How to store dried apples at home

In a particularly rich year for apples, many summer residents and gardeners literally do not know what to do with so much harvest. And the compote-jam-jams seemed to be closed for the winter, and the apple tree continues to bear new fruits - tasty and healthy. You can save apples, you just need to dry them. With proper storage, they can be saved almost until the next harvest. Dried apples are not only tasty, but also useful, because drying allows you to save all the vitamins and glucose. Constant consumption of apples in any form contributes to the normalization of the digestive tract, improves vision, stabilizes blood pressure, promotes the development of memory and brain.

How to dry apples for long-term storage

Usually, damaged, beaten and wormy fruits go to drying, while whole ones can be preserved completely. When cleaning apples from damaged parts and wormholes, you need to be very careful. Do not allow spoiled apple parts to dry, otherwise one wormhole subsequently can ruin all dried apples.

1. Apples need to be washed and cut in half. Remove the core and all damaged areas. It is not necessary to peel off the skin - it contains a greater amount of nutrients.
2. Apples darken during the slicing process, and to prevent this from happening, they need to be held in a slightly saline solution. In addition, it protects the cut fruit from settling of midges, bees and flies. If this is not done, the apples will not be stored for a long time - the insects will bring some infection to the clean fruits and the dried wedges will begin to mold and rot. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt to warm water and dip the apples in the cooked composition for 10 minutes.
3. Soaked apples can be dried "beads". To do this, take a thick needle and a fairly dense thread. Start stringing apple slices on a thread by piercing them with a needle. To keep the apples well, string them so that the needle pierces the middle of the apple peel. It is denser than the flesh, and it will be better to keep a slice on the thread.
4. After all the fruits are strung, the “beads” made must be hung in a well-ventilated place. Better hang apples on the balcony, in the fresh air. Apples will be completely dry when they become almost hard, and liquid will not stand out when pressed. However, this drying method is only suitable if rainy weather is not expected in the near future.
5. Apples can also be dried in a special dryer for vegetables and fruits. If you do not have such a unit, you can quickly dry the apples in a conventional oven on a fine wire rack. Put the sliced ​​slices on a wire rack so that the apples are in one layer, do not touch, and then set the minimum heating temperature. Typically, at 80-100 degrees, the apples are dried for several hours. Then they need to be taken out and allowed to cool.
6. Take your time to collect dried apples in containers, containers, and bags. Need a large surface where dried apples can "reach". Lay a clean towel, cotton cloth, or napkin on the table and sprinkle the wedges. Apples should be kept in a well-ventilated place, however, they should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Turn over and shake dried apples periodically.

Keep apples on an open surface for a few more days. And only after that the dried fruits can be sent for storage.

How to store dried apples

The apple storage container must be breathable so that the fruit does not rot or rot.In addition, air circulation allows the fruit to dry completely. But storing apples in baskets with large openings is also not worth it. Mice and other rodents can crawl into them, which are also not averse to feasting on your stocks.

It is best to store dried apples in canvas bags, special baskets for fruits and vegetables, a glass jar with holes on the lid. It is very good to store apples in cardboard boxes. Choose boxes of food - sweets, cookies, etc. In no case do you need to take a box from household appliances or building materials. A specific smell is absorbed into the fruit and it will be impossible to get rid of it.

Where to store dried apples

Apples should be stored in a well-ventilated, dark and cool place. If you have a glazed balcony - this is the perfect place to store dried fruits. You can not store supplies on an open balcony - high humidity will ruin the product. Apples can also be stored in the refrigerator, but in this case they need to be sorted and aired more often. There should not be any sharp smelling objects or products (e.g. cleaning products or spices) near the storage area. Apples perfectly absorb extraneous odors, it is often impossible to eat them after that. Apples can be stored on mezzanines, in closets, in pantries or simply on the upper shelves of kitchen drawers.

How and how much to store dried apples

If you want to store fruits for a long time, you need to constantly look at them. This can be done once every few weeks. The fact is that timely response to a pair of spoiled slices allows you to save the rest of the strategic stock of dried fruits. In addition, constant turning does not allow apple slices to settle.

If you notice that the apples are damp, soft or wet, it doesn’t matter, they need to be dried again in the oven. If the wedges become sticky or even a little moldy, they can also be rehabilitated. In this case, you need to rinse each slice under running water and dry the apples in the oven again. But you need to dry for a very long time to get rid of excess moisture. Keep the oven door open so that the steam disappears. Heat will not only dry apples, but also kill mold spores. If there is a lot of mold, it is better to throw such apples away, it is unlikely to save them.

Sometimes it happens that insects - midges, bugs, spiders - start up in a container with dried apples. The temperature difference will help get rid of pests and their larvae. Warm the apples in the oven or hold them in the freezer and the insects will die.

Dried apples can be stored for a very long time, up to several years. However, it is best to use dried fruits until the next harvest, then to prepare a new portion of healthy treats.

What to cook from dried apples

Dried apples have a very good effect on the body. In winter, it is a storehouse of vitamins that can support the immune system and protect against colds. Dry apples can be poured into a vase on a coffee table - they do not stale for a long time. But from them you can cook other full dishes.

1. The most common use of dried apples is to cook compote. Indeed, various dried fruits give the drink a fruity aroma, rich taste and special sweetness. Add some raisins and a handful of frozen cherry to the apples for the color and get a delicious summer drink.
2. A slice of dried apple can be thrown into the kettle when brewing tea. This will give the drink a special piquant taste and aroma.
3. If dried apples are chopped and stewed in butter with a small amount of water and sugar, you get an amazing filling for pancakes.
4. Scroll the dried and soaked in water slices of apples through a meat grinder and add a little zest of lemon, cinnamon and sugar to the mass.The prepared mixture can be eaten as jam or used as a filling for a pie.
5. Add a couple of dried apple slices to the cauldron, where stew beef or poultry. The meat acquires a delicate taste and mouth-watering aroma.
6. Prepare the following mixture, which is not only very tasty, but also incredibly healthy. Grind apples, add walnuts, raisins and honey. The resulting mixture must be rolled up into small balls and sprinkled with coconut. Such natural and attractive sweets will certainly please your child. They not only strengthen the immune system, but also perfectly raise hemoglobin.

In winter, when fresh apples begin to rise in price, dried apple slices are a real salvation for many housewives. They can be eaten like marmalades, or added to many dishes.

It is scientifically proven that drying is the most useful, optimal and natural way to preserve vitamins in apples. Dry apples, make stocks, store dried fruits correctly and there will always be something in your kitchen to please household members!

Video: how to store dried foods