How to dry pumpkin seeds at home: in the oven, in the microwave, in a frying pan

You can dry pumpkin seeds at home in many ways, using modern kitchen appliances for cooking various dishes at high temperatures. Each method is very simple, but has its own small features that you should know to get tasty and healthy pumpkin seeds.

The benefits and harms of dried pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are not only tasty, but also useful for the human body. They are rich in a whole range of useful minerals and vitamins. In this case, the variety of pumpkin does not matter. Scientists have noted that the maximum benefit from pumpkin seeds can be obtained by eating them raw. But in this form, they quickly deteriorate and are difficult to clean. It is possible to preserve useful qualities for a long time only in dried kernels.

Harm from dried pumpkin seeds can only be obtained with excessive use of this product or in case of individual intolerance to the vegetable.

How many calories in dried pumpkin seeds

Fans of such a snack should pay attention to the fact that the calorie content of dried peeled pumpkin seeds is 559 kcal, while the calorie content of dried unpeeled pumpkin seeds is almost 2 times less, namely 197 kcal. They can easily satisfy the feeling of hunger and can be used as a small snack.

Despite the high calorie content of dried pumpkin seeds per 100 g of product, doctors recommend using them in diet meals as often as possible, but in small quantities. For benefit, do not abuse if you do not want to gain weight. It is enough to eat 10-15 pieces. in a day.

How to prepare pumpkin seeds for drying

Preparation for drying at home has its own small features. It must be done correctly so that the seeds are intact and clean of pulp fibers. This will keep them longer. After the inside of the seed chamber is completely removed from the pumpkin, proceed as follows:

1. They take part of the removed core and manually separate the seeds in one direction, the pulp in the other (it can be used later for making soups, sauces and other dishes).
2. The seeds collected in this way are placed in a colander and washed under running cold water until the viscous fibers of the pulp are completely removed. At the end of washing, the surface of the peel should be slightly rough.
3. Spread out on a kitchen paper towel and soak with a napkin on top to remove excess water.

It is advisable to leave it to lie on the paper for a couple of hours so that excess moisture evaporates, and then proceed to the main drying process.

How to extract pumpkin seeds

It is not difficult to get pumpkin seeds, as they are in one place – in a chamber located in the middle of the vegetable.

How do:

1. Ripe pumpkin cut in half.
2. Scoop out the fibrous core with a large spoon.
3. Put in a deep bowl or on a tray.

On flat dishes it will be more convenient to separate the seeds from the fibrous pulp.

How to dry pumpkin seeds at home

You can dry pumpkin seeds at home from both table and fodder species. The main thing is to get them out of the pumpkin in time, not to overdo the ripening process and not to collect them unripe. The most delicious and healthy – in a fully ripened pumpkin in the garden.

With the advent of various kitchen appliances developed by manufacturers to help housewives, it became possible to dry pumpkin seeds using any of these devices:

• oven;
• electric dryer;
• microwave oven;
• aerogrill;
• frying pan on the stove.

Each method has some features and at the same time allows you to get a tasty, nutritious and healthy product. You just need to choose the best method for yourself and use it. And for this, it is necessary to decide on what drying is carried out for: to store or immediately consume the prepared product.

How to dry pumpkin seeds in a pan

It is recommended to take a drying pan for those who want to cook a product with a ruddy skin so that even the air is saturated with its aroma. For this:

1. Put the pan on medium heat, heat for 3-5 minutes.
2. Reduce the fire, pour the prepared seeds.
3. Stir continuously with a wooden spatula so that the seeds do not burn, but dry out evenly.
4. When the seeds are ready, they are poured into the dishes, and not left in the pan. Otherwise, they may dry out.

For drying in a pan, use a small fire. The lower the temperature of the pan, the longer the drying time. But the more qualitatively the kernels dry out and do not burn. On average, drying in this way takes no more than 20-30 minutes.

How to dry pumpkin seeds in the oven

The oven can be gas or electric. In any case, drying pumpkin seeds in the oven allows you to get an evenly dried product. They do it like this:

1. Preheat the oven at 200⁰From about 10-15 min. Reduce the heating temperature to the lowest possible.
2. Prepared clean pumpkin seeds are laid out in even layers on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
3. Set to medium to dry evenly from top to bottom.
4. Check for taste and mix at least 2 times during the entire time in the cabinet.

