Most healthy drink- this, of course, is the one made with your own hands from fruits and berries. In the summer, such goodness is enough, but what to do in the winter, when everything ends? Should I buy juices from the store at exorbitant prices or prepare dried fruits in the summer? Naturally, the second option will be the best, since dried fruit compote will be healthy, tasty and inexpensive. Therefore, today we will look at how to dry pears in the oven and electric dryer so that they turn out beautiful, not overdried and have a long shelf life.
What fruits should be chosen for drying?
For this process you will need fruits that are ripe, but not overripe. Winter varieties are not suitable; you must choose summer or autumn fruits. Pears should be juicy and, of course, sweet; as for the pulp, it is desirable that it be soft. The most the best options The following varieties are considered for drying: “Limonka”, “Forest Beauty”, “Zaporozhskaya”. Now we will learn how to dry pears in an electric dryer.
The first way to prepare pears for winter (if you have the necessary electrical appliance)
If you have an electric dryer, you can use it to prepare fruits for the winter.
1. Wash the fruits under cold running water. To the question: “How to dry whole pears and is it possible not to cut them?” the answer is yes. But! Only if the fruit is small. If it is large, then it should be cut into slices 1 cm thick. It is advisable to remove the core, because no one will eat the seeds anyway.
2. Fill a saucepan with water and boil it. Dip the prepared fruits into boiling water for 5 seconds, then remove them and quickly place them in cold water. This process is necessary so that the pears do not darken during drying.
3. Place the fruits on a wide plate and allow excess water to drain. After all the liquid has gone, you can put the fruit in the electric dryer.
4. Set the temperature on the electrical appliance to 70 degrees (no more) and turn the fruit over from time to time. Pears will take a long time to dry - from 15 to 24 hours. It is important to ensure that the fruit is not spoiled at the end. Therefore, when they turn brown and feel soft and elastic when pressed, it’s time to turn off the electric dryer. But if your pears break when bent, then there is only one conclusion - you overexposed them.
An electric dryer is, of course, a good thing, but what to do if you don’t have it? Now we’ll find out how to dry pears in the oven, especially since such equipment can be found in every home.
The second way to prepare fruit is using the oven
1. Wash each fruit under cold water and then cut in half. Remove the peel as well as the core.
2. B large saucepan take water and put it on fire. When the liquid boils, add 2 cups of sugar and stir the contents of the container. Then place the prepared pears in the pan and boil them for 15 minutes until soft.
3. Use a colander to remove the fruit and place it on a paper towel to cool and dry. Then cut each half into thin strips or circles.
4. Open the oven and take out the baking sheet, on which you place the prepared fruit, and turn on the oven. The pears need to be arranged so that the distance between them is minimal. Place the baking sheet in the oven and select a temperature no higher than 70 degrees, or better yet, 60 degrees. After 2 hours, increase the temperature to 80 degrees and dry until the fruit stops releasing juice when pressed on it. Every 2 hours it is necessary to turn the pieces over and change their position. Usually this process takes 12 hours, but if the fruits begin to darken earlier, then it is necessary to reduce the heat.
5. When the pears are ready, turn off the oven, remove the baking sheet and place it on the table so that the fruit cools room temperature. Then take it out regular jar and pour the prepared fruits into it, while closing the container with a tight lid.
Now you know how to dry pears in the oven so that they retain all their beneficial properties.
This fruit produces delicious compotes and jelly.
Pros and cons of drying fruits in the oven
The strength of this preparation method is that the preparation time for dried fruits is significantly reduced. If you dry pears naturally, that is, in the sun, you will have to wait about a week for the fruits to be suitable for subsequent preparation of compote.
The weakness of the method is the elimination of some of the vitamins after drying the pears in the oven. And if you overdid it and turned on the oven at 90 degrees, then you won’t find useful elements in future dried fruits. By the way, and appearance they can be spoiled, since elevated temperatures lead to darkening of this healthy fruit.
How should dried fruit be stored?
You already know how to properly dry pears, but how can you preserve them now so that they don’t spoil in a month? You can store fruits in a box, jar or pan. This dried fruit should be stored for no more than 1 year, and maybe even less, because it all depends on the temperature and humidity in the room. Warmth and dampness in a room is a real paradise for the growth of various bacteria. Therefore, fruits cannot be kept in such conditions. Very important: if you notice mold on the fruit, immediately throw away the spoiled piece. Because such a raid can be deadly, so it’s better to get rid of the unusable pears. The optimal shelf life of dried fruits is from 6 to 12 months.
