# Dehydrating onions question



## Browncoat (Jun 8, 2009)

I spent this weekend dehydrating about 3 lbs of onions. Still have 3 lbs. to go. Previously, when I dehydrated my onions, I sliced them and would separate the rings, putting a much smaller ring in the bigger ring so as not to waste too much space and still not have the rings touching. After reading in books and magazines that others just slice the onions and put them on the tray, I tried it that way. I dried them Sunday morning until Monday morning, then I took them out Monday morning and placed them in a container, since I couldn't take stinky onions to the office and dehydrate them there, and started drying them again until this morning. Some of them were really dry and perfectly crispy, others not so much. I like my onions nice and crispy-crispy. I figure I dried them at least 24 hours, even though my books say it only takes 6 to 8 hours. 

So, what am I doing wrong? Why are some nice and wonderful, and others are kind of "bendy," for lack of a better word? Anyone have any ideas?


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## Head Roller (Sep 24, 2010)

I dont think you are doing anything wrong. Sometimes it just takes a long time to get things dry. If you have temp control on your dehydrator, you may try cranking that up a bit. I dry veggies at 120Âº. I also cull the stuff as it is drying... and rotate trays often. Perhaps you just had some particularly juicy onions!


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## Head Roller (Sep 24, 2010)

Oh - just FYI - I never take the time to separate the rings of the onions when I am drying... I just move them around alot throughout the process.

I also like them super crispy. When I am done with a batch of onions I throw them in the blender for a few whirls to get a nice bucket of onion flakes.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Ever tried just coarsely chopping them? That is what I do and they dry quickly to the crunchy stage that way. It gives me much better results than slicing does. You might give it a try with some and see what you think of them.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

I chop mine up and dehydrate them like that. The dry much more quickly.


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## Browncoat (Jun 8, 2009)

Thanks, all. I think I'll chop them up first the next time. Used to do it that way in the beginning, but I really wanted the slice it and put it on a tray method to work for me. 

Looks like it's going to be another smelly weekend! I love it!


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## Head Roller (Sep 24, 2010)

Our Little Farm said:


> I chop mine up and dehydrate them like that. The dry much more quickly.


I am embarrassed to say I never even thought of that. 
:shrug:
Don't you hate it when something obvious never even crossed your mind?


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## Solarmom (Jun 17, 2010)

i did that with some sweet onions and they turned brown- i'm thinking it was because of the natural sugar in the onions?


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Head Roller said:


> I am embarrassed to say I never even thought of that.
> :shrug:
> Don't you hate it when something obvious never even crossed your mind?


Yep. Happens to me all the time. Normally after i have spent hrs doing something the 'long' way.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Does anyone take dehydrated onion rings, rehydrate them and make onion rings. I think they are better than fresh, and the water is so good for chicken soup....James


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## Browncoat (Jun 8, 2009)

jwal10 said:


> Does anyone take dehydrated onion rings, rehydrate them and make onion rings. I think they are better than fresh, and the water is so good for chicken soup....James


Hadn't thought of that! I love a good onion ring. I think I'll leave some as rings when I do my next big batch this weekend. Thanks!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Browncoat said:


> I figure I dried them at least 24 hours, even though my books say it only takes 6 to 8 hours.


I dried mine something like 40 hrs if I remember correctly before they were crispy dry. They were fresh from the garden so I think the extra moisture may have something to do with it. This next batch has been drying on the floor for a month. I'll slice them and start drying this weekend.


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

A couple of years ago, I had gobs of onions and wondering how best to preserve them. So, I decided to dehydrate about 50 lb. of it. What I did was cut them into large chopped pieces and lay them on aluminum foil lined trays in the oven at the lowest temp of 165 F. Cracked the oven door about an inch to vent out the moistures and let them dry for about 8 hours. I also did this with leeks that were sliced on the stalks which came out wonderful to keep for use in soups and cooking. Store in plastic baggies worked out just fine.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I had the week off so I got busy cleaning up the garden. Kept the dryer going all week. 4 quarts of corn, 3 of onions, 6 of apples, 4 of pears, 2 of strawberries and 4 of Chanterelle mushrooms. 3 pints of carrot, cabbage, celery, kohlrabi, swiss chard, spinach, onion mix. sweetie and I froze 20 pints of corn, 6 pints of raspberries and 5 pints of strawberries. I don't think we will go hungry....James


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