Lucky me found another apple tree recently. Another entry on the spreadsheet! It was time to pick these beautiful green apples this week. I picked 25 pounds.
The first thing I wanted to make was apple chips. In the past I've made them in the microwave with decent success. This time I tried oven drying which then followed with some microwaving to finish them off. Considering how much heat and time the baking took, I went out to buy a food dehydrator last night. My first dehydrator batch has been going for 4.5 hours. They should be done by the end of the evening.
If you're interested in giving apple chips a go, these are the different processes I've tried:
Microwave:
Really only an option for when you just want to make chips from a single apple (the amount that will fit on a plate). Thinly slice apples, remove seeds. Place slices on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds, then open the microwave and let all the moisture out. Keep repeating until you have firm chips. Flipping the slices a couple times throughout is a good idea. Be careful not to burn when you think they are nearly done.
Oven:
If you need to heat up your house, this is the option for you. For me, on an August day in Kansas, not so much. Thinly slice apples, remove seeds, sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar if you like. Bake at 200 degrees for about an hour. Some people recommend keeping your oven cracked so the moisture can escape. Yeah, no. I finished mine off with some rounds in the microwave.
Dehydrator:
Slice apples, remove seeds. If you want to reduce the browning of the apples, toss the slices into a water and vitamin C bath as you're cutting and before you place the slices in the dehydrator. The absorb acid will hold the apple's color better. Crush 6 vitamin C tablets (500mg) into one gallon of water for your bath. Then pop the slices in the dehydrator. Somewhere between 3-8 hours you should have chips. The longer they are in, the crispier.
Image credit: Cale Ruiz
If you're interested in giving apple chips a go, these are the different processes I've tried:
Microwave:
Really only an option for when you just want to make chips from a single apple (the amount that will fit on a plate). Thinly slice apples, remove seeds. Place slices on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds, then open the microwave and let all the moisture out. Keep repeating until you have firm chips. Flipping the slices a couple times throughout is a good idea. Be careful not to burn when you think they are nearly done.
Oven:
If you need to heat up your house, this is the option for you. For me, on an August day in Kansas, not so much. Thinly slice apples, remove seeds, sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar if you like. Bake at 200 degrees for about an hour. Some people recommend keeping your oven cracked so the moisture can escape. Yeah, no. I finished mine off with some rounds in the microwave.
Dehydrator:
Slice apples, remove seeds. If you want to reduce the browning of the apples, toss the slices into a water and vitamin C bath as you're cutting and before you place the slices in the dehydrator. The absorb acid will hold the apple's color better. Crush 6 vitamin C tablets (500mg) into one gallon of water for your bath. Then pop the slices in the dehydrator. Somewhere between 3-8 hours you should have chips. The longer they are in, the crispier.
Image credit: Cale Ruiz