Any housewife knows that for the winter you need to prepare a lot of supplies and pears are no exception in this case. Today, fruit drying is a very popular way to preserve food, in most cases apples and pears are dried, which can be stored. long time in a cellar or basement. In this article, we will analyze how to properly dry pears at home and how to properly prepare food for drying.
Preparing Pears for Drying
- The skin of the fruit should be slightly thick, and the fruit itself should be tough.
- It is best to choose foods that are firm, do not use too soft or overripe fruits.
- Get rid of the seeds in the pear.
- In total, there are several varieties suitable for heat treatment: "Forest Beauty", "Victoria", "Ilyinka", "Bergamot", "Lemonka", "Fragrant", "Zaporozhskaya".
- Do not use frozen, rotten, damaged fruits in drying, they must be whole and dense.
- If the pear looks suitable for drying, but has a few bruises, then they can be cut out, then thoroughly rinse and dry the raw materials.
- Many experienced housewives before drying pears, it is recommended to dip the fruits in boiling water for a few minutes, then the fruits need to be cooled and cut into slices. This method helps to preserve the maximum of vitamins and nutrients in fruits.
The natural way to dry pears
- Find a spot that receives sunlight but is free from wind, dust, or insects.
- Prepare the fruit, and then place the fruit on a tray or wire rack. Take all contents to a place that is well lit throughout the day.
- The fruits should be kept in the sun for several days, and at night they should be taken home and covered with a cloth. In the morning, repeat these steps and when the fruits dry out a little, you can take them to the apartment and give them about five more days to dry.
- It is recommended to dry the pears evenly, to do this, turn them over from time to time. Also, many housewives dry fruits with a thread, they make a hole in each fruit and thread a thread through it, and then hang it in a place that is hard to reach for insects.
Drying pears with an electric dryer
- This technique is specially designed for harvesting fruits for the winter. You need to spread the fruit in one layer, turn on the temperature of about 70-80 degrees and press start.
- Periodically, the pears need to be turned over so that they dry evenly. As a rule, the drying time in the device is 16-20 hours.
- Do not leave the equipment unattended, as there is a risk that the pears will dry out, you can turn off the device when the fruits acquire a uniform brown tint.
Oven
- The oven needs to be heated to a temperature of 60 degrees, and then spread the pieces of fruit on a baking sheet. Wait about 120 minutes and after this time increase the temperature to 80 degrees.
- When the pears become a little smaller, you can reduce the power to 50 degrees and simmer the fruit for another 14-16 hours. If you dry the pears whole, it is recommended to wait about 20 hours for processing.
Microwave
- A very quick and easy way to dry pears. You need to spread clean pieces of fruit on a saucer, set the microwave to 220 W and wait 2-3 minutes for drying. If necessary, increase the cooking time.
- Ready pears should have elasticity and springiness, which means that they are fully cooked.
Still reading -
How to store dried pears?
The duration of storage of dried fruits should not be more than a year. It is recommended to choose a dark and dry place, and it is best to store it in a glass dry jar or in linen bags.
The longer the pears are stored, the tougher they become, so it is recommended to use the product in the first few months of storage. Also, do not forget to check the fruits from time to time to be sure of their integrity and safety.
How to dry apples and pears - video
Foreword
In summer, you can easily cook delicious and useful compote because fruits are enough. What to do in winter: drink juices from the nearest store or still spend time and stock up on dried fruits? Undoubtedly, the second option will be advantageous, since dried fruit compotes are not only healthy and tasty, but also save the family budget. It will be about how to dry pears in an electric dryer so that they are stored for a long time and save their beneficial features.
Unfortunately, not all varieties of pears can be stored for a long time in fresh. From early varieties it is better to prepare delicious jam or pear compote You can also freeze or dry them. There are several options: drying naturally, using an electric dryer or in gas stove. But no matter which method you choose, you should start by preparing the fruit.
Pear variety Victoria
For drying pears, it is better to choose fruits with juicy, sweet and dense pulp, for example, Forest Beauty, Lemon or Victoria. If the fruits are astringent and sour, it is better not to use them, because they can spoil the taste of the future compote or dessert. Ripe fruits are suitable for drying, not overripe ones. If you are harvesting your crop from the dacha, then remember that fruits cannot be kept for more than 2 days before drying, as they become unsuitable for such processing. It should also be borne in mind that frostbitten fruits and fruits damaged by pests are not suitable.
