Drying apples in the air in the sun and shade
Dried fruits They are eaten in winter instead of fresh apples. They contain glucose, carbohydrates, and vitamins. This natural treat replaces desserts and snacks, curbs appetite, and aids weight loss. The preserved fruit is used to make compotes, kissels, and pie fillings. No special storage conditions are required for the fruit. It's important to follow the guidelines outlined in this article when preparing dried fruit.
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Air-drying apples at home
Apples are a common fruit among gardeners. There are several ways to preserve them until winter by drying them at home:
- On the batteryDry a small amount of fruit. Place a thin sheet of plywood or other material on the radiator. The width of the sheet should be 1.5 times the width of the radiator. Place apple slices on the prepared surface, stirring occasionally.
- On a threadThin apple slices are threaded onto a string, evenly distributed, and hung in a warm, dry place in the kitchen. Warm air rises in the room. The prepared slices are secured to the ceiling. Drying takes from one and a half to two weeks.
The pieces are moved once a day to prevent them from sticking together.
After drying, the weight of the fruit decreases tenfold, and the vitamins are preserved for a year or more.
Can apples be dried in the sun?
This is an old and proven method of preserving food. Fruit is harvested in areas with hot and dry weather. Apples dry in 4-6 days. but the bright sun destroys some of the vitaminsIn the evening, the fruit is brought indoors. High humidity at night is detrimental to the drying fruit. The finished dried fruit is transferred to a dry, ventilated room for final drying.
Advantages
People try to get vitamins in both summer and winter. To achieve this, they stock up on fruit for the winter. The advantages of drying fruit over other methods of preserving:
- health benefits;
- economical and affordable production;
- no heat treatment, which destroys vitamins;
- no preservatives during drying;
- energy saving;
- the ability to prepare large quantities of apples;
- long-term storage.
Flaws
The disadvantages of air-dried blanks are as follows:
- drying fruits need to be protected from flies;
- weather dependence;
- transfer of drying indoors night due to high humidity;
- a long process.
After slicing, the apples are dipped in a salt solution for 10 minutes. This will coat the pieces with fine salt crystals. These will protect them from oxidation and attacks by flies, bees, and wasps during drying. The salt is washed off before eating.
Which fruits are best to choose?
Dry You can use all varieties, but the most delicious preparation will be obtained if the raw materials are:
- medium or large size with thin skin and a small core;
- no signs of illness;
- mature;
- with a sweet and sour taste, medium-dense flesh.
The best types for drying:
Summer varieties with a sour taste make high-quality dried fruit. Winter varieties that have ripened and fallen to the ground are dried. Those with significant damage from impact are not used. Seasonal rains can interfere with the processing of winter and autumn varieties.
Sweet apples are not suitable for drying. After drying, they become tasteless.
How to Cut Apples for Sun Drying
Substandard, slightly rotten apples with wormholes can be used for dried fruit, but they must be trimmed first. The fruit is chopped into small portions. Cut slices quickly oxidize and darken, losing their marketable appearance. The raw material is cut into uniform pieces no more than 5 mm thick. The apple core is removed if the fruit is to be used for pie filling. Store-bought fruit is peeled; fruit from the garden is not peeled.
How to dry apples outdoors
Drying apples outdoors is easy. It doesn't require extensive preparation. You can prepare a large quantity of dried fruit at once. Place the raw materials:
- in the sun;
- in the shade.
The fruits are laid out in a gazebo, on the roof of a barn, garage, or balcony.
In the sun
This is how fruit is dried in the summer or in areas with a hot, dry climate. In the fall, the number of warm days decreases, and the apples don't have time to dry. Preparing the raw materials:
- Washed fruits without damage or wormholes are cut into thin slices.
- Place the pieces on a baking sheet, wire racks, or string them together in a single layer. Leave space between each piece.
- Cover the top with gauze to protect from flies and dust.
- The raw materials are placed in a well-lit, ventilated area and periodically turned over for better drying on all sides.
- Protect from moisture and rain.
- At night and in cloudy weather they are moved indoors.
The product dries in 4–6 days.
In the shadows
Apples are dried in the shade. Choose a well-ventilated location in a gazebo or attic. Dried fruit dried in the shade is healthier than sun-dried apples, but takes longer to prepare. Drying in the shade is best done at high temperatures and low humidity.
The pieces need air circulation, so they are turned over during the day and brought indoors at night. The dried fruit is ready for storage in 7–10 days.
How to check readiness
The recommendations for the number of days of drying are relative. The harvesting time is influenced by:
- variety;
- weather conditions: temperature and humidity.
Summer varieties dry faster than winter varieties. Signs by which the product's readiness is assessed:
- darkening of the skin;
- dry pulp, no stickiness;
- when pressed with a finger, the pulp does not spread to the sides;
- the slices are elastic, not fragile.
Overdried fruits contain fewer vitamins. The color of the flesh doesn't indicate ripeness. Summer fruits are lighter, winter fruits darker. Treating apples in a salt solution before drying lightens their color. Dried fruits are soft, flexible, and don't stick to each other. The skin takes on a brownish tint.
A bucket of apples produces a kilogram of dried fruit.
The location and method of harvesting are chosen based on your capabilities and preferences. Each method has its pros and cons. In any case, by following the proper preparation and drying process, you'll get high-quality dried fruit and enjoy delicious compotes, kissels, and filled pies all winter long.