From the article you learned how to dry pears in the oven and electric dryer correctly so that the final product is flexible, beautiful and tastes excellent. Gained important information regarding proper storage dried fruits, and also learned what to look for when choosing fruits.
How to dry pears at home? For this most suitable fruits are slightly unripe, not very juicy, having dense pulp with the presence of hard inclusions - “stony cells”. It is also desirable that pears have few seeds and have a small seed chamber.
Fruits with a viscous taste not worth using, it is recommended to dry sweet summer or early autumn varieties.
The most preferable choice is the fruit of the golden product of Fragrant, Ilyinka, Bergamot, Zaporozhye, Forest Beauty, Limonka, Victoria. It is better to take medium-sized fruits. In the process of making dried fruits you can use sugar.
First of all, fruit is a must wash. If you plan to chop them, first cut them into quarters, remove the seeds, and then cut them into thinner slices.
To prevent them from darkening, they need to be soaked in tartaric acid (1% solution). Before drying, the fruits are dipped in boiling water for 1-3 minutes.
The process usually lasts 2-3 days, after which the product is dried in the shade - in a ventilated area. If, then choose a starting temperature of 75°C...85°C, and a final temperature of no more than 65°C. Drying time – 5-6 hours.
Methods
How to dry pears at home? Let's look at how to dry pears different ways . This can be done either naturally or using special drying devices:
- in the sun;
- in an electric or gas oven;
You can also find it on our website.
Preliminary processing
How to dry pears at home? Drying pears at home involves preliminary preparation fruits.
Picked pears should not be stored over 2 days, this will lead to their softening and make them unsuitable for drying.
Preparing fruits for drying is the same for all methods. Firstly, you need boil water in a saucepan. Then, if desired, add there Sahara. Fruits are sorted by degree of ripeness, damage is cut out, and running water is used for washing.
Damaged by pests and rotten are discarded. After washing, the fruits are boiled in boiling water 10-15 minutes (depending on the degree of ripeness) until soft. After cooling, taking into account the size and type of pears, they are either cut into slices about 10 mm thick (large specimens), or into 4 parts, maybe in half (medium), or left whole (wild ones).
Then they should be placed on the base in which they will be dry.
Treatment in tartaric or citric acid (1% solution) protects the product from darkening when drying.
To give them elasticity, the slices need to be blanched for 5 minutes in boiling water.
Natural Method
The method for drying pears at home naturally is as follows. Parts of the fruit are laid out on a sieve or baking sheet, tray, which are placed in a place with good solar lighting, windless and dust-free. The tilt of the base should be such that the pears are illuminated for as long as possible during the day.
In the private sector, to dry apples and pears, you can also use roofs of houses. In the evening, the fruits are covered with polyethylene and brought into the house. After 2 days they are laid out in a shaded place and finish drying within 2-3 days. For complete, uniform drying, the slices need to be turned over periodically.
Some people press the slices with two boards in the middle of drying, then put on a thread, hang and dry. Sometimes when making dried fruit for better preservation it is fumigated with sulfur dioxide.
However, due to the danger of gas, it is necessary to use special premises, observing safety regulations.
Using the oven
How to properly dry pears at home using an oven? Since weather conditions do not always provide an opportunity for drying fruits, this can be successfully done using an oven, in the kitchen. The fruits are laid out on a baking sheet in one layer and dried at a temperature of 55°C...60°C.
After 2 hours, the heat should be raised to 80°C. When the fruit decreases in size, it is reduced to 55°C, this temperature is finishing. The duration of the process depends on the size of the product used: for slices it takes 12-16 hours, for whole fruits – 18-24.
Using an electric dryer and microwave
How to properly dry pears at home using household appliances? Drying apples and pears using household appliances has its own peculiarities.
Electric dryer, equipped with several layer trays, allows you to dry a decent amount of product overnight.
The technology provides for complete autonomy of the process: uniform automatic circulation of warm air is ensured, the fruit does not need to be turned over.
The technique for drying 18 kilograms of pears in an electric dryer is in this video. Let's look:
Usage microwave oven – the fastest way to prepare drying: one portion is prepared in 2-3 minutes. However, not everyone accepts it, since here you can not calculate it accurately and dry out the fruits, turning them into coals. Before placing in the oven, the pears are washed and placed on a plate covered with a cotton cloth.
The device is set to 200 W and 2.5 minutes of operating time. If the pears are not dry enough, repeat the process for half a minute. Cooked dried fruits should be elastic, springy when pressed.
Tough will be for one reason: carrion or completely immature specimens were drying.