Fruit is prepared in two ways:
- Wash, remove the core and cut into pieces 1 cm thick. If the pear is small, it can be dried whole.
- After the fruits are washed and dried, they are dipped in boiling water for 10-15 minutes to make them softer. Then the fruit is taken out and left to cool, and only then cut into slices. Many believe that only in this case the pear will not darken during drying.
Which preparation method should you choose? Try both, because this is how many gardeners and housewives have been keeping crops until winter for many years.
For those who love dried fruits or have their own garden, an electric fruit dryer will be a very useful household appliance. With its help, fruit harvesting becomes even easier and you can save a bountiful harvest. Any technique has its own principles of operation, modes, advantages and disadvantages. Drying pears in an electric dryer is not only more convenient, but also more efficient. This method will allow you to dry fruits much faster than on fresh air. In addition, using the device makes it possible to save your time, because you prepare fruits and put them on pallets, set the required mode, and your participation is no longer needed.
dried pears
A conventional electric dryer runs almost silently, does not consume much electricity and has about 30 pallets. They are of two types: with a side supply of hot air and supply from the bottom tray. The first type is considered the best, since heating and ventilation takes place evenly. The main advantage of the appliance is that with its help the fruits are protected from foreign odors and insects. Drying in this way does not depend on weather conditions.
So, what is the right way to dry fruits? Wash the pears and dry, if there are damaged areas, cut them carefully with a knife. As a rule, the core is removed completely, but for compotes it can be left. Small fruits can be dried whole, but if you cut them into slices, the process will go faster. Do not forget to blanch the resulting pieces, dip in boiling water for a couple of seconds, and then cool. This will extend the shelf life of dried fruits. The same effect can be achieved by treating fruits with a weak saline solution. Arrange the fruits on the pallet so that there is a little space between the pieces, this will allow the air flow to blow freely around the pears.
Drying pears in an electric dryer
To make cooking faster in the appliance, you should turn over and mix the trays once an hour.
Pears in an electric dryer dry on average for 8 hours, sometimes it can take about a day. The drying time depends on the appliance itself, the quality and cut of the fruit, and how often you change the trays. Many people have a question, at what temperature to dry pears? It all depends on the power of your electric dryer, as a rule, it is 60-70 degrees. Ready fruits are checked for taste and touch. Everything is ready if the pieces of pears are easily bent, and when squeezed, they “spring” a little. If the pieces of fruit stick to your fingers and are a little wet, then you should bring them to readiness for another couple of hours.
Any food should be properly stored, and dried fruits too. This will preserve the useful properties, quality of dried pears and protect them from mold and insects. Humidity and heat are dangerous enemies for dried fruits. A temperature of +10°C is ideal for storage, but it is unlikely that you will be able to find such a place in your home, so choose a dark cabinet or a shelf in the pantry away from sunlight and electrical appliances. Temperature from +17° to +30°C is the most favorable for the development of microbes and pests. And store dried pears it’s also not worth it in the refrigerator, because at a temperature of +6 ° C they will become damp, you can only store them there.
Proper storage dried fruits
It is also very important to keep everything separate from each other. Even if you plan to cook compote from them, you do not need to mix them. This is due to the fact that each dried fruit has its own moisture index, and if they are stored together, the fruits and berries will simply be spoiled. It is very important to choose the right containers for storage. It can be a ceramic or glass jar, wooden molds. But the most environmentally friendly option is cotton and canvas bags, in which our grandmothers kept dried fruits until spring.
If you have any doubts that the pear is dried perfectly, then add dried mint and hang the fruit in a dark place in a rag bag. If dried fruits are stored in a kitchen cabinet, then put some salt in it, it will absorb excess moisture, and also protect against mold and insects. From time to time, sort through your stocks of dried fruits, if bugs appear, then dry the pear fruits in the oven or freeze them at a temperature of -15 degrees. It is also worth remembering the shelf life, they can be stored for 1 year, while periodically drying in the fresh air and sorting out.
Knowing how to properly prepare fruits for the drying process, how to use an electric dryer and store dried fruits until winter, you can be sure that fruits and berries will replenish your energy supply. They can be consumed in dried form, as well as prepare various desserts and drinks.
In cold winter evenings You can remind yourself of a gentle summer with delicious dried pears. These dried fruits, which after processing retain delicate taste and subtle flavor, quite simple to make at home. The main thing is to prepare the fruits for drying and choose the most optimal cooking method for yourself. How to dry pears? Let's figure it out.
