches

1. Put on a pot of water on the stove and let it come up to a boil.
2. While the water is starting to boil, prep the peaches by making a small “X” incision on their bottom.
3. When the water has come up to a steady boil, pop your peaches into the boiling water until you see the skin start to split open around the incision made before. In a minute or two, you will notice the skin starting to peel away.
4. Scoop out the peaches into an ice water bath using a slotted spoon.
5. Once the peaches are cool enough to handle, you can easily peel them.

Slicing the Peaches

There are two types of peaches available in the market: freestone peaches and clingstone peaches. The “stone” or pit in freestone peaches come free easily, while the stone in clingstone, as its name says, clings onto the flesh and is a little harder to remove.

Freestone Peaches:

The easiest way to slice this peach is to hold it in your non-dominant hand, and with the paring knife in your dominant hand, run it around the center of the fruit, cutting all around the pit. Next, hold both halves of the peach with your hands and simply twist to separate them. You will find the pit on one half, or it might even pop off as you turn the fruit. If the pit is still inside the flesh, simply ply it away from the flesh using your paring knife.

When the peach is pit-free, slice it into slices that have a ¼ inch thickness. Take your time to get the thickness of all your slices even so that they dry consistently.

Clingstone Peaches:

Getting the pit out of the clingstone peaches is a little tricky but not impossible. Once you have your peach peeled, use a paring knife to make slices all around the pit. Then, using the same paring knife, pull the slices away from the flesh.

Dehydrating Peaches in the Oven

If you are new to dehydrating fruit or don’t want to invest in a dehydrator, an oven is a great place to start your dehydration journey.

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread your peach slices on an oven rack, keeping enough space between each slice such that the hot air can easily flow between them.
3. Load the oven rack and set the temperature to the lowest setting with the fan running. Good airflow and consistent low temperature are essential when drying any produce.
4. Leave the oven door slightly ajar if the lowest temperature setting is too hot or you aren’t using a fan oven.
5. It might take anywhere from 6 – 15 hours to dehydrate your peaches completely. Start checking the peaches around the 6-hour mark; the peaches should have a leathery texture but should not be squishy. You might want to break a few peach slices to check for any moisture pockets. If there are any, the peaches need some more time in the oven.
6. When the peaches have all dried completely, remove the peaches from the rack and let them cool down to room temperature.

Dehydrating Peaches in the Dehydrator

Using a dehydrator to dehydrate peaches is quick and efficient. If you are in the market for buying a dehydrator, the  Excalibur dehydrator is an excellent candidate. The fan at the back blows air evenly over each rack and provides a great result.

1. Spread out your peach slices over all the dehydrator trays, ensuring that none of the slices overlap.
2. Set your dehydrator to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. It might take 6 – 9 hours for the peach slices to be dehydrated completely.
4. Start checking the slices around the 6-hour mark for their doneness. The peaches should not ooze when squished. If there are any moisture pockets, you need to let them dehydrate for some more time.
5. Once the peaches have dried, remove the trays and let them cool down to room temperature before you store them.

Dehydrating Peaches in an Air Fryer

If you are planning on using your dehydrator, there are two things you need to check. First, does it have a dehydrator function? And, if it doesn’t, what is the lowest temperature it can go? If the air fryer can go down to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, then great! You can use it to dehydrate your peaches.

However, if your air fryer does not have any of the above capabilities, it’s best to stick to using a dehydrator or an oven to dehydrate your peaches.

1. Arrange your peach slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving enough space between each slice for the air to flow.
2. Set your air fryer to the dehydrating setting or set it to 135 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 – 6 hours.
3. Check the peach slices around the 5-hour mark. If they look dried and are don’t have any moisture pockets, remove them from the basket and let them cool down to room temperature.

One drawback of using an air fryer for dehydrating a large batch of peaches is that you will need to do this process in batches as the number of slices you can fit in an air fryer basket is much limited compared to a dehydrator.  

How to Store Dehydrated Peaches

It’s vital to ensure that your peach slices have cooled before storing them in jars or bags. Storing them while they are still warm will lead to condensation on the inside of the container and might even lead to mold. After dehydrating the peaches and letting them cool to room temperature, there might still be some residual moisture in the peach slices that you can’t feel; for this very reason, it’s important to condition the peaches.

1. Fill your jars with the dried peaches so that they are ⅔ full.
2. Shake the jars a few times throughout the day to condition the peaches. If there is any residual heat or moisture in the peaches, it will get distributed throughout the jar. Shaking the jar also allows the drier pieces to absorb the excess moisture present in some peaches. Do this process every day for at least a week.
3. If you notice any condensation in the jars, it means that your peaches have not dried completely. Dehydrate them for a couple of more hours using any of the above methods.
4. If, after the first week, the peaches are looking good, you can put them away for long-term storage. You can also fill the jars fully at this point.
5. Store the jars in your pantry or a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Peaches that are dehydrated using the proper methods can easily last in storage for 12 – 18 months. Always label and date your jars to know the packing date and consume the food safely and timely.

Tips for Dehydrating Peaches

• Dehydrating any kind of food is a time-consuming process. Don’t try to rush the process by increasing the dehydrating temperature. A slow and low-temperature setting is best when it comes to dehydrating any product.
• If your peaches aren’t quite ripe, you can quicken the ripening process by placing them in a single layer in a box along with a banana.
• Peaches start to brown if left out for too long, like many other fruits. If you want to slow down the browning process, you can use some lemon juice solution. Mix 2 cups of bottled lemon juice with 1 liter of water and let your peach slices soak in this solution for 5 minutes. After that, drain the peach slices and pat them dry before dehydrating them.
• For best results, use in-season and ripe peaches. Avoid any peaches that have brown spots as they are more likely to go bad quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to peel the peaches before dehydrating them?

No, it isn’t necessary to peel your peaches before dehydrating them, but do take care to wash the peaches thoroughly before you move on to dehydrating them. After the peaches are washed, let them air dry or pat them dry before slicing them. Once your peaches are all slices, you can use any of the techniques described above for dehydrating.

Can I rehydrate my dried peaches?

Yes, you can rehydrate your peaches! Get the peaches that you want to rehydrate in a large bowl. You can choose to rehydrate your peaches using water, or if you want an extra kick of flavor, you can even use fruit juice, wine, fruit liquor, or even a hard liquor like brandy or rum. Whichever liquid you choose, pour it over the peaches so that they are covered completely. Let the peaches soak the liquid for at least 10 – 15 minutes. As the peaches soak in the liquid, you will notice their color will brighten, and their size will increase as they absorb the liquid. At the end of 15 minutes, drain the peaches, and your rehydrated peaches are ready to be used!

How to tell if your dried peaches have gone bad?

Your senses are the most reliable sources to tell you if the peaches are going bad. Some common signs of dried food going bad are:

Discoloration: The dried product usually starts to turn a dark color.

Loss in taste: As the peaches are kept in storage, you might notice they get chewier over time. While this does not necessarily mean they are going bad, and some people prefer them this way, some might find the texture unsettling. If you feel the peaches seem to have lost their flavor or taste stale, they have probably been in storage for too long, and it’s time to toss them.

Conclusion

Dehydrating peaches is a great way to maximize the use of your fruit. Dehydrated peaches can be used as a topping on yogurt, salads, and even as eat-alone snacks. They are also fantastic for storage and are an extremely healthy and delicious snack! And so easy to make, they definitely should be on your to-do list this peach season! If you liked this peachy guide, you might also like some of our other drying guides here. Be sure to also check out our full guide on Drying Food!