Rules and best ways to store apricots at home
Healing properties make gardeners think about how to properly store apricots so that they do not lose their beneficial qualities for as long as possible. It is important to be able not only to choose the right fruits, but also to choose a container and a method of storage for them. There are certain subtleties and secrets for each technique, which it is recommended to familiarize yourself with beforehand. This is the only way to choose the best option for yourself and have the opportunity to use the harvest as long as possible.
Rules for storing unripe fruit
If the fruits of apricots are not ripe, then eating them is dangerous for health. Such fruits can cause the most real poisoning, which is characterized by the following symptoms:
- to vomit;
- sharp pain in the abdomen;
- increase in body temperature.
It is recommended to wait until the apricots are fully ripe and only then can you eat them. If it is necessary to collect fruits that are not ripe on a tree, then you can not send them directly to the refrigerator. They will not ripen there. Each fruit should be wrapped in paper and placed in a wooden or plastic box, which is placed in a warm, well-ventilated room, protected from direct sunlight. The average ripening time for apricots is 5 days.
The main ways to store ripe fruits so as not to spoil them
Several proven methods of storing ripe apricots have been accumulated, allowing the use of the harvested crop for a long time. Each of them requires careful selection of fruits that do not show signs of rotting or mechanical damage.
In paper bags
Immediately after apricots are harvested from the tree, they are sent in paper bags. Such a container provides free access to air and prevents the formation of condensation, which appears when using plastic bags for storage.
In wooden boxes
It is allowed to store the harvested crop in wooden boxes, but this will require wrapping each apricot with parchment or other paper. Fruit with defects is not allowed to be stored in this way. The laying is done in several layers so that the fruits do not stick too tightly to each other. From time to time, inspections and checks are carried out in order to identify contaminated apricots and eliminate them.
If there are spoiled and high-quality fruits nearby, it will very quickly damage the entire bookmark in the box.
In the fridge
The shelf life of harvested fruits in the refrigerator is no more than 1 week. For these purposes, they use sealed plastic containers in which there is no access to oxygen. If you put the fruits in a standard bowl, they will retain their properties for only a few days.
In the event that the temperature indicator is kept at 0 C, then the crop is allowed to be stored there for 1 month.
You can send the harvested apricots to the freezer, cutting them into pieces, breaking them into 2 wedges or folding them whole into a bag or a special container for freezing. The fruits stored in this way retain almost all the beneficial properties.
Drying
Not all varieties of apricots can be used for drying. It is necessary to collect large, but not too juicy fruits. After the whole procedure, the weight of the fruit is reduced by at least 5 times. You can dry them both naturally and in the oven. Also for these purposes, specialized household appliances are widely used. The oldest and most proven method is to hang loose apricot wedges on a string in a dry, well-ventilated place. Pre-washed fruits are left for a while in water with the addition of lemon juice so that they do not darken later.
The natural drying method consists of spreading the apricot slices in a thin layer in a cool, well-ventilated place for several days. The slices should not touch each other. After that, they are taken out in the sun and dried for another 1 week. Ready fruits are sent for storage in packages or glass jars and consumed within six months.
If the drying is carried out in the oven, the grid is previously covered with a cotton cloth. After that, the apricots are laid out in a thin layer. First, the oven is heated to a temperature of +50 C, then gradually increase this indicator to +70 C. To dry evenly, turn fruit periodically. After 60 mins. apricots are transferred to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and continue to dry.The whole procedure takes 10-12 hours. The fact that the fruits are already ready is evidenced by the absence of secreted juice when pressed on them and the characteristic elasticity.
How to lie on a long bed
In winter, apricots provide the human body with essential vitamins and minerals, so it makes sense to take care to preserve the crop for a long time. It is important that the beneficial properties are fully preserved.
Frozen
When choosing fruits for freezing, you need to carefully study the varietal characteristics. Some varieties, due to their genetic characteristics, cannot be stored at low temperatures. The apricots are pitted before being sent to the freezer. In some cases, they are crushed and poured into ice containers.
For preparation and direct freezing, the following sequence of operations is followed:
- wash carefully and select suitable apricots;
- get rid of the bone and cut the fruit into portions;
- neatly laid out on a baking sheet and sent to the freezer;
- take out the frozen fruits and immediately put them in bags.
This procedure ensures uniform freezing and prevents the formation of a lump.
In the cellar
In the cellar, where the air temperature is maintained at +5 C, the apricots will keep for up to 30 days. They are pre-wrapped in thin paper and placed in fruit crates.
What to do if the fruit begins to deteriorate
If the stored apricots show the first signs of spoilage, you should immediately sort the entire crop. In no case should you store fruits that have defects with the good ones.
Contaminated fruit can be frozen or made into delicious treats:
- Jam;
- Jam;
- dough.
If the hostess does not have time to prepare at all, you can pick up an original recipe from the series "Five Minutes". Overripe apricots are even better for jam. The basic rule of preparation is that the sugar is exactly the same in weight as the fruit. Sorted and washed fruits are covered with the required amount of granulated sugar and left for several hours to extract juice from them. After that, they are sent to the stove, brought to a boil and kept for 5 minutes. The resulting mass is cooled and the procedure is repeated, then sent to jars and canned.
How long can you keep at home
At home, the harvested apricot crop can be stored for about 20 days. Upon further storage, they become loose, tasteless and lose their visual appeal. If you create optimal conditions, the specified period can be extended to almost 2 months. When placed in a refrigerator, the fruits retain their useful properties and commercial qualities for up to 10 days, after which the fibers gradually lose their original appearance and the structure of the fruit is disturbed. Frozen apricots can be stored for up to six months.
What to do with overripe fruit
If it happens that the apricots are overripe, they can be used for baking, culinary masterpieces and blanks. It all depends on taste preferences and the number of fruits. They also make excellent jams, juices, preserves and other preserves. Modern housewives use overripe fruit to make marshmallows. But previously, an excellent mash was prepared from overripe fruits and used for baby food.
Common Mistakes
When storing the harvested crop, both novice and experienced housewives can make a number of mistakes. In particular, apricots should not be thawed and then refrozen. They simply acquire a pasty consistency and become unfit for human consumption.
Only ripe fruit can be sent to the freezer. Unripe apricots will remain bland and tasteless at all. It should also be remembered that before harvesting it is necessary to wash the fruits and dry them thoroughly. If they are underdried, they will mold quickly and fade away.
Before use, frozen apricots are placed in the refrigerator for some time to achieve slow thawing. In room conditions, the room quickly loses its aroma.
You can only ripen apricots in a warm, well-ventilated place. The investment method does not play a big role in this regard. If you plan to lay the crop for long-term storage, then it should be harvested from a tree. It is unacceptable to take fruits that have dents or mechanical damage. Compliance with these simple rules will ensure long and successful storage of harvested fruits and provide an opportunity to replenish the supply of vitamins in the body for a long time.