Quick Answer: How to Dry Potato Chips?
You can dry potato chips with the sun drying method with ease if abundant sunlight is available. Otherwise, potato chips can also be dehydrated with ease using an oven, food dehydrator or microwave.
In this article, I will be outlining the best methods to dry Potato chips from the comfort of your home.
You’ll be requiring your everyday kitchen appliances for the same.
I’ve not only poured my personal experience with drying chestnuts but have also incorporated hours of research on what food bloggers and experts have to say on drying potato chips at home.
There are many ways to dry potato chips and I’ve got you covered with the four simplest methods.
Since each of these methods are unique in their own way, let’s kick things off with the most common method referred to for drying potato chips at home.
Before You Proceed to Dehydrate Potato Chips
To blanch the potatoes, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
Return the water to a boil with the potato slices or shredded potatoes, and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the slices are fork-tender.
When a potato chip is fork-tender, it can be pierced with a fork quickly and easily without disintegrating.
This is a crucial step for you to take.
Without being blanched, potatoes can deteriorate to an unsightly grey to black color.
These potato chips wouldn’t be safe to consume.
Vitamin C is essential before dehydrating potato chips.
To keep potato chips from browning, place them in a dish of water with a crushed vitamin C tablet.
Even if the peels are left on, the other (cut) surfaces must be protected from browning.
Unpeeled, raw surfaces turn brown when exposed to air for more than a few minutes.
To avoid this, utilize Vitamin C, which contains primarily ascorbic acid rather than artificial additions.
How to Dry Potato Chips Using Sun-drying ?
Dehydrating fresh potato chips in the sun is a simple and natural technique to do so at home. Sun-dried potato chips are as crispy as any other way of drying potato chips, despite the fact that it takes a few days.
Materials
- Fresh Potatoes
- Salt
- Cooking powder
- Mandolin
- Muslin cloth
Tools
- No special tools needed
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes - Potatoes should be washed and peeled once they have been washed. Fill a big saucepan halfway with normal water. This will keep the potatoes from turning black and oxidizing.
- Slice the potatoes - Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices - Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarter-inch slices. Consider using a mandolin or food processor for even and consistent cuts.
- Place the potato chips in the water - Place the potato slices in water and let them soak for 30 minutes after they've been cooked.
Adjust the water and wash it in regular water once or twice to eliminate any leftover starch. You'll notice that the water clears up with each rinse.
- Boil the potato slices - Bring enough water to a boil in a large saucepan and season with salt and a bit of baking soda.
Toss in the drained potatoes once the water starts to boil. Stir for another 1 to 2 minutes on low heat.
- Dry the slices in the sun - Place hot slices in a single layer on a muslin cloth or plastic sheet, overlapping them as little as possible.
Allow it to dry for 2 to 3 days in the sun until it is completely crisp.
When they're completely dry and crisp, keep them in an airtight jar.
- Let it cool - Set your crispy potato chips aside to cool once they are dried evenly.
Dry Potato Chips Using an Oven
Time Taken: About 30 to 45 minutes
Optimum temperature – 120 degrees
What You Need:
- 150ml malt or cider vinegar
- 0.75 teaspoon fine salt
- Baking Sheet
- Fresh Potatoes
Another common method to dry potato chips at home before you proceed with storing them is an oven.
Most households have ovens which can be used to dry potato chips evenly with minimum effort.
However, keep a watch on your potato chips as they dry to make sure they don’t overheat or burn.
Preheat your Oven
Preheat the oven to 120 degrees and line the baking sheets with parchment paper or else the potato chips will stick to the baking sheets.
Mix the Ingredients
Mix the salt and vinegar until completely dissolved, or use an equal quantity of water instead.
Wash your Potatoes
Scrub your potato(es) thoroughly before leaving them unpeeled. Using a mandoline or equivalent tool, cut into paper-thin slices.
Soak the Potato Slices
Place the potato slices in a basin, pour the liquid over them, and set aside for 10 minutes to soak.
Only enough liquid should cover the slices or you can use a plate or saucer to lightly weigh the slices down.
Arrange the Slices
Drain the potato chips well after soaking and brush off any residual moisture. Place the slices on the baking pans in a single layer.
Make sure there is sufficient space between each potato chip so that they dry evenly.
Dry the Potato Chips
Let them dry for 30 minutes, then flip the baking pans over and dry them for another 15 to 30 minutes, until crisp.
Check the oven, the potato chips, and the slicing thicknesses on a regular basis.
Let it Cool
Set your crispy potato chips aside to cool once they are dried evenly.
