How to Dry Onions And Make Onion Powder

Onions are a great condiment or snack. Dry onions and onion powder not only have a long shelf life, but are also convenient and can be consumed in more ways. In today’s article, we will explain step by step how to dry onions and make onion powder.

How to dry onions and make onion powder

Step 1: Seleting Onions

Choose onions that are firm, fresh, and have no blemishes or signs of spoilage.

Step 2: Cutting Off The Ends of Onions

Use a knife to cut off both ends of the onions. If you need to cut off the onions in batches, you can use an automatic onion head and tail cutting machine. This machine is used for the pre-processing of onion peeling. This root cutting is made of SUS304. It can process 5-12cm different sizes of the onions.You only need to put the onions on the conveyor belt and the machine can automatically To complete the cutting work, cutting speed can be 90 pcs onions in 1 minute and one machine can replace 5 workers.

onion end cutting machine

Step 3: Peeling The Onions By Onion Peeling Machine

Remove the skin from the onion by hand or use an onion peeler. The dry onion peeling machine uses the principle of air pressure to not only peel onions without damage, but also to replace labor and improve work efficiency. The peeling speed is 500 kilograms per hour and can be applied to onions of various sizes. In addition, the onion peeler also can be used to peel garlic.
onion peeling

Step 4: Cutting Onions Into Slices

Use a knife to cut the onion into 1/8 to 1/4 inch even slices, or dice as you like. Here using an onion slicer is a perfect alternative to slicing by hand. The output can reach 500kg per hour. Moreover, the onion slicer can make the slicing more uniform and allow the onion slices to be dried at same time in the dryer.

onion slices

Step 5: Drying Onions in a Onion Dehydrator

Arrange the onion slices in a single layer on the food dehydrator tray, kepp appropriate spacing between slices to ensure air circulation that can speed up drying time. Set the dehydrator temperature to about 135°F (57°C). The dehydration time usually 6-10 hours, it depends on the thickness and size of the onion slices. Then start the onion dehydrator to work. During the dehydration process, regularly check the progress of the onions and rotate the trays if necessary to promote even drying. Onions are considered completely dehydrated when they become nice and crispy.

Here we have two dehydrators for your reference, one is commercial dehydrator which is suitable to home use and commercial use, Another one is Industrial onion dehydrator for big capacity use.

Commercial Fruit Dehydrators
Fruit And Vegetable Drying Machine

Step 6: How to Make Onion Powder?

At home, you can use a pestle to grind dried onion slices or cubes into onion powder, but the onion powder may not be uniform and the speed is slower. If you use a blender or spice grinder you can make the process faster and easier. More importantly, the onion grinder (spice grinder) can adjust different powder fineness, no matter what size of onion powder you like at the range of 20-120 mesh, you can achieve it easily.
onion powder

Step 7: Store Onion Powder

Place the onion powder in an airtight jar or plastic bag and seal it tightly. Then store in a dry place out of direct sunlight. Check the onion powder regularly to see if it has gone bad. If so, throw it away immediately. If stored correctly, the shelf life of onion powder can be extended to 8-12 months.

FAQs:

How to Make Onion Powder Without Dehydrator?

You can use an oven to dehydrate the onion slices or cubes if you don’t have a dehydrator. Set the temperature to 160°F and dry for 6-12 hours until they are dried completely. Then grind the dried onion slices and cubes into fine powder.

Onion Powder Uses?

Onion powder has many uses. First of all, it is a natural condiment suitable for various dishes. Especially when mixed with garlic powder and other spices, which can create a variety of delicious seasonings. At the same time, onion powder can also be made into healthy food. Onion powder can help digestion, prevent osteoporosis, prevent colds, lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots, etc. It can be used in nutritional health products, functional foods, infant foods, middle-aged and elderly foods, etc.

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