How to properly dry apples at home, features of drying in different ways

Apples are the most popular fruit that is dried.
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For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format! In dried form, apples are used in cooking to prepare the filling of pies, dried fruit compotes, etc.

The process of drying these fruits itself is not too complicated. But the apples must be properly prepared for the procedure.

In today's article we will talk about how to properly prepare fruits for drying, and how to carry out the procedure itself correctly.

What apples and apple varieties are suitable for drying

In general, any variety of apples can be dried. But medium-sized fruits are most suitable for the procedure. You can take big ones too.

Specimens with thin skin and a small seed pod dry well. In addition, there will be less waste from them.

If we talk about varieties, then in principle you can choose any one. But more often they give preference to those that have a pronounced sourness. And when dried, such apples retain their taste characteristics.

ON A NOTE.

But sweet varieties become mostly bland after drying.

The best variety for such processing is Antonovka. Pepin, Slavyanka, Anis and Aport are also quite good.

Variety selection

The fruits of not all apple trees are suitable for this. Preferably large and medium-sized apples with thin skin and a small seed pod are dried. This choice is due to the small amount of waste in the process of preparing fruit and resulting in the largest amount of finished product.

The best varieties for home drying are Antonovka, Aport, Anis, Borovik, Slavyanka and Pepin.

When choosing apples for home drying, you should give preference to the fruits of trees belonging to the autumn sweet and sour varieties, which are distinguished by their high content of dry matter. Compared to sweet varieties, they do not lose their pronounced taste after drying.

This does not exclude the possibility of preparing summer varieties, as well as carrion, for the winter, but in these cases the resulting product is of lower quality.

How to prepare apples for drying at home

So, you have collected the fruits. Now we need to sort. We set aside suitable specimens, and send the rest for processing or cooking.

Now the selected fruits must be prepared for drying.

The first rule is don’t try to process all the fruit at once. Everyone knows that apple pulp quickly oxidizes in the fresh air. Divide into portions and process the harvest in parts.

Wash the fruit and dry with a towel. Wet fruits will take much longer to dry.

IDEA!

To prevent apples from darkening, use a saline solution (10 grams of salt for every liter of water). This treatment will allow the apples to retain their light color and protect them from midges. You need to soak for no more than 4 minutes. Then the water is drained.

Next you need to remove the core. If you do not have a special tool, then cut the fruit into several parts and remove the core from each segment.

Also cut with a sharp knife

If you are drying store-bought fruits, it is better to peel off the peels, as nitrates may accumulate in them. There is no need to clean specimens from your garden.

Now cut the slices no thicker than 5 mm.

Also, before placing them for drying, apples can be soaked in an aqueous solution of sulfurous acid (1 gram of the drug for every liter of water). This soaking should take no more than 3 minutes.

Preparing apples for drying

A device that combines the functions of a slicer and a core extractor is an ideal tool for preparing apples for drying.

Preliminary preparation for drying includes several stages of fruit processing. They are necessary to prevent the decomposition of nutrients in apples, as well as to optimize the process of drying them for the winter.

You should not process the entire volume of available apples at once, since they quickly oxidize in air and begin to turn brown. To avoid this, apples are dried in portions, no more than 2-3 kg of raw materials (half a bucket) at a time.

The following preprocessing stages are discussed in more detail:

1. The fruits need to be washed and dried, removing as much moisture as possible from them.
2. Apples are cored using a special device. If it is not there, the apples are simply cut into two parts and the core is cut out with a knife. If the dried fruit will be used only for preparing compote, it does not need to be removed at all.
3. To maintain the maximum concentration of nutrients, it is not recommended to remove the peel of fruits (especially those grown independently). This procedure is only necessary for store-bought apples whose origin is unknown.
4. Slicing apples is done with a thin knife or a special device (slicer). The thickness of the slices should be no more than 5 mm
5. After slicing, apples must be treated with a clarifier, which will preserve their appearance and prevent insects from becoming too interested in them. To do this, use a 1% solution of salt in water. The apple slices are kept in it for about 4 minutes.

How to dry apples correctly, what you can and cannot do

Prepared and chopped fruits are laid out in 1 layer.

If you dry outside the home, you can use trays, baking sheets, nets, pieces of cloth, etc.

If you use an oven for drying, it is better to cover the baking sheet with parchment paper. You can use foil, but be careful and careful, the apple slices can burn on it.

