Dehydrated food, such as fruit and meat has been an added feature of air fryers in recent years.
- Dehydrated food is a popular form of preserving food that has been around for centuries. People have also used different methods to preserve their foods, including salting and smoking. To this day, dehydrating is still a practical way to preserve food with no refrigeration required.
- Dehydrating your own fruits and vegetables can be easy to do at home with an air fryer. It works much the same way as a dehydrator by using high heat from circulating air instead of direct contact with hot coils or plates. Newer air fryers allow for the lower temperature and fan speeds required to dehydrate food.
Food drying is a simple and ancient preservation technique.
While air fryers are newer in the culinary world dehydration is not a new concept at all. In fact, the process of removing moisture from food to preserve it is one of the oldest methods of preserving food. It can be used as an alternative to freezing or canning. Drying foods slowly allows them to retain their nutrients and their flavors are concentrated for a more intense taste experience.
Dehydrating foods in an air fryer is probably something you have never considered, even if you own an air fryer yourself. This article will help you understand what dehydrating your food entails and how you can do it successfully in your air fryer at home.
Air Fryers with Dehydrate Feature
Dehydrating your food has many health benefits.
- Dehydrating food can reduce the impact of oxidation on your meal, which is a process that occurs when heat and light cause the natural chemical bonds of produce to break down.
- By removing the water from your food, you will eliminate weight and make it easier to carry.
- Additionally, dehydrated products occupy less space than their full-weight counterparts. This is also handy if you are in a tight space or want to save room in your pack for other things.
- Removing moisture can slow microbial growth, preserving freshness while simultaneously inhibiting bacteria that could otherwise spoil your food faster.
- Minerals and vitamins are retained (or lost more slowly) during the dehydration process because overheating is avoided with the lower temperatures used for dehydration compared to cooking or steaming methods.
Dehydrating your own food is easy to do and save money.
Dehydrated food is a great way to save money, both when you make your own and when buying ready-made from the store. You can make your own easily at home with an air fryer. An air fryer with a dehydrate function can also save the high price tag and space of buying a dedicated dehydrator.
Drying fruits and vegetables at home can allow you to make cheaper bulk purchases of fruits, vegetables, and meats and not risk them spoiling before having a chance to use them.
An air fryer makes dehydrating your food super easy.
An air fryer makes dehydrating super easy. It uses less electricity and doesn’t heat up your kitchen. All you need is your air fryer, a couple of trays (or the grill insert), and a spatula. Once you’re done, just clean it with water and a dish brush!
What can you dehydrate in an air fryer?
You dehydrate make fruits, vegetables, meat and jerky, beans, tofu, nuts and seeds, grains (such as granola or trail mix), and many more things in an air fryer.
Dehydrating foods in an air fryer is the way to go!
Are you planning a trip to the backcountry? Are you wondering how to make your own dehydrated food at home? Are you concerned about your health and the health of your family? If so, I have some good news. Dehydrating foods can be simple and easy. The air fryer is a great tool for dehydrating meals, jerky, snacks and even fruits at home.
Why should you consider dehydrating food in an air fryer? There are many benefits. Some of them include:
- Health benefits – eating whole foods that are natural and organic is better for you;
- Cost savings – it costs less to make your own foods than buying dehydrated food from the store.
- Taste – freshness always results in better tasting foods;
- Convenience – no messes or clean up since everything is contained inside the air fryer;
- Ease of use – anyone can use an air fryer with little or no experience required;
- Portability – take your foods camping or hiking because they do not require refrigeration;
- Travel – take healthy snacks with you when traveling in case you need something on the road.
Air Fryers with Dehydrate Feature
Apple Chips
First you need to pick your apple type. Just as a quick reminder on apple flavor profiles:
- Sweet: Gala, Fuji, Ambrosia
- Balanced: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp
- Tart: Granny Smith, McIntosh, Pink Lady
Next you need to prep your apples. The first step is wash them. Then to slice them with a mandolin. You can do this by hand, but if you are like me you end up with slices of uneven thickness going this route.
- Next you want to blot the fruit with a paper towel or similar to reduce the dehydrating time.
- You can season apple chips however you like—cinnamon and nutmeg are popular seasonal options. Tajin is a popular seasoning if you like a more unique flavor. The truth is seasoning depends some what on the quality of the apple. Either way you should sample one or start with a small batch and play with the seasoning to find what you like. The air fryer is small and efficient enough to be able to do this.
- You can dry these at 150F for about
- Once seasoned and cooled for about five minutes, store the chips in an airtight container until ready to eat.
Dried Tofu
First you need a block of tofu. We prefer firm to extra firm for this application. If you want to know more about plant-based options with your new air fryer check out our plant-based article.
Open the packet to drain the moisture then place the block onto to paper towels and press the moisture out. You can use a paper towel on top and a plate or heavy pan to press.
Next make the marinade.
- 2 tbsp of Worcester Sauce
- 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp of sriracha (or a less sweet barbeque sauce if you don’t like spicy)
Cut the tofu block into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Now spread the slices in a dish and cover with the marinade. Cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Place the marinated tofu in the air fryer in single layers and dehydrate at 150F (60C) for about 4 hours.
Remove the tofu and allow a few minutes to cool before storing. The end result makes a great travel ready lunch meat replacement that can be used for sandwiches!