Drying whole fruits
The question also arises of how to dry whole pears at home. There are no special points here; the principles of drying them are almost identical to the rules for drying crushed fruits. For this they take small fruits and keep in the sun for 6-8 days.
For cooking in the oven, whole small fruits. They need to remove the sepals and stalks; there is no need to remove the skin. Dry for about 20 hours, turning frequently. The process speeds up 2-3 times in the presence of good ventilation. The color of properly dried pears is light and dark brown.
Wild pears: features of drying wild pears
Now about how to dry wild pears at home? During the drying process, wild game has its own specific features. It is not collected from trees, but awaits the natural fall of the fruit. Then they put them in a container - a box, a bucket, and let them sit until they darken and the skin turns brown.
Then their taste, instead of bitter and tart, will turn into aromatic sweet. Ignorant people often throw away such fruits, taking them for spoiled, but this is a mistake.
Then the game is washed, cut into halves (or left whole) and dried in the same way as cultivated varieties.
Their seed nest is not cut out, and they should not be fumigate and blanch.
When the process is performed correctly, the pears are elastic, soft, and do not break when compressed or bent.
They are pleasantly aromatic, their taste is sweet, and their color varies from light to dark brown.
Summary
Pear is one of the the most valuable products for good health. It contains vital elements for the body, fiber, iron, and vitamins. Thanks to various antioxidants, it rejuvenates the skin, normalizes heart function, and is an excellent immunomodulator.
Its intake does not lead to the appearance of food allergies.
Of course, Homer was not mistaken when he called this fruit “a gift from the gods,” since its consumption prolongs youth. Preparing this for future use sunny fruit, you are storing on the shelves a divine gift that provides you healthy and fulfilling life.
Pears are useful in any form, but the most convenient option is to prepare them for the winter with the possibility of using them both in pure form, and for preparing compotes, pie fillings, purees and other things - drying. Now you will learn how to dry pears at home and how to properly store them afterwards.
How to dry pears: preparing the product for processing
The easiest way is, of course, drying raw fruits. However, this option is only suitable for subsequent use in compotes and fruit teas. A more refined and varied delicacy in terms of further use can be obtained by drying cooked fruits. In both cases:
- the fruits are sorted, removing rotten, frozen, and pest-damaged fruits;
- wash the fruit thoroughly, better with a brush, and dry;
- cut large pears into slices no more than 1 cm thick without removing the seed capsule and skin;
- for a more delicate product, the seeds and skin are removed and cut into quarters or eighths.
How to dry pears at home?
Next, the fruits prepared for drying in their raw form are laid out on a baking sheet: a tray, a drying rack, and the drying process begins. Those pears that require additional processing - too hard, lacking in sweetness - are boiled until soft in water or weak syrup, the amount of sugar depends on the desired sweetness of drying, after which they are also laid out on a plane.
How to dry pears: in the air, in the oven, in a dryer or in the microwave
When drying in the fresh air, the fruits are placed in the sun. At night, the product is removed indoors; after two days of such drying, the pears ripen in the shade. Using an oven involves keeping the sliced fruits at a temperature of 55–60 degrees Celsius in a slightly open oven with minimal heat for two hours. After this, for an hour or two, until the slices or whole fruits are reduced in volume, the temperature rises to 80 degrees, then drops again to the initial level and is maintained until drying is completely ready.
As for the microwave oven, it performs drying as quickly as possible, but the loaded portions are small. To prepare, the fruits are laid out on the oven platter in a single layer on top of linen or cotton cloth. 2-3 minutes at full power are enough for the juicy fruits to turn into drying; the time is selected individually.
Proper storage of dried pears
Having figured out how to dry pears in the oven, other devices or in a natural way, it is also important to find out The right way storage The best option is a dense bag made of high-quality natural fabric, better than flax, stored in a dry and ventilated place. It is also permissible to keep dried fruits tightly closed. glass jars and containers. Periodic inspection, drying or sorting of the prepared product will prevent it from being damaged by mold or fruit moths.
In winter, sometimes you really want something summery, reminiscent of vacation, sun, greenery! Therefore, every jar of jam or pickled cucumbers, compote or jam becomes a precious drop that brightens up cold winter days.
Vitamins for the winter
Another piece of summer can be dried fruits and vegetables. Our distant ancestors knew how to dry pears, apples, and apricots. They used the most available method- with the help of the sun. Preparations from pears, fruits, berries, and vegetables retain a significant part useful substances original product, do not require special equipment during the preparation process or special storage containers.
Choosing the right pears
How to implement it? Harvesting pears for the winter requires thoughtful selection of the starting material in compliance with the following rules.
