Preparing berries correctly: how to dry blackcurrants in an electric dryer

One of the simple ways to preserve blackcurrants for the winter is drying. If the climate does not allow drying the berries in the sun, use an electric dryer. Dried fruits lose about 80% of their original weight and volume, but they retain up to 70-80% of their nutrients, including sugars. Now you’ll find out how to dry blackcurrants in an electric dryer.

Is it possible to dry currants in an electric dryer?

During canning, due to heat treatment, most of the beneficial substances in berries and fruits are destroyed. This deficiency is especially evident when preparing vitamin-rich berries, which include black currants.

Canning is not the only way to store fruits for a long time. Drying has a much gentler effect on the berries than cooking. Thanks to this, they retain more nutrients and vitamins.

Drying in an electric dryer is a long process. But it has a large number of advantages compared to other methods of preserving blackcurrants.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of drying berries:

1. Dried fruits retain almost all useful substances.
2. During drying, blackcurrants shrink significantly in size, requiring less storage space. This is especially true in cases where the product is crushed using a blender to a powder state.
3. Long shelf life of berries.
4. Dried currants are immediately ready to eat.

Disadvantages of this method of preserving berries:

1. Requires purchase of an electric dryer.
2. The process is long.
3. There are slight changes in the taste of the fruit.
4. It is important to follow strict storage rules, as cold, heat and high humidity promote the spread of germs and mold.

Some people also consider the high nutritional content of dried foods to be a disadvantage. 100 g of black currant contains 5 times more calories than 100 g of fresh fruit. This is due to the fact that during the drying process, water leaves the berries, but all the sugar remains.

Proper collection and preparation of berries

Currants become ripe in mid-July. At this time they begin to sell it almost everywhere. When choosing berries for drying, it is important to pay attention to their appearance. They must be dry and not heavily soiled or damaged.

If berries are picked from your own bush on the site, then do it in sunny and dry weather in the morning or evening. The harvested crop must be sorted. Only fully ripe and whole medium-sized berries are left for drying. The remaining currants are usually used to make jam or compote.

It is also not recommended to dry dirty fruits, as they will not be stored for long. Therefore, they are first prepared for the drying process:

1. Gently rinse under running water, placing in small portions in a colander.
2. After washing, the stems of the currants are torn off, leaves and other debris are removed.
3. The fruits are laid out on a cloth and allowed to dry. Even a small amount of moisture will cause rot over time. Therefore, they are laid out in one layer at a short distance from each other.

How to properly dry currants in an electric dryer

The drying process is simple.Before you begin, you will need to prepare clean containers, jars with lids, or paper bags. They will store the dried product.

It is also important to first line the baking sheets with parchment paper. The fact is that the berries will greatly decrease in size during drying. This will lead to the fact that they will not stay on the mesh of the dryer tray and will fall onto the body.

After this, the blackcurrants are laid out in an even layer on pallets. Do not crowd the fruits, as they must dry on all sides.

Drying temperature and time

The temperature on the electric dryer is set to +60…+65°C. The berries must be dried for at least 50 hours with breaks at night.

Important! Periodically, the pallets are swapped (if the electric dryer is multi-tiered) so that they dry at the same time.

Precautionary measures

Precautions when working with an electric dryer:

1. During operation, be sure to place some heat-resistant material under the device, for example, a thick cutting board or ceramic tile.
2. Do not install the device close to a wall. The distance must be at least 10 cm.
3. It is not advisable to work with an electric dryer for more than 15 hours at a time. Allow the device to cool for at least 2 hours.
4. It is important to ensure that the power cord does not touch a hot surface or hang over the edge of the table.
5. During operation, the electric dryer must be on a flat and solid surface.
6. Do not cover the device while it is turned on with a cloth, towel, rag, etc.
7. After finishing use, the dryer must be disconnected from the network.
8. It is not advisable to leave a working device unattended.
9. Do not touch the dryer with wet hands.

How to check readiness

When all the blackcurrants are dried, they will become wrinkled, black with a red tint and will have a faint, peculiar aroma. The berries are cooled and transferred to a paper bag, plastic container, glass jar or plastic bag with a ZIP-LOCK lock. Then they are sent for storage in a dry place.

Nuances for black, red, white currants

The process of drying red and white currants is no different from drying black currants. Everyone does exactly the same.

Areas of application of prepared berries

Dried black currant berries are used in winter as a valuable source of vitamins. They are used to prepare teas, compotes, and jelly. Liqueurs and tinctures are made from dried fruits.

These currants are also used to decorate dishes or prepare fillings for desserts. To do this, the fruits are pre-soaked in clean water for several hours.

Pies, cakes, rolls, and cookies are made from dried berries. Almost any dessert for which fresh fruits are used can be easily adapted to dried ones. But it is important to remember that dry currants have a much higher calorie content, so it is advisable to reduce its amount.

Dry berries are suitable for making pancakes, puddings, and cheesecakes. The main dishes, such as pilaf, are especially interesting.

Terms and conditions of storage

The shelf life of dry blackcurrants under the right conditions is 24 months. The product is stored at temperatures up to +20°C and air humidity no more than 70%. The room must be ventilated, so a pantry is not suitable. In an ordinary house or apartment, the best place would be the corridor.

When using glass jars with lids or plastic bags with a ZIP-LOCK lock, storage in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment is acceptable.

It is not recommended to store the product in iron cans, since in them, in 2 weeks, all the currants will be saturated with an iron taste. If you don’t have the necessary utensils, cardboard boxes will do. The main thing is that they close tightly.

Important! Before storing the berries, be sure to allow them to cool to room temperature. Otherwise, condensation will appear in the packaging, which will cause mold to develop.

Drying currant leaves in an electric dryer

Currant harvesting is not limited solely to berries. Very popular among gardeners leaves this plant. They are used to make tea. The result is a delicious drink with a pleasant aroma. Therefore, many people also dry currant leaves to preserve them for the winter.

Currant tea It has not only good taste, but also medicinal qualities. It is used to combat colds, which most people suffer with the arrival of autumn and winter. This tea is also used for preventive purposes. It helps maintain the required level of vitamins in the body.

Important! Although currant leaf tea is very beneficial, it has certain contraindications. It should not be drunk by people suffering from high stomach acidity and peptic ulcers.

Currant leaves for drying are collected early in the morning or in the evening. The weather should be clear. Wet leaves will deteriorate very quickly, so if it has rained, it is better to wait until all the moisture has evaporated. For drying, it is advisable to choose leaves that grow in the middle of the branch.

The drying process is as follows:

1. The leaves are laid out on pallets in a thin layer.
2. The dryer is heated to 100°C for 10 minutes.
3. Then trays with leaves are placed inside for 1.5 hours.
4. After this, the temperature is reduced to 50°C and wait until the raw material is completely dry.

During drying, be sure to ensure that the leaves do not begin to brown or dry out. Otherwise, they will lose their beneficial properties.

Conclusion

Black currant is one of the healthiest berries. Although its fruiting season is very short, those who prepare dried fruits in the summer will be able to enjoy them throughout the year. Drying currants does not require much effort as it is a simple process. It allows you to preserve vitamins and other beneficial substances that are destroyed during preservation.