Homemade Banana Chips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why aren t my banana chips crunchy? ›

A common reason behind dehydrated bananas not being crispy enough has to do with the ripeness of the fruit before the drying process. Starting off with bananas that are a bit firm is best, as overripe bananas can take longer to dry and, as a result, become sticky rather than crispy.

Dehydrator Instructions: Arrange banana slices in a single layer on dehydrator racks. Set dehydrator to 135 °F; takes 6 to 12 hours.

They are crispy and crunchy when dehydrated properly, if not stored correctly they absorb moisture from the air and can become soft and chewy.

To be fair, banana chips do contribute to your daily haul of some important nutrients. According to the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, banana chips provide around 8 percent of your daily potassium and over 11 percent of the vitamin B6 you need. They also pack in a decent amount of fiber.

6-12 hours is a range and you should rely primarily on the feel and texture of the bananas to determine doneness. Bananas should be leathery in texture when properly dried. To test, remove a slice and let it completely cool.

Turn the heat up under the oil and return one blanched chip to the oil as a guide again. Once it's floating and golden the temperature should be about 180°C, which is perfect for frying and will give you chips with those all-important crispy outsides and fluffy middles.

Pretreating some fruits like bananas help keep them from turning brown when dehydrating. Pretreat the sliced bananas with lemon juice or a product like Fruit Fresh to prevent the dried banana chip from turning a dark brown to black color during the dehydrating time.

If you want your dehydrated bananas to have a light colour, you will have to pre-treat them with a solution that helps prevent browning before you dehydrate them. We use a simple mixture of lemon juice and water. The juice will not affect the taste of the bananas and bonus, it acts as a preservative.

Freeze Dried Bananas Nutrition: The Health Benefits

Ounce for ounce, dehydrated bananas are about four times higher in fiber, potassium, carbohydrates, sugar and calories than the fresh variety.” Freeze dried banana chips are high in: Potassium, which is great for lowering your blood pressure.

Give your chips an ice bath, and leave for 15-20 minutes if you have the time. This will wash off some of the starch – you'll see as the water goes cloudy. Starch on the surface of the chips locks in moisture and causes them to go soggy. Drain the chips and rinse under cold water, then dry thoroughly before cooking.

How do you reconstitute banana chips? ›

To reconstitute dried bananas, just place them in boiling water, and cover for about ten minutes. One cup of sliced, fresh bananas will yield about 1/2 cup of dried banana chips. Select ripe but firm bananas for drying. They should be solid yellow with a few brown flecks.

While they may seem healthy at first glance, banana chips can be loaded with calories, saturated fat, and added sugar. For a healthier alternative, look for dehydrated, non-fried banana chips made without added sugar. Better yet, choose a whole banana. If you decide to eat banana chips, be mindful of your portion size.

The slices will be flat and thin when they're done dehydrating, and they'll have a leathery texture. If you want to get crispy banana chips, you'll need to dry them a bit longer. The individual chips tend to finish dehydrating at different times, so check regularly and remove them as they reach the texture you want.

The preparation of some processed banana products might make them less suitable for people with diabetes. For example, some food manufacturers market dried banana chips as a healthy treat or snack. However, these may contain added sugars or syrups to enhance flavor, which could increase blood sugar levels.

How do you like your banana chips? If you like thick and chewy banana chips slice the banana into ¼ inch thick slices. If you like hard and crunchy banana chips slice the banana into ⅛ inch slices (this is pretty difficult to do) or dehydrate the ¼ inch thick banana chips longer to get that crunchy texture.

To reconstitute dried bananas, just place them in boiling water, and cover for about ten minutes. One cup of sliced, fresh bananas will yield about 1/2 cup of dried banana chips. Select ripe but firm bananas for drying. They should be solid yellow with a few brown flecks.

In a food processor, grind down the banana chips into a course flour.