How to Dehydrate Cherries + Best Cherry Pitter for Drying Cherries

[@villagesteader3552]

My cherry potter is a Mc Donald’s drink straws cut into about 3 lengths per straw. You will need a few because they sometimes split. Don’t judge…I used what worked the best for me, and what I had. My husband offered to buy one but I refused. He said my method is the Polish way!🤣

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I've used the straw method in the past, but this is so much faster and saved me a lot of time. But whatever works for you works!

[@hollyslager2883]

we do it with two metal straw it works so well. I did not expect to see someone else commenting on using straws lol.

[@stacking4retirement222]

Tip for slicing the cherries after pitting: put a bunch of pitted cherries between two plastic container lids and run a sharp knife between the lids. It slices all the cherries at once.

[@jules-marcdavis6843]

Nothing better than cherries instead of raisins in oatmeal cookies💜💜💜💜

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You said it! But I'm of the camp that raisins are great, but never in baked goods! :D

[@jolenechandler4192]

Oooh! Cherry stem tea! Never thought of that.

[@LeannRichardson]

Bought the pitter.... best move ever! It saved my fingers and cut my time down considerably. Cherries in the dehydrator as I type. HUGE WIN! THANK YOU!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Yep - it makes a HUGE difference when you're doing bulk!

[@rlynnmiller5485]

This year I am dehydrating cherries for the first time, thanks to this video.🤗. Thank you! I bought the cherry picker you are using and I found when they stick to the top, I give it another smash and they come right off instead of picking them off one at a time.

[@ramonajolley1966]

Thanks so much for the information. I didn't know about the stems either. Have a great day!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You are so welcome!

[@coolstamper]

Great video…you are always sooooo thorough when explaining how to do a project TYSM!!! I live in an area with cherry orchards all around me and I can’t wait for our next cherry season. 💕🌸💕

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You are so welcome! And I'm jealous!!!

[@coolstamper]

@@ThePurposefulPantry I hear ya!!! 🙂

[@cynthiamyers2941]

Favorite way for cherries, washed, unpitted and waterbath canned in very lite syrup.

[@dianatennant4346]

Always get great information from you Darcy I didn't know about the Cherry stems having flavor and some leftover nutrients sounds like wonderful thing just to put in tea. Thanks for all you do

[@debbiepond8727]

First time dehydrating cherries, I used a metal straw. I have a couple because I LOVE to drink out of a straw. Thank you for this. Looks like I have a lot to learn.

[@msdawn5720]

Oh what a great idea for cherry tea! Yum can’t wait to make that tonight after pitting my kings ransom in $ lovely cherries from Canada! Thank you😘

[@MrVjay70]

We got our first Cherries off our tree this year... looking forward to preserving some in the years to come. Our current method is to wash them with the stem on , let them air dry and put on a sheet pan and freeze...when frozen we bag them up and vacuum seal . They last a long time in the freezer... Nothing like cherry pie at Christmas

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

So you pit them after you freeze them? I'd think it would be a bit messier - but curious on your experience. AND WOOHOO on the cherry tree! We can't really grow them here :(

[@MrVjay70]

I partially thaw and put in a big bowl to contain the mess.....gloves optional...lol...now I'm thinking I will save the stems after and dry them for tea❤️❤️

[@colleenlucier3132]

I've always made cherry preserves and jellies but have never dehydrated before! We both will have a new experience to talk about!

[@saphirediamondspearlzsdpje3127]

I didn't know about the stems...thanks. I'm all on 4maximizing my products and $$$$.

[@debcam6990]

im just starting doing this dehydrating and im thankful for this channel

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Welcome to the obsession!!!

[@Lauralamontanaro]

I was so happy to see this and your favorite tool!! Clicked the link and got myself one!! Dehydrated my cherries and they were delicious!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Glad you liked them!!! I hope the pitter serves you well!!

[@AM-eq2ir]

Amazing and comprehensive video. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm kicking myself though for not coming here first. I canned 14 quarts of cherries and didn't keep the stems!!!! Cherry green tea is my favourite. I have another bunch to dehydrate now and will definitely keep the stems this time around!! Thanks for that tip.

[@suzettehopkins5734]

We are picking cherries Monday. Never heard that about stems and being tea drinkers will have to try it.

[@Truthseeker1957]

Thank you! You covered so much, and held my interest. WOW.... what a wealth of info. And, I just got myself a dehydrator about a yr ago and have been playing with it. Cherries are my next "play" !! :)

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Glad it was helpful!