Ideally use a mesh or lattice.

Drying fruit should not be allowed to come into contact with rain or any other water.

Do not use polymeric materials: cellophane, plastic.

How to cut apples for drying

Before slicing, apples must be washed and dried well. Clean the core with a special tool or knife, cut the fruit into slices or circles no thicker than 0.5 cm. If you cut them thicker, they will take much longer to cook. Whether or not to peel the fruit is up to you. The peel contains many vitamins, but when dried it becomes quite hard, which not everyone likes.

To keep apples longer and not lose color when dried, you can (but not necessarily) dip them in a saline solution before cooking. It is done like this: 1 tablespoon of salt is dissolved in 1 liter of water. Apples need to be soaked in it for 5 minutes, drained in a colander.

How to Air Dry Apples

The simplest way to carry out the procedure is to air dry the fruit. It's very easy to do.

Arrange the slices in one layer. Ideally, the slices should not touch each other. Apples need to be turned daily, or better yet twice a day. It’s inconvenient, but this way the fruit is guaranteed to dry evenly.

It is also very important that the weather is hot. If there is a danger of rain, the workpieces must be brought under a canopy.

On average, such drying will take about 4-8 days. It all depends on the air temperature and the number of sunny days.

IDEA!

To prevent midges from landing on apple slices, cover them with gauze or a light cloth.

How to protect against oxidation

During the drying process, some varieties of apples can change their color - oxidize and darken. To prevent this from happening and for the dried apples to retain their pleasant white color, it is recommended to pre-soak the sliced ​​fruits in a saline or acidic solution (10 g of salt per 1 liter of water or 2 g of citric acid per the same amount of water) for 3-4 minutes.

Pre-soaking apples in a saline or acidic solution helps protect against damage by harmful insects and increases the shelf life of the product.

How to use an electric dryer

If you have a special electric dryer, it is better to use it.

The advantages of the device are obvious:

• Apple slices will not get wet, midges will not sit on them;
• the fruits will dry evenly;
• there will be no burnt or raw copies.

Everything is simple here. We put the fruit on the grid, set the parameters on the dashboard and turn on the device.

How long to dry apples in an electric dryer

An electric dryer saves your time significantly. Drying with this device will take approximately 2 hours.

The exact time is indicated in the instructions for the electric dryer.

Storing dried fruits

To ensure that your efforts are not in vain, it is important to ensure that the slices are properly stored, and then they will delight us all year long.

At the end of drying, all the slices are sorted out, some are left to dry. Some of them are poured into a clean pillowcase.

In this way, they will lie for another two weeks to even out the moisture level of the fruit. After which, the dried aromatic slices are distributed into cloth bags or cardboard boxes.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
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How to dry apples in the oven

If you don’t have an electric dryer, and you don’t want to waste time on regular drying, then you can use a gas or electric oven.

Place the slices on a baking sheet or mesh (if you have one). No need to do more than one layer. Even apples folded in 2 layers will not dry properly.

Turn on the oven, but do not close the door tightly. Leave a gap of a couple of centimeters.

The entire procedure will take about 7 hours. Periodically, the slices need to be stirred so that they dry evenly.

At what temperature should you dry apples?

When using an oven, it is important to set the temperature correctly. Too high values ​​are not needed. In this case, the apples will simply get baked.

Most of the time you need to maintain the temperature at 70-75 degrees. In the last hour and a half, you can turn down the heat and lower the temperature to 50-55 degrees.

Basic Rules

When preparing for drying, it is advisable to process the apples not all at once, but divide them into portions (about half a bucket).

In order to have time to complete all the necessary procedures before the cut slices oxidize and darken . It is necessary to select ripe, preferably undamaged apples.

