Content
Many Russians know how to store pomegranates at home. High-quality fruits in neighboring countries ripen towards the end of autumn. During this period, they are purchased and stored for another six months or even more, if they do not want to buy others later.
Features of storing pomegranates
Southern fruits arrive on market shelves from Turkey, Egypt, Spain, and Latin America after a long journey. Therefore, it is believed that it is better to stock up on options brought from the Caucasus or Central Asia. The season for high-quality ripe pomegranates, which come from the countries of the named nearby regions, lasts from November to January. For successful storage of pomegranate at home, the fruit meets the following requirements:
- the peel must be intact, without damage or cracks;
- there are no dents on the fruits after compression or impacts;
- cover of uniform color, without spots and soft areas;
- There is absolutely no smell coming from the fruit.
In order for fruits at home to remain tasty and not lose their juiciness, you need to know the features of their storage:
- optimal temperature – from + 1 °C to + 10 °C;
- a place protected from sunlight and bright light, or at least slightly darkened;
- air humidity is moderate, but should be significantly higher than in normal apartment conditions.
It is convenient to store pomegranate in winter for 30-50 days in a living room, if there is a fairly cool corner. In a city apartment, this requirement is almost impossible to fulfill if the balcony is not insulated. You just need to use home appliances - a refrigerator or freezer. Although there is an interesting folk experience on how to store pomegranates at home, covering them with a layer of clay. It has been noted that sweet varieties quickly lose their exquisite taste. And those that are initially sour due to their characteristic properties are stored in good quality for a longer time.
Where to store pomegranate
At home, southern fruits are usually stored whole. If there is no extra space in the refrigerator, peel the fruit and place it in the freezer.
Where to store peeled pomegranate
A accidentally purchased spoiled fruit, for example, with a small dent that was not noticed during inspection, or a crack that formed on the way home, cannot be stored for a long time. If immediate consumption was not planned, the extracted grains will last in a household refrigerator for only 3-4 days without loss of quality. The second option is to select all the good, unspoilt slices, pick out the grains, wrap them in a plastic bag and put them in a quick freezer. It is recommended to store peeled pomegranate seeds in the home freezer for up to a year. The taste and quality of the juice will change slightly. But you can freeze peeled pomegranate and preserve it for a long time only in this way.
Where is the best place to store unpeeled pomegranates?
Southern fruits purchased in stock after a thorough inspection are put aside for storage. Whole intact pomegranates with a dense peel are placed in the refrigerator or look for a place at home where the constant temperature is not higher than 8-10 °C:
- glazed balcony;
- basement or dry cellar;
- entrance unheated corridor in private houses.
The storage time of pomegranates in such conditions lasts from 2-3 to 5 months. If the temperature approaches 0 °C, but remains at minimum heat levels, not higher than 2 °C, the fruits remain without signs of spoilage for up to 9 months. Varieties that accumulate more acids than sugars last longer. Sweets can quickly become more caked and lose their original level of juiciness, which depends on compliance with optimal storage conditions.
How to store grenades in an apartment
There are several methods on how to preserve healthy southern fruits for 3-5 months at home.
How to store pomegranate in the refrigerator
At home, it is more convenient to put pomegranates in the refrigerator in the lower compartments for vegetables and fruits. To protect the fruits from accidental compression or impact, they are placed in a container with hard walls. Avoid the use of plastic bags. Condensation forms on their airtight walls, which can trigger the onset of rotting processes. When pomegranates are stored in the refrigerator, make sure it is full and follow the recommendations of the household appliance manufacturer for use so as not to increase the humidity. Otherwise, the fruits will spoil faster.
As a precaution, each pomegranate is wrapped in clean wrapping paper or arranged in sheets. Excess moisture will be absorbed by the porous material. The wrappers may need to be changed during long-term storage. You can use parchment paper. The optimal storage period for unpeeled pomegranates with whole peel in the home refrigerator is 50-70 days.
How to store pomegranate in the freezer
Slightly spoiled fruit from those purchased or from those stored for long-term storage can be well preserved in the freezer. The taste properties will change slightly, but overall enough nutrients will be retained. At home, it is advisable to use chambers with a quick freezing function. Pomegranates are prepared for freezing as follows:
- peel;
- grains are selected from segments;
- placed in portioned bags made of durable polyethylene or ready-made small-volume food containers.
Manufacturers of household freezers recommend keeping fruit under similar storage conditions for no more than a year.
How to store pomegranate fruits at home
A cool place with moderate humidity, 75-80%, is suitable for preserving fruits from 2-2.5 months at a temperature of 7-10 °C to 5-9 months at + 1 °C. At room temperature, pomegranate does not store well; after a week it dries out, since the humidity in apartment conditions is low. The supply of fruit is placed in a cellar or a closed balcony if the thermometer there does not fall below zero. Each pomegranate is wrapped in paper and laid out on the bottom of the container in one layer. You can throw light but dense burlap or cardboard on top if the fruits will lie in a bright room.The sun's rays hitting the peel will dry out the grains and reduce the juiciness. It is recommended to regularly check and sort through the fruits in order to notice in time those that are beginning to deteriorate.
Storing pomegranates in clay shells
There is an interesting folk experience on how to preserve southern fruits longer in a living space. Only whole fruits are selected, without cracks or damage to the rind, with a dry brown crown. A creamy mash is prepared from clay and water:
- dip the pomegranate into clay;
- spread on a cloth or wooden surface until the clay dries;
- a day later, the procedure is repeated, making sure that the entire peel is covered with a clay shell, and the fruit is dried again;
- At the same time, the crown formed by the sepals is also poured with the mixture.
Pomegranates packed in clay retain their taste for up to 5 months. Store fruit in a box in a dry place.
How long does a pomegranate last?
If you store pomegranates correctly at home, they do not lose their properties. The shelf life of juicy and healthy delicacies depends on the quality of the fruit, temperature and humidity:
- in an apartment with low humidity, 30-40%, – 7-9 days;
- in a basement or cool room – up to 4-5 months;
- “preserved” in a clay shell – 4-5 months;
- On the bottom shelf of the home refrigerator, the whole fruit lies without spoiling for 2 months, and peeled grains for 3-4 days;
- in refrigerated industrial or household cabinets for vegetables and fruits that maintain a temperature close to + 1 °C – 9 months;
- freezing will allow you to enjoy the grains even after a year, but at the same time 15-20% of the beneficial substances will evaporate.
Conclusion
You can store pomegranates at home from a week to a year. Most often they put fruit in the refrigerator or basement. It is important to adhere to the recommended moderate humidity, cool temperature.They make stocks only from high-quality fruits.
