Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[saysfaa]

I froze a few each year until last year. And used only one or two packages.

Last year, I froze a lot because I had company at cherry time and could run the dehydrators barely at all. I intended to pull them out of the freezer to dehydrate them. Now I know that doesn't work for me. I pulled one package out after I ran out of dried cherries. By the time they thawed, they had lost most most of their juice so they weren't worth drying. I put the whole thing into oatmeal and it was good but not as good as dried. And freezer space is precious.

I'd rather get another dehydrator. Other than having to store it for the 10 months I wouldn't be using it. sigh.

 

[saysfaa]

After thinking about it more, I'm going to throw out all the raccooned cherries that don't have completely intact skins - including being tight around the stem area.

Then see what is left. I might wash those really good and juice them. That will cook them more thoroughly than anything I can think of. I'm certainly not using any of them not thoroughly cooked.

 

[Folly's place]

Wear gloves!

 

[1muttsfan]

Even with washing, I think it's risky to try to use contaminated fruit. Raccoons are very risky in terms of parasites and bacterial infections such as leptospirosa. As sad as it seems, I would throw them all away.

You might think about doing some cherry jam next year, it's a great way to preserve cherries and very delicious. And I remember seeing a recipe for cherry syrup that looked very interesting.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm with @1muttsfan on this! There's no way I'd be playing in that water or with those cherries!
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

I'd rather get another dehydrator. Other than having to store it for the 10 months I wouldn't be using it. sigh.

I know they're expensive, but I love my Excalibur dehydrator. It sits on the counter all the time. I take the shelves out when I'm not using it as a dehydrator, and it's storage space measuring cups, bottles of kombucha in their second ferment, bread raising (at room temp).

 

[Folly's place]

Wish i had more kitchen space! Cabinets and counters already over full...
Mary

 

[saysfaa]

Sally, how long does your excaliber take to dehydrate a batch of cherries? How big is a batch?

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Make brandied cherries next year maybe?

Sorry I can’t contribute much else, the last time I dehydrated cherries they ended up roughly the consistency of tree bark. I’d wanted them dried out for cookies.

 

[saysfaa]

Thank you all for all the input.

Thankfully, I don't have any cuts or abrasions on my hands because I saw these posts too late to keep my hands off them. The cherries are clean, sorted, and in the refrigerator. It was very hard to throw out all those (almost) beautiful cherries. I'll decide tomorrow on the rest of them; I'm too tired to think dependably now.