[@shellyspackman738]

I have a pie cherry tree. The cherries are really small, I have to hand pit them. I love my dried cherries!

[@hollish196]

I wish desteming and pitting was that fast! I am really interested in dehydrating because there is just one of me, and I can not possibly use 2 pounds of cherries from the farmers market before they go bad. Thank you so much for making this information! You are great!!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You can do it! Using the pitter I use does make it go by pretty quickly - 2 pounds wouldn't take more than 15 minutes or so.

[@js4740]

When pitting my homegrown cherries (which are much smaller than the bing cherries at the grocery store) i just lightly sqeeze them between my thumb and pointer finger, pushing the pit out the hole where the stem was attached. Also...if you have ALOT of cherries you can use your pits! Wash the pits well by repeatedly rising them and draining. If the flesh stuck to them is stubborn sometimes I boil them and let them sit in hot water for a bit then give them a good rinsing again. Put them on the dehydrator overnight to dry. Then use them inside a simple bag made of fabric, to use as a hot/cold pack. Your hot pack can be warmed in the microwave.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Yep - I have a whole post on the site linked that gives alternative uses for stems and pits!

[@leascism173]

Thank you for sharing this I didn't know we could do that with Sherry stiff thank you

[@leascism173]

Sorry Cherry stems

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You are so welcome

[@anitamckenzie4895]

Hi Darcy!! If you vacuum seal the Mason jar, I’m supposing you would not need a moisture packet for cherries?? Thanks so much!!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I use moisture absorbers and most of my fruit, and rarely vacuum seal it since we're in and out of it a lot.

[@rhodaneader9008]

I also have been freezing cherries and just made my 1st ever cherry preserves. My nails look similar 😊 I have never dehydrated cherries, but we love them. I am going to give it a try. Your video was so easy to follow. Thank you. PS I need that cherry picker! 🍒

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

It changed my life with cherries - no more straws and single berries!

[@danielledunavant3146]

One of my favorite dehydrated snacks! Love, love, love cherries. Great pitter too; I've never seen that one! Thanks so much. What on earth do you save the pitts for?????

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

As I mentioned in the video - jam next winter - there's still juice and flesh on them, so they will simmer with the cherries to get all the best bits! There are also other ways to use pits in the blog post I mentioned.

[@marygallagher3428]

Thanks for all the great information!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You bet!

[@susancarroll7697]

Put some warm ones in a jar with the lid applied. Give them about 10 min. If there is moisture on the glass, they need to dry a little longer.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

They need more than 10 min to be sure - conditioning is a longer process than that.

[@ednamyers5760]

I purchased some new Ball jars, haven't done that in a while, I used them this week, after they came out of the canner and cooled, you could see what looks like plastic on the rings pealing off.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

We're they actual ball jar lids or knock offs?

[@captainfancypants1877]

Thank you for these videos.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

My pleasure!

[@marvelenelavigne7427]

I did not know you could dry the steams. I through mine be away. Thank you for sharing

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You’re welcome 😊

[@pattigroth1922]

I get bags of dried red tart cherries from the food shelf and would like to make these more shelf stable as they are sticky. Can these be dehydrated? Do u have a video? What would you suggest I do with these, as i can't eat them fast enough of I'll never get off the johnny🤭

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

They are already dry. You can dry them more, but they have preservatives and additives to keep them shelf-stable and soft. Feel free to dry more if you want.

[@DustyGreyWolfSkin24]

Can you grind them into a powder when are still this tacky?? I've really been into making powders, kids think it's great when we make smoothies in the mornings. I love how concentrate the flavors are when turned into a powder and the fact they are shelf stable long enough to actually use them. Thank you so much for all your knowledge Darcy!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

It does - but it stays stickier than other fruits, and is more prone to clumping.

[@daniellemarceaux7937]

interesting that you can use the cherry stem and pits for tea

[@elneandy1981]

❤ well done , thanks !! ❤

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Get the printable recipe with oven directions here>> www.thepurposefulpantry.com/dehydrate-cherries/ What's your favorite way to use cherries?

[@suzettehopkins5734]

I had meant to try your dried cherry stems as we picked 35 lbs of tart cherries yesterday but only got 6 stems. So we made jelly and I am infusing vinegar and maple syrup instead. Can you use cherry powder to make a fruit drink- the concentrate powders are so expensive. We will try the sweet cherries next week since store is putting them on sale.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You can use the powder to infuse the water, but it doesn't dissolve like traditional drink mixes.

