During apple season, we sometimes don’t know what to do with them and how best to preserve them. We cook jams, jellies, make pastila, and try to preserve late varieties for the winter… However, it is very important that apples not only keep well in winter, but also that they preserve as many of the nutrients as possible. The easiest and cheapest way to preserve apples for the winter is to dry them. That’s why I dry apples for the winter. And in this article, I want to share my experience.
About the benefits of dried apples
Everyone knows about the useful composition of apples – a large content of iron and other minerals, all sorts of vitamins and other substances. What is interesting is that these substances are not destroyed during drying. This means that dried apples, just like fresh ones, will supply the body with essential nutrients all winter, making us more beautiful and healthier.
Dried apples are more caloric than fresh ones, because 6 kg of fresh apples produce approximately 1 kg of dried ones. Therefore, they are concentrated, they contain more of everything compared to fresh apples. They are recommended for sports nutrition and for everyone who leads a healthy lifestyle or wants to lose weight. The peculiarity of dried apples is that the nutrients from them enter the bloodstream very quickly.
Drinks made from dried apples have a diuretic effect and a general strengthening effect on the body, and also promote good digestion.
What can be made from dried apples?
Traditionally, dried apples are used to make compotes. I do the same. But I don’t boil the apples. I put them in cold water, bring them to a boil, and that’s it. I immediately remove them from the heat. And I let it steep under the lid until it cools down a bit and the apples swell. This drink is much tastier and healthier, because it retains all the nutrients.
You can also make tea from dried apples. To do this, put them directly into a cup and pour boiling water over them, then cover with a saucer and let it sit for a while. Or add some dried apples to a regular teapot and brew it together with black tea or any other. This method will enrich the taste of the tea and add vitamins to it.
Dried apples can be eaten without any processing, for breakfast, for example, with porridge. Or you can eat them in front of the TV, instead of chips, which is much healthier.
For those who like to “eat away” stress with candy, it is recommended to replace sweets with dried apples, this way you will get less sugar in the blood, and vitamin B, contained in apples, will additionally take care of your nervous system.
By the way, nutritionists recommend eating at least 75 g of dried apples per day, which is equivalent to two fresh apples. Making dried apples at home is very easy.
Which apples are suitable for drying?
The first thing you need to do is to pick the apples correctly. I pick them straight from the tree using a fruit picker. I make sure they don’t get damaged when they fall. Fallen apples can also be used, but in this case, the quality of the dried product may decrease.
It is best to dry sour or sweet and sour varieties, such as Antonovka. You can also dry sweet apples, but drying them is worse.
The day of harvest should be dry and sunny.
How to dry apples for the winter in the open air
Next, I carefully examine each fruit, all the apples should be smooth and even. Before drying, the apples should be washed and patted dry with towels. They can be peeled, but I leave them as is, because the apple skin also contains a lot of useful things.
Some people advise to take out the core with a knife or a special device. I don’t do this, I dry everything together, in my opinion, tea or compote from such apples is more aromatic. I just cut the apples into circles about half a centimeter thick. I try to make them all the same. The thinner the circle, the faster it dries.
And in the middle I carefully make a hole with a knife, through which I will then thread the rope. I have a regular synthetic one for the garden. Only clean, never used.
To prevent apples from darkening during drying, they can be dipped in a saline solution (2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water) or a solution with citric acid (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water) for a couple of minutes. Then the apples should be dried a little again with paper towels and a rope should be threaded through the hole.
The most important thing in drying apples is to choose the right place. They should be dried in a well-ventilated place and not in the sun. That’s why I hang bundles of apples on the veranda, in the shade in a slight draft. And this should be done in dry weather. In five to seven days, the dried apples are ready.
How to Dry Apples Indoors
It is good to dry apples outside, but what to do if the weather is bad, if the rain does not stop pouring? Then you can dry the apples in the oven.
Place the circles on a wider baking sheet, in one layer. You can put them on baking paper. The whole process takes about 6-8 hours. Just remember that the oven door must be kept open during the drying process, as the apples will evaporate a lot of water. The temperature must first be set to +50°C, and after about an hour, raise it to +70°C.
I don’t like drying apples in the oven because there is always a risk that they can dry out too much or even burn. Or something can go wrong and the apples will turn out boiled, not dried. So, in my opinion, it is easier to do it outside, and it is more economical.
There are also special electric dryers for apples and other fruits. Perhaps for someone this is the most convenient option, they are automatic and maintain all temperature conditions themselves. All you need is to lay out the apples and press the button.
But, again, electric dryers consume electricity and, plus, vitamins are still lost during heat treatment. It turns out that drying apples outside wins over other methods, it is both cheap and accessible to everyone.
How to Store Dried Apples
When the dried apples are ready, I take them off the string and put them in a paper bag. You can use a cardboard box or a cloth bag for storage.
Dried apples should be stored in a dry place, the temperature can be room temperature. It is important to ensure that they do not get wet or damp anywhere, otherwise the apples may become sticky, lose their taste or even become moldy. The room should be well ventilated.
Dried apples should be kept away from aromatic products or herbs, otherwise they will absorb foreign odors. If these conditions are met, dried apples will last a year or even more and retain all their beneficial properties.
Dear readers! Unfortunately, we cannot eat fresh fruit all year round. So now is the time to think about how we will provide ourselves with vitamins in winter. Dried apples are perfect for this purpose.
