How to Dehydrate Honeydew Melon

A jar of dried honeydew melon with scatter pieces on a wooden cutting board and a slice of fresh in the background.

Make delicious summertime treats that can be used in lunchboxes for the kids all year long from melons of all kinds. Melon taffy or jerky is a sweet way to keep melons all year!

Prep Time10

Drying Time12

Total Time12 10

Course: Preserved Food

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 14kcal

Author: Darcy Baldwin

Equipment

Dehydrator
Bread Knife Any good knife works, but I found that bread knives work great to cut through.

Ingredients

Honeydew melon

Instructions

Slice the honeydew into 1/2″-1/4″ slices or chips.
Use your knife to cut around the flesh and remove the rind.
Clean the seeds and pulp out with a spoon.
Cut the honeydew slices into 3-4" sections.
Place honeydew pieces onto dehydrator trays, using parchment paper or dehydrating mesh. These can stick to trays if you don't use a liner.
Dry at 135°F / 57°C for between 8-18 hours until dry and leathery, with no signs of stickiness.
After 4-5 hours, flip pieces to help reduce sticking.
Condition if putting your dried honeydew up for storage. If you'll be finishing these off within a week or two, no conditioning is required.

Notes

Storage and Shelf Life

Store in an airtight container for up to a year. It can help to include a moisture absorber if you are in and out of the jar a lot and your relative humidity is high. You can also wrap these in parchment paper for your storage if you'd like.

Seasoning suggestions:

Dried honeydew tastes great, but you can mix it up a little and add some seasoning to it to perk things up!

- Add some Taijin or other spicy seasoning mix.

- Try adding a little bit of salt or pepper.

- A little ginger powder.

- Squirt some lime juice on slices.

Oven Instructions:

1. Follow steps 1-4 above

1. Place on a parchment-paper-lined cooling rack over a cookie sheet. This will allow airflow and help keep the fruit from overdrying on the bottom.

1. Dry at 140°-170° (67°C) for 4-6 hrs, keeping a close eye on burning.

1. Turn pieces halfway through the process to help prevent sticking.

1. Keep your oven door cracked, if possible, to allow moisture and heat to escape to keep the temperature down.

1. Condition. If eating as a snack immediately, no conditioning is needed. Shake 5-7 days in a jar to look for pieces sticking together or to the sides of the jar, or moisture forming in beads. Place back in the dehydrator if you see those signs to dry more.

1. Store in an airtight container.

Note: If your oven does not reach 170°F, go as low as possible and crack the door to allow heat to escape. Be aware of any small children or mobility-impaired individuals.

Uses

- Eat as it is. It's a great snack to eat on it's own when you need a little something sweet.

- I use it to dip into some cottage cheese or yogurt for a carb- and protein-based snack.

Nutrition