Preparation
Slightly unripe pears, dense, not too juicy, are best suited for drying. If we talk about specific varieties, then it can be “Victoria”, “Zaporozhye”, “Clapp's favorite”, “Forest beauty”, “Ilyinka”, “bergamot”, “fragrant” and “lemon”. Ideally, you need to collect pears in own garden, but you can buy fruits in the market or in the store.
You need to start drying the pears as soon as possible after picking them, as the fruits become soft over time.
- Carefully sort through the crop, set aside damaged or beginning to rot pears (you can eat them fresh by cutting off the spoiled parts).
- Wash the pears well under running water, dry them with a towel or napkins and dip them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Then cool the fruit at room temperature and cut into pieces.
- Cut large pears into centimeter slices, divide medium and small ones into 4 or 2 parts.
After that, you can start drying in any way convenient for you.
In the oven
- Place prepared and chopped pears in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to +60°C.
- After 2 hours, increase the heat to +80 ° C.
- When the fruit is noticeably reduced in volume, the temperature should be reduced again - this time to +55 ° C.
Drying time for pears in the oven varies from 12 to 24 hours, depending on the size of the pieces and the type of fruit.
in the microwave
Microwave drying takes only 5-7 minutes.
Put the sliced slices on a plate and send them to dry in a microwave oven at a power of 300 watts for a couple of minutes. Then turn the pieces of fruit over and repeat the procedure.
In an electric dryer
In an electric dryer, a large amount of fruit can be dried in 15–30 hours.
- Spread the pieces of pears on the grates, set the temperature to +70 °C.
- Periodically check the degree of readiness of dried fruits: pear slices should become slightly brownish, soft and elastic, but in no case brittle and brittle.
In the sun
Arrange the pear slices on a baking sheet or tray and place in a sunny, outdoor location. Drying takes 2 days. At night, be sure to bring the fruits into the house and cover them with polyethylene so that they do not absorb excess moisture and rot. After 2 days, place the dried pears in a well-ventilated area and wait a couple more days.
Storage of dried pears
- Ready-made dried pears can be stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or in a cloth bag in a cool, dry place.
- When stored in bags, from time to time, dried fruits must be checked for spoilage, because pears can rot, become moldy, or acquire fruit moth larvae or small bugs. To prevent trouble, once a month, stocks should be poured onto a baking sheet and slightly dried in the oven at a temperature of +50 ° C.
- If desired, you can grind dried fruits in a coffee grinder to a powder state. Pear powder can be used for cosmetic purposes (as part of handmade masks) or as an additive to pastries or cereals.
Now you know how to dry a pear. It will definitely please you and your family. Throughout the winter, you can pamper yourself with the vitamins and minerals of fruits, without spending a lot of time looking for more or less tolerable fresh pears in the supermarket.
Drying is one way. It is worth mentioning right away that not all varieties of fruit are suitable for this. It is best if the selected fruits are both sweet, juicy and dense. The following varieties fall under these characteristics:
- Zaporozhye;
- Forest beauty;
- lemon;
- Victoria.
Pear Lemonka for drying
To dry pears, choose the right fruits: they must be ripe, but not overripe. It doesn’t matter if you bought fruits or removed them from a tree, they cannot be stored for more than two days - after that the pears become soft, unsuitable for drying. Also, do not use damaged or frostbitten fruits. Let's move on to the next step. First, boil water, adding a little sugar if the fruits are unsweetened. After that, sort the pears according to the degree of maturity, cut off the damaged areas, rinse thoroughly and finally dry with a towel.
Dip the pears in boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes, unripe fruits can be boiled more, but not more than 15 minutes. As a result, the fruit should become soft. Let the fruits cool, then cut them into slices and arrange them in a bowl where the fruits will dry. Preparing large fruits looks a little different. They need to be cut into pieces about 1 cm thick, slightly smaller fruits are cut into several pieces. So that they do not darken, they must be lowered into the solution. tartaric acid(1 %). Then the slices are blanched in water for five minutes. Now you can start drying.
In the warm season, fruits are much more convenient to dry. naturally i.e. outdoors. After placing the pears on a baking sheet, put the dishes in a quiet and well-lit place, where there is no wind and dust. Also try to place the tray with the wedges at a slight angle to give the fruit as much light as possible. For residents of private houses good option the roof of the house will become, where there are all conditions for high-quality drying.
