What’s the best way to preserve something that will increase its shelf life? You dehydrate it. There are many ways to dehydrate dates, both conventional and unconventional. There can be a lot of confusion owing to the different methods and whether or not you are doing it right.
In this article, we are going to answer all the possible questions you might have about the process of dehydrating dates. Let’s get into it!
Yes, you can! The conventional method of dehydrating dates is through a dehydrator, but they are traditionally dried under the sunlight.
However, that’s not achievable for everyone, so we will also talk about other possible methods.
How do you dehydrate dates?
The traditional way of dehydrating dates is by leaving them in the sunlight for a prolonged period of time. This is not an ideal approach as this method can have numerous obstacles. Moreover, this can only be achievable in specific weather.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the right weather or sunlight because the following methods can be the perfect alternative. Let’s find out more about them.
How do you dehydrate dates in a dehydrator?
The most convenient and fast but rather expensive way of dehydrating food is by using a professional food dehydrator. You can dehydrate many foods such as dates, honey, okra, radishes, and dill pickles, to name a few. Here’s how you dehydrate dates in a dehydrator.
Step 1: Wash the dates and remove the seeds
Pick out ripe dates and prepare them for drying. Start by washing them with water and removing the seeds.
Step 2: Slice dates into small pieces
Slice the dates into smaller pieces after washing them.
Step 3: Dissolve 2 tablets of crushed vitamin C in 2 cups of water
Crush two vitamin C tablets into a powder form and dissolve them in two cups of water. If you don’t have vitamin C tablets, then you can use two tablespoons of ascorbic acid as an alternative by dissolving it in water.
Step 4: Soak dates in Vitamin C or Ascorbic acid water for 3 minutes
Soak your sliced and pitted dates in the vitamin C or ascorbic acid water for 3 minutes, and then they will be ready for the dehydration process.
Step 5: Heat dehydrator to 100 F and place dates in the trays
Set your dehydrator to 100 F and place the dates facing down on the dehydrator trays.
Step 6: Dehydrate for 20 hours
Dehydrate the dates for 20 hours and store them in airtight plastic or glass containers or paper bags. Store them in a cool and dry place.
How do you dehydrate dates in an oven?
Food dehydrators aren’t available to everyone. So, in this case, you can use your oven as well. Here’s how to dehydrate dates in an oven:
Step 1: Prepare the dates for drying
Follow steps 1-4 for getting the dates ready to be dehydrated in the oven.
Step 2: Place cheesecloth over the oven racks and preheat to 150 F
Cover your oven racks with cheesecloth and preheat the oven to 150 degrees F.
Step 3: Turn off the oven and put dates on the cheesecloth
Turn the oven off, then put the dates on the cheesecloth with the cut part facing downwards. Ensure that the pieces do not touch each other.
Step 4: Leave the oven door ajar and let them dehydrate for 5-12 hours
Once you have placed the dates in the oven, leave the oven door ajar and let them dehydrate for 5 to 12 hours. Remove them from the oven once all the moisture has been removed and they are dried to your preference.
Step 5: Store in an airtight container
Store the dehydrated dates in paper bags, airtight containers, or zip lock bags.
How do you dehydrate dates under the sun?
The conventional way of dehydrating dates is by putting them under the sun. Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Put dates in sunlight and cover with mesh cloth
Line the sliced and pitted dates under the sun and cover them with a netted or mesh cloth to keep insects or birds away.
Step 2: Turn dates twice a day
Toss and turn the dates twice a day to ensure they dry evenly.
Step 3: Keep them indoors at night
Make sure you bring the dates indoors at night so that the dew does not interrupt the drying process.
Step 4: Let them dry for 5 days
Let the dates dry in sunlight for 5 days and follow all the steps mentioned above.
Can you rehydrate dried dates?
Yes! You can rehydrate the dates to make them soft. You can easily rehydrate them by putting the dehydrated dates in a bowl of hot or boiling water, so the dates are fully submerged. Let them soak for 10 minutes. Remove the dates, and there you have it – rehydrated and soft dates!
Here is another article on dehydrating jackfruit!
How long are dried dates good for?
Keeping the dates in a dry, cool place and airtight containers should keep well for up to 6 months at room temperature. On the other hand, semi-dry and fresh dates last for 3-4 weeks.
How do you use dehydrated dates?
There are many ways you can incorporate dehydrated dates in your diet to benefit from all its nutrients. They can be used in salads, smoothies, desserts, and oatmeal, including many other dishes.
Check this article on kefir grains and how you can dehydrate them!
Related FAQs on dehydrating dates!
What are dried dates good for?
Dried dates have a high content of polyphenols. These compounds have myriad health benefits such as improved digestion, management of diabetes, and even preventing cancer.
Some other benefits of dried dates are better blood pressure, relieves constipation, maintains bone health, acts as an energy booster, and is good for your skin and hair.
Which is better: dry dates or wet dates?
Dry dates and fresh dates both have very high nutrient content. They are rich in carbohydrates and fibers, along with many other nutrients. Dry dates have a higher fiber content than fresh dates; this makes them better for stomach and gut issues.
Concluding our thoughts on dehydrating dates!
There are endless benefits of dates, given the high content of nutrients. If you want to store dates for a longer period of time, dehydrating is the ideal approach as it increases the shelf life. We hope all your questions and confusion related to the dehydrating process of dates have been answered and resolved. Now you can enjoy your dates all year long!
Continue reading on dehydration. Read this article on overripe bananas!