Dried pumpkin seeds: all methods of preparation - how to dry pumpkin seeds at home

Of course, ready-made dry seeds can be bought at any store, but a product prepared independently will bring much more benefits to the body, since the drying process will be completely under your control. We will talk in detail about how to properly dry pumpkin seeds at home in this article.

Preparing seeds for drying

The type of pumpkin does not matter when preparing seeds. You can use both table and fodder varieties.

Cutting the pumpkin in half reveals the seed chamber. The seeds are located in a bunch, and not throughout the pulp, as, for example, in a watermelon, so collecting them will not be difficult.

Next, the seeds need to be washed under running water. They are often shrouded in viscous fibers, so you need to rinse the seeds until they become clean and rough to the touch.

To dry the seeds from excess moisture, lay them out on paper towels and blot them with a napkin. It is best to leave them in this form for a couple of hours, and then proceed directly to drying.

Watch the video from the “AllrecipesRU” channel - How to remove seeds from a pumpkin and prepare them for further drying

Methods for drying pumpkin seeds

On air

To do this, the raw materials are laid out in one layer on trays or flat plates lined with clean paper. Newspaper sheets are not suitable for drying, as printing ink is very toxic.

The container with seeds should be placed in a dry, warm and well-ventilated place. To protect the product from settling dust and insects, the trays can be covered with gauze cloth.

Natural drying takes quite a long time and takes approximately 15 – 20 days.

In the oven

Oven drying takes significantly less time. Moreover, you can dry using this unit in two ways:

• Clean seeds are placed on a baking sheet in one layer and placed in a cabinet heated to 60 - 80 degrees. To prevent them from burning, the contents of the baking sheet must be stirred every 30 minutes. The door is kept ajar. Drying time varies depending on the size of the seeds, but the average is 1 – 1.5 hours.
• The express oven drying method takes only 20 minutes. The seeds are exposed to temperatures elevated to 180 degrees.

Watch the video from the channel “Culinary News and Recipes” - Pumpkin seeds in the oven

In a frying pan

Drying pumpkin seeds in a frying pan will take no more than 15 minutes. This process requires your constant presence, as it requires constant mixing of the product. Dry the seeds over medium heat.

In an electric dryer for vegetables and fruits

Fill the grates with a single layer of pumpkin seeds. The temperature regime is set at 60 - 70 degrees. To ensure uniform drying, the pallets are periodically rearranged. If you miss this moment, the seeds on the lower tiers will burn, and the upper ones will remain raw.

In the microwave

Place a small portion of seeds on a flat plate covered with a paper napkin and place it in the microwave. The seeds dry in 2 minutes at maximum power of the unit. If this time is not enough, then the procedure is extended for another 1 minute.

Watch the video from the “Kukhmister” channel - How to quickly fry pumpkin seeds in the microwave

In a convection oven

Drying in an air fryer lasts 30 - 40 minutes. The blowing power is set to maximum, and the heating temperature is 60 - 70 degrees. To ensure good ventilation, the unit lid is left slightly open. If this is not done, the moist air will have nowhere to escape and the seeds will remain wet.

How do you know if the seeds are dry?

Properly dried seeds acquire a yellowish color, the peel becomes dense with a clear outline. The transparent film must slide off easily from the seeds. The color of the kernel is dark green with whitish inclusions. If you bite into a seed, it should not be wet or crunchy from overdrying.

How to store dried pumpkin seeds

Dry seeds should be stored in a dark, dry place.Storage containers can be canvas bags or glass jars with tight lids. The shelf life of seeds is 1 year.