TOP 6 ways to prepare prunes at home for the winter

Prunes are a unique product used both as a dessert and as a complementary ingredient to various dishes. They are made by drying any type of plum, but to achieve a tasty and, most importantly, healthy product, you need to know the intricacies of preparation. Below, we'll explore how to properly prepare prunes at home and what you'll need.

The specifics of harvesting prunes at home

When preparing the product at home, keep the following nuances in mind:

• Regardless of the fruit's size, remember to remove the pit. It won't be needed in the final product;
• plums should be chosen larger, because during the drying process they will significantly decrease in size;
• When drying plums in the oven, place them on a baking sheet with the cut side up.

Selection and preparation of fruits

When choosing fruits for preparations, you need to pay attention to:

• Plum quality. The shelf life of fresh prunes is significantly longer;
• there should be no signs of disease on the plum skin;
• Do not choose soft, pliable plums.

Preparation involves thoroughly washing the fruit. This removes debris and insects, which will improve the taste and shelf life of the final product.

Methods for preparing prunes for the winter

Prepare dried plums for the winter you can do it in the following ways:

• using an electric dryer;
• in the oven;
• drying plums in the sun;
• using an air fryer.

We use an electric dryer

If you have an electric dryer at home, use the following method:

• we prepare the fruits;
• we place them on a tray with the cut side up;
• set the temperature to 50 ^O and wait 3 hours;
• after the specified time, increase the temperature to 60 ^O;
• after 6 hours, increase the temperature to 75 ^O;
• We wait another 6 hours.

Please note: Remember to swap trays every 60 minutes.

Between temperature increases, you should take a break of 1-2 hours to allow the workpieces to cool slightly.

Cooking sweet prunes

To get a sweet treat you will need:

• remove the seeds from the fruits without dividing them into slices;
• cover the peeled plums with sugar and let them sit for 24 hours;
• then we put the container on the fire and let it boil;
• remove from heat and stir thoroughly so that the syrup covers the entire surface of the dessert;
• As soon as the syrup has cooled, pour everything into a colander to get rid of excess liquid;
• we divide the fruits into halves and place them on a baking sheet;
• We put it in the oven at a low temperature and dry the preparations for 3 hours.

Dry in the oven

In the oven, the prepared product is subjected to heat treatment for 5 hours at a temperature of 50 ^OAfter the specified time, the prunes are turned over and the temperature is increased to 70 ^OWe wait another 5 hours and take out the baking tray.

Drying fruits in the sun

Prepare the plums and place them on a baking sheet. Place it in the sun and let it ripen for about 5 days. Remember to put the tray indoors at night and turn the prune halves occasionally.

Air fryer

To prepare prunes using an air fryer, you should:

• heat the prunes for 40 minutes at a temperature of 60 ^O;
• take a break of 1 hour and repeat the procedure twice more;
• The next morning we repeat the cycle again, increasing the drying time to 1 hour.

Seedless option

To make pitted prunes, wash the plums thoroughly and then divide them into two equal halves. Remove the pits, and blanch the plum halves for 40 minutes in boiling water with a small amount of citric acid.

Storage conditions and rules

Dried plums should be stored in airtight, sterilized containers. Store the containers in a cool, dry place. Under these conditions, prunes have a shelf life of up to 6 months.

Please note: Don't be lazy in checking your supplies periodically, removing any spoiled cloves.

What can be made from prunes?

From prunes you can:

• roll up the compote;
• preserve the jam for the winter;
• Prepare main courses. To do this, you need to make preparations without sugar, as many recipes don't include this product in the ingredient list.

A detailed list of dishes and cooking techniques can be found on our portal.