Keep the door slightly ajar at all times. The seeds should turn brown and hard. To complete the drying process, you need to remove the baking sheet, pour the contents into a dry dish and let the grains cool completely.

How long to dry pumpkin seeds in the oven

There are two ways to dry pumpkin seeds in the oven, which differ in time and heating temperature:

1. The long way will take from 1 to 1,5 hours. At the same time, the oven is heated to a temperature of 60-80⁰C.
2. Express drying will only take 20 minutes, but the heat needs to be brought up to 180⁰With and in this mode to dry.

Otherwise, to dry pumpkin seeds in the oven, you need to act the same way in both cases.

How to dry pumpkin seeds in the microwave

You can also dry pumpkin seeds in the microwave. It is suitable for those who do not want to wait a long time, but want to enjoy the delicacy immediately. For this:

1. Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a flat plate.
2. Put in the microwave and turn it on at maximum power for 3 minutes.
3. During this time, open the door a couple of times and mix the seeds.

This method is very simple and fast. But in order to really enjoy the taste of the grains, the pumpkin seeds should be dried in the microwave followed by a complete cooling of the product: they must be removed and allowed to stand for several minutes before use.

How to dry pumpkin seeds outdoors

The easiest and most reliable way is to dry in the fresh air. It is only necessary to spread the seeds on a tray or other flat dish in one layer and put in a dry and well-ventilated place for at least 2-3 days. It is recommended to cover the dishes with one layer of gauze, protecting them from insects and settling dust.

If the seeds are left in the apartment, then you can just forget about them for a few days. If it is possible to leave them outdoors, then you need to make sure that the weather is dry and sunny. At night, the tray should be brought into the house so that they are not saturated with moisture from the night air and damp. Seeds dried in this way will not have a spicy taste, but they will retain all the useful substances.

How to dry pumpkin seeds in an electric dryer

The electric dryer is designed for drying vegetables, fruits, berries, mushrooms. It can also be used for seeds. At the same time, it must be remembered that the upper and lower pallets are interchanged 1-2 times during the drying time so that the product does not burn.

How to proceed using an electric dryer:

1. Seeds are laid out on grates in one layer.
2. Turn on temperature 80⁰C.
3. Hold for about 1 hour and turn off.

If there are few seeds, then it is better to use only the middle pallet. In this case, it is enough to set the desired mode.

How to dry pumpkin seeds in an air fryer

If you use an air grill, then you need to remember that ventilated air enhances the drying process several times. Therefore, do not set a very high temperature. Recommended grill setting:

• temperature – 60-70⁰WITH;
• airflow – maximum;
• time – 30-40 min.

Definition of readiness

It is possible to understand that the seeds are sufficiently dried for long-term storage by several signs:

• outwardly, the seeds acquired a light beige hue and a clear edging;
• a thin film located on the surface of the peel is easily removed from it;
• if you press on the seed from narrow sides, it easily splits open, and inside there is a tasty dark green core with light blotches.

Ready-to-eat innards should not crunch when chewed, feel moist and have a specific taste.

Rules for storing dried pumpkin seeds

Store pumpkin seeds in an unpeeled form, in a dry and dark place at a temperature of 23-25⁰C. So, they will retain their useful properties and taste qualities longer.

The best storage containers are cloth bags, paper bags or dried glass jars that have air access. It is recommended to store by dividing the dried fruits into small batches in order to avoid spoilage of the entire product if some grains are unsuitable.

The shelf life is no more than 1 year. Longer storage is not recommended, as the seeds lose their beneficial properties. The stored product should be checked periodically so that when the humidity rises, it can be dried in time.

Purchased pumpkin seeds, as a rule, do not store for a long time. They are processed with special preservatives, spices and flavors. Therefore, they quickly lose everything useful that was in the product, and acquire an unpleasant rancid taste.

Conclusion

Drying pumpkin seeds yourself at home is easy. Currently, there are many ways to do this using modern kitchen appliances. Some rules should be followed and the result will be much better than the purchased one – fresh, moderately dried, tasty and healthy pumpkin seed kernels.