Let's look at the basic rules for drying apples outside (for example, in the country):

1. For drying outside, you need to choose the right varieties : Winter Golden Parmen, Montuaner, Renet Orleans, Rosemary, Renet Simerenko, Antonovka, Aport, Pepin. All these varieties of apples are autumn and have a sweet and sour taste. Unlike sweet summer apples, when autumn varieties are dried, more dry pulp remains and the taste of dried fruit is more pronounced.
2. Apples must be thoroughly washed and wiped dry so that excess moisture does not delay the drying time.
3. If the apples are purchased, and you know that they have been repeatedly treated with chemicals , then it is better to remove the peel from the fruit. It is better not to cut off the peel of domestic apples unless it is hard. It is believed to contain many vitamins.
4. Next, the core . The easiest way to do this is to use a tube with sharp edges. If it is not there, then the apple is divided into four parts and the inedible part is removed with a knife.
5. Using a slicer or a knife, cut the apples into slices no thicker than 1 cm .
6. To preserve the light shade of the apple pulp, the sliced ​​​​slices are kept for several minutes in a saline solution (100 g of salt is dissolved in a bucket of water).
7. The processed apple slices are laid out in one layer on baking sheets or grids.
8. The top of the apple slices is covered with several layers of gauze to at least partially protect future dried fruits from flies and dust.
9. Every day you need to turn all the slices over .

Large apple slices can be strung on a strong thread or wooden sticks. In this case, there will be no need to turn the slices over every day .

At this stage, the preparatory work for drying apples is completed. Now you need to decide where best to place the baking sheets to get the most delicious and healthy dried fruits.

How to use a microwave to dry apples

An even more democratic way is to use a microwave oven.

Take a plate and place the chopped fruit pieces on it. Place in the microwave and set the timer for a minute. Power should be approximately 90% of maximum.

Turn on the microwave. After the specified time, take out the apples, turn them over and put them back for 3 minutes and at full power.

If this is your first time drying apples in this way, set the timer for a minute and check the readiness of the fruit each time.

ON A NOTE.

The disadvantage of this method is that it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the fruit so as not to dry them out.

Also, apples dried in the microwave are very slightly different in taste from fruits dried in the open air or in the oven. It's all about the physics of the drying process itself.

Methods

There are several ways to dry apples, and each housewife chooses the most convenient one for herself.

On open air

Drying apples in the sun is the easiest way to stock up on dried fruits for the winter. It is especially popular among residents of the southern regions, where there is always a hot summer turning into a warm autumn.

This method is more suitable for summer varieties that are harvested before autumn and have time to wither while there are still enough sunny days and no heavy rains. The advantages of drying apples in the sun are the unlimited space and the fact that the entire crop is dried at once.

Technology includes:

• preliminary cutting of apples into slices or circles;
• laying fruit on baking sheets, plywood sheets, mesh, grates and other flat surfaces;
• Turn the slices daily to prevent them from rotting.

Apples can be dried in the sun

You can dry sliced ​​apples in the open air, strung on strings and hanging so that they do not come into contact with anything. Such a homemade device requires compliance with one condition - protecting the crop from insects. For these purposes, the fruit is covered with gauze.

When drying the apple crop in the open air, moisture should not come into contact with it. If all conditions are met, dried fruits will be ready in 3-4 days in bright sun and 7-8 days in the shade.

In the oven

Most housewives prefer to dry fruits in an electric oven, laying the fruits cut into thin slices in an even layer on a wire rack or baking sheet lined with parchment. The required temperature is 70-75 °. During cooking, the oven door is opened slightly, leaving a small gap for air circulation.

It takes about 7 hours for complete readiness. Moreover, in 5 hours, a large proportion of the moisture from the fruit evaporates. A couple of hours before the end of drying, the temperature is reduced to 50 °. From time to time it is necessary to turn the dried fruits so that they do not burn.

After turning off the oven, it is better to leave dried fruits in it for another 2-3 hours.

In an electric dryer

An electric dryer is a special device that allows you to quickly and effectively dry fruits in your apartment without expending any effort. To put in the dryer, apples are cut up to 5 mm thick, laid out in an even layer and set to the desired temperature.

Depending on the model and country of production, the electric drying process takes from 2 to 7 hours. This method has a number of advantages: the fruits do not burn, they do not need to be turned over, they are not damaged by insects, and they retain their original shape.

Device models

Every housewife selects an electric dryer taking into account the purpose of use. Many models are designed for drying different products. But there are also those that can be used only for one of their types.