- Summer and early autumn varieties of pears are used, winter varieties unsuitable.
- It is undesirable to use varieties with an astringent taste - they hardly tolerate heat treatment.
- Fruits should not be overripe; you need ripe, juicy, sweet fruits with a dense core.
- You can also use wild pears, but please note that the fruits should fall from the tree on their own; you should not pick them. Before drying, wild pears need to be dried as a whole in air and processing should begin after they turn brown - this will rid the wild pears of the bitter aftertaste.
Preparing pears for drying
Before drying pears, they need to be prepared. The fruits are thoroughly washed, wiped dry, cut in half, after which the core is removed and cut into pieces of approximately the same thickness. When slicing fruit, keep in mind that the thinner the slices, the less time it will take to dry them. If you want to get dried fruits from quarters or halves of pears, you will have to use the oven to ensure complete drying large pieces It's almost impossible under the sun. Pear preparations for the winter usually have a thickness of about one centimeter before drying.
Air drying
The prepared fruits are laid out in one layer on a flat surface, both in an open place and in any fairly hot room (for example, an attic, an attic, a summer kitchen). When drying pears outdoors, you need to make sure that the chosen location is away from parking lots, trash cans, animals and other environmentally unfavorable factors.
The process itself takes from several days to a week, since the pears need to be dried until they are completely dry, otherwise mold will appear on them over time. The first days of the pear must be in direct sunlight, later this is no longer so important. During the entire cooking time, dried fruits need to be turned over periodically to achieve uniform drying.
Drying pears in the oven
The sliced pears are laid out in one layer on a baking sheet, which is placed in a preheated (60 degrees) oven. In this mode and with the oven door tightly closed, the pears are dried for 2 hours, after which the temperature increases (80 degrees). Subsequently, the fruits are checked for readiness every half hour to hour. Sometimes (with coarsely chopped fruits) the complete process can take up to 24-25 hours of continuous drying.
Whether to use an oven when making dried fruits or not is up to everyone to decide for themselves. On the one hand, the preparation time of the final product is reduced significantly, on the other hand, most of the vitamins are destroyed at the last stage of drying, and due to too high a temperature, the integrity and appearance of the dried pear pieces are often damaged.
Drying pears in an oven
You can purchase a drying cabinet ready-made or make it yourself. In the latter case, the walls of the future cabinet are formed from two sheets of roofing iron, to which iron shelves for installing sieves are attached with slats and screws. The floor of the dryer is made of the same material as the walls, with at least eight holes approximately 10 x 5 cm for access to hot air. Smaller holes are also drilled in the lower part of the cabinet walls - for access fresh air. From the inside, a U-shaped cartridge (with holes) with a hole in the side wall is attached to the back wall of the cabinet under the two topmost shelves - a thermometer is inserted here to monitor the temperature during drying. A lid is attached to the top of the drying cabinet, which can be removed if necessary. Most often, cabinets are found (and made) 1 meter high and 70 cm wide, designed to accommodate 7 sieves with vegetables or fruits.
The drying cabinet is installed on gas or electric stove(in principle, any heating installations can be used) on horizontally laid bricks with gaps between them necessary for air flow.
During the drying process, monitor the temperature: it should not exceed 40 degrees; if the product on the upper sieves is too wet, reduce the number of pears on all sieves or the number of sieves itself. In terms of time, this process is comparable to oven drying.
And lastly, no matter how you dry pears, you need to store them in a warm place, preferably near heat sources (this will prevent the appearance of pests) and always in fabric bags. Polyethylene is absolutely not suitable for storing dried fruits. Let dried vegetables and fruits delight you in the cold winter.
The desire to feel warmth on winter days and feel the aroma of summer again is not alien to everyone. Modern methods preparation of fruits and vegetables for winter period Housewives limit themselves to preparing jams, compotes, pickles, and “frosts.” Such an old harvesting method as drying is extremely rarely used, but in vain. A large number of useful microelements are preserved better in dried fruits. We suggest you remember today how to properly dry pears at home for the winter.
Selection and preparation of pears for drying
The decision to provide yourself with dried fruits for the winter requires some knowledge. For harvesting, choose ripe, slightly tough fruits with thick skin. The permissible number of seeds in a pear is moderate. Scrupulous conduct of all stages of processing and drying, as well as selection suitable variety, will allow you to get a quality product. When drying, some housewives add sugar. In this case, the result will be sweet dried fruits that can be used as a dessert.
The following varieties are considered suitable for dry harvesting:
- Victoria;
- Limonka;
- Forest beauty;
- Clapp's favorite;
- Zaporozhye;
- Ilyinka;
- Bergamot;
- Fragrant.
