High season for local Colorado strawberries arrives at the end of May and keeps vigil for a few weeks in June, but warmer climates are already harvesting plenty of these succulent berry delights. Oven-dried strawberries are more about a preservation technique than a recipe that uses multiple ingredients and cooking skills.
Still, if you want to savor your strawberry haul long after the season ends, using the oven as a drying tool will allow you to extend their life. Because I have a dried fruit snack obsession, a batch of these oven-dried strawberries lasts all of three days in my refrigerator. You can also store them for about three months in the freezer.
Oven-Dried Strawberries Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh strawberries, halved and quartered if large
2 tablespoons granulated cane sugar
Directions
Add berries and sugar to a large bowl, tossing to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes to release juices.
Then, preheat oven to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven preheats, get out a large rimmed baking pan. Add a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment paper to the pan. Now, place the berry pieces cut side up in the pan.
When the oven is ready, slide the pan in the oven and get ready for a long, slow baking experience! Bake the berries over the next 5 hours, rotating the pan every hour. You'll know the berries are done dark when they have turned a very dark, concentrated red. Their edges will be dry, and when you taste-test one, it should be chewy with just a little juiciness remaining.
Remove the pan from the oven, and after the berries have cooled on the pan, you can start using immediately. To preserve, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days or in a sealed freezer bag for up to 3 months.