Drying plums at home: how not to lose a drop of benefit

Plum is one of the oldest cultivated plants grown by humans. It grows almost everywhere, except in the Far North. Plants up to 4.5 meters, the fruit depends on the variety. Most often about 5 cm, oval in shape. The pulp is juicy and soft, with a hard bone inside. The fruits can be of different colors - from yellow, white to dark red and purple. The taste qualities are very high - cultivated varieties have a very sweet taste. Wild plum is sour with a tart aftertaste.

Plum can be prepared in the form of jam or aromatic compote or jam. Juice is prepared from fresh fruits and delicious wine is made. Since ancient times, people dried fruits and obtained tasty and healthy prunes.

The benefits of prunes

Dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots, prunes, figs - were a favorite delicacy in winter. They are a source of vitamins and mineral salts. Dried fruits improve immunity and help fight viruses and bacteria.

Prunes are known for their positive effects on the digestive system. After eating, prunes, rich in dietary fiber, remove toxins and cleanse the intestines of old fecal debris.

Prunes are recommended for obesity and cardiovascular disorders. Dried plums, despite their sweet taste, do not increase blood sugar. For this reason, it can be recommended for patients with diabetes. The ability of plums to lower cholesterol levels in the blood has been noted.

There are a large number of antioxidants that bind free radicals. This prevents early aging and the possibility of developing cancer. Plums are good for brain cells and increase learning ability. Prevents the development of Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.

Plums are known to improve bone health. This can be very important for people with osteoporosis. The high content of minerals strengthens the skeletal system. Most often, osteoporosis occurs in women over 50 years of age, caused by hormonal imbalance.

What are the benefits of dried plums?

Daily consumption of prunes improves human health. Has many useful effects:

• improves intestinal motility;
• cleanses the body of waste and toxins;
• helps cope with constipation;
• used for weight loss;
• normalizes metabolism;
• accelerates metabolic processes;
• saturates the body with vitamins and minerals.



Important! Excessive consumption of prunes can cause health problems.

History of prunes

It is believed that prunes were first produced in Egypt. People have noticed that dry plum fruits do not spoil for a long time, are very tasty and nutritious. This was the first fruit that was dried for the winter. Dried fruits have been highly valued at all times. In the East, there is always a cup of raisins, dried apricots and prunes on the table. This is a favorite delicacy of children and adults. It is added to meat dishes and vegetables.

Prunes were brought to Russia in the 17th century from the countries of the East and France. High-quality French prunes were highly valued.

Currently there are no problems with prunes. It can be bought almost everywhere. It is packaged in sachets and can be used immediately. A lot of prunes are harvested in Central Asia. They grow plums on an industrial scale and dry them in the open sun or in special dryers.

To give it a marketable appearance and better preservation from rotting and fungal attack, plum fruits are fumigated with sulfur dioxide. This gives the product a shiny, appetizing look. Plums are better stored. But sulfur dioxide is a rather toxic product for the body. Especially you should not give such prunes to children. It is for this reason that children need to dry plums themselves. Another reason is the high price of prunes on the market. It is better to dry it yourself than to buy a low-quality product at an expensive price.

Storage methods

You can preserve dried berries in various ways. They are stored in the apartment, refrigerator, freezer.

In the apartment

In an apartment, prunes can be stored on a shelf in a closet. If the volume of dried product is large and it simply does not fit on a shelf or in the refrigerator, then it can be strung on a thread in the form of “beads” and hung in the pantry or cellar. In the room you need to place several plates or containers with salt, which will serve as protection against mold and excess moisture.

In a refrigerator

Storing in the refrigerator is one of the best options. Plum does not absorb the smells of other products, but the smell of plums is absorbed by bread, cheese, and dairy products. To prevent this from happening, you need to place it in a container with a tight lid. Dried fruits need enough coolness and ventilation, which is in the refrigerator. Top and bottom shelves, as well as vegetable drawers, are suitable for this purpose. One option for storing plums is to wrap them in foil, in which several holes are made with a toothpick.

In the freezer

The freezer significantly extends the life of prunes. After freezing, it does not lose its nutritional value and nutrients. This option is especially suitable for dried plums, the shelf life of which is slightly shorter than that of dried plums.

It should be taken into account that dried fruits permeate nearby products with their smell.

Therefore, they are packaged in airtight containers: a plastic container with a lid, a bag with a zipper, a glass jar with a nylon lid.

Important! To prevent a discovery in the refrigerator from being a surprise, it is recommended to label the container with a marker.

