How long and how to dry raspberries in an electric dryer correctly
Dried raspberries are not processed at high temperatures, so they retain color, shape and most of the beneficial substances. There are many ways to use such berries: they are added to baked goods, teas and compotes, alcoholic drinks, cereals and desserts. If you soak dried fruits in water, they will be similar in shape, taste and texture to fresh ones.
Drying raspberries different ways. The easiest and fastest option is to place the berries in a dehydrator or dryer. Let's consider how and how much to dry raspberries in an electric dryer for the winter and what nuances to take into account.
Selection and preparation of raspberries
The quality of the finished product largely depends on the raw materials. Overripe and underripe berries contain fewer nutrients than those picked at the right time. In addition, when dried, low-quality fruits lose their shape and become tasteless.
Before how to dry raspberries at home, her it is important to assemble and prepare correctly.
Raspberries do not ripen quickly, so the berries are picked from the bush as they ripen. The harvest is harvested in dry, or better yet, cloudy weather. Morning and evening come when the sun is inactive. In the hottest part of the day, the berries quickly lose their shape and crack when picked.
Attention! It is important that there is no dew on the raspberries, as moisture slows down drying and impairs its quality.
Place the fruits in a convenient container in a thin layer so that they do not wrinkle. The collected raspberries are sorted, cleared of stalks, adhering leaves and other debris. Inspect for the presence of bugs and suspicious spots. All specimens with uneven color, dark and green spots, traces of mold, dry areas, and damage are removed. Fruits that are too pale and hard, unripe, soft, unnaturally dark in color, or overripe are not suitable for drying.
It is recommended to sort the berries by size. Fruits that differ significantly in diameter dry at different speeds. If you harvest them together, one part of the berries will not dry out and will spoil during storage, while the other will dry out, become brittle, dark and tasteless.
It is recommended to dry the fruits before drying., laying in one layer on the fabric for 5-6 hours. If the berries were collected in your own garden or purchased from a trusted seller, they are not washed: due to the uneven surface, the fruits are difficult to completely dry from moisture.
It is recommended to rinse the product purchased at the market or in a store in plenty of cold water.. The berries are carefully rotated by hand, trying not to crush them. Do not use hot or warm water, otherwise the raspberries will release juice. Wet berries are placed in one layer on natural fabric or paper towels. You can blot them with paper and on top. Change the substrate as it gets wet. The raspberries are stirred periodically to remove moisture from the central hole.
To speed up the drying of washed berries, a stream of cold air from a hair dryer is directed at them.. Another option is to put the raw material under a fan.
How to properly dry raspberries in an electric dryer
The most convenient way to prepare raspberries is in a special drying machine. Such the device creates all the necessary conditions: the ability to set the temperature and time, a light breeze that constantly blows the raw materials, protection from negative external factors.
Step-by-step instructions, temperature and drying time
Typically instructions are included with each model. Act according to the general scheme:
- The berries are laid out on electric dryer racks in one layer so that they do not touch each other. Otherwise, the fruits will stick together. In multi-level devices, all grids are filled.
- The dryer is closed. The temperature is set to +30…+65°C. The greatest amount of useful substances is preserved if the raspberries are dried at +30...+40°C, but in this case the preparation will take from 12 to 24 hours. At +50...+65°C, the drying time will be 6–12 hours, but some beneficial substances will be destroyed.
- Every hour the raspberries are stirred a little and the grates are swapped. When the skin of the berries becomes thin and tender, stop touching them with your hands - just change the position of the grates to dry all the raw materials evenly.
How long the raspberries will cook depends not only on the set temperature. The size of the berries matters: the larger they are, the longer they will dry.
Possible mistakes
When using an electric dryer for the first time, housewives often make mistakes that negatively affect the quality of the finished product.
The most common:
- The berries are laid out in several layers or too close to each other. In this case, the raw materials will dry for a long time and unevenly. Some specimens will remain damp, while others will dry out. There is a high probability of individual fruits sticking together into one tile.
