Reference
Freeze drying times chart
Typical cycle hours for 69 foods at default settings with a normal load, plus how to prep each one and what a pound of it weighs once dried.
Read this first: these are planning ranges. Harvest Right says most batches run 13 to 35 hours; Utah State Extension reports up to 48–52 hours for fresh pineapple. Thicker pieces, fuller trays and a warm room all push times up. Your machine finishes when the food is dry, not when a chart says so. For your own numbers, use the batch time estimator.
| Rating | Prep | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberries | Excellent | Hull, slice ¼–⅜ in | 22–30 h | 91% | 1.5 oz |
| Blueberries | Good | Pierce, halve or blanch skins | 30–45 h | 84% | 2.6 oz |
| Raspberries | Excellent | Whole, no cutting | 18–26 h | 86% | 2.3 oz |
| Blackberries | Good | Whole if small, halve large | 24–34 h | 88% | 2.0 oz |
| Cherries | Good | Pit and halve | 30–40 h | 82% | 3.0 oz |
| Bananas | Excellent | Slice ¼ in | 20–30 h | 75% | 4.1 oz |
| Apples | Excellent | Core, slice ¼ in, anti-brown dip | 18–26 h | 86% | 2.3 oz |
| Pears | Good | Core, slice ¼ in, anti-brown dip | 20–30 h | 84% | 2.6 oz |
| Peaches | Good | Peel, slice ¼–⅜ in, anti-brown dip | 24–34 h | 89% | 1.8 oz |
| Pineapple | Tricky | Core, cut ¼–⅜ in pieces | 36–52 h | 86% | 2.3 oz |
| Mango | Good | Peel, cut ⅜ in strips or cubes | 26–36 h | 83% | 2.8 oz |
| Kiwi | Good | Peel, slice ¼ in | 20–28 h | 83% | 2.8 oz |
| Watermelon | Tricky | Cut ½ in cubes or ⅜ in slices | 30–42 h | 91% | 1.5 oz |
| Cantaloupe | Good | Scrub rind, cut ½ in cubes | 26–36 h | 90% | 1.6 oz |
| Grapes | Tricky | Halve every grape | 36–48 h | 81% | 3.1 oz |
| Oranges | Good | Peel, slice ¼ in or segment | 24–32 h | 87% | 2.1 oz |
| Cranberries | Tricky | Halve or blanch to split skins | 28–40 h | 87% | 2.1 oz |
| Lemons and limes | Good | Slice ⅛–¼ in with peel | 22–30 h | 89% | 1.8 oz |
| Avocado | Tricky | Mash with lime juice or slice ¼ in | 24–32 h | 73% | 4.5 oz |
| Applesauce | Excellent | Spread ½ in or pipe drops | 24–34 h | 88% | 2.0 oz |
| Sweet corn | Excellent | Frozen kernels as is, or blanch and cut | 18–26 h | 76% | 4.0 oz |
| Green peas | Excellent | Frozen as is, or blanch 1½ min | 18–26 h | 79% | 3.5 oz |
| Green beans | Good | Trim, cut 1 in, blanch 3 min | 20–28 h | 90% | 1.6 oz |
| Carrots | Excellent | Dice or slice ⅜ in, blanch 2 min | 20–28 h | 88% | 2.0 oz |
| Broccoli | Good | Small florets, blanch 3 min | 20–30 h | 89% | 1.8 oz |
| Cauliflower | Good | Small florets or riced, blanch 3 min | 22–30 h | 92% | 1.3 oz |
| Potatoes | Good | Cook first; dice, slice or shred | 20–30 h | 79% | 3.5 oz |
| Sweet potatoes | Good | Bake or boil, then cube or mash | 22–32 h | 77% | 3.8 oz |
| Bell peppers | Excellent | Dice ⅜ in, no blanch | 18–24 h | 92% | 1.3 oz |
| Onions | Good | Dice ¼–⅜ in, no blanch | 18–24 h | 89% | 1.8 oz |
| Mushrooms | Good | Slice ¼ in, raw or sautéed | 16–24 h | 92% | 1.3 oz |
| Tomatoes | Good | Slice ¼ in or halve cherry tomatoes | 24–34 h | 95% | 0.8 oz |
| Zucchini | Good | Slice ¼ in or shred | 18–26 h | 95% | 0.8 oz |
| Spinach and leafy greens | Excellent | Whole leaves or chopped, loose | 12–20 h | 91% | 1.5 oz |
| Pumpkin | Excellent | Cooked puree ½ in or canned | 24–32 h | 90% | 1.6 oz |
| Jalapeños and hot peppers | Excellent | Slice ¼ in, gloves on | 18–24 h | 92% | 1.3 oz |
| Eggs | Good | Cooked scrambled, or pasteurized liquid | 22–32 h | 76% | 4.0 oz |
| Milk | Good | Pour ≤ ½ in, pre-freeze | 30–40 h | 88% | 2.0 oz |
| Yogurt | Excellent | Pipe drops or spread ⅜ in | 20–30 h | 88% | 2.0 oz |
| Cheese | Tricky | Shred or cube small; blot fat | 24–36 h | 37% | 10.4 oz |
