Is it possible to dry viburnum and how to do it at home

Natural products are undoubtedly better than synthetic vitamins. To provide the body with elements important for functioning and maintaining activity, traditional medicine suggests using viburnum regularly.

Since the period of its ripening in nature is limited, the berries are harvested for future use. There are different ways to preserve the taste and benefits of viburnum. One of the most popular is drying.

Is it possible to dry viburnum

Viburnum is undemanding to storage conditions; fresh it is stored in the refrigerator for 5-6 months at a constant temperature of + 5 ... + 8 ° C. Then the berries wither, lose their characteristic taste and aroma, and become unusable. The new crop will ripen only in late September - early October.

To keep the viburnum longer, and so that the berries do not lose their beneficial properties over time, it is dried. This is the best option for the procurement of raw materials, in which the content of biologically active components will change slightly, without loss of healing qualities.

The advantages of drying viburnum:

• vitamins, micro- and macroelements in the composition of fruits are minimally lost;
• no chemicals are used;
• preparation does not require much time, additional financial expenses, special culinary skills;
• with a large harvest, the amount of harvested products is not limited, for example, by the volume of the freezer, as is the case with freezing.

The disadvantages are mostly natural drying: it is a long production cycle, which depends on weather conditions.

What is the use of dried viburnum

Viburnum berries are used as a vitamin and anti-inflammatory agent, a stabilizer for the immune system.

Tea made from dried berries tones up, replenishes the lack of nutrients (fruits contain vitamins C, K, P, E, B3, B9, selenium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, iron, etc.). With existing diseases of the respiratory system, tea acts as an antipyretic, diaphoretic, relieves the severity and intensity of cough, soothes irritated oral mucosa.

Berries enhance the contraction of the heart muscle, they are used to treat and prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis, ischemia, myocardial infarction, arterial hypertension). Flavonoids in fruits strengthen the walls of capillaries and blood vessels, stabilize blood pressure.

The tool has a diuretic effect, removes excess fluid from the body, relieving cardiac and renal edema. Berries stimulate digestion, have choleretic properties.

Viburnum is good for the digestive system. Fiber cleanses from toxins, helps to restore the balance of microflora, stimulates intestinal peristalsis, and activates metabolism. Pectins help to cleanse the digestive tract.

Due to the B vitamins, berries have a beneficial effect on the nervous system:

• stimulate brain activity;
• reduce the degree of psycho-emotional stress;
• increase endurance and work capacity;
• improve memory and concentration.

Kalina is a powerful natural antioxidant that neutralizes the harmful effects of free radicals on the cells of the body, minimizing the risk of developing cancer.

Viburnum berries are a popular cosmetic product in home skin and hair care. They tone up, protect against the negative effects of external factors, stimulate collagen production, regulate the work of the sebaceous glands, and inhibit inflammatory processes.

Reference. Decoction and infusion of dried berries help stop hair loss, stimulate hair growth, and restore structure. Hair becomes soft and silky without dandruff.

Kalina is well accepted by the body, and side reactions are extremely rare. Berries can harm the body in case of allergy to the product, severe renal / hepatic failure, thrombophlebitis. Fruits should be eaten with caution by persons with hypotension, an increased volume of red blood cells in the blood, a high level of hemoglobin, an increased concentration of formed elements and plasma (hematocrit).

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How to properly collect viburnum for drying

The fruits ripen from August to October, but it is better to collect them after the first frost, since under the influence of low temperatures the bitterness disappears or becomes less pronounced. The berries are harvested at full maturity, cutting with pruning shears together with the stalk to retain most of the juice.

Preparation of berries

If you are aiming to dry whole bunches, it is enough to rinse them thoroughly with running water, put them in a colander to drain excess water, put them on a cotton towel or hang them to dry.

To dry the viburnum in the oven, electric dryer and other methods of harvesting, the berries are removed from the branches, spoiled and soft specimens are removed, and the stalks are removed.

How to dry viburnum

Drying is the removal of liquid from the berries by evaporation... There are many ways to dry viburnum at home. The specific method is chosen depending on the degree of ripeness of the berries, their density, the economy of the process, the required state of the final product.

If weather conditions permit, the berries are dried outdoors under natural light. An electric dryer, microwave or oven facilitate and speed up the preparation of raw materials by changing temperature, humidity, and pressure.

On air

Drying in the open air is the most affordable way to harvest berries. It does not require special devices, technically sophisticated equipment and takes place under natural light, air temperature and humidity.

How to air dry viburnum:

1. Rinse the prepared berries thoroughly to clean water, remove the stalks, transfer to a colander to glass the liquid.
2. Spread the fruits in an even layer on a cotton towel to absorb the moisture. Wet raw materials take longer to dry and store less.
3. Fold the viburnum in a shallow container and leave in a well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight.
4. Turn the berries daily with your hands so that they do not get locked.
5. Dry to dry indoors or under a canopy at night.

On average, the process takes 5-7 days, depending on weather conditions. The optimum air temperature is + 25… + 30 ° C.

Viburnum is dried in the open air and in bunches. Small bunches are formed from the branches, tied with a thread, tied down with berries in a well-ventilated place where there is no sunlight. To protect the fruits from dust, precipitation, bacteria, the bundles are pre-placed in paper bags.

In the oven

The oven is ideal for preparing viburnum for the winter; it allows drying at any convenient time, regardless of weather conditions.

How to dry fruits in the oven:

1. Rinse the prepared berries and dry them on a cotton towel.
2. Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper, transfer the viburnum, put in a preheated oven up to + 60 ... + 80 ° C.
3. Dry the viburnum with the door slightly open, occasionally stirring the berries with your hands.

