How to dry apples in the oven at home. Which varieties to choose? Preparing fresh crops for drying and storage

If with advantages Although this method is clear, some details should be examined in more detail.

Basic Rules

In many ways, the quality of harvested apples depends on the preparation of the apples. In this regard, it is useful to read an article about, where you can find out how cut correctly these fruits and some other details.

Exist different versions regarding the presence or absence skins for the drying process.

In reality, there is no fundamental difference here, and leaving or peeling the skin depends on your personal preferences.

Although the peel contains many useful components, padanka and similar apples it is advisable to clean.

Drying apples in an electric dryer does not imply a complete absence of moisture. You just have to do the amount of moisture is minimal, so that decay processes do not occur in the pieces, but useful components remained. Dry apples are not brittle to the touch, but bendable, and when squeezed, moisture does not appear on the surface.

Over time, using an electric dryer becomes more convenient, since it becomes clear how many apples are dried on each pallet, how often to change their location, and how many can be added. In general, it is not advisable to give any general recommendations, since the devices differ in many ways.

Reasonable advice is to only take into account the basic parameters and use accumulated experience further.

Drying instructions

How to dry apples in a fruit dryer? In general, putting chopped pieces and setting a certain mode is not difficult. Moreover, many devices have indicators for fruits or more accurate, including for apples. It would seem that nothing should be added here, but it is nevertheless useful to consider certain aspects.

Duration

How long does it take to dry apples in the dryer? Try to guess the longest periods between 11 pm and 7 am, as during this period electricity tariff is cheaper.

In general, the duration the right temperature amounts to about eight o'clock, but it is not necessary to maintain such a duration without interruption and the process may vary if, for example, new pieces are added or the location of the pallets is changed.

Accordingly, the indicated duration can be used as reference point, but not as the main parameter.

Different sizes of slices, differences in varieties, size of trays, set temperature, location of apples and their quantity in the dryer - these and many other parameters affect optimal duration.

The most reasonable thing is to correctly set the mode and temperature and dry until done, which is determined on one's own, and not by time.

Temperature

What should be the temperature for drying apples in an electric dryer? If the device has the ability to set a certain temperature, then you should install the regulator somewhere within 70-75 degrees Celsius.

Of course, the apples will be able to dry faster at 100-110 degrees(usually the maximum temperature on household dryers) but exposure to such a temperature is not entirely reasonable, since some useful components may be released from the pieces.

After all, at temperatures over 100 degrees you are actually boiling apples, and at 70 degrees the effect turns out to be softer and generally similar to natural drying.

So, at what temperature to dry apples in the dryer is up to you.

Mode

How to dry apples in an electric dryer? Many devices have the ability set drying mode. Somewhere apples or just fruits are drawn and descriptions of each mode are given. If this option is available, you should use the optimal mode for fruit.

Readiness

After gaining some experience, the skill to recognize the readiness of apples with ease appears. At first, it is better to spend more time determining readiness.

Moreover, as it is not difficult to understand, it is better underdry a little and check for readiness rather than over-dry, since you can always over-dry, but over-dried apples are difficult to add the necessary moisture.

A well-dried apple slice is not brittle. In fact dried apples have plasticity, and they only darken slightly in appearance.

Overdry Fruits should not be cooked; as soon as they begin to darken a little and have significantly decreased in size, you need to check their readiness.

No moisture is released from the dried piece, but the pulp is present and has an apple flavor. pleasant aroma, white. The surface is darker and slightly crusty.

You can learn how to use an electric dryer to prepare dried fruits from apples from the video:

Recipes

Let us briefly describe the sequence of actions in the form of a drying recipe:

Apples wash and cut(more details in the article on preparing for drying) in half rings or slices.
Place the pieces on dryer trays, tight, but so that the pieces do not lie on top of each other.
We fill the trays and place them in the dryer, set them out mode and temperature, timer, if there is one.
Periodically rearrange the pallets(top with bottom) for more uniform drying and check the apples.
When finished, take out the apples from which no more juice is released when pressed, let cool slightly and transfer to glass container or natural fabric bag.

Cooked apples should be stored in a pantry or other part of the home. cool(but not cold) and dry, without the presence of light, overheating and similar factors.