Methods for harvesting plums at home

There are several ways to dry plums at home. You need to choose the most convenient one. There are certain rules that must be followed when performing this procedure.

How to prepare plums

Before you begin the drying process, you need to prepare the fruits.

It is known that not all plums are suitable for drying. You need to choose only the variety that is best suited. Sorting plums is an important process on which the entire result will depend. Too juicy and watery varieties are not suitable; it is better to make jam from them or use them for food.

It is necessary to select only good, ripe fruits. Do not use rotten or damaged plums. It is not recommended to dry too ripe ones. Unripe plums will be sour and hard when dried.

Plums affected by disease should be thrown away immediately and not trimmed. Fungi are known to attack the entire fruit at once, although there may be no obvious signs. By cutting off only the affected part, you expose yourself to the risk of eating infected fruit. If you don’t like something, it’s better to throw it away immediately.

The best option is to collect a fresh harvest of plums directly from the tree. On a sunny, clear day, you need to collect the required amount of fruit directly from the tree. No need to shake it to the ground. The fruits are very delicate and will immediately bruise when falling from the tree. Such plums can only be used for jam or preserves. Plums must be picked carefully so as not to crush the fruits.

The sorted plums are washed under running clean, drinking water, trying to remove all dirt and dust.

The second stage is removing the seeds. Using a sharp knife, cut the fruit lengthwise and carefully remove the seed. It is best to dry plums in halves. But the seed can be removed through the stalk without cutting the fruit. The result is prunes with the structure of the fruit preserved. This is a convenient method that allows you to dry it in the sun. The prunes turn out clean, nothing gets inside.

Small fruits are dried by removing the pit through the stalk. Large plums are usually cut into halves. This speeds up the drying process of the fruit.

Types of dry seals

Dry shutters, like any other devices, have varieties. Each of them has its own distinctive characteristics that affect performance. Let's look at the main models of this device:

Membrane. This device is the simplest and most common of all options. The working process occurs thanks to a spring-loaded membrane, which opens under the influence of liquid flow and water freely enters the sewer system. When the flow is blocked, the membrane takes its original position, resulting in a reliable and sealed barrier.

Helpful information! If you want to connect a dishwasher or washing machine to the siphon, you must purchase a model that has the ability to connect the device tube on the side.

Float This type of shutter can be made at home. According to its design features, such a valve is considered a combination of water and dry types. It includes a ladder with a vertical outlet, equipped with a float valve. When assembling such a device at home, tennis balls of suitable diameter are used.

The principle of operation of such a device is quite simple: if the water seal is filled with water, then the float valve is in a floating position and does not interfere with the outflow of liquid into the sewer. When the water leaves, the float valve lowers and seals the lumen of the tube.

The pendulum type shuts off the flow thanks to a valve that moves under the influence of water

Pendulum dry. It is equipped with a valve, which necessarily has one attachment point. When a fluid flow hits the surface of the valve, it deviates from its axis and opens the path for the fluid. Return to the reverse position occurs under the influence of gravitational forces.

Molecular memory gates. Such devices are considered high-tech and their cost is an order of magnitude higher than other models. Thanks to the molecular memory of the material, their elements always return to the desired position, sealing the structure.

Blanching

For better storage, the method of blanching the fruit is used. Selected and washed fruits are dipped for 5 or 10 seconds in a hot soda solution (1 tablespoon of soda per 1 liter of water). After this, the plums should be rinsed in cold water.

Blanching causes cracks to appear in the thick skin of the plum. The drying process will be faster. Baking soda also prevents fungal infections.

After blanching, prunes retain firmness and elasticity, the color is rich, and the fruits are shiny.

Preparing plums for drying

For processing, fruits must be washed and the stalks and leaves removed. The bones can also be removed. This will help speed up the drying process, preserving nutrients and taste. Before drying, the fruits are blanched by immersing them in a 0.1% solution of baking soda for several minutes.

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The procedure will prevent the formation of cracks on the skin and accelerate the evaporation of moisture. Blanched plums are doused with cold water and dried with a paper towel, or you can simply lay them on a cloth.

If prunes are planned to be used as a dessert or for confectionery purposes, then the plums should be filled with sugar syrup (450 g of sugar per 1 kg of fruit) and brought to a boil.

The process of drying fruits in the sun

It is necessary to prepare a place where the plums will dry. Often a canopy is used for this, which protects from rain and dust. Can be dried outdoors on a bright, sunny day.