Dry Potato Chips Using a Food Dehydrator
Time Taken: 12 hours
Optimum Temperature – Between 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit
What You Need:
- Fresh potatoes
- Potato scrubber
- Warm water
- A Pan
- Dehydrator trays
- Mandolin or a knife
- Apple cider or white vinegar
- Little salt
To evenly dehydrate your potato chips, use a food dehydrator.
If you want to dehydrate fresh potato chips at home with little equipment, this is the most frequent approach.
Clean the Potatoes
Scrub the potatoes using a potato scrubber or a coarse cloth in warm water, then dry thoroughly.
Slice the Potatoes
With care, slice the potatoes extremely thinly with a mandolin or a very sharp knife.
You can either peel or leave the skin on the potatoes. Extra nutrients and fiber are provided through the skin.
Soak the Potato Chips
Soak the sliced potato chips overnight in apple cider or white vinegar. The starches in the potato are broken down, making them less chalky.
Rinse the potato chips thoroughly and toss with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the slices.
Season the Potato Chips
Season with a pinch of salt.
Remember that 1/4 teaspoon contains 590 milligrams of sodium, according to the USDA, so be cautious.
You can always add extra after dehydrating.
Arrange the Potato Chips
Place your potato chips on the dehydrator tray and make sure they are having sufficient space in between.
This will make it easier for air to circulate properly.
Dry the Potato Chips
Dehydrate the potato chips for at least 12 hours in the food dehydrator. When the chips have reached your desired crispness, remove them from the food dehydrator.
Let it Cool
Set your crispy potato chips aside to cool once they are dried evenly.
Dry Potato Chips Using a Microwave
Time Taken: A few minutes
What You Need:
- A saucepan
- A colander
- A sharp knife
- Fresh Potatoes
Dehydrate your fresh potato chips with the help of a microwave as it is the speediest method available for doing so at home.
You will get crispy, evenly dehydrated potato chips that are also easy to store within just a few hours.
Clean your Potatoes
Potatoes should be washed and peeled once they have been washed. Fill a big saucepan halfway with normal water.
This will keep the potatoes from turning black and oxidizing.
Slice the Potatoes
Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices – Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarter-inch slices.
Consider using a mandolin or food processor for even and consistent cuts.
Prepare your Potato Chips
Drop your peeled and sliced potato chips into the water directly and blanch them for around eight minutes.
Fill your large mixing bowl with ice and water and place it in the sink.
Cool the Potato Chips
Remove the potato slices from the boiling water and place them in freezing water for around 15 minutes.
This puts an end to the cooking process right away. Place the cooled potato chips in a colander and drain the excess water for a few minutes.
Arrange the Potato Chips
Place your potato chips on a microwave-friendly plate in a single layer.
Don’t let them overlap and ensure that there is little distance between each chip so that the air can circulate nicely.
Dry the Chips
Dry your potato chips by placing them on a microwave tray and checking to see whether they are drying properly.
Let it Cool
When the potato chips have completely dried, they will become hard, brittle, or leathery. Set them aside to cool before storing them.
The Proper Way to Store Dried Potato Chips at Home
Properly dried potato chips can be stored in canning jars for longer shelf life. Any airtight container, however, would suffice.
Its main purpose is to keep dried potatoes from absorbing moisture from the air.
It also makes it easier to transport dehydrated potatoes on camping and other family outings by preventing them from becoming soggy and filthy.
Our Take on Which Method is Best
If you reside in a tropical region with plenty of sunlight, you can simply sun-dry potato chips.
You wouldn’t be needing any electrical appliances or artificial heat for the same.
On the other hand, you can dry potato chips at home using a food dehydrator or an oven in bulk.
In case you require dried potato chips instantly, use a microwave since it will only consume an hour or two to provide you with evenly dried crispy potato chips at home.
FAQs
To blanch the potatoes, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Return the water to a boil with the potato slices or shredded potatoes, and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the slices are fork-tender.
Without being blanched, potatoes can deteriorate to an unsightly grey to black color. These potato chips wouldn’t be safe to consume.
Dehydrate your fresh potato chips with the help of a microwave as it is the speediest method available for doing so at home. You will get crispy, evenly dehydrated potato chips that are also easy to store within just a few hours.
On the other hand, you can dry potato chips in bulk at home using a food dehydrator or an oven. An oven is amongst the fastest ways to dry potato chips at home while a food dehydrator will take longer.
You can even sun-dry your potato chips in bulk.
Bottom line
Hopefully, this guide has aided you in understanding how to dry potato chips at home with ease.
In case you have any queries to ask regarding the process, do let us know.
Feel like we have missed out on something? Let us know any tips we can include in our guide to make it better!
Kindly share this guide with your friends and family to assist them with drying potato chips at home.