How to dry honeysuckle for the winter at home

Honeysuckle berries are used not only fresh for making jam and compotes, but also dried for the winter. Under proper conditions, they retain most of the nutrients. Previously, honeysuckle was harvested in a Russian oven, but now they use other methods: in an oven, an electric dryer, a dehydrator.

Why dry honeysuckle

Dried honeysuckle can be stored for up to a year or more. The berries almost completely retain their properties. Pies, compotes, fruit drinks are made of them, added to biscuits, and decoctions are prepared for the treatment of various diseases.

Advantages and disadvantages of this procurement method

Advantages of drying honeysuckle for the winter:

• the absence of rough heat treatment guarantees the safety of most of the vitamins, minerals and other useful substances;
• the shelf life of dried berries is up to 1 year.
• ease of procurement;
• various uses of dried honeysuckle.

Among the disadvantages, it is noted that the berries become more sour. Because of this, more sugar is required during the preparation of various dishes. In addition, the appearance of the berries deteriorates.

How beneficial properties change

During heat drying, a significant part of the nutrients is retained. For example, the vitamin C content is reduced by only 20%.

Important! In the air, ascorbic acid and flavonoids are rapidly oxidized, so the fruits are dried at + 90 ° C, when the water quickly evaporates, and useful substances remain in large quantities.

B vitamins are more heat-resistant, so they are completely preserved when properly dried. The mineral composition of the berries remains practically unchanged. Depending on the drying method, the amount of minerals is reduced by 10-15%.

Selection and preparation of berries

Choose ripe or a little unripe berries. Only whole fruits are suitable for drying, without visible external damage.

If the bushes were not treated with pesticides or were done more than 25 days ago, the berries are not washed. If the treatment was carried out recently, the harvested crop is thoroughly washed, but make sure that it dries well.

How to dry honeysuckle

Prepared fruit spread in one layer on a clean cloth for several hours. This will remove some of the excess moisture.

Drying in an electric dryer

An electric dryer is a device specially designed for drying. The workpiece is carried out in accordance with the instructions attached to the device. Depending on the power of the dryer and the amount of berries that were put into it, the procedure takes from 2 to 4 hours.

A more professional device is a dehydrator. It will dry food evenly, without overheating, allowing you to precisely adjust the temperature.

In the airfryer

The airfryer is convenient to use for preparing dried berries. A small gap is left between the lid and the body of the device so that moist air does not accumulate inside.

The temperature is set at + 90 ° C. This will make the honeysuckle ready in 1 hour.

In the oven

Drying in the oven is the most common method at home, as it does not require additional appliances. Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay out the honeysuckle in 1 layer. Dry it at + 90 ° C until tender.

Important! Qualitatively dried berries retain their bright color, and when pressed, they do not emit juice or crumble.

Leave the oven door ajar during drying. The berries are turned over every 20 minutes.

On air

Air drying in the open air is the most economical but time-consuming method. The prepared berries are laid out on grates or plywood sheets with holes. The substrate must be pre-washed and dried.

The most suitable place for drying is under a canopy or in partial shade. There must be good ventilation. The berries are regularly turned over. Large fruits are conveniently strung on a thread and hung in a well-ventilated place.

Important! With this method, the berries are harvested more for taste than for benefit, since vitamin C is quickly oxidized in air.

Drying takes 8 to 15 days. It all depends on the size of the berries, temperature and humidity. If it rains, the fruits are brought into the room, otherwise they will start to deteriorate.

In the Russian oven

How to dry berries for the winter in the oven? To do this, they are laid out on baking sheets or grates and sent to the oven.... They try to keep the temperature within + 90 ° C. Every 40 minutes, the fruits are turned over and shaken.

Ventilation is important to remove humid air. To do this, slightly open the oven damper. The whole preparation takes about 3 hours.

The biggest disadvantage of this method is the difficulty in controlling the temperature level. It is very easy to dry out the product by spoiling it.

Drying honeysuckle twigs

Only green, non-lignified branches are harvested. Leaves are removed from them, collected in bunches up to 5 cm in diameter. Then they are hung in a well-ventilated room in the shade. The procurement takes 1-2 months.

Drying leaves

It is important to prepare the leaves correctly beforehand:

1. Before the flowering of the bushes with pruners or sharp scissors, cut off young shoots. It is better to make slices from different sides of the plant so that the harm is minimal. The leaves are separated from the shoots and laid out on a cloth in a dry and ventilated area.
2. Leaves are harvested at the beginning of mass flowering. To do this, they are carefully cut off or cut with scissors. Then they are laid out on paper or cloth and sent to a dark, well-ventilated place. Every day, the raw materials are stirred to prevent rotting. Dried on average up to 2 weeks.

During harvesting it is not recommended to pick off foliage. Thickening shoots are cut and collected in bunches. They are hung in a dry and dark place for 2-3 weeks. After that, the leaves are removed from the branches or left on them.

Storage rules for dried honeysuckle

The collected berries are stored in an airtight container without access to sunlight. It is better not to use bags for this: the shelf life of the fruits in them is reduced by 2 times.

They keep the product in a dry and cool place: for example, in a closet on an insulated loggia. The shelf life of dried honeysuckle is 1 year.

Application

Dried honeysuckle is used in cooking and folk medicine. Various fillings for dumplings and pies are made from berries, syrups, compotes are prepared. They are used as food coloring.

In folk medicine, berries are used to treat colitis, anemia, anacid gastritis, vegetative-vascular dystonia, prevention of colds and general strengthening of the body. Dried honeysuckle decoction edible used for migraines, hypertension, low stomach acidity, impaired memory.

Have edible honeysuckle there are contraindications: it should not be used for gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, hyperacid gastritis, allergic reactions.

Conclusion

Proper drying of honeysuckle allows you to use a useful product in winter. Under suitable conditions, the berries almost completely retain their nutrients. During cooking, the temperature is maintained at + 90 ° C so that vitamin C and flavonoids do not oxidize. Air drying is fine if the berries are to be used in cooking.