[@hollish196]

Question re: cherry stems: could you toast them and add to cream for flavoring? Or add to cream/milk and then heat mildly to create a sort to "cherry milk" for using in baking? Also---totally off topic!!---can you dehydrate yoghurt?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You can do whatever works - I don't use them another way - so give it a try. And yogurt is a dairy product which is not recommended. Folks do it, and you'll likely find instructions out there somewhere.

[@cantikkeren]

Just stop by on ut vid, when hv time plis answer my question, Can we use normal oven? Tia

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

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[@shadyacrehomestead4737]

Great video! Thanks 😊

[@janiefoglewohlerspantryand2102]

Have you ever dehydrated artichokes? I wonder if you could use it as a powder not the heart but the leaves

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

The leaves probably aren't as great for powders since they aren't the most edible thing. BUT...it's not inedible, just not easily done so. I've never even eaten one, so I can't give a lot of experience on it. But if it's green and edible, it can be powdered (in most cases), so give it a try - I'd definitely at least blanch it if not cook it first to help break down those fibers.

[@janiefoglewohlerspantryand2102]

@@ThePurposefulPantry Thank you so much for the reply

[@karenmarbach817]

I use that pitter, and I don't cut my cherries in half. They start being ready at around 16 hours. Maybe they're faster because I don't use the fruit leather sheet; I put them right on the mesh. We like them soft to put in our salads, so I keep them in the fridge.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I prefer them in half for texture - makes it better for our preferences in bread

[@sharon5062]

Can you dehydrate frozen cherries from Costco? After they thaw out would it be the same process? TIA

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Yes

[@katharvey7324]

Hi Darcy! Question…I have several pounds of cherries that I pitted and froze from last year. Would I have to thaw them out before dehydrating?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Personally, I would. They are are so dense, that the drying time would be increased a lot. Better to let them thaw in the fridge for a day, then dry. But that's me. Plenty of folks throw them straight onto trays. Either way, make sure to protect with some parchment paper or fruit leather sheets as they can stain once thawed.

[@jimmyjames372]

Pretty sure you may have answered this but if I flash freeze now can I dehydrate later? Running out of time as potatoes are calling my name.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Yes

[@jimmyjames372]

@@ThePurposefulPantry Awesome! Thank you so much.

[@Teskastar]

Not about cherries - but I can't find a video on how to make dehydrated potato mash - If you have one please could you send me the link? Many thanks

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I don't have one. But here is a great tutorial: www.gettystewart.com/how-to-dehydrate-mashed-potatoes-for-home-or-the-trail/

[@Ventura0404]

Wow, I just threw a whole bunch of cherry stems away because I made cherry pie filling two cases to be exact. But I did make cherry jelly out of the pits

[@RobbinsNess]

Preservers manicure. Love it! & so true

[@leedavis6354]

Thank you this is great. Now I just need cherries to go on sale

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

This is the time of year they usually do in the US

[@ramonajolley1966]

Question?? I saw you freeze the cherry seeds. Why?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

As I mentioned - it's for when I do jelly this winter The pits still have plenty of flesh attached which will help make more jelly.

[@ramonajolley1966]

@@ThePurposefulPantry do you make it from scratch? I'll have to stay with your channel more. I'll hope it won't take long for my pitter to come. But until then I will do it old school like myself. Ty

[@joyfulnoise6556]

In my week or so of binge watching this is the first I have thought of this question... When you are conditioning, is it possible to over shake your food? I'm sure my 13 year old will shake things every time he is near them, and since we homeschool that will be a LOT. So I need to know if I need to kind of hide them from him.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

No .

[@joyfulnoise6556]

Oh good! I could work around him, but I'd rather not.

[@ednamyers5760]

Has anyone else had a problem with the new canning rings pealing after using..

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Which new canning lids - and are you talking about from vacuum sealing? If you have the rings on, it really won't matter. But if you are using off brands of lids, they may be the problem.

[@deborahmccray9841]

Why did not see this video last week when dehydrated three bags of cherries?

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Because you are awesome and didn't need it!! ;)

[@scottstephenson9597]

Didn't know stems had flavor of the cherries.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

No where near as strong, but yes - it's there.

[@aperson1181]

the pitter is no longer sold

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

It may just be out of stock for a while. There are alternatives with the same design, but I can't vouch for them since I've never used them. OXO also has one out now, too - but again, I've never used it.

[@annaleedaughterofyhwh7767]

Are you serious??? 😵. I just pitted and threw out all my cherry 🍒 stems!