Dried zucchini for the winter: 3 best homemade recipes

Harvesting dried zucchini for the winter is a good way to preserve the beneficial properties of this product. Housewives annually dry zucchini for the winter, since this vegetable, after full ripening, can be stored under normal conditions for no more than 10 days, after which it begins to deteriorate. It is harvested in large quantities due to its features - a large amount of vitamins and low calorie content.

Is it possible to dry zucchini for the winter

Many people mistakenly believe that when drying products, they lose all their useful properties, however, this is not so. Drying of fruits and vegetables was carried out on flat and clean surfaces under sunlight.Today, there is special equipment that will significantly speed up this process.

Despite the visual deterioration of the product, it retains most of the nutrients that the human body needs.

Also, this method is the most profitable for preserving products from the summer or spring period from a financial point of view.

When drying zucchini, you can get about 1 kilogram of the finished product from 10 kilograms of the original raw. This is due to the fact that the procedure removes all moisture from the vegetable. Zucchini is 90% liquid, so there is a large loss in mass.

A medium-sized zucchini has a calorie value of 24 kcal and contains substances:

• monosaccharides;
• disaccharides;
• various vitamin groups (A, B, C, E, H);
• ash;
• saturated fatty acids;
• potassium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• iron and other metals.

Drying zucchini has the following benefits:

• preservation of 80-90% of trace elements, vitamins and other useful substances that are in the product;
• no chance of purchasing products with preservatives if drying is carried out on homemade vegetables;
• economical with a special electric dryer;
• preventing the development and spread of pathogenic microbes;
• possibility of drying any variety or subspecies of zucchini;
• impossibility of food oxidation.

Features of the selection and preparation of vegetables

Any variety of vegetable is suitable for the drying procedure, so you should choose according to your taste and preference. It is most convenient to dry small specimens from 10 to 20 centimeters. When choosing a product, you should pay attention to their appearance. Avoid purchasing vegetables that have:

• darkening on the surface;
• damage;
• cleaned or cut parts;
• rotten areas;
• dry stem;
• chapped or wrinkled skin;
• unnatural surface gloss.

Before you start drying, you need to carry out some preparatory measures:

1. Rinse vegetables thoroughly under running, cool water.
2. Cut the stalk and the back of the zucchini.
3. If the vegetable is old, peel off, and if young, you can leave it.
4. If the specimens are large and contain large seeds, they must be pulled out with a small spoon.
5. Cut the zucchini in any convenient shape: strips, slices, cubes or slices.
6. Before direct drying, boil the sliced zucchini for 2 minutes or sprinkle generously with s alt. After a strong release of juice, the vegetable can be peeled and dried.

Drying recipes

There are several methods for drying zucchini. Each of them has different terms of full preparation, as well as the percentage of preservation of useful substances in the product.

In the oven

Cooking in the oven will dry the vegetables completely within 6-8 hours. When baking, you need to use parchment paper so that the zucchini does not stick to the baking sheet. Arrange food in such a way that there is some space between them.

Suitable temperature for drying is 50-55°C. Periodically, the parts need to be turned over and swapped.

In the electric dryer

The fastest and most economical way is in an electric dryer, but to prepare it, you must first purchase a special device. In the dryer, simply place the chopped vegetables on several levels, cover with a lid, turn on the program and wait for cooking.

Sun drying

The longest drying process is in the sun. It can last from several days to a week. For drying, you need to take any flat surface with small holes and place chopped products on it. Such a tray must be exposed to the sun and vegetables should be turned 2 times daily for even processing.

How to check readiness

You can determine the degree of readiness of the product by its appearance and structure. They should be elastic when touched and should not ooze liquid.

The surface of the zucchini becomes wrinkled and limp.

How to store dried zucchini

For a long shelf life of dried vegetables, it is better to use a glass container with an airtight lid or special plastic packaging that will not get moisture and parasites.

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