How to dry aronia

Chokeberry has a second name - chokeberry. To be more precise, the opposite is true: the correct name of the plant is chokeberry, but the second name - chokeberry - it got because of the similarity of clusters, but has nothing to do with it. By its qualities, it is closer to bird cherry, cherry, quince, hawthorn, dog rose, etc. They are united by the pink family to which they belong.

The berry of the plant can not be called tasty, it is rather an amateur. But it is difficult to argue about the usefulness of fruits. This is a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and minerals. Black chokeberries are harvested for different purposes: someone needs to prepare medicinal potions from it, someone uses it as additives in culinary dishes, and someone needs mountain ash for the preparation of cordial. Depending on the climatic conditions of the area where the shrub grows, the weather and the destination of the berries also depend on the timing of the harvest.

When and how to collect chokeberry for drying

If we talk about the exact timing of the collection, then they are not. Beginning of fruit ripening begins in September. Culture is growing almost throughout the territory of the Russian Federation. The taste of berries is tart, but pleasant. As additives in stewed fruit, jelly, jam, etc. it has no equal. It gives ready-made dishes a special note of piquancy, can act as the main ingredient, but this is more for an amateur.

Due to its composition, berries are used in both traditional and traditional medicine. They make medicines, decoctions, tinctures that can cleanse the body and remove toxins from it. She has many other healing abilities, which we will discuss later.

In order for the fruits to retain their value throughout the year, people dry or freeze them for the winter. Therefore, it is important to know when to pick and which berries are suitable for long-term storage.

Ripening time

The beginning of ripening in central Russia is the end of August. Ripening duration is mid-November. If in the southern part of the country you can start collecting in mid-September, then in the central part of Russia - not earlier than mid-October. But for the north, November will be the best month for collecting.

Worth to know! If the fruits are collected after the first frost, then they will be much sweeter. Lowering the temperature will remove astringency and “soften” the taste.

If the harvest is not collected on time, then it can remain on the branches until spring, if the birds do not peck it.

When and what berries to pick

Note that properly dried chokeberry can withstand long-term storage only until the next harvest, no more. In this case, all the value of the product will be preserved. One year is enough to prepare many different delicious dishes or healthy medicinal drinks from mountain ash.

Only ripe, not damaged berries, without rot, are suitable for drying. Residents of the middle zone can collect already in mid-October and before the first frost. Frozen chokeberry for long-term storage will not work.

How to identify mature

Maturity can be determined:

• by color of berries;
• a shade of juice;
• taste;
• density.

Mature chokeberry has a deep purple or black color. Juice secreted from the fruit has a dark purple hue. The taste is slightly sweet and tart. If you try to touch a separate instance, it should be resilient, but not hard.

Collection tips

Regardless of the purpose of further use of the chokeberry, the collection rules remain the same for everyone:

1. It is advisable to collect in the morning, after the dew has dried.
2. Harvest can not be harvested with high humidity. If a raw berry falls into a common basket, it will begin to rot and “infect” others.
3. Dry windless day is suitable for collecting.
4. Tanks for collection choose plastic or glass. An enameled bucket will do. But to collect in aluminum containers or galvanized is not recommended. Such dishes can affect the taste and spoil them.
5. Fresh berries cannot be stored for a long time at 18–20 ° C; they should be processed immediately.
6. Secateurs are suitable for cutting rowan bunches. You can use a sharp knife or scissors.

Important! Aronia inflorescences will feel comfortable in a wooden container and will be able to overwinter if fresh fern leaves are laid between rows. Moss is also suitable, only it should be dry.

How to collect

Chokeberry is not collected in separate berries, but cut in whole clusters. To do this, it is best to use secateurs. Separated from the stalk before cooking or as needed. Rowan is cut along with the branch on which it is located. It is not only fast and convenient, but also useful to the plant itself. Cut clusters help the tree recover faster. A fresh crop must be put into business as soon as possible, i.e. either cook something from them, or send to dry. Thus, it will be possible to preserve valuable substances and useful properties of the plant in the fruits.

How to prepare fruits for drying

Already during the collection, preparation begins. Carefully scan the berry for damage and rot, remove debris and other unnecessary items.

