Author: Kris Bordessa, National Geographic author/certified master food preserver
Ingredients
1pintstrawberries
Instructions
Wash strawberries and remove greens. (There are special strawberry hullers, but I just use a knife.)
Slice the strawberries about 1/8 inch thick. Aim for uniform thickness so all of the slices will dry at the same rate.
In the dehydrator
Place sliced strawberries on trays, close together but not touching. Dry on 135ºF for 4 to 6 hours or until strawberries are leathery.
In the oven
Place wire racks on a rimmed baking sheet. Place sliced strawberries on racks, close together but not touching.
Set oven to 200 degrees or lower, with the ideal temperature being 135ºF. This will depend upon your oven. The bread proofing setting on newer ovens works well. On older ovens, you'll likely have to set it at the lowest temperature. Even then, you may need to prop the door open to prevent it from getting too hot. (You don't want to cook the strawberries!)
In the air fryer
Place sliced strawberries on trays, close together but not touching. Dry on 135ºF for 4 to 6 hours or until strawberry slices are leathery.
Notes
Cool completely, then store in an air tight container at room temperature for months. (You can extend their shelf life by adding one of these DIY desiccant packs to the storage container.)Adjust the quantity of strawberries according to how many you have on hand. You'll use the same cooking time no matter how full your dehydrator or air fryer is.