How to Dehydrate Limes

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Learn to dehydrate limes to store in your pantry all year. They are great for adding to water and teas, flavor tea blends, making lime powder to add to baked goods, and so much more!

While citrus season is in the late winter and early spring in North America, good lime varieties are available all year round. You can take advantage of a great harvest season or a good sale at any time.

Limes of all varieties, make an easy first project for dehydrators. A simple slice and dry is all that is needed!

How to Dehydrate Limes

Quick-drying FAQ: Dry at 125°F/52°C for 18-36+ hours, until slices snap when cooled.

Step one

Wash limes well. Even if using organic, you should soak and wash all limes to remove any residue and wax on the skins.

Soak in a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar for about 15 minutes. Scrub with baking soda if you feel it necessary.

Step Two

Slice into 1/4″ slices (6-7 mm). You can go thicker, but they will take longer to dry. Thinner works fine as well. A sharp, serrated bread knife makes a great tool to cut your limes by hand.

Tip: If using a mandoline or meat slicer, cut the end of the lime to give yourself a flat surface.

Tip 2: PLEASE remember to wear a protective cutting glove when using a mandoline. Even if you can use the guard that comes with the machine, hands and surfaces become slick.

Step Three:

Place slices on trays. You can pack them fairly close together without overlapping. Some airflow is nice, but they don’t need a ton of space, nor will they shrink much.

Dry at 125°F/52°C or lower for 18-36+ hours.

While the recommended temperature for fruit is 135°F/57°C, limes often darken during the drying phase as the sugars brown from the heat. Dropping the temperature can help prevent that, though you do have to add a little more time to the drying process.

You can use a liner such as silicone mesh or parchment paper, but it’s not generally necessary.

Tip: Flip your slices after three to four hours, and every five hours to keep them from sticking to your trays.

Step Four:

Test. Allow a sample or two to come to room temperature. It is fully dry when you can snap it in two easily, and there is no moisture in the cells of the flesh.

Step Five:

Condition. The conditioning process is essential to allow all slices to come to a median humidity and check for any moisture issues. This helps prevent mold in storage. If you haven’t heard about conditioning dehydrated food, you can check out this blog post that teaches how to condition dehydrated food.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to eighteen months, though you’ll likely get a much longer time with proper storage techniques. Shelf life is best if you can store out of direct sunlight in a dark, cool, dry place. I use mason jars, but mylar bags are good, too.

A note about storing dried limes slices (and other citrus wheels). Your citrus may turn darker over time in storage. This is often caused by exposure to direct sunlight, but it does not affect the limes.

Blanching Limes

If you’ve had dried limes before and felt they were just too bitter for you, I found a great solution!

Blanching limes before drying helps remove some bitterness from the fruit, making your final product taste more like lime and less like the pith. Give it a try the next time you dehydrate oranges!

Steps:

1. Slice limes.
2. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes.
3. Immediately place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
4. Dehydrate using the above directions.

LEARN MORE: 25+ Ways to use Fruit Powder

Dehydrating Citrus Varieties

You can get more specific information on drying your favorite type of citrus here:

• Citrus
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Orange (Blood orange, mandarin, navel, Cara Cara, etc.)

Commonly asked questions

And if you want to see how to make and store citrus powder – watch now!