How to dry plums at home: the best ways to make prunes with a photo

Fragrant dried plums are an excellent preparation that allows you to prepare a delicious compote rich in vitamins and minerals in winter. But not everyone knows how to properly dry plums at home, they understand the features of choosing suitable fruits and their subsequent storage. The proposed material will answer these and other questions.

The best varieties of plums for drying and harvesting prunes

Not all varieties are suitable for making prunes. For the indicated purpose use:

• Hungarian ordinary or Italian;
• Kyustendil;
• Naroch;
• Altanu;
• Renklod.

The fruits are pre-sorted - you should get rid of wrinkled and damaged ones. Ripe plums of approximately the same size are selected, the stalks are removed, and they are washed thoroughly. But fruits should not be overripe or damaged by pests, with cracked peel.

If the size is small, it is allowed to dry them whole, otherwise they should be divided into halves, removing the bones.

Is there any difference between dried fruit and prunes

There is a significant difference between dried fruit and prunes, which consists in the correct manufacturing technology. Prunes are prepared according to a special technology that allows you to save the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals.In addition, not all varieties of plums are suitable for the preparation of this product.

Properly cooked prunes have the following he alth benefits:

• laxative effect;
• improves the digestion process, which is especially beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract of those suffering from stomach diseases;
• improves the quality of vision;
• helps eliminate bad breath.

The useful qualities of the fruit are not lost after processing, but are significantly enhanced due to the increase in the concentration of vitamins and trace elements.

With or without bones - choose the best option

Whether to keep or remove the pits depends on the preferences of family members, as well as the size of the fruit. If the plum is large, do not leave the pits, but they can be left in medium or small fruits.

Methods and technology of drying

There are several ways to properly dry plums at home with your own hands. The choice of technology is determined by the capabilities of the hostess and the properties of the product. Below are the features of cooking prunes using various means and without them.

Microwave

For microwave cooking, in order not to get porridge at the exit, it is necessary to select not overripe fruits that retain sufficient hardness. A flat shallow container is covered with paper, plums cut into slices are placed with the cut side up. The dishes are placed in the oven for three minutes, the heating intensity is medium.

Then the paper is removed and the process continues for another minute, but at maximum power. If, after sixty seconds, the plums have not reached the required condition, the procedure continues at short intervals until fully cooked.

In the electric dryer

Fruits are laid out in a pallet in a similar way, but without the use of a lining in the form of paper or a napkin. The process is carried out in three stages, at different temperature conditions:

• for four hours at fifty-five degrees. Periodically, the trays change places (if prunes are cooked on several pallets), the fruits turn over;
• about six hours with more heating - up to sixty degrees, the halves are mixed in the same way;
• about the same time, increasing the heat even further to eighty degrees, until the prunes are fully cooked.

Pay attention! It is important to follow the temperature rise sequence shown to ensure the quality of the cooking.

After each stage, the pallets are removed, the fruits cool naturally, only then the process continues.

In the sun

The easiest way is to dry plums in the sun. The fruits are laid out on wooden decks in an open place in sunny weather, divided in half and removing the seeds. The cut pieces should be directed upwards so that moisture is not lost.

It is necessary to protect the plums from insects by covering with gauze. The drying process lasts about five days, until the product is completely ready. At night, plums should be removed indoors to prevent morning dew from forming on them.

The exact duration of cooking in this way is impossible to predict. It depends on the intensity of sunlight, the strength of the wind and the quality of the fruit. The doneness of the prunes is periodically checked to ensure that the plums are not overcooked.

In the oven

To cook prunes in the oven, prepared fruits are first poured with boiling water with two teaspoons of soda dissolved for a couple of minutes. Then the plums are washed in running cool water and dried on a towel. As a result of this procedure, small cracks appear on the surface to ensure the subsequent evaporation of moisture.

Blanching is not necessary if the fruit is cut in half with the pits removed.

The technology resembles the process used in the case of an electric dryer. But the duration of each stage is slightly longer - about five hours, and the temperature is slightly lower. Processing begins with fifty degrees, then it is increased to seventy and seventy-five. The duration of cooling after each stage is approximately equal to the duration of heating. The duration of the last stage depends on the readiness of the prunes.

In airfryer

If an air grill is used to cook prunes, the finished product will taste like a smoked dish. But the output will turn out to be very insignificant - the volume of the finished product will decrease by five times compared to the initial one.

The temperature setting is set to sixty-five degrees. The duration of the first stage is forty minutes. After - an hour for cooling, then processing for the same amount of time and with the settings set is performed one more time, and the dish is left for a day.

The next day, the procedure is repeated three more times in the same mode. The finished product is laid out on a paper napkin for another day, then placed in canvas bags for storage.

Features of yellow plum drying

Prunes cannot be prepared from yellow varieties of plums due to the specific properties of the fruit.But the finished product turns out to be fragrant and very useful in its own way. To make a dried product from plums of the indicated variety, all of the above methods are allowed, but the simplest is to naturally place it in the sun.

Determining the readiness and quality of dried fruits

The readiness and quality of the product during the cooking process is determined by pressing the fruit, according to the following features:

• peel remains intact;
• no juice comes out;
• dried fruits retain elasticity and firmness, and do not crumble when pressed;
• prunes don't stick to fingers.

If juice continues to flow or fruit sticks to your hands, the drying procedure must be continued.

How and where to store dried plums

Dried plums can be stored in several ways. The possible duration of the suitability of prunes depends on how well the finished product is stored.

In the fridge

Dried fruits are stored in the refrigerator, placed in hermetically sealed plastic or glass containers or in a plastic bag. Prunes should be placed away from foods that emit strong odors. Shelf life in this way is about a year.

In the freezer

The freezer storage method is suitable for dried dried fruit. They are placed in a plastic bag, which allows you to save prunes for a year.

In paper bags and sacks

Dried product can be stored in paper bags and sacks, placed in a dry, dark place, out of sunlight. A constant temperature should be maintained no higher than twenty degrees. Shelf life - similar.

To prepare this tasty and he althy preparation, significant efforts are not required. But with prunes, the hostess can cook a very tasty and he althy compote at any time of the year, delighting loved ones and guests. Also, this product will add a special zest to meat dishes, salads and desserts, diversify the daily menu.

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