5 easy and practical ways to dry oranges at home
Oranges are delicious fruits in the cold seasons, and they can be dried for use in other seasons. Oranges can be dried in different ways, which we will teach you in this article.
Drying oranges is one of the best ways to use this delicious fruit in all seasons of the year. There are various ways to dry this fruit, and in this article we are going to explain the best ways. Of course, it is clear that the properties of oranges are better in fresh oranges than in dried oranges.
Ingredients for drying oranges at home
The only thing you need to dry oranges are oranges and a suitable drying appliance or space. Of course, some people use to roll the slices in sugar and lemon juice before drying to preserve the color of this fruit after drying and also to create a better taste for use as snacks. If you want dried fruits not to have a negative effect on your weight in terms of calories and to be healthier, it is better not to roll orange slices in sugar and lemon juice before drying.
You can also use different types of oranges to dry them. However, if you can get seedless or seedless varieties like blood oranges, they are great for drying oranges! Their flavor intensifies greatly as their ingredients dry and thicken, so the sweeter the better, and if you use pickled oranges, they will taste even more delicious after drying.
Another point is to prepare them for drying as long as the oranges are in season. Because the oranges that may be sold in the markets in other seasons are not of good quality for drying. Also, if you can find organic oranges, even better. If not, wash the oranges well before slicing and drying them.
Methods for drying oranges
After preparing the oranges suitable for drying, you can use different methods of drying the oranges depending on the facilities you have available. Among the best methods applied in this field, the following can be mentioned:
1. Dry the oranges against sunlight and open air
This method is the traditional method that you can use to dry oranges. Of course, this method is better for those who have a suitable open space such as a living room or balcony, and it requires the least number of tools. Simply tie a piece of string or twine over orange slices and hang in a cool, dry place.
Just like drying flowers, you need a week (or a little more depending on the moisture content of the oranges) to completely dry the orange slices. If you leave the oranges out in the open for a long time using this drying method, you may find the orange slices become twisted.
2. Dry the oranges in a tester
Drying in a tester is the preferred method of drying citrus fruits for many people who live in apartments, who do not have suitable free space to do it the traditional way and want to get results quickly. This method can keep the quality of the oranges very well and you only need one day to do it. For this method, do the following steps:
Wash and dry the oranges completely.
Then cut it gently and spread it on the test tray.
In the next step, place them in the tester very low, so that you can easily hold the tray with your hand.
Check it once an hour and turn it upside down if necessary. Of course, in the last hours, you have to do it in a shorter period of time.
3. Dry the oranges in the oven
Like the tester, the oven is a very popular method for drying citrus fruits such as oranges. To do this, do the following:
Wash the oranges and dry them well.
Preheat the oven to 80°C or 175°F. (Different ovens can vary somewhat depending on the manufacturer and you should pay attention to this point. The oven temperature should be very low and the oven only slightly heated).
Using a small, sharp serrated knife, cut the orange into thin slices. The thinner the better. It can be said that the thickness from 2 to 4 mm is the best.
The thicker the slices, the longer it takes for the water to evaporate.
If you are using pitted oranges, remove the cores at this point and pat the slices dry with a kitchen towel.
Place them on baking trays covered with parchment paper. Depending on the size of the oranges, you may need several oven trays.
It is better to put all the slices in the oven at once, because the oven runs for a long time for each batch. However, the slats should not be stacked; Because this will lead to uneven drying of the slices and will not result in good quality.
Leave the oranges in the oven for 3.5 to 5.5 hours. The exact time depends on the thickness of the slices. Turn them every hour or 1.5 hours so that they dry evenly.
The orange is completely dry when there are no more wet spots.
4. Dry the oranges in a fruit dehydrator
To prepare dried orange slices in a fruit dryer, only two ingredients are needed, namely oranges and dried fruit. If you want to take advantage of drying fruit as an income-generating method, you should invest in a more expensive, larger fruit dehydrator that allows you to adjust heat and has larger pans that allow you to dry large quantities of vegetables and fruits in one go. But for home consumption, the same small fruit dehydrators are also suitable and greatly facilitate this task. To dry oranges in this machine, do the following:
Cut the oranges into thin slices using a suitable knife. Remember, the thinner the slats, the less time they need to dry.
Place the orange slices properly and separately on special trays of the fruit drying machine to provide enough space for air movement.
Turn on the device and heat it up. Then put the trays in it.
After two hours, check the orange slices.
In the middle of this process, it may be helpful to flip the orange slices over.
Drying oranges in this way can take between three and seven hours for the slices to dry completely, depending on their thickness.
5. Dry the oranges on the stove
You can easily dry oranges on the stove or in a fireplace for minimal cost. For this purpose, all the steps are the same as drying oranges in an oven, with the difference that to dry oranges on a stove or heater rather than a tray, it is best to place orange slices on an aluminum sheet and place them on a stove. The heater flame should be low so that the oranges do not burn, and should be checked hourly or at least once every two hours and turned upside down if necessary. Be careful, oranges that contain a lot of water are not suitable for doing this method.
How to store dried oranges
You can store dried orange slices in clean, sterilized jars in a cool place. Since their moisture may not be completely removed and the right conditions created for mold, it is best to place the jars in the refrigerator; But if you are sure that the slices no longer have moisture in them, you can keep them in the cupboard away from gas and heat.
Tips for getting the best results from drying oranges
In order to get high-quality dried oranges, it is best to pay attention to the following points:
1. Cut the oranges into very thin slices
Make sure you have a sharp knife when slicing the oranges. Also, try to keep the slices about the same thickness so they dry evenly.
2. Dry off excess moisture before baking
Before placing orange slices in the oven or other appliance, dry each side of the orange slices with a paper towel. This makes the fruit easier to dry.
3. Flip the orange slices every hour
When drying oranges, set a timer to remember to turn the slices every hour or so. This helps the oranges dry evenly and keep their nice shape, rather than wrinkling them.
The conclusion
Drying oranges is a very easy task that you can do at any home and with whatever tools you have, according to the tips we mentioned in this article. Paying attention to the points mentioned will make you get very beautiful and high quality dried orange slices at the end of the work and use them in all seasons.
