How to dehydrate onions in a dehydrator for food storage. Dehydrating is an inexpensive and easy way to make dried onions at home. You can rehydrate them to cook with, used as seasonings or grind into onion powder to stock your spice cabinet to use in your cooking.
Wash the onions in cold water before peeling them.
Cut the ends off the onions then slice into ¼ inch slices. Separate the onion slices into rings.
Chop the onion rings into a rough dice. The pieces should be ¼ to ½ inch pieces.
Arrange the diced onions on dehydrator trays that have been lined with plastic tray liners. Fill all the dehydrator trays with the onion.
Place the trays on or in the dehydrator. Set the temperature to 125 F. degrees if you are using a dehydrator with a temperature control setting.
Allow the onions to dry until they are completely bone dry. This can be from 4 to 12 hours or longer.
Allow the dried onion to cool to room temperature before storing in an air tight container.
Transfer the onion pieces to an airtight container and store in a cool dark cabinet.
Recipe Expert Tips
Blanching onions: onions are one of the few vegetables that do not need to be blanched before dehydrating.
Check the onion every couple of hours.
Dehydrator temperature: If using a Excalibur or similar dehydrator with a temperature control all vegetables should be dehydrated at 125 F. degrees.
How long to dehydrate: How long to dehydrate onions will depend on a number of factors. The humidity in your home, the type of dehydrator you are using, the variety of onions and how you have cut the onions will all effect the amount of time it takes to dehydrate the onions until they are properly dried for storage.
How to tell if the dehydrated onions are done?: Pick up a few of the largest thickest pieces and allow them to come to room temperature. Press on the center to see if it feels dry. If it feels moist or mushy continue drying the onion for an hour or more. If the pieces snap when you bend them or they have a dry paper like texture they are done.
Rehydrating dehydrated onions: Place the dried onion pieces into a bowl. Pour hot water over them and let sit for about an hour. The onions will rehydrate as they absorb the water. Strain the plump onion pieces before using.