The most popular models:

• "Self-assembly." A universal electric dryer of the simplest configuration is designed for drying fruits, fish, mushrooms, berries, root vegetables, bread and medicinal herbs. The operating principle is based on infrared radiation, the surface is heated to a depth of up to 4 cm. The size of 0.5×0.5 m allows you to process up to 2 kg of products;
• "Sukhovei". A universal-purpose electric dryer allows you to dry various products by blowing warm air, the effect of which is enhanced by a rotating fan. A tubular electric heater provides thermal radiation that absorbs moisture from products, and uniform drying at low temperatures from 30 to 70 ° preserves all vitamins. Depending on the configuration, the device makes it possible to prepare up to 3-4 kg of food;
• "Hello." The electric dryer is used not only for vegetables and fruits, meat and fish, but also for heating rooms. The operating principle is based on the operation of a heating element and a fan to pump hot air. Up to 3-4 kg of food can be dried on 4 pallets;
• "Breeze". Universal electric dryer for different products with air heater and fan. Has up to 5 pallets with a total volume of up to 30 l;
• "Rotor". Household equipment allows you not only to dry food, but also to heat the room. Depending on the configuration, it has 3-5 grilles.

On the air fryer

Instead of an electric dryer, some housewives use a convection oven, reducing the cooking process to 2 hours. The heating temperature is 100 °. You need to place the apple slices at a distance from each other, because... Due to their contact, the cooking process will take longer.

Microwave

You can speed up the process of harvesting fruits if you use a microwave: it takes less time, and the result is no less high-quality. In this quick DIY method for making dried apple chips, the most important thing is the right power and time. It is better to dry fruits in the microwave in 2 stages

• First, the fruits are cut and placed on a plate in one layer, setting the timer for 30-40 seconds. at a power of 250 W;
• then turn the pieces over, set the timer for 3 minutes, and set the power to 300 W.

Only ripe fruits can be dried

Usually this time is enough for the fruits to dry, but if they are not ready, they are dried for 0.5 minutes.

In a slow cooker

For quick drying of apples at home in an apartment, a multicooker in the “Baking” mode is suitable. Cooking time – 25 minutes. Cut the fruits into pieces.

How to dry apples on a string

An interesting way is thread drying.

Apple slices are strung on twine and hung to dry. This method is very similar to drying mushrooms.

The apples will dry in about a week.

To protect the product from insects, cover it with gauze.

By the way, you can use a thread to dry apples over a regular gas burner. But you need to hang the fruit higher so that the thread does not catch fire.

On average, this drying will take about 2 hours. But the method requires constant presence and certain experience. After all, you need to choose the right strength of fire, the height of the apples, etc.

Methods and options for drying apples

1. Dry outdoors. Drying in the open air under the hot sun is the oldest and most proven method.

But this method is suitable for those people who live in warm regions with hot sunny days.

This is how summer varieties are dried; it is not possible to dry autumn varieties, since there is little sun, the air temperature is lower, and they will simply rot.

This method is convenient because you can dry a large number of apples in the sun, but you also need to turn them over every day.

You can make a special drying rack from boards and glass to prevent insects from landing, or cover it with gauze. It is best to place it to dry on a ventilated surface, wooden or metal.

In the sun, apples will dry in 3-4 days, but in the shade in 7-8 days.

There is also an option: put apples on a string and hang them to dry, also covered with gauze.

1. Drying in the oven, oven, on the stove. Apples are also very often dried in the oven, thinly sliced ​​​​slices are laid out in one layer, the temperature is turned on to 75 degrees, the door is opened slightly and dried for 6-7 hours, the apples should be turned over every 2 hours.

After drying, the apples should be light in color. You can also dry them on a gas stove by hanging the apples on strings or laying them out on a net. This method is faster, but also requires supervision and experience.

1. Drying in an electric dryer. Drying in a dryer is the easiest option, lay out the apples, set the temperature and time, and all the dried apples are ready. The apples will not burn and insects will not land on them.

All drying methods are good in their own way, and have their pros and cons, but it is important to know which varieties to choose and how to prepare apples in advance, and then you will have aromatic drying all winter. https://www.youtube.com/embed/rt1kiyI8ASw

How to dry at home

If the weather outside does not allow you to take the fruit out into the sun, you can dry the apples at home.

You will need some space where the apples will be laid out.

The disadvantages of this method are the very slow drying speed and the constant appearance of many midges.

In addition, this method is suitable for residents of private houses, who can lay out apple preparations on the veranda.

If you live in an apartment and want to get dried fruits, then use an oven, electric dryer or microwave.

How to protect drying from pests

If stored improperly, dried apples can harbor all sorts of insects: moths, sugar mites and other bugs, and the product itself can deteriorate. By feeding on fruits, pests spoil the taste and aesthetic qualities of the product.