In an electric dryer

The electric drier significantly speeds up the harvesting of berries, reduces the production cycle to several hours, while natural drying takes at least 5 days. This technology of processing raw materials allows to fully preserve the organoleptic properties of fruits (taste, color, aroma).

A significant disadvantage of the method is that when high temperatures are used, the chemical composition of the product changes and the amount of elements useful for the body decreases.

How to dry viburnum in an electric dryer:

1. Prepare the berries beforehand, remove the spoiled and soft, rinse several times until clear water. Remove the remaining moisture with a paper towel or put the raw material on a cotton cloth folded in several layers and let it dry naturally.
2. Spread the fruits evenly on pallets, set the appropriate temperature regime (optimally + 60 ... + 80 ° C). Due to the dense skin, slow drying is possible. The harvest is accelerated by pre-blanching the berries in boiling water for 10–20 seconds.

How to check readiness

The readiness of the fruit is determined by its appearance. Properly dried berries are round, shriveled and slightly flattened, firm to the touch, mild aroma, sweet taste, with a slight bitterness.

Terms and conditions of storage

Dried berries are packed in sealed glass containers or plastic containers. The workpiece is stored in a dry, well-ventilated room, out of the sun.

Reference. In fabric bags, the shelf life of raw materials is reduced by 2 times.

Under optimal conditions, the berries retain their taste and benefits throughout the year.

How and where to apply

In cooking, fruits are eaten fresh or frozen, ground with sugar or honey, tea is brewed, processed into juice. Jellies, jams, compotes, syrups and jelly are prepared from the juice of viburnum fruits. Berries are used as an ingredient in sauces for meat and fish dishes, added to fruit salads, baked goods, pastries, honey, marshmallow, and jam are made.

Interesting! The fruits are especially well combined with mountain ash: viburnum softens the bitterness of mountain ash, and that gives the dish a pleasant taste and aroma.

Kalina is a popular product of diets and fasting days. Berries have a low calorie content (26 kcal per 100 g), provide a balance of nutrients during weight loss, remove excess fluid from the body, relieving it of edema. Fiber removes toxins from the intestines, enhances its peristalsis.

Dried, fresh and frozen berries are used as medicinal raw materials. On their basis, a decoction, infusion for external and internal use is prepared. Fresh berries are used as a diaphoretic and choleretic agent, used for respiratory diseases, diarrhea, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, as a general tonic for colds.

For the treatment and prevention of dermatitis, wound healing and burns, freshly squeezed viburnum juice is used.

Other procurement methods

At home, in addition to drying, other methods of harvesting viburnum for the winter are also practiced.

Fresh in the refrigerator

Viburnum brushes are washed to clear water, dried, packed in bags for storing food and placed in the refrigerator, in the compartment for vegetables / fruits.

Freezing

To increase the shelf life, viburnum is frozen in whole bunches, but it is allowed to separate the berries first. The fruits are not pre-washed, as they do it immediately after defrosting. To remove excess moisture, the berries are laid out on cheesecloth folded in several layers and left for 4-5 hours. Then they are transferred to plastic containers or special bags for freezing. In this form, raw materials are stored for 12-24 months.

Drying

Pure berries without stalks are dipped in hot water and blanched for 3-4 minutes to remove the bitterness. After that, it is slightly dried, sprinkled with sugar (250 g per 1 kg of raw material) and left for a day at room temperature.The next day, the resulting juice is drained, the fruits are again poured with 250 g of sugar and kept for a day at room temperature. The juice is removed again, and the viburnum is poured with hot syrup made from sugar and water. After 5 minutes, the syrup is drained.

The fruits are evenly laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and placed in an oven preheated to + 85 ° C for half an hour. When the berries are completely cool, they are transferred to an airtight glass or plastic container.

Pureed viburnum with sugar

The berries are separated from the branches, the stalks and spoiled specimens are removed, washed to running water, dried on a paper towel. Mix the fruits with sugar in a 1: 2 ratio, turn into a homogeneous mass using a blender, food processor or meat grinder. Puree is stored in sterile glass jars with a sealed lid in a cool place. The shelf life is 12 months.

Juice

Clean and dry berries are processed into juice using a juicer. The resulting liquid is mixed with sugar in a 1: 1 ratio. The drink is poured into a sterile plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator.

Tincture

The tincture is used exclusively as a medicine for the treatment and prevention of seizures, respiratory infections, liver diseases, stomach and duodenal ulcers, cholecystitis.

Important! Before using the tincture for therapeutic purposes, consult your doctor first.

To prepare the tincture, 50 g of viburnum berries are combined with 500 ml of vodka (the proportion should be 1:10) and mixed. Insist in a dark glass bottle for 1 month. Store in a clean, dry container with a sealed lid, out of direct sunlight. The shelf life is up to 5 years.

Jam

Syrup is cooked from 1.5 kg of sugar and 500 ml of purified water. Add 1-1.2 kg of viburnum berries, stir, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Leave in a room at room temperature for 12 hours. Then boil again, boil for 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly and removing the foam. The jam is poured into sterilized jars and closed with metal lids. Keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 years.

Jam

1 kg of previously prepared berries is poured with 0.5 liters of water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes. Add 1.5 kg of sugar, mix and cook for another 40 minutes. Hot jam is poured into sterilized glass jars, rolled up.

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Conclusion

There are many ways to harvest viburnum for the winter. Depending on the destination, the berries are dried, dried, frozen, kept fresh, processed into fruit drink, juice, jelly, jam, marshmallows are prepared. For the treatment and prevention of various painful conditions, infusions and decoctions are made from the fruits. Subject to the harvesting technology, dried viburnum is not inferior in usefulness to fresh, available for year-round use, and not only during the ripening period in nature.