Results

Apples prepared using these recommendations, can be stored for about a couple of years. Although sometimes they can last longer depending on the variety and conditions. As a rule, a two-year period is quite optimal for harvesting apples. Read about it on our website.

An electric dryer is a useful device in this regard, as it makes it possible spend a minimum of time and harvest apples in very significant quantities.

After a couple of independent dryings of apples in an electric dryer, relevant skill and the process is optimized.

You can make a number of trial batches for different temperatures and with different durations in order to determine the best option.

You will learn how to dry five kilograms of apples for the winter in a dryer by watching this video:

Apples are rich in mineral and organic elements that provide the human body great benefit. In addition, they are rich in iron and vitamin C. The following preparations are made from apples: jam, compotes, mousses, jams, juices, preserves, marshmallows. Most effective method save nutrients And beneficial features in this fruit is to dry it. You can do this different ways. Let's look at them in more detail.

How to properly dry apples at home? Can use the following tips:

Drying apples at home can be done in the sun, in the oven, microwave, or electric dryer.
To keep fruits for a long time, they must be removed from the tree correctly. This must be done in dry and not very hot weather. Under no circumstances should you shake the apple tree, as the fruit in this case is often damaged after hitting the ground.
Ripe and undamaged specimens should be selected for storage.
It is best to dry autumn and winter varieties, sour or sweet and sour.
The slices should be cut 1 cm thick, otherwise they will take longer to dry.
To dried fruits looked beautiful and were white, before drying, it is recommended to immerse them in a saline solution for several minutes, after which they are rinsed in clean water and dry. The solution is made in this way: add 50 g of salt to 3 liters of water.
You can dry apple slices on baking sheets, wire racks, or wide cutting boards.
Fruit circles are strung on metal or wood sticks, as this is a very convenient way. A strong thread is also used for these purposes.

starts with their preparation. It is best to use fruits from own garden, but if this is not possible, then store-bought ones will do. They should be washed thoroughly, preferably with vinegar. This eliminates dirt and chemicals used to control pests and extends the shelf life of the apples.

Then you need to remove the core. U late varieties It is recommended to remove the skin, and early varieties are dried with it, because it retains useful substances. Apples are cut into slices. They may darken quickly, since the iron they contain can oxidize when interacting with air. To prevent this, it is advisable to immediately immerse them in salted water.

The color is also preserved during blanching, when the slices are kept in hot water. But with this method, not a large number of sugars and acids contained in apples. Therefore it can be replaced steam bath, then all vitamins will be preserved. To do this, place the slices in a colander or sieve and keep them over boiling water for 10 minutes, after which they cool under cold water.

Drying apples in the sun

You can dry apples at home naturally, but this process lasts much slower. For proper preparation it is necessary choose a sunny day and a place that is well ventilated. In city apartments this could be a balcony or even a window sill.

The apples are washed, cored and cut into slices. To prevent them from darkening, they are dipped in salted water for two minutes, after which they are laid out on any flat surface. During the day, the slices should be in the sun, and at night they should be removed so that they do not absorb moisture. It is advisable to cover the cut fruits with gauze to protect them from dust and flies. To ensure even drying, the slices must be turned over.

It takes 4 to 6 days to dry apples in the sun., and it depends:

on the type of fruit;
air temperature;
thickness of the lobules.

Drying apples in the oven

Most often, at home, an oven is used to dry apples. It is best to place the slices on a wire rack, but if a baking sheet is used, it is recommended to turn them over during the drying process so that they dry evenly. Optimal temperature for these purposes - 50 – 60 degrees. If it is higher, the vitamins may be destroyed; you should also slightly open the oven door during the process.

With the existing convection function, there is no need to do this. When the slices wilt, the temperature should be reduced slightly. It is necessary to carefully inspect the slices and if they are not completely dried, the workpiece can very quickly deteriorate and become moldy.

Drying apples in an electric dryer

In a special electric dryer, not only apples are prepared for the winter, but also other fruits, as well as vegetables, mushrooms, berries, medicinal herbs. The operating principle of such a device is very simple and drying does not require any special preparation of products.

