Dehydrating foods is one of the oldest methods of preservation that is still around today. Long before refrigerators, people discovered that by removing all of the water from a food, you prevent bacteria and mold from growing. While this does remove some of the nutritional value from the food, it will keep it edible for a much longer time than it would be otherwise.
Many fruits and vegetables can be dehydrated, however there are a few that do not respond well to the process.
So what about pears? Can pears be dehydrated?
Yes, they absolutely can be!
To dry pears, they should be washed, peeled, sliced into ¼ inch pieces, and pretreat with a 5 minute soak in lemon juice or ascorbic acid. Once prepared, it will take anywhere from 6 to 20 hours to dehydrate the pears at 135 degrees Fahrenheit.