Dried pear pieces
Drying should last about two days, but at the same time, it is better to take future dried fruits into the house at night, covering them with a film. After that, we transfer the tray with pieces of fruit to the shade and dry for about three more days. In order for the pears to dry evenly, they need to be turned over occasionally. Some housewives press half-dried slices, squeezing them with boards. After that, they are strung on a thread and dried already so that it is also considered quite a good option. By the way, so that the slices do not darken, you can sprinkle them lemon juice. Such a little trick will help preserve the natural color of dried fruits.
Since weather conditions do not always allow for natural drying, you can use other devices that can replace sunlight - an oven, a microwave oven and an electric dryer. If you decide to dry the fruits in the oven, you need to spread the pears cut into slices on a baking sheet in one layer. First, dry the fruit at a temperature of about +60 ° C, which will avoid cracking and peeling of the peel. After two hours, the temperature must be raised to +80 °C. Keep an eye on the oven - after the slices begin to decrease in volume, the temperature should be reduced to +55 ° C.
Drying pears in the oven
Now it remains only to dry the pear, while the time depends on the size of the fruit:
- to dry whole fruits, you need to keep them in the oven for 20-24 hours;
- dried slices will be ready after a maximum of 15 hours.
You can use an electronic dryer. Due to the fact that it consists of several layers, several servings of fruits can be loaded at a time. Spread the slices inside the device and turn on the device. At the same time, you do not need to turn the fruit over - the device will do everything for you. But the most fast way drying - in a microwave oven, but it is also the most difficult, since it is important to always be on guard and prevent overdrying of fruits. We wash the fruit, cut it, remove the core, lay it out on a plate covered with a cloth. Put them inside for 2.5 minutes at a power of 200 watts. If the pears have not reached a little, you can put them in the microwave for another 30 seconds.
The slices should not break when compressed, they should be elastic and soft, “spring”. But if the fruit turned out to be tough, then you did something wrong.
Saving slices - useful life hacks
Now you know how to dry pears, and we will tell you how to save dried fruits so that they do not deteriorate. For this, glass jars or wooden containers, a linen bag are ideal. It's best if you store everything in a dry place. At the same time, you should not forget about your stocks, as they can become damp or rot. Often, various bugs attack dried fruits, which will gladly eat the cooked delicacy. To prevent this from happening, you should inspect your supplies once a month.
It would be useful to dry dried fruits at least once a season: just put them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for an hour at a temperature of +50 ° C. As a result long-term storage dried pears may harden. To soften the fruits, before use, they must be sent to the oven along with a container of water, holding in " steam bath» within 15-20 minutes. If you choose to use pears in cosmetic purposes, they should be ground in a coffee grinder, poured into a jar and stored in a dark place. And to, just take dried fruits and act according to the recipe.
Fresh pears can not only be frozen or canned, but also dried. This process is quite lengthy, but not difficult. For drying, the oven and the sun's rays are used.
Ingredients
2,000 grams
Cooking
Choose small ripe pears no holes or other damage on the surface. You will need any baking sheet for the oven, parchment paper.
Rinse the pears well with cool water. Cut the sticks that are too long with scissors in half.
Dry fruit on paper towels.
I have a baking sheet with high walls - then the fruits do not roll. First lay a sheet of parchment, and then lay out the pears in one layer. Fruits should be placed close to each other.
Preheat the oven to a temperature of + 90-100 °C. Place the baking sheet with the pears on the topmost shelf. Bake the fruits for approximately 1.5 hours. After that, turn off the oven - leave the pears in it until completely cooled.
Perform this procedure 1-2 times a day. As a result of this, the pears will decrease in size and dry out. They can be taken out in the scorching sun during the day, and warmed up in the oven in the evening.
They will be ready in about 7 days - it all depends on the duration and frequency of heating. The surface of the pears should be dry with no signs of pulp inside.
Wash in advance glass jar for storing dried fruits - dry it. Fill a bowl well with dried pears. At the same time, they must have room temperature. Don't put hot pears in a jar.
close nylon cover- Store container in a cool place.
- Pears should not be allowed to burn. They should be evenly baked and steamed. Keep an eye on the fire, if necessary, then reduce it.
- Rinse dried pears before use. warm water. Then cook fragrant sweet compote.
- Pour boiling water over dried fruits for 5-7 minutes. Then pass through a meat grinder - use as a filling for pies.
- If suddenly the workpiece is damp in winter, then dry the dried fruits in the oven. Place the cooled fruits back in a glass container.
Bon appetit!