• The plum halves are placed skin side down, without touching each other, on a tray or baking sheet. If there is a lot of drainage, you can use a special flooring.
• Gauze is laid down, the plums are laid out and covered with a second layer of gauze on top. This method will help protect sweet fruits from insects. These could be ants, flies, various insects, wasps.
• You need to dry it in a well-ventilated place. Air circulation will speed up the drying process.
• The drains must be periodically opened and checked to see how they dry. You can stir them a little to speed up the process. You can switch sides, so the process will go faster.
• If the nights are cool, then it is advisable to bring the plums home. Morning dew may wet the fruit or it may rain at night.

In the open air, plums dry for about a week.

How to store prunes

The best way to store prunes is to store them in clean and dry glass jars. They need to be covered with plastic lids. The jars need to be shaken periodically to prevent the fruits from sticking together.

Some housewives store it in thick canvas bags that allow air to pass through. Prunes store well in a dark, dry place. You can use thick paper bags.

The main condition is the absence of moisture and sudden temperature changes.

Terms and conditions of storage of dried plums

To ensure that dried plums, prepared for future use, do not spoil, you need to know how to store them correctly:

• spiced plums doused with olive oil or honey (an excellent preservative) can be stored in a tightly closed container on the refrigerator shelf for 1 year;
• It is recommended to keep sweet dried fruits (without filling) in airtight containers, after sprinkling the slices with granulated sugar or powder.

How to dry prunes in the oven

Many lovers of dried fruits prefer to dry the fruits in the oven. On the positive side, the process goes much faster, the fruits dry evenly and are not affected by insects or covered with dust.

Among the negative aspects, it is worth noting the high energy consumption; it is impossible to dry a large number of fruits at once.

Oven drying process

1. Selected fruits are cut into halves and the pit is removed.
2. Blanch for 20 seconds in a soda solution. After this, rinse the fruits in running cold water.
3. Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet and place the plums cut side up. The halves should not touch each other.
4. We set the temperature to 50 or 60 degrees. The above is not recommended, as the plum will simply cook at high temperatures. Leave for 3 or 4 hours. To speed up the process, you can turn on convection.
5. The dried plum should cool for 3 hours, then it should be dried again at 70 degrees for 6 hours.
6. The finished prunes are dried at a temperature of 100 degrees for 30 minutes. The skin of the fruit is shiny, the prunes are elastic to the touch and do not stick to your hands.

Correct cooking technology will ensure uniform drying of the product and preserve its taste. Prunes turn out sweet and aromatic. This is an excellent addition to meat dishes and desserts.

How to determine the readiness of a product (storage rules)

To determine the degree of readiness of raw materials, you must follow the following tips:

• Lightly press the dried fruit; the appearance of cracks and the release of juice indicates incomplete drying;
• The workpieces must be elastic, but not crumble or break when slightly compressed;
• If you feel the fruit sticky on your hands, you should carry out additional processing of the product using any of the presented methods.

Storage rules

It is recommended to consume ready-made dried fruits within 1 year. To avoid absorbing odors, prunes should be stored separately from strong-smelling foods.

You can use glass jars, containers, bags to store the product, be sure to keep them in a cool place, preferably in the refrigerator. When receiving a dried product, it is better to use the freezer to preserve it.

Canvas bags are an excellent solution for storing a large batch of product. It is advisable to place all this in a cool, dry place where direct sunlight cannot penetrate.

A properly dried product, if handled properly and under storage conditions, will retain its amazing taste for 12 months.

Good day everyone!

Today, for all those who have such a wonderful fruit plant as plum growing in their garden, we will talk about some aspects of preparing these delicious fruits.

Plum is tasty not only “alive”, but also in compotes and jams. But there is another healthy delicacy - dried fruit, or as it is also called prunes.

When the time comes for a bountiful harvest of fruits and berries, summer residents not only prepare them for the winter in the form of jam and compotes, but also dry them. Drying allows the product not to deteriorate, to be stored for a long time, and in winter to use dried fruits and fruits and create something delicious out of them.

Drying in an electric dryer

An electric dryer is a special device that allows you to dry a large number of fruits in a short time. The process requires electricity consumption. The prunes are tasty, evenly dried, eliminating the risk of product spoilage.

1. Good, dense, ripe plums are selected for drying.
2. Rinse under running water to remove dust and dirt.
3. Blanching in a soda solution followed by rinsing under cold running water. This will allow you to preserve the finished product longer.
4. Arrange the halves cut side up, without touching each other, in one layer.

The cooking process takes place in three stages.

1. Dry at 40 or 50 degrees for 6 hours, then cool for 6 hours.
2. Drying at 60 degrees – 6 hours.
3. The third stage – temperature 80 degrees – 6 hours.

