Dehydrated Figs

Long weekends are the best, aren’t they?! A few weekends ago my sister and I took our kids out to Hillside Harvest. A local orchard and farm store, about 10 minutes out of Orange, NSW at Borenore. We came home with baskets full of fresh, local, Autumnal produce just ripe for preserving. Hello dehydrated figs!

Picking fresh figs from the tree would be one of my favourite things to do in the garden over Autumn. We have a small black fig tree in our garden, but this year it only gave us a couple of figs. Great to munch on while picking, but not enough for a solid batch of anything. After our road trip, I was again well-stocked and ready to preserve.

What you need to get started drying figs

Lots of Figs! Drying figs is a dehydrator is super easy. I slice my figs for dehydrating, however you could also try drying them whole or in quarters. You would need to change the length of time you are dehydrating though. The reason I prefer slicing them is that they are easy to snack on and eat, especially when I add them to my Spiced honey nut granola that I eat most mornings for breakfast. Another way to use dried figs is by adding to your next cheeseboard. They pair really well alongside a cracker and slice of creamy brie.

Dehydrator. I used to be one of those people who didn’t think they needed a food dehydrator until I got one! Now I use it so much. They are so handy when you grow your own fruit and vegetables. Even if you only have a small plot like us, they are worth their weight in gold. Just to be able to dehydrate any excess garlic for winter before it all sprouts is a total gamechanger.

How to dehydrate figs

1. Wash and dry the figs
2. Remove the top stem off the fig. Slice each fig into 3-5mm slices. 
3. Lay fig slices flat in a single layer on the dehydrator tray.
4. Turn the dehydrator on to the dried fruit setting and leave to dry for 8 hours. 
5. Once cool. store in an airtight container.

Cook’s notes

The size/thickness of the figs will determine how long they need to be dried. On average my slices take 8 hours. I generally pop them on just as I’m going to bed and they are done when I wake up the next morning. Whole figs or quartered figs will take longer to dehydrate.

How to store dehydrated figs

The best way to store dried figs is simply in an airtight container. I use Kilner preserving jars to store my dried fruit. The clip top jars with a rubber seal are great for keeping food airtight.

A bit about food dehydrators

With the right equipment, dehydrating is one of the easiest ways to preserve fresh produce. While you can totally make dried fruit in the oven, I find a simple dehydrator is super easy to use and gives a tasty, consistent result. My dehydrator is a Fowlers Vacola ultimate dehydrator. I’ve also used the Cuisinart dehydrator. It’s a really good entry-level option. It’s a bit smaller than my Fowlers Vacola, but it works really well and is a great option if you are just starting out.

Preserving this season’s harvest? Here are a few more recipes you might like…

• Lemon and Passionfruit Curd
• Balsamic Fig Jam
• Slow Roasted Tomatoes
• 5 reasons why you need to dehydrate citrus this winter (and how to do it!)

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