Are you looking for a tasty way to preserve your blackberries and enjoy them all year round? Have you considered dehydrating? In this post, I’ll show you how to dehydrate blackberries to make blackberry powder using your oven so you can enjoy this delicious fruit as a snack or in recipes any time of the year.
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Advantages of Dehydrating Blackberries
I have always been interested in dehydrating food for long-term storage, but always avoided it since buying a quality dehydrator wasn’t in our budget. It wasn’t until I mastered the art of dehydrating orange slices in the oven, that I realized I could dehydrate food for preservation in the oven without having to spend money on a food dehydrator right away!
Freezing has always been my preferred method of preserving fruit, other than water bath canning jams, jellies, and fillings. But I love the convenience of using the natural flavors of dried fruit in recipes.
More freezer space: Dehydrated foods leave us more room in our freezer for meats and our favorite frozen vegetables.
Long-term storage: Dehydrating blackberries allows a longer-term storage solution compared to freezing and even canning. The dehydrating process removes most of the water content making them less prone to spoilage, allowing them to be stored in an airtight container for long periods of time.
Nutrient retention: Dehydrating blackberries at a low temperature can help retain their nutritional value such as vitamins and antioxidants, making the powder a healthy flavoring alternative and superfood ingredient. Blackberries are high in vitamins C, K, and manganese. They’re high in fiber content, low in calories, and contain healthy antioxidants.
Cost saving: Dehydrating blackberries at home can be a cost-effective way to preserve the fruit and reduce waste, especially if you have an abundant harvest from your own garden or find a good deal on fresh blackberries at a farmer’s market or grocery store.
What You Need to Dehyrate Blackberries
For this recipe, the only ingredient you need is fresh blackberries! You can use store-bought or even wild blackberries!
If you have a dehydrator you can easily dehydrate your fresh blackberries the same way I describe in the steps, but it is not needed as we will be using an oven!
- Fresh blackberries
- Food processor
- Baking sheet
- Spatula
- Parchment paper
- Mason jar
- Mest sifter
- Food processor (optional)
Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer, Jar Sealer and Accessory Hose for Foodsaver,
A great attachment for your Food Saver for vacuum-sealing mason jars!
How to Dehydrate Blackberries
Prepare the berries: Before you dehydrate your blackberries it is a good idea to give them a good wash to remove any pests or chemicals. Wash the berries in a vinegar/water solution and let them air-dry at room temperature.
Blend the berries: Once the berries have dried completely (we don’t want to add any more water than what is in the fresh berries), put them in a food processor and puree the berries until they are smooth. There will still be seeds, but we will deal with them in a few steps.
Prepare for the other ven: Set your oven at the lowest temperature possible. Our oven is set to 170°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully pour the blackberry puree onto the baking sheet, spreading the puree in a thin layer as you would if you were making fruit leather. Ensure the blackberry puree is spread out as evenly as possible for equal drying time.
Put in the oven: Put the baking tray in the oven for 8 hours on the lowest setting. You will know the dehydrated blackberries are ready when they resemble a deep purple/brown color. For best results leave the dehydrated fruit out overnight for an additional drying process to allow any remaining moisture to escape.
Break up the dry blackberries: The next morning, break up the dried blackberry puree. The best way to do this is to pull as much of the parchment paper off as possible, then start breaking the puree apart and carefully remove the parchment paper from the back. Ensure there is no parchment paper left of the hardened blackberry paste.
Grind the hardened paste: Put the puree pieces back into a dry food processor and blend on high speed until all of the pieces resemble a fine powder. You can use a coffee grinder in a pinch as well.
Remove the seeds: Before you put your blackberry powder in a jar for storage, remove the seeds by running the powder through a mesh sifter.
How to Store Blackberry Powder
There are two different ways you can store your blackberry powder. They are essentially the same, but with one added step for a long-term storage solution.
Everyday use storage: For everyday use, you can store the blackberry powder in glass jars with a lid. Store the powder in a dark, dry cool place in your home, keeping it accessible for later use. You will want to avoid areas around your oven to avoid clumping and early spoilage.
Long-term storage: For long-term storage of your blackberry powder, use a mason jar if you have a jar vacuum sealer attached to your food saver. I have heard of other preservers using resealable mylar bags with an oxygen absorber pack as an alternative storage solution for future use.
Our Favorite Ways to Use Blackberry Powder
- Blackberry powder is great to add to tea for a boost of nutrition.
- Add the powder to ice cream for a delicious blackberry dessert.
- Make a blackberry frosting for cakes or cupcakes for a real treat.
- Mix it into plain or vanilla yogurt.
How Long Do Dehydrated Blackberries Last?
Dehydrated blackberries and blackberry powder last up to a year. It can last even longer if the proper steps were performed for long-term storage such as removing all the moisture and oxygen and stored in an airtight container or plastic bag.
More Preserving Ideas:
- How to Dehydrate Oranges In the Oven
- How to Store Bacon Grease In The Fridge
- 6 Tips to Start Urban Homesteading NOW Without the Homestead
- How to Store Strawberries In Mason Jars (So They Last Weeks!)