How to dry plums for the winter: all methods - preparing prunes at home

Preparing plums for drying

You can dry any variety of plums, but fruits that are hard and dense to the touch will hold their shape best. In this case, the product must be completely ripe.

The preparatory stage consists of several steps:

1. Sorting. When sorting through fruits, you should immediately exclude specimens with rot and various damage. Only the best fruits should be dried.
2. Cleansing. Fruits are washed under running water and dried with paper towels.

1. Removing seeds. Cut the plum in half and remove the core. This completes the preparation of pitted plums for drying. You can proceed directly to dehydration. If you plan to dry prunes with pits, then skip this step and follow all the other steps.
2. Blanching. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a liter of boiling water, and place the plum in this solution for 20 seconds. The amount of liquid is calculated so that the fruit is completely immersed in water. If necessary, increase the portion several times. This procedure is necessary in order to remove the wax layer from the surface. The skin should crack from being in boiling water, which will facilitate better evaporation of the liquid.
3. After blanching, the plums are washed under running water.
4. Finally, the fruits are thoroughly dried with paper towels.

All methods of drying plums

In the sun

The prepared plums are placed on racks or in well-ventilated boxes and placed in the sun. Every evening, containers with fruit are brought into the room and put back out only the next day, not before the dew has disappeared.

The total drying time is from 4 to 6 days. This depends on weather conditions and the size of the fruit.

After drying is completed, dried fruits need to be finally dried in the shade. This will take about 3-4 more days.

In the oven

To keep the baking sheet clean, cover it with baking paper. Drying can also be done on special racks. The prepared fruits are laid out in one layer. If the plum was cut in half, then it is laid skin side down.

Oven drying consists of several stages:

• 5 hours at a temperature of +50ºС;
• 6 hours at a temperature of +70ºС;
• until the product is ready at a temperature of +75…+80ºС.

Between stages, remove the pan from the oven, turn the prunes over and allow them to cool completely. Afterwards, continue the process according to the instructions.

Watch the video from the channel “Men in the Kitchen!” — How to cook prunes at home

In an electric dryer

The plums are also laid out on special pallets in one layer. If you are drying fruit halves, they must be placed cut side up.

The temperature during the entire drying period will vary:

• Stage 1: dry for 4 hours at a temperature of +50…+55ºС. We swap trays and turn the pieces over.
• Stage 2: dry for 4 – 6 hours at a temperature of +60ºС. We change trays and turn the plums over.
• Stage 3: until the product is ready, approximately 4 – 6 hours at a temperature of +75…+80ºС.

Watch the video from the channel “Ezidri Master” - Drying plums

In the microwave

To dry using the express method in the microwave, you need to use only hard fruits, otherwise the plum will turn into porridge.

So, remove the seeds from the fruit and place them in a flat bowl lined with a paper towel. The slices should be placed cut side up. Cover the top of the slices with a paper napkin.

Turn on the microwave oven at medium power for 3 minutes. At the end of this time, remove the napkin and place the food in the oven again for the same amount of time.

After the microwave beeps, set it to full power and dry the plums for another 1 minute. If this time is not enough, you can continue drying, checking readiness every 60 seconds.

How to store prunes

Ready dried fruits should be elastic and hard. They should not stick to your hands or crumble when squeezed.

Prunes can be stored for 1 year away from foods with a strong odor.

Containers with dried fruits - glass jars, plastic containers or bags - are best kept in the refrigerator. If the product is dried, it should be stored in the freezer.