How to Store Fresh and Dried Figs

Figs are well known to the inhabitants of our country, especially to those who often relax on the Black Sea coast. There are several varieties that differ in color, shape, size, taste. All of them are stored for a long time in a dried form, acquiring a special sweetness, suitable for making jam and jam. Fresh fruits are very difficult to preserve, they quickly undergo a fermentation process, but dried fruits lie quietly for several months.

Description and Features

Figs are considered the oldest plant, mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. Other names - fig tree, fig tree, wine or Smyrna berry. Ancient Caria is considered to be the homeland, from where figs gradually spread throughout the countries of the Mediterranean, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor and Central Asia. Grown as a valuable fruit tree. Multi-seed varieties are considered to be the most delicious, where the number of seeds reaches 900, the fewer of them, the more mediocre taste. Pear-shaped fruits are colored from almost white to lilac-blue. Light small varieties with white flesh are best suited for drying. Fresh are appreciated larger, with a delicate skin and a delicate aroma reminiscent of honey.

The tree lives for about 60 years, individual specimens reach 300, begin to bear fruit early, for 3 - 4 years, yield is high. A feature of ripe fruits is the inability to transport them. The high sugar content quickly starts the fermentation process, so you can enjoy real ripe figs only in places of its growth. Unripe fruits are brought to other regions. They have to be kept for several days until ripe and sometimes they begin to deteriorate before they reach maturity.

Dried fruits are even sweeter, because the sugar level in them increases by 1 \ 3, if the figure in fresh figs reaches 24%, then when dried, it grows to 37.

Storage conditions

One needs to build on the fact that a ripe fruit is prone to rapid spoilage. The berries are moody enough, so to keep them, you should know a few secrets.

Ripe figs
If the berries are not wrinkled during transportation, they are placed in the refrigerator at a temperature of +1 - 3 degrees on a shelf for vegetables. It should be ensured that they lie at a short distance and do not touch. To eliminate odors, you can place them in a container or wrap in wax paper. For more than 4 days, berries are not stored.

Unripe fruit
They are most often found on store shelves and markets. In another form, it is impossible to bring them from the Crimea or from the Black Sea coast. In this case, you need to decide whether they should still lie down or whether they are planned to be eaten as soon as possible. In the first embodiment, it is immediately placed in the refrigerator. For food, just leave it in a cool dark place for 3 to 4 days, after which it will gain sweetness and become soft.

Dried product
This is the most advantageous way both to save space and to guarantee safety for a long time. Dried small light fruits in a shady well-ventilated place. They well tolerate transportation, storage, proximity to other products, most often go on sale.

Important: in dried figs, the concentration of sugar and nutrients is much higher.

Shelf life reaches 6 months without loss of quality if you place the berries first in a linen bag, and then in a closed container and put in the refrigerator. Regular stocks should be inspected for mold.

Freezing
Figs tolerate storage at low temperatures. In this form, it is up to 12 months. The main requirement is not to freeze repeatedly.To preserve nutrients, it is recommended that fast deep freezing up to -30 degrees and storage in sealed containers or bags.

Criteria for choosing dried figs

Sometimes it’s more profitable not to dry the berries yourself, but to purchase and put into storage an already finished product. To do this, pay attention to the following signs:

• quality fruits have an amber or dark shade;
• on sweet fruits there is a white coating formed by an excess of glucose;
• spots indicate spoiled raw materials;
• with proper drying, each berry is a little soft and served under the fingers;
• the fruits are slightly flattened and approximately equal in size;
• no sour taste.

Before use, the figs are soaked in warm water for 20-30 minutes. It becomes soft, chewing and assimilating well, revealing its own special taste. It is not recommended to heat it or fill it with boiling water, since it loses most of its useful properties. Figs are used as part of fruit salads, combined with sour cream, liquor, citrus fruits.

Keep in mind: the berries are very sweet, so you will have to limit the use of diabetes, obesity, thyroid dysfunction.

The basic rule for storing figs is that they only need to be placed in 1 layer.

Video: the benefits of figs