After cooling, remove the prepared prunes to a dark, cool place.

The best plums: how to choose and prepare the fruits

When testing store-bought prunes in a laboratory, it is often discovered that they do not contain the nutrients they should contain. Therefore, it is worth finding out how to properly dry plums in order to independently make not only a tasty, but also a healthy product that is widely used in cooking.

Selecting suitable raw materials

Do you have an electric dryer?
Not really

Plums should be fleshy and dense, but not overly watery, so that the sugar concentration is not lower than 10%. This can only be checked in a laboratory, so just buy the sweetest fruits. There are several better varieties for drying.

• Hungarian.
• Greengage.
• Raisin-eric.
• Blue bird.
• Adyghe prune.
• Nectar.
• Legend.

Plums begin to ripen in mid-July and bear fruit until the end of September. Some varieties are not at all suitable for drying. For example, Early Blue, Mirabelle and Apricot are not suitable, they are soft and watery, so a quality product will not come out of them. Is it possible to dry yellow plums? There is no difference in technology, but their taste will be more sour and their color will be brown or dirty orange.

If you select dark blue plums, the prunes will take on a characteristic deep blue-black color. It is better to take large, whole fruits without spots, with intact skin and no signs of pests.

Fruit preparation

It is recommended to store plums no longer than 2-3 days before drying. They are best kept in 16 kg wicker baskets. Larger volumes lead to rotting of the fruit.

• Immediately before drying, wash the plums thoroughly under running water.
• Sort through the fruits, discard the “substandard”.
• Place fruit on paper towels. If necessary, wipe with napkins.

To give the pulp a pleasant consistency and powerful aroma, plums are boiled in syrup.

Blanching plums before drying

Blanching in hot water will remove excess air from the fruit, expanding the cells. The oxidizing elements in them will be destroyed, and everything else will be preserved.

• Place a deep container two-thirds filled with water on the fire. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
• Pour water in which soda is dissolved in a ratio of 100:1 into another pan. You can use potash (potassium carbonate).
• Blanch the plums in batches in hot water for 5-10 minutes, and then dip them in the prepared soda solution for 10 seconds to remove waxy deposits from the surface.

At the final stage, rinse the plums again to completely remove traces of potash. After processing, a network of microcracks is formed on the surface of the skin, which will prevent it from tearing.

Microwave cooking

This is one of the fastest ways. The plum is dried evenly without losing its beneficial properties.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the prepared fruits well under running water and dry on a towel.
2. Place the cut, seedless fruits on a microwave dish.
3. Set the timer for 30 seconds and set the power to 250 W.
4. After this, turn the plums over and set them again for 30 seconds at the same power.
5. This must be repeated until completely dry. It usually takes from 3 to 5 minutes.

There is no need to increase the power, as the plum will simply cook.

Disadvantages - you can cook very little prunes at a time.

Interesting dessert

Ingredients:

• whole prunes without pits – 300 g;
• walnuts – 100 g;
• sour cream 26% fat – 150g;
• condensed milk – 70 g;
• cinnamon, vanillin - ¼ tsp each;
• mint sprigs for decoration.

Cooking method:

1. Pour warm water over dried fruits for 5-7 minutes, place in a colander to drain the liquid.
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2. Divide the nuts into 4 parts and place in each prune.

3. Mix sour cream, condensed milk, seasonings in a cup and combine with the preparation.

4. Carefully turn over with a spoon, place in a socket and garnish with mint.

You can add any chocolate, whipped cream or jelly if you wish.

A very light and tasty delicacy is ready. Bon appetit!

Cooking in an air fryer

1. For drying, you can use small fruits with pits; large ones are best cut in half.
2. The plum is dried at a temperature of 65 degrees for 40 minutes. Then you need to leave it to cool for 1 hour.
3. The procedure must be repeated 2 times. Then leave the plums until the next day.
4. The next day, dry 3 times for 40 minutes at the same temperature with an interval of 1 hour.

First day:

Second day:

Place the prepared prunes on the table and let them cool completely, only then put them into dry glass jars and close with lids.

Dried pitted prunes can be stored for up to 2 years.

What kind of plum can be dried?

To obtain high-quality dried fruits, you need to make the right choice of plums. The fruits should be sweet, with dense pulp and not watery. The best varieties for preparing prunes are Hungarian or Renklod.

You should select whole, ripe fruits without damage, bruises, rot or worms. The entire portion of plums intended for processing can be divided into several batches by size, since large plums will take longer to dry, while small ones will dry out completely during this time and become tasteless.