How to dry apples in an electric dryer? For this slices are placed in pallets, which are installed in a container of several floors. Proper drying should be carried out at a temperature of 55 - 60 degrees and this process takes about 8 hours. After turning off the electric dryer, you need to make sure that the apples do not release moisture when pressed. If this does not happen, you can put the slices in bags.

Drying apples in the microwave

You can also dry these fruits in the microwave. This process takes little time, and the result is simply amazing. Apples retain all the beneficial substances, and for quite a a short time You can prepare a large amount of dried fruits. The main thing is to choose the right power and set processing time, otherwise you may burn this product.

Place the fruits in a plate in one layer and place it in the microwave. The oven timer is first set for 30 - 40 seconds at a power of 250 W. After this, the plate with semi-finished dried fruits is removed from the microwave, and the slices are turned over to the other side. The timer is already set for 3 minutes at a power of 300 W. The product is ready. Now the fruit can be stored.

Rules for storing dried apples

Such dried fruits should be stored in a place well protected from sunlight. The room should be dry and cool, as humidity may cause the apples to become moldy and soggy. The storage place must be well ventilated and free of foreign odors. Dried fruits should be stored:

in cardboard boxes;
wooden boxes;
glass jars;
fabric bags.

The bottom of the dish where dried fruit will be stored is cover with a sheet of wax paper, which absorbs excess moisture and prevents apples from possible spoilage. They are covered with a thick layer of paper on top for natural ventilation, and this also prevents various insects from getting inside.

Dried apples should not be stored in plastic bags because they do not allow air to pass through, causing the slices to become wet and sticky and lose their unique aroma.

Thus, you can dry apples at home in various ways. Important adhere to certain rules, otherwise the fruits may not be completely dried or become too dry, which will lead to the loss of the contents they contain. useful substances. Certain requirements are also imposed during their storage, since this can also lead to rotting of dried fruits.

Maybe you are an avid summer resident, and this year the apple harvest was a success. Or they decided that five charlottes were too much. Or maybe your significant other’s beloved mother decided to bless you with a couple of buckets of sour ambrosia? None of this matters. The fact remains: there are a lot of apples, it is important to do something with them, and you are here reading this article. Well, let's try to figure out how to properly dry apples at home without much effort and time.

Drying. Preparatory stage

Most often, sweet and sour varieties are used for drying. Cook apples in batches before drying. It would seem like a waste of time, but in this case the workpieces will not oxidize or darken. Therefore, take your time - it’s much faster this way. So, let's begin:

Wash and dry the fruits thoroughly.
Remove the cores. You can cut the apples into pieces the old fashioned way and cut out the excess with a knife, or you can use a special device that looks like a tube with sharp edges.
Should you peel apples or not? It all depends on personal preference. It is believed that it contains the most useful substances. If it is in doubt, it is better to cut it off with a knife.
Slice the apples. In circles or slices - it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that the thickness of the pieces is not more than 5 mm.
Treat the workpieces before drying. Usually one of the solutions is used. Brine. Simple table salt, in an amount of approximately 100 g per 12 liters of water. Soak apples in this solution for about 4 minutes. Sulfuric acid solution. Dilute 1 g of sulfurous acid in 1 liter of water and blanch for about 3 minutes.

This processing of harvested apples will keep them light after drying the apples is completed, and will increase their shelf life, and will also protect them from insects. If you want to add an interesting flavor to dried apples, try soaking them in a mixture of lemon, pineapple or orange juice and water, experiment with spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg or even pepper.

Drying. Which method should I choose?

Now let’s choose how to dry apples at home, there are several interesting options:

Dry apples in the sun. The method is outdated, takes a lot of time, up to a week, and requires constant monitoring throughout this time.
use the oven. The apples are laid out on a baking sheet in one layer and dried in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 80°C for about 7 hours. Finally, reduce the temperature to about 50°C. Don't forget to turn over every 2 hours.
use the most convenient option - an electric dryer. Warm air dries apples in just a couple of hours, you just need to select the temperature and press a button. Fast, high-quality and simple way.