How to store dried apples to prevent moths or other insects from infesting them? Here are some tips:

1. At the stage of preparing fresh apples, rinse the slices in lightly salted water, then dip them in a vinegar solution for 10 minutes, then let them air in the fresh air. After such preparation, you can proceed directly to drying in an electric dryer or oven. Salt and vinegar will muffle the aroma of drying, which attracts pests to it.
2. Store apples exclusively in glass jars or five-liter water cans, tightly closed with lids. If you seal the container and keep it dry in a dark place, moths will not grow in it.
3. Add dried mint or basil to the packaged dryer.

If you do find uninvited guests in the preparation, do not rush to throw the dried fruit into the trash. You can try to restore the product using one of the following methods:

• Dry the apples in the oven at low temperature (+50...60 ℃) for half an hour. This method can be used if the dryer is damp or moldy;
• Place the dried fruits in the freezer at −15 ℃ for 30-60 minutes. In winter, you can take the dryer to the balcony or outside and leave it for the specified time. Shock heat treatment will help kill all parasites. After the procedure, wash and dry the containers in which the workpiece was stored, change the paper liners in the boxes.

If the dryer is a little damp, it can be dried in direct sunlight or in the oven.
Every housewife should know how to properly keep it dry at home. This will allow you to enjoy aromatic pastries, desserts and dried fruit compotes until the next harvest.

How to dry outside

Taking trays (nets, bags, etc.) with apples outside and leaving them to dry there is the easiest way to get ready-made dried fruits.

By and large, this method is available only to residents of the hottest regions of our country. That is, those places where it is sunny for at least a week.

If it rains often in your region, then this method will not suit you.

To dry apples outside, take a baking sheet, tray or mesh and place the apple slices on them in 1 layer.

To protect against flies and midges, cover with 1-2 layers of gauze.

Place the trays in the sunniest spot that receives the most light during the day.

If there is a danger of dew falling, then trays of dried fruits should be brought indoors at night.

Outside, apples will dry in a week or a week and a half. All this time they need to be turned over regularly to dry evenly.

Drying apples for the winter in the oven on a baking sheet

Rules for drying apples in the oven on a baking sheet

• Dried apples are the most popular dried fruits in our country. People love this product for its beneficial properties and, of course, for the fact that every person can prepare these fragrant fruits for the winter. One of the most accessible methods for preparing apples is oven drying on a baking sheet.

• Moreover, both gas and electric stoves are equally suitable for this task. The only thing you should take into account is that if you use an electric oven for these purposes, then at the initial stage the temperature can be raised to 80 degrees

• The temperature should not rise higher than this, as this can lead to the fact that the fruit will simply begin to cook in its juice

Dried apples in the oven
Rules for drying apples in the oven on a baking sheet:

• Turn on the oven and preheat it to 50 degrees. Make sure that the temperature does not exceed these values ​​too much. If they are very high, the apple slices will become covered with a crust, which will not allow them to dry properly.
• While the oven is preheating, rinse and core the apples. Place the fruits cut into slices in one layer on a baking sheet previously covered with baking paper.
• Place the apples in the oven and open the door slightly. This will allow air to circulate and the liquid in the fruit will evaporate properly.
• After about two hours, stir the apples and leave them in the oven for another hour and a half. When you see that they have significantly decreased in size, close the oven tightly, increase the temperature to 70 degrees and wait another 1 hour
• After this, we again reduce the temperature to 50 degrees, open the oven door slightly and leave the fruit in this position for about another 3 hours. As soon as you see that the apple slices have become slightly brownish and elastic to the touch, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the dried fruits cool
• Place the completely cooled apples in a glass container with a hermetically sealed lid and place them in a kitchen cabinet for storage.

How to dry apples for dried fruits

Many people love dried fruit compote. It is best to use the varieties Zorka, Kisilevka, Vinnovka yellow and zhr for weaving processing.

The drying process itself is still the same. Apples are dried on the street or at home using household appliances. But there is one important nuance.

When preparing dried fruits, the core is not removed. That is, when preparing fruits, you just need to wash them, dry them, and cut them into thin slices.

Next, you choose the drying method that is more convenient for you: in the sun, in the oven, microwave, etc.

Storage conditions and rules are also no different.

What are the benefits of dried apples?

