Once again I was inspired by the posts I read here on the forum recently. I have had a food dehydrator for a couple of years which I somehow had never gotten around to using. I dug it out of storage and started experimenting. So far apples have been our favorite and I am about to start another batch this morning. For the first batch I dipped the slices in lemon juice as per the directions and had good results. For the next batch I did without the lemon juice because I forgot to get lemons. Those were ok, but seemed a little bland compared to the first batch. Well right now lemons are a bit expensive here, so I am wondering about using pineapple juice instead. Does anyone else here use this? How does it compare to the lemon juice or no-juice method?

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 13, 2001

Answers

Sorry, haven't tried the pineapple juice method, but you might try a warehouse store (Sams, etc.) for some inexpensive bottled lemon juice. We've used RealLemon with great success. Maybe you could even try diluting it if cost is a real concern.

-- Dave in MN (peasedj@sparc.isl.net), July 13, 2001.

Elizabeth, I have never tryed the pineapple juice but is sure sounds like it would be interesting. I think I will try some this year!!! Let us know if you try it and it works out (or even if it doesn't)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 13, 2001.

this is what i did a year ago. I never used lemon juice but my recipe said to get enough water to cover them and then add the fruit stay fresh stuff that make the apples, peaches, bananas etc. not turn brown. put a couple good sprinkles of that in and let sit a few min. it worked good and tasted good but i don't know. i've never tasted lemon juice apples and they might be a lot better. my mom friend used to baby sit for me and she would make a cinnamon (sp) sugar ones. this was 9 yrs ago so i don't remember much about them but that they were so good. does any one do this? would it work to sprinkle some on in the water or after you took them out? I'll try in apple season but that is a while off. All we have now is cooking apples. all you can do with them in the dehydrator is fruit roll-ups. we made apple banana ones and blue berry ones a while ago they'll be ready in a couple of hours. does any one know of some really good fruit-roll up recipes?

-- lindsey in southern il (l_shamhart@hotmail.com), July 13, 2001.

I've used pineapple juice on both apples and bananas with good success. I've also found that the variety of apple makes a difference in the flavor. Red delicious are very bland dried while goldens have a spiciness that we like. Hands down our favorite apple is Gala as it is sweet and spicy on its own for drying or canning. I do applesauce by cooking the apples in cider, then draining the liquid off for the second batch while the first is cooling a bit. While the second batch is cooking, the first batch is ready to go through the Victorio strainer. I have a 6 gallon stock pot and hold all the puree in it until I'm finished. Then I pour the cooking liquid into the puree until I get the consistency we like. It needs absolutely no sweeting or cinnamon before canning. When I make apple butter, the process is about the same except that I do add some cinnamon and cloves, cook it down a bit then can. Sorry, I got off on canning by trying to make a point about the apple variety.

I have read about dipping the slices in dry flavored gelatin mixes but haven't tried it. We try to stay away from sweeteners when possible so that's not been something we wanted to try.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), July 13, 2001.

Another option is vitamin C tablets (uncoated/unsweetened), crushed in a morter/pestle, mixed with water. 1,500 - 2,000 mg per 3 quarts H2O. When I do large quantities, it works quite well. The pineapple juice (unsweetened/from concentrate) will do well and add a pleasant, faint taste.

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), July 13, 2001.

Marilyn, When you make your apple butter do you ever use a crock pot? I recently purchased one and have heard that it works great for making apple butter but no one I know has tried it. I tried making apple butter on the stove, but had a hard time not burning it.

-- Marie in WA (Mamafila@AOL.com), July 13, 2001.

I have used a crock pot for apple butter and it was wonderful!!! I do it all that way now. If you need a recipe let me know.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 13, 2001.

Ok, I decided to try the pineapple juice since I have some in the freezer- from the last of my homegrown pineapples, and I trust that I won't be wasting it. When I run out of this I will have to try the bottled lemon juice that Dave suggested. I have to admit that I am spoiled because I usually have fresh homegrown lemons, or at least some juice in the freezer, but I am out of both and relying on store bought. Lindsey, I saw some directions for cinnamon/sugar apple chips in my owner's manual and they sound delicious. I definitely want to try that, but I am waiting for a special occassion- the kids get enough sugar as it is now, but I think they'd be great as a treat.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 13, 2001.

I would LOVE to have that recipe for apple chips! Could you post it? I've dried apples for years using store-bought lemon juice and they come out terrific. I like golden delicious the best, but most of the late apples make good dried apples.

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), July 13, 2001.

It's not much of a "recipe", LOL, but here is what I have- Slice apples into rings 3/16-1/4" thick. If pre treating dip rings into lemon juice/pineapple juice/or ascorbic acid. Drain rings, sprinkle to taste with 1/2 cinnamon and 1/2 sugar. Dry to desired crispness. That's it. I have another question now. Isn't there some kind of device which is used to core apples? Like, apple corer, maybe? I see apple PEELERS all the time, but not corers. (Is it obvious that I come from citrus country?)

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 13, 2001.

Elizabeth, most peelers core at the same time that they peel. I was wondering about you and your lemons.........you can grow both citric and apples?? that would be cool.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 13, 2001.

Unfortunately I cannot grow apples. I am buying them at the store, which means they are probably last year's crop. Now that I have the hang of this dehydrator, I'll be sure to stock up this fall while they're fresh.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 13, 2001.

For you who e-mailed me..........here is the recipe.

CROCK POT APPLE BUTTER

12-15 medium apples

one pint honey

one cup sugar

one quart of apple cider

one Tablespoon cinnamon (I really HEAP it)

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Put all ingredients into crockpot (peel and core the apples and cut into chunks) When apples are softened, mash together. let cook on high until dark brown and very thick. It may take 12 to 15 hours.(I start mine one day and let it go all night) Keep lid off the crockpot, and stir occasionally while cooking down. Process in hot water bath. Makes 3 to 4 pints

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 14, 2001.