Important! The use of frozen, worm-eaten, rotten or damaged fruits is prohibited. Discard such fruits immediately.
After cutting out unsightly places, use them for food (cook compote, make fruit puree).
Selected fruits are washed well with water and wiped dry.
Small fruits can be dried whole. Cut the largest ones into slices no larger than 1 centimeter, removing the seeds.
There is a method when, before drying, the processed fruits are immersed in boiling water for 15 minutes, cooled, then cut and dried.
Forest wild pear. Nuances of preparation
Forest pears, commonly known as wild pears, are somewhat different in taste from garden varieties. The fruits have a small appearance and may be slightly bitter. The processing of wild pears is similar to the processing of garden pears. They are often dried whole. To preserve presentation during drying, treat with a solution of tartaric or citric acid. Blanch the pear in boiling water for about five minutes. The drying process is the same, the only difference is in the harvesting process.
The forest pear is harvested when it begins to fall from the trees. The fruits are placed in containers and wait until they turn brown. When stored, pears of this color lose their astringency and bitter taste and become aromatic and sweet. Dried fruits from their forest pears have more interesting taste and strong aroma.
Drying pears at home for the winter
Dried fruits from garden or wild pear– a storehouse of easily digestible carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements. Their peel contains a lot of useful substances necessary to maintain immunity in winter and spring. You just have to stock up on the gifts of nature, and then no diseases will be scary. The thing is that, compared to fresh ones, these dried fruits have a long shelf life and “survive” until spring without problems. The pear fruit is rich in glucose, sucrose, fiber, acids, and pectin. A large amount of vitamins B1, C, P, PP, carotene make the fruit unique. Proper drying of the pear does not allow it to lose its beneficial properties.
How to dry pears at home
Several options are used:
- naturally - in the fresh air;
- in an electric dryer;
- in the microwave;
- in the oven.
Less expensive and preferable natural way drying There is no energy consumption, no need to waste time monitoring the temperature. All your labor costs come down to moving the pallet of chopped fruit indoors in the evening, and outside in the morning. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to take advantage of natural sources of heat and ventilation, use this method.
Tip: to prevent chopped fruits from losing color during drying, you can sprinkle them with lemon juice.
Drying pears in the fresh air
Place the prepared fruit in a thin layer on a baking sheet or spread out. Place the container in a place where the sun's rays fall. In the evening, bring the pear indoors, since the humidity of the street air increases significantly at night. Cover the fruit container plastic film. Perform this manipulation for two days. Then move the pear to the shade. The place should be well ventilated. The pear is kept in the shade for four days.
Some owners use a modified method natural drying. The pear slices, dried until half cooked, are pressed into a thin layer using two boards, then strung on a thread with a distance of 1 millimeter. The thread is suspended, and the pear is dried in this form.
Oven drying
When choosing this drying method, expect the minimum time to work oven will be about fourteen hours. The principle of laying out sliced fruits on a baking sheet remains the same as in the first case. Must select correct mode oven operation - drying. Maximum temperature regime should be set to 60 degrees. At this temperature, the fruit is in the oven for about 2 hours. After this time, the temperature can be increased by 10-20 degrees and drying can continue. As the fruit begins to shrink in volume, the temperature should be reduced to 50 degrees. At this temperature, dried fruits are brought to full readiness. The time spent on drying is affected by the type of pear and size. Drying whole fruits will take about a day, slices – about eighteen hours.
Drying pears in an electric dryer
Immerse the pears prepared for drying in boiling water for a few seconds, remove the pear with a slotted spoon and cool quickly in cold water. Such a shock bath is necessary for the fruit to prevent darkening. After the excess liquid has drained, the pear is placed on a tray and sent to an electric dryer. The temperature in the dryer is set to about 70 degrees. The pieces should be turned over to the reverse side from time to time. The drying process takes from fifteen hours to the meshes. Dried fruits can be considered ready when they acquire a golden color. When bent, they should not break; when pressed, the structure will be soft and elastic.
Drying pears in the microwave
Drying pears in the microwave is considered one of the most quick ways preparations. The whole process takes no more than 4 minutes per serving. It is important for this method to ensure that the pears cut into slices or cubes do not dry out.
So, place the prepared fruits on a plate previously covered with linen or cotton cloth. Select oven program for 2 minutes and 200 W. After the time has passed, turn the fruit over and repeat drying at the same parameters. Repeat the process until the product is completely ready. When dried, the moisture in the fruit evaporates and it acquires a beautiful golden hue.
