How to dry blueberries

Dried blueberries have long won the love of adults and children for their pleasant, sweet and sour taste. This is one of the most useful berries, growing mainly in the north of Our Country. In addition to their attractive shape, due to which they often decorate birthday cakes, blueberries are rich in beneficial properties and are used in medicine. Based on it, alcohol tinctures and essential oils are prepared. In home medicine, it has also gained attention. Decoctions are prepared from it to prevent inflammation in angina.

The product contains 309 kcal per 100 g dried, as well as 0,9 g of protein, 0,8 g of fat and 72,3 g of carbohydrates. It includes vitamins P, A, B, C and elements of magnesium, iron and copper. Blueberries are rich in ascorbic acid, which is necessary to maintain immunity in the cold season and to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Due to this, the iron contained in the berry is absorbed by the body by 100%.

Drying blueberries at home is one of the rational ways to preserve berries for a long time. Due to the evaporation of water, its weight is reduced by 6 times, concentrating useful elements. The small mass of the finished product allows it to be compactly stored for a whole year.

The benefits of dried blueberries

Blueberries have long been used in medicine as a remedy for various diseases. It is used:

• to restore vision;
• strengthening the cardiovascular system;
• normalization of the digestive tract;
• gargling with anginal inflammation (in the form of a decoction);
• as a remedy for fungus;
• for the treatment of rheumatism and gout;
• to saturate the blood with oxygen.

The berry does not contain sugar, but only fructose. Insulin is not required for its processing by the body, therefore, by eating sweet blueberry dried fruit, you can enjoy sweetness, at the same time maintain health without overloading the pancreas.

Blueberries are used in cosmetology in the preparation of cream. Its healing properties restore the damaged epithelial layer, protecting the skin from drying out and peeling. The antioxidants contained in the berry promote cell renewal, so people with hereditary cancers are advised to eat it.

It is enough to eat 5-6 dried berries a day to be healthy and protected from viral diseases all winter. However, people suffering from diseases of the kidneys and pancreas should not abuse blueberries.

Preparing berries for drying

The first blueberry harvest starts in mid-July and continues until mid-September. When buying blueberries, this information should be taken into account so that they do not deceive and sell an overripe or underripe product. Fresh blueberries are dark blue in color and firm in texture. An overripe berry is softer, more watery, it needs to be dried longer than usual, it is suitable only as a filling in pies or dumplings. You can collect blueberries on your own by looking for them in a coniferous forest, on shrubs, or by growing them in a garden.

After collecting the fruits, they should be washed, laid out on a kitchen towel and allowed to dry naturally, without wiping by hand, so as not to crush the berries. It should not be exposed to the sun; under ultraviolet light, blueberries lose their properties and become covered with burns. While the fruits are drying, you can begin to separate them from the twigs and leaves, so that each berry is separate from the other, without debris.

How to dry blueberries at home

In order to dry enough blueberries, it should be borne in mind that from 10 kg of fresh product, approximately 1,7 kg of dry berries will be obtained as a result. The bottom line is to evaporate excess moisture from the fruit, while maintaining the basic structure. In any case, you should adhere to the following rules:

• do not overdo it with the temperature – the longer the drying process takes place, the better the berry will turn out;
• it is necessary to prepare the fruits by laying them on the dishes in one layer, without mixing with a homogeneous mass;
• do not leave blueberries in the sun and in a very humid environment to prevent mold and sunburn.

There are several ways to prepare berries for the winter in dry form:

• using special drying equipment;
• grandmother’s way – drying in the oven;
• a popular option is to spread the berries in the fresh air and let nature do its thing.

Blueberries can be mixed with other berries that are similar in structure, such as currants, and dried at the same time. With more watery fruits like raspberries or strawberries, blueberries should not be dried.

How to dry blueberries in an electric dryer

There is a special device for drying fruits and berries. To dry the collected product using such an apparatus, you should prepare the raw materials, and then follow the instructions:

1. Take a certain amount of blueberries, weigh them for control.
2. Arrange the berries on the trays in a single layer.
3. Collect the trays in the machine and set the temperature to +60 degrees.
4. It is necessary to cook blueberries in the dryer for 40 hours.
5. Remove the prepared berry from the apparatus, carefully pour it onto a newspaper and pour it into a container for storage.

