How to Make Your Own Raisins

Are homemade raisins better than store-bought? Absolutely. These guys pictured here are juicy, sweet and fresh-tasting. The darker ones are from red grapes, the lighter from green.

I realize not everyone has a food dehydrator, but if you love experimenting with food, it's a great investment.

Step 1
Choose the freshest grapes you can, and go for seedless variety.

Step 2
Wash the grapes thoroughly, removing any stems.

Step 3
Place the grapes in your food dehydrator anywhere from 10 to 36 hours, depending on their size. It's easy enough to grab one at any time and test it for doneness.

Tips:
If you want to speed up the dehydration process, place the grapes in boiling water for about 90 seconds. This process is called checking, and it removes the natural wax coating and thus speeds up the drying process. If you've blanched the grapes beforehand, leave them in the food dehydrator for six to 10 hours.