Scientists confirm that dried fruits, including apples, help fight cancer, cardiovascular problems, chronic kidney and genitourinary diseases. In addition, they have the ability to cleanse and strengthen blood vessels, reducing the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. Regular consumption of food will speed up the growth of bone tissue in women during menopause, which is the prevention of osteoporosis.

• Vitamins B, C and C;
• Flavonoids;
• Carotenes;
• Iron;
• Copper;
• Zinc;
• Potassium;
• Selenium;
• Iodine, more than in fresh oranges and bananas, which stimulates mental activity especially in children and the elderly;
• Fiber, pectin and dietary fiber, which have a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive tract, have diuretic and laxative properties.

How to properly dry apples at home to preserve these beneficial properties? There are several different ways. One of them is oven drying.

How to dry in an air fryer

You can also make dried fruits using an air fryer. It's quite simple.

Slice the apples and remove the core. Carefully place the resulting slices on the air fryer grill so that they do not touch each other. This will significantly speed up the drying process.

Next, set the temperature to 80 degrees and the timer for 4 hours.

After the specified time, we take the dried fruits out of the air fryer and put them in bags or paper bags for storage.

How to dry apples in the microwave

Drying fruits in a microwave oven is an alternative way to prepare fruits and vegetables for the winter, since with its help you can significantly speed up the process and get soft and tasty slices.

A very short period of time will be needed to prepare a large amount of fruit. A microwave oven dries fruits much faster than, for example, an oven.

The most important rule to follow is to ensure that the fruits do not dry out or burn. It is important to choose the right time and set the required power.

Drying occurs in two stages

The first stage is as follows:

— Prepare a plate suitable for a microwave oven, place pre-cleaned thin pieces on it. It must be laid out in one layer. This way you will be able to process all the thin pieces evenly and enjoy an excellent result in the end.

— Place the container with the slices in the oven.

— Set the timer for 30-40 seconds, and select the power 250 W.

The second stage consists of the following steps:

— Remove the plate with not yet fully cooked fruit.

- Turn over each slice.

— Set the timer for 3 minutes, set the oven power to 300 W.

Place unfinished slices back into the oven. Remove the dryers and prepare for the next step. Place the dried pieces in bags made of natural fabrics.

How to determine whether apples are dry or not

Before storing dried fruits, you need to determine whether the apples are dry or whether they still need to dry.

Look carefully at the slices. The skin should become darker. The pulp does not stick to your hands, does not flow, but remains elastic. It should also be soft.

If a slice breaks when bent, then it is overdried.

The color of the pulp itself may vary slightly. There are varieties that become greenish-cream after drying. There are varieties that become dark brown in color.

ON A NOTE.

Typically, a brown color means the apple slices are too dry. Such specimens contain fewer vitamins and nutrients.

How to know when dried fruits are ready

Readiness is easy to determine.

1. If the slices after drying have significantly decreased in size.
2. If the dried apples do not crumble when pressed, bend well and do not release juice, then the drying of the apples is finished.
3. The slices break when bent - the apples are overdried.
4. The pieces are sticky and wet - not completely dried.

The color of dried apples depends on the chosen drying method and the type of fruit used - summer, winter or autumn. The color obtained in the finished product may be bright, pale or have a reddish tint.

How to store dried apples

Next, we’ll talk about the conditions and methods of storing dried fruits.

On an industrial scale, dried fruits are stored in standard 50-liter bags.

You can also use them at home if you have a lot of finished product.

Before sending dried fruits for storage, they are inspected and sorted again in order to set aside those specimens that still need to be dried.

First, for 10-15 days, all the apples are poured into one common “bag” (you can use a pillowcase). During this time, the dried fruits will become the same moisture level.

Then they are laid out in portions in fabric bags.

It is also allowed to place dried fruits in paper bags or cardboard boxes.

But plastic containers, plastic bags, etc. are not at all suitable for storing dried apples.

The storage place should be cool, with constant air circulation. It should also be dark.

How long to store dried apples

When dried, the fruit can be stored for quite a long time.

If all storage conditions are met, then dried apple fruits can be stored for several years.

But experienced housewives know that the optimal shelf life is 1 year.

Please note that rot may occur when stored in plastic bags.

Fruit selection

If possible, it is better to take proven, personally grown fruits; if not, then buy them. Again, better from the garden. The store is also not bad, but you will have to peel the “official” fruits. You never know what kind of chemical treatment there was. By variety, the best for “dry” preparations are: Aport, Antonovka, Anis, Titovka, Borovik or Slavyanka, Renet, Semerenko, Montuaner.

