The summer period gives us wonderful garden fruits - pears. They are delicious fresh. But to preserve most of the crop, drying and drying is suitable. The article will help organize the process of preparing a dried product at home and talk about its beneficial properties.

How to choose the right varieties of pears for drying

All types and varieties of pears of early and late ripening, as well as wild animals are suitable for drying.. The difference between early and late varieties is the output of finished products and energy costs per unit of dried produce. Thus, the yield of early varieties is 15%, and the yield of late varieties is 23% of the mass of crude products, while the energy consumption for drying early varieties is greater. This is explained by the fact that in later varieties there are more solids.

To get a quality and healthy product, the selection of fruits for drying should be approached with knowledge of the rules and characteristics of the selection of fruits for processing:

• the fruit must be in a state of technical ripeness (not overripe or too juicy);
• fragrant fruits with a pronounced smell are more suitable for blanks;
• the size of the fruit affects the drying time, therefore whole specimens of medium or small sizes, including wild animals, are selected for drying;
• freshly picked fruits are sent to the dryer to avoid softening;
• the fruits should be dense texture and without astringency;
• large specimens are dried, cut into pieces and slices, but part of the juice and pulp is lost;
• the thickness of the pieces should not be more than 1-2 cm.

Important! To avoid darkening of harvested fruits, the fruits can be placed in a weak solution of citric acid (5 g per 1 liter of water) or sprinkled with lemon juice. Fruits rich in antioxidants, namely polyphenol, darken.

Pear processing for drying

Before sending the fruits to the dryer, they must be prepared. For this:

• only appropriate fruits are selected and selected for further processing;
• washed;
• dried or wiped with a kitchen towel;
• if the fruits are solid, they are blanched for 5-10 minutes in boiling water and cooled, sugar or honey can be added to the water when using a wild game;
• cut into slices if necessary and remove the seeds;

Video: Preparing pears for drying

Properly dried product should be soft, elastic, sweet taste with shades of brown.

Types of drying pears at home

Proper heat treatment during drying allows you to fully preserve the whole composition of nutrients and vitamins in the dried product.

From fruits, you can cook dried fruits for stewed fruit and jelly, as well as candied fruit or chips. If the product has dried out during the drying process, then it can be crushed into powder and this mixture can be added to culinary dishes.

In the oven

The prepared raw materials are distributed on baking sheets in one layer and placed in an oven preheated to + 60 ° С. Dry for 2-3 hours, slightly opening the door and periodically turning over and checking the fruit. Then the temperature can be increased to + 80 ° C. This process lasts a day or more, depending on the size of the slices. At night, you can turn off the oven and continue the next day. Pears dried in the oven can be dried at room temperature or in the air in order to save energy.Many ovens in modern gas stoves are equipped with a convection mode, which improves quality and speeds up the drying process.

In the electric dryer

On sale now there is a large selection of electric dryers for fruits and vegetables. Such a device has several advantages and can be adapted for drying pears:

• drying time is significantly reduced - a portion of several trays can be dried in 13-15 hours, periodically changing trays in places;
• the volume of bookmarks for drying is much largerthan in other methods, since the raw materials can be laid out in several layers;
• device eliminates product spoilage, slices are dried evenly and efficiently at a temperature of + 70 ° C;
• electric dryer trays can be used as containers for storing dried pears.

Did you know? In the XY century, opposite the Kremlin in Moscow (Sofiyskaya Embankment in the present), fruit and pear orchards were broken, which delighted travelers and ambassadors with the beauty and abundance of fruits.

Drying time - 13 hours, temperature - + 55 ° С, number of trays - 8, energy consumption - 85 kW. The yield is 518 g with a wet weight of 3.6 kg.

Video: Drying pears in an electric dryer

In the sun

Prepared fruits are laid out in a single layer sliced ​​up on plywood sheets or other surfaces suitable for drying. Cover with lightweight woven material to protect against dust and insects. They are placed in a sunny place with fresh air. Slices periodically turn over. At night, it is better to remove the sheets into the room so that the pears do not become damp. Drying in this way continues for 4–5 days; readiness is evaluated visually.

In the microwave

You can dry the pears in the microwave. But this method, although it is considered the fastest of all, is suitable only for small volumes of raw materials and requires constant monitoring of the quality of drying. Pears are easy to dry.

Slices of pears are laid out in a single layer on dishes suitable for a microwave oven, and dried for about 2-4 minutes at a power of 200-250 watts.

