Drying Cherries? Is that a thing ?

Well this year we have lots of sweet cherrys and I am wondering about drying them . Any one tried this ? Did you take the stones out ? Was it worth it ?

David

I've never dried them myself but I used to buy dried ones when I was in the UK, and yes, the stones were taken out.

Now I grow my own, I tend to freeze the surplus, with stones taken out and spread on a large tray until frozen, then packed loose in bags.

Sweet cherries are one of my favorite things to dehydrate.  You will need to pit the cherries and using a cherry pitter will make removing the pits faster.

I've never tried it, but I think it's very much a thing! I like this video because it has a lot of good tips, even something to do with the stems!



They look really good, but sadly, my cherries are tiny compared to these. Maybe I need another cherry tree.

Most years, the squirrels, robins or ravens get all my cherries, but the times they didn't, I absolutely pitted and dried them. Most years I end up having to buy dried cherries which I substitute in recipes calling for maraschino cherries which I dislike both for the flavor and the artificial colouring. Today I made my "Canada Jay" cake, which calls for 2 cups of dried fruit, made up of 4 different types. Today I used home dried raisins, apples and figs, and store-bought dried cherries. #2 Son told me to "get them put away or I'll keep snacking on them until they're gone"!

If your cherries are too small to pit, then split them or at least score them and try drying the cherries with the pit.  The pit probably won't explode in the dryer, and you may end up with a bonus of dried pits, which are great for packing in a study bag or pillow-like thing that you create.  The pillow-like thing that you create is an excellent source for a heat pack for your feet at night or a simple bag of heat to put on a sore shoulder or knee. Here's what Google has to say about it: https://www.google.com/search?q=dried+cherry+pit+heat+bags&rlz=1C1FNES_enJP1027JP1027&oq=dried+cherry+pit+heat+bags&aqs=chrome..69i57.10681j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I got a cherry pit-filled bag as a Christmas gift one year and still use it. The pits take the heat from a microwave well and stay warm for hours. Use it on any joint or to warm your toes at night.

I have eaten dried cherries many times. As my mother in law would say, "They are so much better frozen if you've got the space." We do have the space in our freezer. They are so much tastier frozen than dried IMHO that I don't dry them.
John S
PDX OR