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Talking about the benefits of dried fruits is completely pointless. After all, if you are looking for how to store dried apricots at home, then you are already well aware of all the wonderful properties. And you probably have a good supply of this sunny treat. Only now it is stored with you very briefly.
Let's look at the most common mistakes. It can be:
- storage mode
- a place
- container material
- deadlines and possible problems
If you follow all the recommendations, you can enjoy the stocks of dried apricots all year round.
Storage mode and location
Well, who said that you can’t keep dried apricots in the refrigerator? Invalid recommendation. If it is poured onto a shelf, then of course. But few people are so dismissive of such a valuable product. Therefore, you can store dried apricots in the cold.
Moreover, it can be safely frozen! With proper packaging, quality dried fruits can lie in the freezer for up to 18 months. They wanted to feast, thawed and ate a quiet meal.
If the volumes of dried apricots are too large and will not fit in the refrigerator, then a good place to store is an attic or pantry. Good advice. But how many can boast of having those?
And what is worse than a closet on the balcony or a box under the bed? Of course, not in bulk, this is a crazy idea. Or in the kitchen, a closed cabinet for groceries - what did not please? Great places to store dried apricots at home.
Just not next to the gas stove or heating battery, it's too hot there. In general, the optimum temperature should be no higher than + 15 ° C.
Humidity level. Preferably not higher than 70%. A short-term increase is allowed, but with the condition that dried apricots be used as food for several days. In order not to run around the house, measuring humidity, we just remember: next to the sink or stove the dried apricots spoil.
Tip. Why are boxes or cabinets mentioned? Because it is desirable complete absence of sunlight.
Container material
If cereals and other groceries can be stored in linen bags or plastic containers, then dried apricots do not like this very much. Rag bags are great for damp, and plastic gives a “delicious” flavor. Plastic bags are also not very suitable for storage of dried apricots. They start up mold very well. Metal oxidizes dried fruits.
So what to choose? Good old glass! The most ordinary glass jar with a sealed lid perfectly preserves all the useful properties of dried apricots, its unique aroma and magical taste. In rare cases, you can use dense cardboard or wooden boxes, but for a period not longer than 30 days.
The ceramic container is also well suited for storing dried fruits at home. But only if it is tightly closed.
For the freezer, you can use aluminum food foil or special bags for freezing. They do not have micropores, so the sun fruit will not stink of dill or fish.
Tip. A metal or tin lid is not very suitable, because it can give an unpleasant smell to the contents of the can. But the dried apricots are completely inert to the silicone or polyethylene lid.
Dates and possible problems
The shelf life of dried fruits at home varies depending on conditions and packaging. But, subject to the correct temperature conditions and in a suitable container, dried apricots can be stored:
- Just on a shelf or on a table - 30 days.
- In a dark, cool place - 6 months.
- In the refrigerator - 10 months.
- In the freezer - up to 1.5 years.
However, despite the firm belief that you packed the dried fruits correctly, you need to climb into your hamster stocks once a month. You need to check not how many pets ate in your absence, but the presence of mold or bugs.
Yes, yes, not only people like to enjoy fragrant dried fruits. With high humidity, the ubiquitous mold strives to bloom in lush bunches on your stocks.
If at least one spoiled fetus is found, you will have to discard the entire contents of the container. It's a pity, but the mold spores have already hit the rest of the fruit. It's just that they are not yet visible. Do not risk your health, throw away without regret.
Tip. To avoid global spoilage of dried apricots, store it in small containers for storage.
Bugs or cereal moths also never give up tasty treats. But, unlike mold, you can try to save the remaining stocks. Choose unaffected apricots, put in a freezer for a day, then pour boiling water for an hour, then rinse thoroughly. It is better not to deposit such dried apricots again for storage.
Tip. If after all the manipulations you are afraid to eat such dried fruits as food, then cook compote from them, use for baking or make meat sauce.
Useful Tips
- Do not store all dried fruits in one container. They have different humidity, and if there is prune, then everything will smell only to them.
- There are recommendations not to immediately purchase large portions of dried fruits, but to replenish a small supply as needed in a store. The advice is very dubious. Does anyone in the supermarket care about the good preservation of dried apricots? Unlikely. And to the shelves of the store she was in what conditions? Who knows?
- If you are lucky enough to find great dried apricots, get as much as you can right away. At least at home you will know for sure under what conditions stocks are stored.
- When uninvited guests appear in containers, the oven will be an alternative to boiling water. Dried fruits were poured onto a baking sheet, warmed up for 40-50 minutes at a temperature of 70-75 ° C and left to cool.
- Despite all the efforts, did you notice that the dried apricots became softer? So the humidity got to your savings. Dry the fruit in the oven to prevent spoilage. Anneal the glass containers there. After cooling completely, dried fruits can be removed again in bins.
How to store dried apricots at home? Observing all safety precautions, and regularly eating up stocks. And it’s better not to languish over the banks, like Koschey over the treasures, but to enjoy the unique taste of dried apricots.
Video: how to make dried apricots at home
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