Periodically, you should check the fruit for elasticity and try not to dry it. You can empirically choose the time for the corresponding variety of pears.

Air drying

This method is considered time-consuming, but it does not require the cost of electricity and gas. Pears can be dried simply in the air by spreading slices on the surface or by stringing them like our grandmothers dried mushrooms. For this method, you need to take into account the humidity (should be dry), the slices should be small in size and well ventilated during drying to avoid mold. For this method, it is desirable to select fruits with a high solids content.

After 3-5 days, the pear slices may dry. They are removed from the threads and stored in paper or woven bags.

Important! During storage of dried fruits, it is necessary to periodically check them for the presence of food moths and the appearance of mold.

In the oven

Ovens allow drying on an industrial scale. The volumes of raw materials are quite large when loading one batch, and the hot air convection system provided in the ovens allows you to dry many pears efficiently and quickly. The drying process takes place using the bottom or side heating element and a fan, which evenly distributes the warm air in the chamber.

The temperature inside the cabinet is set and maintained at about + 70 ° C and, if necessary, the door is opened. The raw materials are periodically turned over and ted. It takes 12-15 hours to dry.

Useful and harmful properties of dried pears for the body

For children, a dried pear is not only a tasty treat, but also a means of combating constipation and treatment of SARS. In the season of respiratory diseases, it is necessary to include decoctions from a dried product in the diet of baby food as an effective means of prevention in the fight against viruses and colds. Decoctions will help reduce the cough effect of a child at night due to liquefaction of sputum. Lower the temperature and ease the course of tonsillitis.

By the way pear seeds can stop diarrhea and are a good anthelmintic.

The presence in dried pears of 30% of the daily norm of plant fiber (6 g of dietary fiber) makes it useful for losing weight for diet. Fiber fibers absorb water, swell and contribute to the rapid removal of waste from the intestines. Regular cleansing reduces the absorption of starch and sugars, which leads to normalization of blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Thanks to dietary fiber, the body receives a signal of satiety, there is no feeling of hunger, and portions become smaller. And this is an important fact when following a diet.

Dried pear perfect for snacks throughout the day, quench hunger and hold out until the main meal. It can be added to cereals without sweetening the dish with sugar. This will saturate the body with useful substances and will not allow you to gain excess body weight due to low calorie content.

The benefits of dried pears during pregnancy are explained by a high content of manganese, potassium, copper and the presence of folic acid. In the first three months of pregnancy, this product must be included in the diet.

Magnesium interferes with an increase in the tone of the uterus. Potassium normalizes water-salt metabolism, removes fluid from the body and thereby eliminates edema of pregnant women. Copper is involved in the formation of the skeleton, the cardiovascular and nervous system of the fetus, and folic acid (vitamin B9) will avoid developmental abnormalities. By the way, there is more folic acid in dried pears than in currants.

Important! Fresh pear fruits have a soft laxative effect and save from constipation, and dried, on the contrary, knit and fasten.

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) and pectin in the chemical composition of the product help fight diarrhea. To do this, use a decoction of dried pear.

Being a hypoallergenic product, dried pear does not cause allergic reactions and can be safely used as decoctions for seasonal exacerbations of allergies in patients. Dried wild fruits are prescribed for tuberculosis patients.Iron prevents the development of glandular anemia, is involved in the production of red blood cells and improves the process of hematopoiesis. With a hangover, due to the normalization of the water-salt balance, several glasses of broth will help to avoid nausea and headache.

Improving the pancreas and possessing useful carbohydrates (fructose), for the absorption of which insulin is not needed, dried fruit is useful for patients with diabetes.

Did you know? The taste of a pear seems sweeter than the taste of an apple, although it contains less natural sugars, but in a higher concentration (glucose, sucrose and fructose), and does not cause increased appetite like an apple.

The main contraindication of the use of a dried product is individual intolerance. Do not consume the product in large quantities due to the high content of carbohydrates, so as not to damage the figure and remain slim.

Dried pears do not mix well with dairy products, but this does not apply to fermented milk. With caution, dried fruits should be consumed by people suffering from constipation, since dried pear has an astringent effect.

Dried according to all the rules, fruits will bring summer aromas and tastes in the cold season. And the healing properties and necessary vitamins of the product will allow you to successfully deal with seasonal and other diseases. Always give preference to the varieties of fruits grown in your area, and be healthy.