Easy Dehydrated Watermelon (Watermelon Jerky)

There's no comparison to the flavor that a fresh, late-summer watermelon provides. If you've ever wanted to enjoy that flavor all year long, this watermelon jerky recipe is for you! When you dehydrate it, the flavor and sweetness get so concentrated, you'll think you're eating watermelon candy but it's really a healthy snack. Give watermelon jerky a try today!

watermelon jerky in white bowl with green towel.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
Ingredient Notes:
Equipment Notes:
Step by Step Instructions:
Flavor Variations for Watermelon Jerky:
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Recipe FAQ's:
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Easy to Make: This recipe only calls for one ingredient: watermelon. While it does take a while to make, most of the time is hands-off. It's like making fruit leather but with fewer steps! Looking for another healthy snack? Try these spicy kale chips or smoked elk jerky!

Naturally Sweet: Watermelon jerky has no need for added sugars. It has a naturally sweet flavor and is like eating healthy candy.

Freezer Friendly: Dehydrated watermelon jerky is a great snack to keep on hand in the freezer. If stored in a freezer-safe bag, it can last for up to a year!

Ingredient Notes:

Watermelon: This recipe works with all types of watermelon - picnic (the typical store-bought variety), small seedless watermelon (personal/mini), yellow watermelon, etc. You can also use this recipe to make dried cantaloupe!

Equipment Notes:

Food Dehydrator: A large food dehydrator is a necessity for this recipe. While you can dehydrate food in your oven, I don't recommend it for this recipe because of the extra long dehydrating time.
Parchment Paper: Parchment paper is optional for dehydrating watermelon. But, adding a layer of parchment paper to your dehydrator trays helps so much for clean-up. I highly recommend it!

Step by Step Instructions:

How To Select a Watermelon:

We've all seen someone at the grocery store knocking on melons to see if they make a hollow sound to determine ripeness. I've never been successful with that method. I choose my watermelon by turning it over to see if it has a flat, yellow spot on the bottom. If it has a yellow spot, this means it was ripened in the field and is ready to eat. If it doesn't, I keep looking!

Pro Tip: Watermelon does not continue to ripen after it's been picked. So, knowing how to select a ripe watermelon is essential! Leaving a watermelon on your counter and hoping it will ripen will only result in a grainy, mushy mess.

How To Cut a Watermelon for Dehydrating:

Cutting a large watermelon can be a daunting task. But if you have the right tools and a little knowledge, you'll be done in no time! I like to use a large cutting board that fits the whole watermelon. Having a sharp knife makes a world of difference when it comes to cutting a watermelon. This knife sharpener does a great job.

washed watermelon on blue towel. — **Step 1:** Wash the outside of the watermelon thoroughly. Melons are notorious for harboring listeria. Even though you won't be eating the watermelon rind, the bacteria can be transferred from your knife to the edible part of the fruit when you cut it.

watermelon with end cut off. — **Step 2:** Cut the ends off of the watermelon to make a flat surface.

watermelon with part of rind removed. — **Step 3:** Set the watermelon on one of the cut ends. Cut strips of rind off the watermelon by starting from the top cut end.

watermelon with rind removed on cutting board. — **Step 4:** Keep going until all the rind has been removed.

watermelon with rind removed and cut in half. — **Step 5:** Cut the watermelon in half lengthwise.

watermelon cut into thin slices. — **Step 6:** Cut watermelon into thin strips ⅛"-¼" thick.

thin strips of watermelon on cutting board. — **Step 7:** Then, cut slices into rectangles about 1 ½" wide and 4" long. The shape and size are less important than the thickness. Thick pieces will take longer to dehydrate.

watermelon cut into thin strips. — **Step 8:** For best results, remove any black seeds. The white seeds can stay for the dehydrating process.

Pro Tip: For a chewy texture, slice the watermelon on the thicker side (¼"). For a less chewy texture, slice the watermelon on the thinner side (⅛" or less).

How to Dehydrate Watermelon:

Since watermelon contains so much water, it takes longer than most fruits to dehydrate. Depending on your dehydrator and the thickness of your slices, the drying time can take 24-30 hours. Because it loses so much water, the dehydrator can become a sticky mess.

Adding parchment paper to your dehydrator trays is a great way to cut down on the clean-up time. It takes a little more work to cut the pieces to the size of your dehydrator trays, but it's so worth it. If you've ever found bits of jerky stuck to your dehydrator trays multiple uses later, you know what I'm saying.

strips of watermelon on dehydrator tray. — **Step 1:** Arrange watermelon slices in a single layer with a little space in between slices to help speed up the dehydration process.

dehydrator with strips of watermelon. — **Step 2:** Set the dehydrator to the "fruit" setting, usually 135-145 degrees F. Dehydrate for 24-30 hours.

dehydrated watermelon on parchment paper. — **Step 3:** Check on the pieces a few times to flip them over and rearrange the trays. Some pieces may get done quicker than others so it's a good idea to check and remove the drier pieces.

watermelon jerky in freezer zippered bags. — **Step 4:** Store dried watermelon in zippered bags in the freezer to keep it fresh and enjoy that fresh watermelon taste all winter long.

Pro Tip: After the watermelon jerky has sat in a bag for a day or so, check on the texture. Any moisture in the thicker pieces may have been distributed to the thinner pieces and you may need to dehydrate them more to get to your desired texture.

Flavor Variations for Watermelon Jerky:

Watermelon jerky is deliciously sweet on its own, but you can add other ingredients to spice it up!

Lime: Toss the sliced watermelon with lime juice and lime zest before dehydrating it to add some tanginess. You can also do a combination of lime and the other seasonings listed below.
Tajin: Sprinkle tajin (chile lime seasoning) or your favorite spicy seasoning on the watermelon slices before dehydrating them for a sweet and spicy treat.
Salt: Adding a small amount of salt to the watermelon before dehydrating it helps counteract the sweetness and brings out the delicious watermelon flavor.
Soy Sauce + Black Pepper: Toss the sliced watermelon with soy sauce and sprinkle with black pepper for an umami-packed treat.

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Recipe FAQ's:

What is watermelon jerky?

Watermelon jerky is watermelon that has been dehydrated. The removal of the water gives it a jerky-like texture and concentrates the sugars for a super sweet treat.

What does watermelon jerky taste like?

Watermelon jerky is super sweet and delicious! Imagine the best watermelon you've ever had but the flavor is super concentrated.

How do I store dehydrated watermelon?

If dehydrated properly, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You can add a desiccant packet to help keep it fresh. But to ensure freshness, store it in an airtight container in the freezer. It only takes a couple of minutes to thaw before you eat it.

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Thank you!

Annie

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