But, again, the best variety is the variety preferred by each individual. The main thing is that the apples meet certain criteria. Were:

• fully mature;
• moderately sweet with a slight sourness;
• not tart;
• with juicy, medium-density pulp;
• no signs of illness.

The color of the peel does not matter. Before drying apples at home, you don’t have to peel the peel on fruits from your own garden.

The size of the fruit also does not affect the quality and taste. The only thing is that sizing the apples will be necessary before cutting so that the pieces turn out to be approximately the same size, which in turn will make it possible to dry everything within the same time.

Some people prefer to take fruits from the tree for drying. The pad doesn't seem to fit. Nonsense. Even a fruit from a tree that is healthy and ripe will still have to be peeled and cut. Why lose a quality “product”? By the way, it is better not to use summer varieties for drying. Most of them have an increased amount of moisture.

Common mistakes

1. Apples are poorly prepared for drying. Here we can mention both insufficiently thorough washing of the fruit and the leaving of the core.
2. The fruit is cut into slices that are too large. The optimal thickness is 5-7 mm. Thicker pieces will take much longer to dry. In addition, there is a risk that the middle of the workpiece will remain completely raw.
3. The apples are drying out. Inexperienced gardeners believe that dried fruit should have dark flesh and be brittle. But that's not true. Ideal drying, when the slice has light flesh, retains its elasticity, but does not release juice and does not stick to your hands.
4. Undried slices are stored for storage. An under-dried product is the source of all sorts of problems when storing dried fruits. Sooner or later it will begin to rot and ruin the entire batch of dried apples.
5. Storage in plastic bags or plastic containers. To prevent dried fruits from spoiling, they must be stored in a dry, dark, cool place. Storage containers should be wooden, paper, canvas or glass. Storage in plastic or cellophane bags is unacceptable. The product will spoil. You can put some of the dried fruits into bags if you plan to use them in the near future, but such materials cannot be used for long-term storage.
6. Apples are dried in several layers. The fruit will dry unevenly. There will be specimens that are well dried and those that will stick to your hands and release juice.

Ways to control insects

If pests appear in dried fruits, do not rush to throw the product in the trash, because there are ways to restore taste, useful and aesthetic properties.

There are several options for fighting:

1. The first
   is to place the dryers in the oven and dry them for half an hour at a temperature of 60 degrees. This method can also be used when mold appears.
2. Second
   , dried apples are placed in the freezer for a certain time.

After drying, you need to clean the container where the apples were stored and replace the paper.

Properly dried apples can be stored for several years.

They are an essential source of most vitamins and minerals, which is so important in winter. They are used to prepare various delicacies and compotes.

Drying storage is a fairly simple process, and if all requirements are met, it allows you to constantly use a healthy product in cooking

.

September is the best time to harvest apples for the winter

. On the one hand, everyone has already eaten plenty of fresh apples. On the other hand, there are still many of them. On the market they reach their minimum price, but after a couple of months the prices for fresh apples will no longer be so encouraging. Therefore, we begin to dry apples right now.

Dried apples

I mainly dry apples in the oven. In winter I make compotes from them, use them as a filling for pies and simply as a treat. I highly recommend that parents of small children dry more apples: in winter, healthy dried fruits will replace not-so-healthy sweets and chocolates.

How to dry apples

Wash and dry the apples. Cut each apple into quarters and remove the core with a knife. Cut the quarters into thin slices. The thinner they are, the faster the apples will dry. Some housewives cut apples not into slices, but into mugs. But in the second case, the apples will dry more slowly, so I don’t recommend it. Good apples with a high iron content quickly darken when exposed to air, so I recommend that you first cut all the necessary apples into quarters, and only then quickly cut them into slices and place them on a baking sheet.

Apples before drying

For drying apples in the oven, the best temperature is 75-80 degrees. At this temperature, the apples will dry in 8-10 hours. My oven has a ventilation mode, so I can handle drying in 4 hours.

Properly dried apples should be light cream in color, soft and elastic to the touch, and not break when squeezed in your hand.

Dried apples should not be stored in sealed plastic bags or in the refrigerator. To prevent the apples from becoming damp and saturated with foreign odors, I store them on the shelf with flour and cereals in a regular three-liter jar, which I DO NOT cover with a lid.