- Temperature too high. This way the raspberries will dry faster, but the beneficial substances in them will be destroyed.
- Long-term operation of the device without supervision. This can cause the berries to dry out or cook unevenly.
- The chamber is often opened and the berries are stirred. This will increase the duration of the workpiece. If you touch the berries often, especially when their skin becomes tender, they will wrinkle.
- Use of overripe raw materials. When dried, such fruits will lose their shape, spread out and stick together even if there is a distance between them. This error will negatively affect the taste and composition of the product.
- Drying unripe raspberries. Such fruits will be sour and unflavoured. The situation cannot be corrected even with the help of sugar.
Experienced housewives It is recommended to turn off the electric dryer several times, allowing the raw materials to cool. This way it will dry faster and retain its shape better.
Take note:
How to dry blackcurrants at home
Drying features depending on the dryer model
The duration and quality of the workpiece largely depend on the model of the device.
There are two types of electric dryers on the market:
- Convection. The heating element heats the air, creating the optimal temperature for drying food. For devices that provide natural air circulation, drying raspberries takes about a day. If the device has a fan that artificially pumps warm air, the duration of the procedure is reduced by 2 times.
- Infrared. The water inside the food is exposed to infrared waves of different frequencies. Under their influence, moisture begins to quickly evaporate, while the shape and color of the fruit are preserved. Drying takes only a few hours.
Modern devices often have additional functions: mechanical control systems, setting a shutdown timer and even electronic monitoring of the condition of the product being dried.
Devices from well-known manufacturers usually last longer than cheap Chinese options. Electric dryers “Polaris”, “Tefal”, “Kitfort” have good reviews.
How to check the readiness of berries
First, turn off the electrical appliance and allow the raspberries to cool.. Then take one fruit and press on it. Large raspberries crumble into grains, while small ones seem hard and dry.
Reference! If the raspberries crumble into dust when pressed, they are too dry. If juice is released from it or it remains elastic, bends, but does not crumble, it means that it is not completely dried.
Properly prepared raw materials have a red or burgundy color, but not a gray or brown tint.. The berries remain intact. The aroma is more pronounced and the taste is concentrated than that of ripe fruits.
Drying raspberry leaves in a vegetable dehydrator
In the fruit and vegetable dryer, not only berries are prepared, but also raspberry leaves. They make delicious and healthy teas, a seasoning for desserts and cold drinks.
Leaves are collected at the beginning of the plant's flowering, in clear, dry weather.. The greens chosen should be bright green, firm and young. Dark, fading leaves, specimens with spots, deformations, compactions, and dry areas are not suitable. It is important that there is no dew on the plant, so it is better to collect it from dew until noon, when the concentration of useful substances is highest.
Like fruits, leaves are not washed. They are sorted by hand, cleaning them from adhering debris and insects. Place in the dryer in several layers. The device is set to a temperature no higher than +30...+40°C so that the essential oils do not evaporate (therefore it is better to harvest the leaves simply in the shade). Every hour the raw materials are turned over, separated, and stirred. Drying usually takes no more than 6 hours.
Terms and conditions of storage
Dried raspberries and their leaves are collected from the racks, using a spatula if necessary. Glass jars are suitable for storage - in paper bags and fabric bags the shelf life of raw materials is reduced approximately doubled.
Containers must be hermetically sealed. It is not recommended to use metal and plastic containers, which may react with the product, reducing its quality.
Keep the workpieces in a dark, dry place: pantry, cellar, kitchen cabinet. The shelf life of the fruit is approximately 1 year. After this time, the raw material loses its taste, color, and nutrients. Raspberry leaves can be stored whole or crushed for 2 years.
Conclusion
An electric dryer allows you to dry raspberries at home as simply and quickly as possible. At the same time, the quality of the product is no lower than when drying fruits in the open air. This preparation is stored for a long time and does not lose its taste, shape and aroma. The main thing is to follow the step-by-step instructions when using the device and store the raw materials correctly.