Dried Blood Oranges (Dehydrated Blood Orange Wheel Garnish for Drinks)
This dehydrated blood orange recipe is perfect for stepping up your garnish game using the most famous flavorful seasonal citrus from Southern Italy: the blood orange! This easy homemade garnish is sure to stand out on any cocktail or beverage you serve.
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Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
- 1 knife or mandolin slicer
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 blood oranges
Instructions
CLEANING AND PREPPING YOUR ORANGES
- Wash and dry your blood orange, taking care to really scrub the skin to remove impurities.
- Alternatively you can quickly blanch them in boiling water, then dunk them in ice water, to really remove the wax coating.
- Thinly slice your blood orange using a mandolin slicer or sharp knife. Aim to cut each slice at 1/8 - 1/4 inch in thickness.
- Proceed with your dehydrating method of choice.
DEHYDRATOR DIRECTIONS
- Arrange your blood orange slices on the trays of your dehydrator.
- Place the trays into the dehydrator and set the temperature to 125ºF for 10-12 hours to keep the color of your limes, or 100ºF for 15-20 hours to make sure your oranges are brighter in color.
- Once the dehydrator cycle ends, allow the blood orange slices to cool completely to room temperature before storing.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
OVEN DIRECTIONS
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange your blood orange slices on the lined baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet into the cold oven, then set the temperature to the lowest possible temperature. Usually this is 175ºF - 225º F.
- Bake the blood orange slices for 1 - 2 hours at a time, then take the baking sheet out and flip the slices so they dry evenly.
- In total, you may need up to 6 hours to fully dry your citrus.
- Once the blood orange are fully dry, allow them to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
- Store your cooled and dried blood orange wheels in an airtight container in a cool dark place.
AIR FRYER DIRECTIONS
- Arrange your blood orange slices on the lined baking sheet or air fryer basket.
- Place the baking sheet into the cold air fryer, then set the temperature to the lowest possible temperature. Usually this is around 200º F.
- Air fry the blood orange slices for 30 minutes at a time, then take the baking sheet or fryer basket out and flip the slices so they dry evenly.
- In total, you may need up to 4 hours to fully dry your citrus.
- Once the blood orange are fully dry, allow them to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
- Store your cooled and dried blood orange wheels in an airtight container in a cool dark place.
Notes
Average Yield:
1 small - medium blood orange will get you about 6 - 8 dried orange wheels.Dehydrating Notes:
- Preserving the color - If you want to preserve the color of your sliced citrus, be sure to use the lowest possible temperature you can when dehydrating. Higher temperatures will result in darker colored citrus slices.
- Convection Fan - If your oven has a convection feature, this can help cut down on time when using an oven.
- Lower your Oven Temperature - You can also prop open your oven door to lower the temperature. Never do this with children or pets in the house or when using a gas-powered oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 30slicesCalories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 0.5gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gPotassium: 94mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 117IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.1mg
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Keyword: blood orange, citrus, drink garnish