# dehydrating onions



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Can I just slice my onions like tomatoes before putting them in the dehydrator or do they need to be blanched?


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## dixienc (Apr 11, 2008)

I don't blanch onions before drying them, I just chop them up fairly large and throw them on the trays. You can slice or chop.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

dixienc said:


> I don't blanch onions before drying them, I just chop them up fairly large and throw them on the trays. You can slice or chop.


How long does it take to dry them in large chunks?

I sliced them 1/4" to 3/8" thick and even after 12 hours of drying they are still very soft. The layers are starting to separate.

One thing I think I maybe should have done was to let the tops dry first in order to pull moisture out of them.

Last night I checked a loose strip and it was crispy dry so I shut the dehydrator off. This morning I checked a slice and found them still very soft. Hopefully letting them cool off overnight won't hurt them.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

That is why I chop mine small, seperating the rings to do so. It takes a lot less time to dry them this way.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

I mince mine, because that's how I want them when I use them. I also make sure to do them in the garage because one thing they can do is stink up your home something fierce. It's humid here so I always end up dehydrating much longer than directions say.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I would have chopped them but they would fall through the spaces in the trays.

We were so humid yesterday my ankle high grass was still wet at 2 pm. Today seems a little better. It's almost dry enough to cut. I can't smell so I guess my clothes will smell like onions tomorrow.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

I cut into slices and then seperate the rings.


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

I cut mine into quarters and then approx 1/4 inch thick slices so I have slices about an inche long. They take bout 24 hours at 125* but it's humid here. Definitely need to separate them or they'll just clump together and may hide some moisture.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I slice them 1/4" thick and cut each slice in half and seperate the rings. They dry faster and don't fall through....James


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I took them out this morning after 38-40 hours. They were crispy dry.

I'll try halving the next batch before slicing.


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