How to save the fruits of your work

If the apple skin has darkened, the flesh remains soft and elastic, but is no longer sticky, then you understand how to dry apples correctly. It remains to take care of the safety of reserves. They are usually stored in fabric bags, cardboard boxes or glass jars. But under no circumstances should they be stored in a plastic container or plastic bag; in such conditions, dried slices will not survive for long.

By the way, drying is not the only option for preparing food for the winter. Read, , because it's delicious!

Also, watch a few videos from Youtube on how to dry apples, because this can be done either in the sun, in the oven, or by other methods.

Share this article with your friends and write comments below if you have your own effective methods! And also remember that drying is not the only way to enjoy this fruit! Find out, and please your family with delicious and natural dessert Today!

Unfortunately, many types of delicacies revered by our ancestors have been forgotten. For example, dried fruits. At first glance, it would seem that what is so special about this simple product. But dried fruits are confectionery and drinks are delicious, and there are so many vitamins that you still need to look for another product with such a set. Also, how to dry apples in the oven gas stove, in the microwave, in an electric dryer and anywhere else you can dry them there is nothing complicated.

If possible, it is better to take proven, personally grown fruits; if not, then buy them. Again, better from the garden. The store is also not bad, but you will have to peel the “official” fruits. You never know what kind of chemical treatment there was. By variety, the best for “dry” preparations are: Aport, Antonovka, Anis, Titovka, Borovik or Slavyanka, Renet, Semerenko, Montuaner.

But, again, best variety it is the variety preferred by every individual. The main thing is that the apples meet certain criteria. Were:

fully mature;
moderately sweet with a slight sourness;
not tart;
with juicy, medium-density pulp;
no signs of illness.

The color of the peel does not matter. Before drying apples at home, you don’t have to peel the peel on fruits from your own garden.

The size of the fruit also does not affect the quality and taste. The only thing is that sizing the apples will be necessary before cutting so that the pieces turn out to be approximately the same size, which in turn will make it possible to dry everything within the same time.

Some people prefer to take fruits from the tree for drying. The pad doesn't seem to fit. Nonsense. Even a fruit from a tree that is healthy and ripe will still have to be peeled and cut. Why lose a quality “product”? By the way, summer varieties It is better not to use for drying. Most of them have an increased amount of moisture.

Preparation

Any type of drying, like drying apples in a microwave, oven or air, involves preparation the necessary tool, material and fruit. You will need:

container for harvesting (buckets, bags, bags);
a bucket for processing cut pieces;
knife for slicing and coring;
may be needed special device in the form of a tube for removing the core from a whole apple, if the pieces need to be obtained in the form of “bagels”;
salt or citric acid.
unlimited water.

All collected fruits are thoroughly washed in running water, calibrated, dried or wiped with a cloth.
The core is removed either with a tube or with a knife. Depends on your wishes.
Cut pieces up to 1 centimeter thick ( ideal option The thickness is considered to be 5 millimeters). The cut is thick enough not to fall apart and thin enough to dry quickly.
The next stage is color preservation. This is at the request of those who prefer light, rather than dark, rich decoctions. This is done using a weak salt solution or citric acid. Everything cut is poured into a bucket with the prepared solution for 2-3 minutes. Sometimes it is recommended to preserve color using sulfuric acid. It’s probably possible to do this, but why use chemicals if there are natural ingredients (salt, lemon). After the procedure, it is useful to immediately lay out the cuttings not in a place to dry, but on a clean cloth to remove excess moisture.

In the case where it is intended to preserve color, you need to cut no more than half a bucket in volume, so that the pulp does not have time to darken, or, if the work is slow, until the color of the pulp changes.

And one more thing - don’t forget to prepare the container. Before drying apples in the oven of a gas stove, you need to prepare metal baking sheets. For natural drying sheets of any material are suitable.

Drying methods

There are several ways to bring fresh chopped apples to the desired condition. There are methods that are simple to implement, but take a long time. And there are fast ones, but expensive or somewhat technologically complex. Let's look at the main ones.

Air drying

A classic way to prepare dried fruits. All work is done without prejudice to other matters. Fresh slices are laid out on trays in one layer, not thickly. There are no trays, the pieces can be strung on a rope or wooden rod. Then there are two options: you can dry the apples in the sun, or in the shade.

