The best ways to dry prunes at home
There are several ways on how to quickly and easily dry prunes at home. To preserve the taste and all the benefits of the product, you need to follow certain rules. You should first select high-quality fruits. The preparatory stage involves the implementation of a number 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 out all collected or purchased plums;
- choose a suitable drying method;
- follow all the steps indicated in the instructions;
- ready-made dried fruits are stored under certain conditions.
Prunes are good for human health. The product improves the functioning of the digestive tract and the heart system. It is enough to eat 5-6 pieces daily.
Selection and preparation of plums for the winter
For drying, fully ripe large and dense fruits with fleshy pulp are suitable. There should be no dents, spots or other signs of damage on the surface of the berries:
- The selected fruits should be washed in cool water, then the stalks are removed and dried by spreading on a paper towel.
- The fruits are cut into two parts and the stone is removed. It is permissible to dry fruits with a bone inside, but then the process will be long and laborious.
- To remove the wax layer from the surface of the plum, 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. Whole fruits need to be blanched. During the procedure, cracks appear through which excess fluid comes out.
- Rinse the fruits again under cold running water and dry with paper towels.
Plum drying methods
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 plums is considered to be outdoors, in direct sunlight. The berries must be cut in half, since in general it will not work to dry the fruits:
- The fruit, cut in half, is 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, the product is also brought under the shed.
- Actions are repeated for 5 days. Periodically, the slices are turned over on different sides.
- Then the prunes continue to dry for 4 days in the shade.
In the oven
Drying the plum is easy in the oven. The work process is as follows:
- the baking sheet is covered with baking paper;
- lay 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 warm up 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 an electric dryer
An electric dryer will help to dry the drain:
- Plum wedges are laid out on the trays of the device 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 dried for 4.5 hours at a temperature of +61 degrees.
- Mix the pieces again and dry at a temperature of +78 degrees for 5.5 hours.
In the microwave
Only dense fruits are suitable for drying in the microwave:
- A paper towel is placed on a flat container.
- Spread the prepared plum in one layer.
- Cover the fruit slices from above with another layer of paper napkin.
- Turn on the microwave for 3 minutes at medium power.
- After 3 minutes, remove the napkin and turn on the microwave again for 3 minutes.
- At the last stage, you need to turn on the device for 1 minute, setting full power.
In the airfryer
Sweet and tasty prunes can be prepared using an airfryer:
- They begin to dry the plum at a temperature of +62 degrees for 43 minutes. Then the product is left to cool.
- The first step must be repeated two more times.
- Then leave the product for 12 hours. Dry the plum again in the airfryer 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 ready
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 come out of the pulp.
Storing 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, and fabric bags are chosen as containers.
