Wash your pears, and peel if you like - we don’t bother.

There are two main ways I recommend slicing your pears - with a mandoline slicer, or with a good sharp knife. I recommend cutting each pear in half and coring it, before slicing.

Either way, slice your pears into thin slices. I’ll usually aim for ⅛" - 3/16" thick. For really crispy pear chips, aim for ⅛".

Arrange pear slices in a single layer on your dehydrator racks, being sure to leave some space between each - you want the air to be able to circulate.

In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cardamom, and salt.

Sprinkle about half of the cardamom sugar mixture over the pear slices. Flip the slices and sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over the second side of each pear slice.

Dehydrate at 135 degrees F for about 8-10 hours. I like to flip mine after about 2-3 hours, just to help prevent sticking in the end. Really crispy ones tend to take 10-12 hours - but it will vary wildly based on how thick you cut them, and what type/ripeness of pear you used.

Once your pear slices are as dry as you’d like them, remove from the dehydrator and let them cool - on the wire rack - to room temperature.

Once cooled completely, transfer your pear slices to a resealable plastic bag.

Keep an eye on them for the next 3 days or so, shaking the bag once or twice a day -This is to allow any moisture to redistribute itself, safely.

If you see any evidence of residual moisture in that time frame - pear slices sticking to each other (more than will break up with a shake of the bag), droplets on the bag, etc - return the pear slices to the dehydrator and let them dry a bit more.

If at any point you see any evidence of mold, throw the batch out.

Once you’re sure the pear chips are dry and moisture isn’t coming out, transfer them to an airtight container for longer term storage.