In the first case, the summer should be hot, without rain. Future dried fruits are covered with gauze or a very fine fly net. They are exposed to the sun during the day, and removed indoors at night or when it rains. In 4 days finished products can be put away for storage.

Drying in a shaded place assumes the same “production” conditions in terms of weather, temperature and humidity, plus good ventilation. However, more time is needed here - from 7 to 10 days. Do not forget to move the slices both in the sun and in the shade so that they do not stick together.

Drying in a gas oven

Drying apples at home in a stove takes from 6 to 9 hours. The whole procedure is divided into 3 stages.

The slices are placed on a baking sheet in the oven, preheated to 50º-55ºС for 2 hours. The door is left slightly open to better remove evaporated moisture.
After 2 hours, the dried pieces are turned over, the temperature is increased to 70ºC, and the oven door is closed.
After reducing the total volume by 2 times, the temperature again drops to 50ºС. All you have to do is wait for it to be ready.

A question may arise about what signs to use to determine readiness. The question is correct, it will be considered after describing all the methods for preparing dried fruits.

Drying in an electric oven

Essentially, drying apples in a ventilated oven is the same process, but with its own nuances.

IN electric oven With built-in ventilation, the doors do not need to be opened slightly.
The primary temperature is set to about 50ºС.
At the second stage it rises to 80-90ºС.
On the third day it drops again to 50ºС.

According to the layout. Instead of a baking sheet in an electric oven, it is more advisable to use a wire rack. On the grill, hot air will “flow around” the slices from all sides.

Drying in the microwave or air fryer

Most quick way preparing dried fruits - drying apples in the microwave or air fryer. The method is simple, all the work takes time to drink coffee.

The slices are laid out on a plate.
The plate is placed in the microwave.
The power is set to 200-250 W.
The time is set to 3 minutes.

Everything can be taken out. But as always, you can’t do without nuances. Since the amount of moisture in the pieces depends on the variety and can vary, drying apples in the microwave should be done in stages. Set the timer not for 3 minutes, but for 30 seconds, so that the oven can be opened and checked for the degree of readiness of the slices.

Drying in an electric fruit dryer

What is advantageous about this method is that it does not require a separate baking sheet. Fruits are placed in the unit on the built-in mesh, the required mode is set, a little wait (about 8 hours), the dried fruits are ready in the electric dryer. What if the model is outdated, without designation of the type of fruit? Then the temperature is manually set to 70ºС. And one more note. In any model, the cutting in the lower tray should not reach the top.

When are dried fruits ready and how to store them later?

Checked finished product by touch and visually. You can try it.

Prepared slices:

should all be the same shade;
do not push through;
do not stick together;
have elasticity, do not break.

The answer to the question of how to store dried apples at home is simple. Dried fruits are stored in fabric bags, cardboard boxes or glass containers with a lid, in a dry place.

Delicious recipes from dried apples

Shortcrust pastry cakes with dried fruits

For the filling you need:

a glass of dried fruits;
a glass of walnuts;
250 grams of jam;
100 grams of sugar;
2 egg whites.

The cake is baked from shortcrust pastry. Dried fruits are kept in boiling water for 20 minutes. All solid ingredients are crushed. The whites and sugar are whipped into foam. The still warm cake is spread with egg whites, sprinkled with crushed goodies, and put into the oven until the egg whites are browned. Jam is used for spreading raw cake before baking. As you can see, dried apples really complement the recipe, making it much tastier and more interesting.

Sbiten

Required:

liter of water;
about 100 grams of dried fruits (including apples);
one or two cloves (to taste);
1 teaspoon ginger, cut into small squares;
5-6 rose hips;
50 grams of honey.

Place everything except honey into the water at once. Cook for 15 minutes. Add honey, stir, hide the saucepan under the blanket for half an hour. Sbiten is delicious both warm and cold.

That's all. The main methods of preparing dried fruits are discussed. Which one to choose, fast and expensive or slow and cheap, everyone will decide for themselves. In any case, if the “production” technology is followed, there will always be a bag of tasty and healthy dried fruits in the house.