The drying process is elementary, anyone can handle it. The main thing is to remember the duration of drying, do not rush, speeding up the process. Let the blueberries dry slowly but evenly.

How to dry blueberries in the oven

Cooking dry blueberries using a conventional oven requires a subtle approach and attention to important details. After preparing the berries, you must first clean them from twigs and debris. Next, follow the instructions:

1. Spread the blueberries in a thin layer on the oven pan, you can put them in 2 layers.
2. Set the temperature to 40 degrees and leave for 3 hours.
3. All this time, the blueberries must be stirred with a wooden spatula.
4. After 3 hours, raise the temperature to 60 degrees and dry until dried.
5. The finished berry will stick to your fingers, releasing fructose.

You should not overdry blueberries to the state of raisins, they will be hard and tasteless, like dry rose hips, which can only be thrown into tea or boiled from it.

How to air dry blueberries

For harvesting berries naturally in the fresh air, there are many ways and tricks that people resort to. The classic air drying method is as follows:

1. Choose a suitable place for the process, protected from direct sunlight. The main thing is the presence of hot air, which will blow through and evaporate moisture at the same time.
2. Lay gauze on a table or other horizontal surface.
3. Spread blueberries in one layer.
4. Air dry for 3 days, putting it indoors at night.

Some tricksters come up with air-drying devices, using hanging nets to protect the berries from flies and dust. Hot air freely penetrates into them, while the fruits are protected. This method is convenient in that the berries can be mixed by shaking the net, they do not stale, they dry separately from each other.

How can you use

The use of dried blueberries in cooking is widespread despite their appearance. Berry harmoniously complements confectionery, serves as a decoration on cakes. It can be used in the following options:

• add as a filling to pies, rolls, dumplings;
• mix with whipped cocktails;
• add to sweet cereals;
• cook kissels;
• sprinkle on cookies or ice cream;
• brew delicious blueberry tea;
• prepare medicinal decoctions;
• make jelly with blueberries;
• cook compotes with the addition of other fruits and berries.

Vegetarian dried fruit berry soup is a common dish. It is cooked within 35 minutes. Calorie content in 100 g – 335 kcal. Ingredients for 6 servings:

• cranberries – 60 g;
• raspberries – 100 g;
• cranberries – 100 g;
• blueberries – 100 g;
• ½ cup potato flour;
• sugar – 200 g;
• water – 3 l.

Method of preparation:

1. Pour the berries into a saucepan, cover with water.
2. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add potato flour and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve hot.

Blueberry jelly is another interesting dish. It will take 30 minutes to prepare, the calorie content of the product is 203 kcal per 100 g. The dish is designed for 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• sugar – 150 g;
• potato flour – 2 tablespoons;
• dried blueberries – 50 g;
• water – 500 ml.

Method of preparation:

1. Pour blueberries with water and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Crush the softened fruits with a spoon or crush and strain, keeping the broth.
3. Discard the cake, boil the water again, add sugar.
4. Add potato flour and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot or cold.

You can add dry blueberries to any sweet dish, sweets and dried fruits are harmoniously combined.

Terms and conditions of storage

With proper storage, blueberries can retain their qualities for up to two years. After this period, it begins to lose its medicinal properties and becomes unusable. The finished product must be transferred to boxes lined with paper, but not with newspapers, so that the ink is not imprinted on the fruit. It is better to use tracing paper or parchment. You can use fabric bags or wrap in gauze. The main thing is that air passes through the container or packaging.

Drying should not be stored in plastic containers, bottles or other air-tight containers. There is a risk of mold and dried fruit-loving kitchen moths. If the mole is wound up, you can get rid of it if you put the product in the refrigerator, but not in the freezer. The temperature should be kept positive. After a while, take it out of the refrigerator and sort out the fruits. Moths and larvae die at this temperature.

Conclusion

Using dried blueberries at any time of the year is like eating a living vitamin. It is safe to give to children and the elderly due to the absence of sugar. Fructose contained in blueberries does not affect the formation of caries and blood sugar levels. Dry blueberries are an exquisite treat for tea instead of sweets. Harvesting berries in dry form for the winter is the best option for year-round supply of vitamins to the whole family.