Can you dehydrate in an air fryer?
With the advent of technology in kitchen appliances dehydrating food items is now a more convenient and safe method.
You don’t need to use the traditional sun drying, smoking, or oven drying methods to dehydrate your desired food item. Now, you can use air fryers for dehydrating purposes.
Yes, you can use an air fryer for dehydrating food. An air fryer slowly removes moisture from the food at lower temperatures by circulating hot air around your food. Modern air fryers have built-in dehydrating settings for your ease. You only need to set the temperature and time according to your desired food and get dehydrated food in 6-8 hours.
Besides cooking food at high temperatures in an air fryer, you can also use it for dehydrating your food. But, dehydration or removal of the food’s water content is done at a lower temperature because the high temperature will cook your food.
Dehydrators are also designed for the same purpose of removing water content from food. But, they do not work as an air fryer or toaster oven works at high heating temperatures. So, air fryers are multi-functional as they can cook and dehydrate your food.
In the given article, we will discuss the dehydration process and foods you can dehydrate in an air fryer. So, let’s begin.
How to dehydrate food in an air fryer?
To dehydrate food in an air fryer, you need to follow the four given instructions:
- Prepare the food for dehydration.
Before dehydrating, wash the food items properly and dry them with a paper towel. Cut the food into thick slices with a knife, or you can also use a mandolin for perfect food slices.
- Add spices for a more delicious taste.
To make your food more delicious, you can add spices according to your food items. For banana chips, you can add lemon juice or salt for seasoning. You can add spices, salt, or whatever you like for beef jerky. If you want to spice up your apple chips, you must add cinnamon, and for vegetables, don’t forget to sprinkle sea salt for delicious food.
And remember not to add any oil to the food. Adding spices and no oil is also the best way to reheat a steak in an air fryer.
- Place the food in the air fryer without overlapping.
Add the food to the air fryer basket and leave a space between the items so the hot air circulates completely to remove the moisture content from the food.
You must be thinking, Can I use parchment paper in an air fryer for dehydrating food? Well, you don’t need parchment paper before for dehydration.
- Press the built-in dehydration button from the setting of the air fryer.
In the last step, you must set the required temperature and time to dehydrate the food. Always dehydrate your food at the lowest temperature below 125 Fahrenheit. Otherwise, the high temperature will result in cooked food instead of dehydration.
Furthermore, if your air fryer does not have a built-in dehydration option, you can still use it as a dehydrator but at a lower temperature and according to the instructions given in the manual.
Can you dehydrate fruit in an air fryer?
Yes, you can dehydrate fruits in an air fryer. The best way to dehydrate fruits in the air fryer is by making thin slices so they can be evenly dehydrated. Before dehydrating, add lemon juice or salt for a perfect flavour. Preserve the fruits in sealed bags or air-tight containers.
To dehydrate fruits, set the temperature between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 hours according to the thickness of the slices and fruit. The best fruits to dehydrate include the following:
- Apple
- Banana
- Strawberry
- Berries
- Mangoes
- Peach
- Apricot
Moreover, you can also dehydrate vegetables, herbs, nuts, and meat in an air fryer. The vegetables include carrots, potatoes, peas, turnips, and many more. You can use a large air fryer for big family as a small air fryer can take time because of less space available for more food.
Branded Air fryers for dehydrating food
Below is a list of the best air fryers with a dehydrating option, which you can purchase at a very affordable price.
- Ninja Air fryer
- Instant pot air fryer
- Instant Vortex air fryer
- Chefman digital and multifunctional air fryer
- COSORI air fryer
- GoWise air fryer dehydrator
Dehydrate in an air fryer FAQs
Is air frying the same as dehydrating?
No, an air fryer is used for cooking food at high temperatures, and a dehydrating process involves removing the water content at low temperatures and keeping the same nutritional values of the foods before dehydrating.
How long does food last when dehydrated?
After dehydration, the food lasts for almost 5-6 years and even more years if you preserve them in a dark and dry place in a sealed container.
Can you dehydrate apples in an air fryer?
Yes, you can dehydrate apples in an air fryer by cutting the thin apple slices and sprinkling salt or adding lemon juice to make apple chips crispier and tasty.
Are dehydrated vegetables healthy?
Yes, they contain the same nutrients and calories in the raw form. Removal of moisture does not remove the nutrients of the food.
Final thoughts
An air fryer can also be used as a dehydrator for food. You can dehydrate fruits, vegetables, beef, and nuts. All you have to do is set the temperature and time according to the food mentioned in the manual.
Always remember not to increase the temperature of the air fryer while dehydrating, as it will cook your food instead of dehydration. We hope this article helped you, and now you can dehydrate your food and enjoy the meal without any hassle whenever you want.