A rich harvest of apples has ripened in your garden, and you don’t know what to do with them? Try making healthy dried fruits from these summer fruits, which you will use to prepare original dishes. Our article will tell you how to properly prepare apples for drying, and will also introduce you to the most popular methods of preparing this product for the winter.

Around the end of July, it is time to harvest apples. If the harvest of these fruits in your garden exceeds all expected quantities, you can afford not only to make jam and marmalade, but also to dry them for the winter.

Drying apples is considered the simplest and most affordable way to prepare this product. The best part is that in this case you don’t have to spend extra money on sugar or stand at the stove for hours. A certain temperature will help you bring the apples to the desired consistency, and will do this practically without your participation.

Fruits prepared in this way retain almost all vitamins and microelements in their composition, and, unlike jam and jam, do not contain a large amount of not very healthy sugar. All these beneficial substances will help your body survive the cold winter, and in the spring they will save you from vitamin deficiency

In addition, dried fruits are a product with which you can prepare a lot of tasty and aromatic dishes. Properly dried fruits can be an excellent filling for a pie, an addition to sweet pilaf, an interesting component of winter salads, and even aromatic tea leaves.

Answers to frequently asked questions

As a small FAQ, we will look at some of the most exciting topics about drying apples.

What to do if apples get caught in the rain outside

Fruits are often dried outside. No one is immune from the fact that it will rain unexpectedly and get the food wet. What to do next?

In general, soaked dried fruits can be dried. Of course, if they haven't started to rot.

But there is a point here. The environmental situation now leaves much to be desired. Therefore, along with rain, slags, toxins, and chemical processing waste fall out.

If you are not afraid of this, you can dry apples that have been caught in the rain.

If you care about your health, then it is better to throw out such dried fruits and start preparing a new batch of product.

Is it possible to dry unripe apples?

Unripe apples can be dried. Of course, if they are not completely green. Dried green fruits can be used to make compotes, but it is better together with other fruits, as unripe apples will sour.

What is the yield of dried apples

One of the most pressing questions regarding the procedure is the overall yield of apples.

Of course, the volume and weight of the fruit will be significantly reduced. After all, apples are a very juicy fruit with a high liquid content. During the drying process, fruits lose about 75-80% of their weight.

On average, it is believed that 1 kg of fresh fruit produces 130 grams of dried fruit.

Storage rules

You will have to sort through the finished drying. If some of the slices have dried worse than their “brothers,” put them aside and let them dry completely. For the rest of the apples, do this:

1. take a cotton pillowcase;
2. pour the drying agent into it;
3. tie with a rope;
4. leave the improvised storage at room temperature for a couple of weeks;
5. take out the dryer and pack it into portioned bags;
6. put in a dry, dark place.

The stage of storing dried fruits in a pillowcase should never be skipped. This will give the fruits the opportunity to equalize their moisture level so that they do not later become the cause of mold or rot. Storing dried apples in plastic bags and containers is strictly prohibited - this is a direct road to product spoilage.

Read: How to make apple cider

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How to properly dry fruits and berries in the sun

Progress is sweeping the planet. Only people never cease to be interested in how to properly dry fruits at home in the sun. It is still considered to be one of the most useful, simple methods. It does have its advantages. Just no less shortcomings.

Pros of sun drying:

• cheapness;
• simplicity;
• fruits taste better.

Minuses:

• dust gets in;
• insects land;
• weather dependence;
• constant monitoring is required.

A random cloud or even the lightest rain will instantly ruin the workpiece. Therefore, many people prefer to dry in electric dryers and ovens. Natural conditions are more suitable for southern latitudes. The temperature should not fall below 25 degrees. A ventilated place is required. Otherwise, the fruit will become mold faster than lose moisture.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. We take grates, sheets of plywood, oven trays, and any other trays. If necessary, spread out the paper. Let's go to the sun.
2. Lay out the ingredients prepared for drying. Distribute in one layer. Pieces may touch. Very soon they will become smaller and there will be a lot of free space.
3. Let's start drying. We turn it over to the other side every day and check it. In cloudy weather, we bring it indoors and put it under the roof. Do the same if there are cold nights.

Some fruits can be dried by stringing them on a string. The method is suitable for slices of apples, apricots, pears, and plum halves. The advantage is that there is no need to turn it over; just hang the ropes in a ventilated place.