How to dry cherries at home for the winter

Dried berries and fruits are a real godsend for the housewife, because when properly dried, they retain their beneficial substances. Another advantage is that dried fruits can be used to prepare a variety of dishes all year round. Drying cherries in an electric dryer, microwave, oven, air fryer and in the sun is quite simple, the main thing is to follow the basic rules.

Beneficial properties of dried cherries

When properly dried, all the beneficial substances remain in the berries in almost the same quantities as in fresh fruits. Cherry contains ascorbic acid, dietary fiber, vitamin B9, B6, PP, riboflavin, pantothenic acid. This berry has the following beneficial properties:

• helps strengthen bones, so experts recommend its use for teenagers and athletes;
• has a general strengthening effect on the body;
• strengthens the immune system;
• acts as a prophylactic against viral and respiratory diseases;
• thanks to the antioxidants contained in the fruit, the body is cleansed;
• vitamin A, which is included in the composition, is necessary to maintain good vision and elastic skin;
• normalizes blood pressure levels, so dried cherries are especially useful for hypertensive patients;
• The pectin contained in the product helps remove toxins from the body and reduce the level of bad cholesterol;
• eating dried fruits reduces dependence on nicotine;
• they contain a high concentration of B vitamins, thanks to which the consumption of such fruits allows you to relieve stress and improve your emotional state;
• The sour berry contains the highest content of the hormone melatonin, which in its own way is a relaxing agent that allows you to fall asleep faster.

What is the name of dried cherries?

Dried cherries are a dried fruit that can be obtained by drying fresh fruits. It has no other name, for example, like raisins. According to GOST, it is called dried cherries.

How to dry cherries at home

Dried cherries contain vitamin C, A, PP, as well as iron, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and calcium

Before drying the berries, they must be sorted and then washed.Spoiled cherries are not recommended for use. If the fruits are not large, the drying process will go much faster. Then they are laid out on a clean and dry gauze cloth. When the berries are dry, you need to remove the seeds and stalks. You can dry cherries with the internal parts, but in this case it will not be very convenient to eat them. The bones can be easily removed using a special kitchen tool, but if you don’t have one, you can arm yourself with a simple hairpin or tweezers. After going through all the above steps, the main ingredient is ready for the next stage - drying in any convenient way.

There is another option for preparing berries - blanching. This procedure helps soften the skin of the fruit, which speeds up the drying process. The first step is to rinse the cherries, then prepare a solution. To do this, add baking soda to boiling water at the rate of 1 tsp. for 1 liter of water. The resulting hot liquid is poured over the fruits, then the broth is immediately drained. Next, you need to pour cold water over them and drain them in a colander. After the excess moisture is gone, you can begin to dry the berries.

At what temperature should you dry cherries?

You can set the temperature only after you have decided on the drying method. For example, fruits should be dried in an oven at 60 to 80 degrees, and in an electric dryer 60-70. As for the air fryer, the optimal temperature for drying berries is 45-60 degrees.

How long should you dry cherries?

Under-dried berries are not suitable for long-term storage

The drying time depends on the chosen method:

1. Sun drying takes 2 to 4 days.
2. In an electric dryer, this process occurs much faster than in the first option, about 8-12 hours.
3. Cooking dried cherries in the oven will take the housewife about 5 hours, but direct intervention in this process is not required.
4. The fastest option is to dry it in the microwave; it takes literally a few minutes.
5. The cooking time for cherries in an air fryer varies from half an hour to 2 hours.

It should be noted that cooking dried berries with seeds is much faster than without them.

How to dry cherries in an electric dryer with sugar

During cooking, it is important to ensure that the fruits dry evenly

After the berries are washed and destemmed, they should be weighed, since sugar is added at the rate of 350 - 450 g per 1 kg of cherries. If the berries are very sour, then you can add another 100 - 150 g. The next step is to add sugar; it must be poured in a thin layer over the fruit and left in this form in a warm room for several hours. After this time, drain the berries in a colander. The resulting juice is not useful, but it can be preserved or made into compote. Next, you need to make syrup from the specified amount of sugar and water in a volume of 3 liters. After boiling, add cherries to the broth and immediately remove from heat.

They must be left in the syrup until completely cooled, then the liquid must be drained and the fruits placed in a thin layer in an electric dryer. For the first two hours, the temperature of the device should be set to 55-60 degrees, and then reduced to 30-35, dried until fully cooked.

How to dry cherries in a fruit dehydrator without sugar

Dried berries can be stored in a glass container in the refrigerator

The process of drying berries without sugar takes much less time, as it requires the least preparation. So, when the cherries are washed and cleaned, they are transferred to a heat-resistant bowl and put on fire. After a sufficient amount of juice has appeared, the berries are placed in a colander for 2-3 hours. After the specified time has passed, the cherries are laid out in a thin layer on the grill of an electric dryer. The drying process takes about 10-12 hours, provided that the temperature is set to about 60-70 degrees.

