How to Freeze Dry Bananas at Home
Learn how to freeze dry bananas at home to make freeze dried banana chips that are perfect for snacking or long-term storage.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 lbs bananas (ripe)
Instructions
Freeze Drying Instructions
- Precool your freeze dryer if needed (my StayFresh freeze dryer does not need this). Add parchment paper to your freeze dryer trays.
- Peel the fresh bananas and use a sharp knife to slice them into evenly sized banana slices, about ΒΌ inch thick.Tip: The bananas will begin to brown once they are sliced. If you work quickly, you do not need to treat the bananas with lemon water or citric acid which can change the taste of the bananas.
- Arrange the slices into a single layer on the trays lined with parchment paper. You can also add a second layer of parchment paper and a second layer on bananas on top of that. This will allow you to freeze dry two layers of bananas on each tray. If you do two layers, the dry time will increase.
- Place the trays into the freeze dryer. Close the chamber door, close the vacuum valve, and the drain valve.
- Start the freeze-drying process according to your machine's instructions. I add 24 hours of additional "final dry" time to my settings so I can pause the freeze dryer and check if they are fully dry.
Check for Doneness
- Bananas take about 24 hour to dry. This time will vary based on humidity, how thick the slices are, and how bananas are on the trays.
- To check your bananas for doneness, pause your freeze dryer and weigh each tray. Record the weight of each tray, and add them back to the freeze dryer for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours check the weight again. If the weight decreased, then put them back in the freeze dry and try again in 3 more hours.If the weight stayed the same then they are fully dry.
Video
Notes
Long Term Storage: Transfer the freeze dried bananas into mylar bags and add an oxygen absorber to each bag. Use an impulse sealer to seal the bags completely and store them in a cool, dark location.
Short Term Storage: For everyday use, keep freeze dried bananas in mason jars. Using an electronic mason jar sealer to remove excess air can help preserve their crisp texture and keep them fresh.