How to store pears at home, when and the best ways
You can enjoy the taste of fresh pears to the fullest without any problems during the ripening period, and to enjoy the fruits longer, you need to properly prepare them for storage. Many summer residents often wonder how to properly store pears, because their pulp, unlike apples, has a juicier and softer consistency and, with long-term savings, can become tasteless and trigger the process of decay. With the creation of favorable conditions, the selection of the desired variety, you can achieve the desired result.
Features of storing fruit at home
Preserving pears has a lot of features, unlike other fruits. In order to enjoy a healthy and nutritious product in the winter, it is necessary to choose the right variety, harvest the fruits according to the recommendations and organize all the necessary conditions for their further storage.
The best varieties for long-term storage
If stored improperly, after a short period of time the fruit will become absolutely tasteless. In order for this not to happen, first of all, you need to choose the right variety. To do this, use winter varieties and send unripe fruits taken from the tree yourself to storage.
Autumn
The varieties are distinguished by a long shelf life without loss of taste, and have impressive cold hardiness. Among these varieties.
Marble
The fruits of this variety ripen in early autumn, have an average weight and a regular round-conical shape. The surface of pears is smooth and thick with small subcutaneous dots, has a yellowish color, but most fruits are a mottled blush. The pulp has a creamy shade and a coarse-grained structure. The taste is soft, delicate, tasting score of 4.7 points. Variety of high commercial quality desserts.
Favorite Yakovlev
The fruit weighing 150 g has a classic pyramidal shape. The surface is matte, dark green with a bright blush, numerous subcutaneous spots are noticeable. The pulp of a creamy shade is characterized by its homogeneity and juiciness. The fruits contain more than 8.6% sugar and have a slight acidity. The variety is suitable for long-term transportation and has a universal purpose.
Autumn winter
After a long storage, the fruits of autumn-winter varieties do not lose their juiciness and integrity, provided that all conditions are met. The following varieties can boast of such characteristics.
Bere Bosc
Large-shaped fruits, weighing more than 180 g, are covered with a thin, rough skin of yellow-brown color with visible orange spots.
The fruit contains 9% sugars.The pulp is juicy, but when stored in the refrigerator, it becomes drier and crispier. The variety tolerates long transportation.
Elegant Efimova
The fruit is medium in size, weighing up to 185 grams. The skin of an amber tint takes on a rich burgundy hue over time. The pulp is snow-white in color, characterized by a pleasant aroma and abundant juiciness. The fruit is sweet, tangy, with a slight acidity.
Winter
Winter varieties can be stored for about 4-5 months in a cool place, while their taste is not inferior to summer varieties. Their main feature is frost resistance and the ability to retain their taste for a long time.
Help
The fruits are pear-shaped and weigh about 150 g. The skin of the pear is smooth, pleasant yellow, without spots. More than 40 kg of harvest can be harvested from 1 tree. The pulp is not watery, creamy. The taste is pleasant, reminiscent of a peach, has no bitterness and sourness. The variety is intended for universal use.
Charles Cognier
The variety is characterized by large fruits weighing up to 300 g. Strong, bright yellow skin. The pulp is white, juicy, with an attractive blush, has a sweet taste, somewhat reminiscent of chocolate and a pleasant aroma. A variety for desserts, withstands long-term transportation.
How to properly store until ripe
Fruits should not be picked from those that have fallen from the trees, but unripe, picked alone from the branches. Dropping ripe fruit can destroy the integrity, and the resulting cracks of any size will cause rapid rotting. Therefore, they are not suitable for long-term storage.
It is advisable to start harvesting at technical maturity, easily identifiable by the yellowing of the fruit.
Pear is one of the fruits that has the unique feature of ripening after being removed from the branch. To do this, place it in a room with a temperature regime of 17-20 degrees and control the process, remove all ripe fruits and send them for storage in a cooler place. There are several methods to help accelerate fruit ripening:
- Send it to the refrigerator for a day, then leave it at room temperature. A sudden change in temperature will cause early ripening.
- Combine green pears with apples or bananas in a paper bag, or just leave next to the rest of the fruit. They will help release the substances necessary for rapid ripening.
Important! Rotten fruits should be immediately removed so as not to provoke the beginning of the decay process in the rest of the specimens.
Optimal storage conditions
In order for the pears to be stored perfectly and not lose their taste, it is necessary to organize optimal conditions, taking into account all the indicators.
Temperature
Pears store best at temperatures between 0 and 1 degree. At home, this indicator can only be achieved in a refrigerator. Also send the harvest to the pantry and cellar, the main thing is to make sure that the rest of the fruits, vegetables and curls are not affected.
Humidity
The humidity reading should range from 80 to 90 percent.
Lighting
It is recommended to give preference to darker rooms, since direct sunlight will significantly shorten the shelf life of pears.
How to prepare fruits before laying eggs for the winter
The readiness of pears depends on how they are laid for the winter.First of all, you need to make sure of the ripeness and juiciness of the fruit, as well as check the fruit for mechanical damage and decay processes.
Storage methods
There are several common ways to help preserve the flavor and health benefits of a fruit over the long term.
Fridge
Before sending it to the refrigerator, it is best to wrap each fruit in cling film or paper so that the fruits do not come into contact with each other. It is also best to store pears in plastic bags. Place the fruits in small portions so that they weigh less than a kilogram and cover them, leaving a small space for air to enter.
Freezer
You can store pears for a long time by freezing them. In this state, pears will last 7-12 months. To do this, perform the following steps:
- Select ripe fruits, wash them thoroughly and remove the core.
- Cut the fruit so that the slices are no more than 2 cm thick.
- Place the pieces on a towel until completely dry.
- Place in a food bag and store in the freezer.
Important! In order for the pear to retain its natural color, treat it with lemon juice.
Cellar
Pears can stand in a dark, cool room for a long time. To do this, you need to prepare wooden boxes and install them on shelves located at a distance of 15-20 cm from the floor. In this case, the room must be pre-treated against fungus by whitewashing the walls with a lime solution. Wrap each fruit in paper or place it between the fruits. You can also add sawdust. Use a piece of cotton as a blanket.
Basement
In the basement, it is recommended to carry out sanitary cleaning, preventive treatment of the premises against mold. To do this, use a sulfuric smoke bomb or paint the walls, ceiling and floor with whitewash. Before laying the fruits, it is necessary to carefully examine and make sure that there is no rotting process.
Spoiled pears should not be thrown away immediately, it is better to eat them first.
Underground
This method consists of digging a hole 50 cm deep and sending pears into it, previously placed in plastic bags with a small hole. Cover the top with spruce branches and force with boards. The fruits can be stored until spring.
Sandboxes
The sand will help keep the fruit dry, cool, and dark so it can rest through mid-winter and retain its flavor.
Features of storage with other crops
If you cannot store pears separately, you can find worthy neighbors for them.
Apples
Store fruit together based on overall ripeness. Winter pears and apples require the same conditions.
Grape seed
Grapes can be left with pears for a period of time. This berry actively releases ethylene and causes rapid ripening of fruits. Therefore, their long neighborhood is undesirable.
Additional tips and tricks
Before you start storing pears, here are some important tips to consider:
- The temperature should not exceed 5 degrees and drop to minus. Sudden changes are also undesirable.
- The storage room must be equipped with additional ventilation systems.
- It is important to equip the storage area with racks, but keep in mind that the further it is from the ground, the shorter the shelf life of the fruits.
- If the room is lit, damage to the fruit can be prevented by covering it with a dark, breathable cloth.
It is important to periodically check the condition of the fruits and, if spoiled fruits are found, to remove them immediately to preserve the rest of the harvest.