| Ice cream | Tricky | Scoop or slice on very cold trays | 20–30 h | 61% | 6.4 oz |
| Sour cream | Tricky | Spread ⅜ in | 24–32 h | 74% | 4.3 oz |
| Cottage cheese | Good | Spread ½ in | 22–30 h | 80% | 3.3 oz |
| Ground beef | Good | Brown, drain, rinse, blot | 20–30 h | 58% | 6.9 oz |
| Chicken | Excellent | Cook to 165 °F, dice ½ in or shred | 20–30 h | 65% | 5.8 oz |
| Turkey | Excellent | Cooked, diced ½ in, skin off | 20–30 h | 66% | 5.6 oz |
| Ham | Good | Cooked, trimmed, diced ½ in | 20–28 h | 65% | 5.8 oz |
| Shrimp | Good | Cook to 145 °F, peel, halve large | 20–28 h | 78% | 3.6 oz |
| Salmon | Tricky | Cook, flake, skin off | 22–30 h | 65% | 5.8 oz |
| Beans | Excellent | Cooked or canned, drained, rinsed | 18–26 h | 66% | 5.6 oz |
| Cooked rice | Excellent | Cook, cool, spread ½ in, break clumps | 14–22 h | 68% | 5.3 oz |
| Cooked pasta | Good | Cook al dente, small shapes, ½ in | 16–24 h | 62% | 6.3 oz |
| Chili | Excellent | Lean meat, spread ½ in | 24–34 h | 77% | 3.8 oz |
| Soups and stews | Good | Broth-based, small pieces, pre-freeze | 26–36 h | 88% | 2.0 oz |
| Mashed potatoes | Excellent | Spread ½ in, light on butter | 20–28 h | 79% | 3.5 oz |
| Spaghetti sauce | Excellent | Spread ⅜ in; lean meat if any | 22–30 h | 87% | 2.1 oz |
| Lasagna and casseroles | Good | Slice ½–¾ in pieces | 28–40 h | 70% | 4.9 oz |
| Bone broth | Good | Skim fat, pour ½ in, pre-freeze | 24–34 h | 96% | 0.7 oz |
| Skittles | Good | Single layer, gaps between | 2–6 h* | 3% | 16.0 oz |
| Salt water taffy | Excellent | Unwrap, cut in halves or thirds | 3–8 h* | 7% | 15.3 oz |
| Marshmallows | Excellent | Minis whole, large ones halved | 8–20 h | 16% | 13.9 oz |
| Jolly Ranchers and hard candy | Tricky | Unwrap, space widely | 3–10 h* | 1% | 16.3 oz |
| Gummy bears | Tricky | Single layer, test the brand | 6–14 h* | 15% | 14.0 oz |
| Candy bars | Good | Cut nougat bars into bites | 4–10 h* | 6% | 15.5 oz |
| Cheesecake | Tricky | Cut 1 in bites from cold cake | 24–34 h | 46% | 8.9 oz |
| Fresh herbs | Excellent | Whole leaves, loose | 10–18 h | 92% | 1.3 oz |
| Coffee | Good | Brew strong, pour ½ in, freeze | 24–34 h | 99% | 0.2 oz |
| Sourdough starter | Good | Thin layer of active starter | 12–20 h | 50% | 8.2 oz |
| Smoothies | Excellent | Blend, pour ½ in or into molds | 22–32 h | 85% | 2.5 oz |
* Candy runs on warm shelves (candy mode on newer Harvest Right software). Water content rounded from USDA FoodData Central.
Foods not to freeze-dry
- Butter: Butter is about 81% fat and only 16% water. A freeze dryer removes water, not fat, so butter comes out as butter: greasy, and it goes rancid on the shelf.
- Bacon: Cooked bacon is mostly fat and only about 12% water. Freeze-drying barely changes it and the fat goes rancid. Fine for a short trip, not for the pantry.
- Honey: Pure honey does not freeze-dry. It is already low in water and its sugars stay sticky, bubbling into a foam that collapses. Honey powders are made with added carriers.
Utah State University Extension also lists raw meat, poultry, seafood, raw eggs, raw-milk dairy and raw flour or dough as unsafe to freeze-dry for eating without cooking. Cook them first, or cook after rehydrating.
Why some foods take twice as long
Sugar is the biggest factor. Sweet fruit softens at lower temperatures, so the machine has to dry it gently. Skins come next: blueberries, grapes and cranberries hold water in unless you cut or crack them. Thickness matters more than people expect, because vapor has to escape through the already-dried outer layer. Finally, water per tray: watermelon and soup simply carry more ice than rice or herbs.
Chart updated 2026-10-21. How these ranges were put together.