How to dry prunes at home: in a dryer, oven, in the sun, storage

There are several ways to quickly and easily dry prunes at home. To preserve the taste and all the benefits of the product, certain rules must be followed. First you need to choose high-quality fruits. The preparatory stage involves the implementation of a series of sequential actions. If conditions are created, then dried fruits are stored for a long time.

Features of drying plums for the winter

Dried fruits contain almost the same composition of useful components as fresh berries. The main thing is to carry out the procedure, observing all the rules and recommendations:

• be sure to sort through all the collected or purchased plums;
• choose a suitable drying method;
• follow all the steps in the instructions;
• ready dried fruits are stored under certain conditions.

Prunes are good for human he alth. The product improves the functioning of the digestive tract, cardiac system. It is enough to eat 5-6 pieces daily.

Selection and preparation of plums for the winter

Fully ripe large and dense fruits with fleshy pulp are suitable for drying. There should be no dents, spots or other signs of damage on the surface of the berries:

1. Selected fruits should be washed in cool water, then the stalks are removed and dried on a paper towel.
2. The fruits are cut into two parts and the stone is removed. It is permissible to dry the fruits with a bone inside, but then the process will be long and laborious.
3. To remove the wax layer from the surface of the plums, blanching is carried out. Baking soda is dissolved in a liter of boiling water and fruits are immersed in the resulting solution for 24 seconds. It is necessary to blanch the whole fruit. During the procedure, cracks appear through which excess fluid comes out.
4. Rinse fruits again under cold running water and dry with paper towels.

Ways to dry plums

To properly dry the plum, you need to follow all the tips and recommendations that are prescribed in the selected drying option.

In the sun

The easiest way to dry a plum is outside, in direct sunlight. The berries must be cut in half, since in general it will not work to dry the fruits:

• Halfed fruits are placed in a single layer on a dryer, wire rack or cardboard sheet and left in direct sunlight.
• In the evening, the product is brought home, turned over and taken out again in the morning. In rainy weather, they also bring the product under a canopy.
• Actions are repeated for 5 days. Periodically, the slices are turned over in different directions.
• Then the prunes continue to dry for 4 days in the shade.

In the oven

Dry plums easily in the oven. The workflow is as follows:

• the baking sheet is covered with baking paper;
• put the plum in one layer;
• first, a baking sheet with berries is placed in an oven preheated to +55 degrees for 5.5 hours;
• then you should heat the oven to +75 degrees and leave the product for 6.5 hours;
• at a temperature of +82 degrees, the prunes are left until fully cooked.

After each stage of being in the oven, the plum slices are turned over and left to cool, only after that they are placed in the oven with an even higher temperature.

In the electric dryer

An electric dryer will help dry the plum:

• Plum slices are laid out on the pallets of the appliance in one layer.
• First, you need to dry the product at a temperature of +52 degrees for 4.5 hours.
• The slices are turned over and continue to dry for 4.5 hours at a temperature of +61 degrees.
• The pieces are mixed again and dried at a temperature of +78 degrees for 5.5 hours.

Microwave

Only firm fruits are suitable for microwave drying:

• Place a paper towel on a flat container.
• Spread the prepared plum in one layer.
• Fruit slices are covered with another layer of paper napkin on top.
• Turn on the microwave for 3 minutes at medium power.
• After 3 minutes, the napkin is removed and the microwave is turned on again for 3 minutes.
• At the last step, you need to turn on the device for 1 minute, setting the full power.

In airfryer

Sweet and tasty prunes can be prepared using an air grill:

• Begin to dry the plum at a temperature of +62 degrees for 43 minutes. Then leave the product to cool.
• The first step should be repeated two more times.
• Then leave the product for 12 hours. The plums are again dried in an air grill for 42 minutes with an interval of one hour. The procedure is repeated three times.
• Prunes are laid out on a paper napkin and left to knock.

How to tell if dried fruit is done

Signs of product readiness:

• completely dried prunes become hard and elastic;
• dried fruits should not stick to hands and disintegrate when pressed;
• no juice should flow from the pulp.

Storage of prunes

It is better to store prunes on the shelf of the refrigerator door at a temperature of +4 degrees.

Glass jars, plastic containers, plastic bags, cloth bags are chosen as containers.

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