How to dry cherries in an electric dryer without pitting

Berries with seeds dry much faster than without them.

The drying process begins with processing the fruits: they must be washed, stalks and seeds removed. Then the berries should be drained in a colander, after which the cherries are poured into a single layer onto the grill of an electric dryer. During this procedure, it is necessary to change the temperature from high to low at least 3 times. Drying pitted cherries will require much more time - about 13 - 15 hours.

How to dry cherries in an electric dryer with pits

The product can be stored at room temperature for about 1 year.

The process of drying cherries with pits is not much different from the above recipe, but there are also differences:

• There is no need to remove seeds from the fruits, just remove the stalks;
• Rinse the prepared berries, then place in a colander to drain off any unnecessary liquid;
• place the raw materials on the mesh of an electric dryer, dry for the first 2 hours at maximum temperature, then reduce to 35 degrees;
• This procedure takes about 10 – 12 hours.

How to dry cherries in the oven

In folk medicine, dried cherry fruits are used to treat colds.

It is necessary to dry the cherries in the oven with the door slightly open, this will speed up the process of moisture evaporation. In addition, pre-processing of raw materials is also important. To speed up the drying process, you can use any of the presented methods: scald the fruits with boiling water or rinse with a weak soda solution, then rinse thoroughly in cold water. You can dry the berries as follows:

• rinse the fruits;
• Place parchment paper or foil on a baking sheet;
• lay out the raw materials in a thin layer;
• set the temperature to 45 degrees for 2 hours;
• After the time has passed, set it to 60 degrees and leave until fully cooked.

If you plan to dry pitted cherries, you will need:

• remove internal elements from the fruit;
• Place the raw materials on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper;
• Initially, cherries should be dried at a temperature of 45 degrees, after a couple of hours set to 60;
• change the specified temperature every 3 hours until fully cooked.

Drying cherries for the winter in an air fryer

From 1.2 kg of raw materials approximately 0.5 kg of finished product is obtained

You can dry berries in an air fryer as follows:

• Remove the stems and seeds from the fruits, if desired;
• rinse under cool water, then drain in a colander;
• after the unnecessary liquid has drained, spread the raw materials on the mesh in one layer;
• Cover the air fryer with a lid, select the drying mode and the required temperature from 45 to 60 degrees.

How to dry cherries in the microwave

Dried cherries can be used as a filling in baking

For this procedure, you will need 2 pieces of linen or cotton fabric, one of which is laid out with part of the prepared raw material, and the other is covered. Next, the workpiece is placed on a microwave plate, dried for up to 5 minutes at 200 W, if necessary, the time can be increased. The cooking time depends on the juiciness of the berries, as well as the presence of seeds.

How to dry cherries in the sun

Dried cherries are contraindicated for children under 2 years of age, as well as people suffering from allergies, gastrointestinal diseases, and diabetes.

This method is one of the most troublesome and time-consuming, but on the other hand, it is the most natural.

To dry berries outdoors, you will need a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper. The cherries must be selected, washed and slightly dried. Place the prepared raw materials on a board, then cover with a cloth on all sides to prevent pests from entering. Dry in a well-ventilated place with maximum access to direct sunlight.

How to dry cherry pits

Plastic bags are not suitable for storing fruits, since the product spoils much faster in them

You can dry the bones as follows:

• rinse, place in boiling water for 10 minutes, adding 1 tsp. vinegar essence;
• after the specified time, drain the liquid and rinse the raw materials thoroughly;
• dry in any convenient way: in the sun, in the oven, in the microwave, in an electric dryer. The finished product should be lighter.

How to store dried cherries at home

It is not recommended to place the container with the workpiece next to batteries or pipes. Dried cherries should be stored in glass containers or cotton bags. The place where dried berries are stored should be dark and well ventilated. A shelf on a kitchen cabinet is suitable for these purposes. This dried product can be stored for no more than a year, and during this time the cherries must be ventilated and regularly checked for the presence of midges.

What can you make from dried cherries?

In addition to the fact that dried cherries can be eaten as an independent delicacy, they go well with other foods. For example, the preparation can be added to salads, baked goods, main courses, and also made into jelly or marmalade. In addition, dried cherries can be used as a base for wine, tinctures, fruit drinks or compotes.

Conclusion

Drying cherries in an electric dryer, in a slow cooker, in the oven and in the sun is quite simple. It is only important to observe the temperature regime and cook until the juice stops oozing from the fruit.

Recommended Posts

How to dry hawthorn

Candied pears: quick recipes

Dried kumquat: calories, benefits and harm

Candied peaches

Candied papaya

Raw and dried chanterelles for parasites: recipes, use

Dried porcini mushrooms: how to cook, the best recipes

Dried eggplants for the winter: recipes

Dried eggplants for the winter at home