Upon arrival, they carefully sorted out again, remove excess debris and dirt, and eliminate damaged fruits.

Wash before drying is not recommended. With further heat treatment, all microbes will die. If you are used to thoroughly preparing everything and the washing process is important for you, then you can do it. Just before drying, you need to put them on paper napkins or a towel and dry thoroughly from moisture.

Depending on the selected drying method, the removal of the stems also depends. So, if you decide to use an oven or an electric dryer, you will have to separate.

How to dry aronia at home

At home, chokeberry can be dried in different ways:

• in the oven;
• using an electric dryer;
• in the air grill;
• on a thread, etc.

Moreover, the first three methods imply a quick process. Those. the process will take several hours, but not days.

It is important to set the correct temperature so that the fruits do not burn. Color violations will indicate a color change. Black-fruited should not change its color. If after drying it becomes reddish or brown, then the process was not carried out properly. Such a berry, of course, can be used in cooking, but in terms of medicinal purposes, the product will be useless.

If they should not change color, then appearance can. They are slightly crowded due to lack of moisture. Check their readiness for storage by pressing. If they do not secrete juice, then everything is in order, if juice still appears, then the process should be continued.

In the oven

1. We lay out the selected fruits on a baking sheet, preferably in one layer.
2. Preheating the oven is not worth it.
3. Put the pan in the oven and set 40 ° C.
4. Dry for 30 minutes, then increase the degrees to 60.
5. The process continues until ready.
6. We take out the baking sheet and let the mountain ash cool.
7. We send for storage.

In the process, the berries are slightly agitated so that they are evenly dried. This is especially important if they lie tightly to each other and are poured in several rows.

The oven door is not tightly closed; you can open it a little for the necessary circulation and rapid evaporation of moisture.

In an electric dryer

The electric dryer is a unit designed for drying fruits, vegetables and berries. Therefore, there is no particular need to participate in the process. The main thing is to set the correct temperature and time.

1. Sprinkle one layer of berries on pallets.
2. Set the proper temperature.
3. You can set the time not for a full cycle, but divide it into three stages. Then, at the end of one of the stages, you can swap pallets.
4. Set 50 ° C, and an hour before readiness, reduce to 40.
5. Drying time - 3 hours.
6. At the end we take out the semi-finished products, check them for readiness and send them for storage.

In the microwave

A microwave will not give the desired result. It is not suitable for drying berries, as it is not adapted to such functions. And the microwaves emitted by the technology will have a detrimental effect on the contents of the chokeberry.

In the air grill

The microwave can easily be replaced with an air grill. The device has everything you need for this: tools, such as a mesh pan, and excellent airflow, which will be very useful when drying.

1. We select large ripe fruits and spread on a pallet in one layer.
2. It is important to leave the cover slightly ajar during the process. For this, any backup, such as skewer, is suitable. This is done so that hot and humid air can escape.
3. We set the maximum blowing speed.
4. The temperature should be 60 ° C. Time depends on the size of the berries. The process can take half an hour or an hour.
5. Check the berries for readiness. If they are sufficiently dried, let them cool and send them to storage. If you are not ready, load again into the grill.

In the sun

This option is suitable for those who do not care about the value of the product. Ultraviolet will destroy some of the useful elements contained in mountain ash, so if you plan to use chokeberry as additives in other drinks and dishes, then this is your method. But for the preparation of medicinal potions, it will be useless. But if you calculate how many of the same useful substances heat treatment “kills”, then the chances are equal.

1. We lay out fabric or paper on the grass and pour black chokeberry on it. It is better to use special flat boards or pallets so that they can easily be brought into the house at night.
2. From above we cover with light cotton fabric from birds and dust.
3. At night, we bring it into the house.
4. Tidy regularly so that the chokeberry is evenly dried.
5. Dry until fully cooked.

The process may take several days. The disadvantage of this method is that it all depends on the weather. If it goes bad and it rains, then the fruits will disappear.

In the shadow

This method is designed for a dark secluded place in the form of an attic or canopy. In the same way as in the sun, we lay out the fruits, cover with a thin cloth or paper on top and dry until tender.

The second option is a bit more complicated. To do this, we select large specimens and string them on a thick thread. Then we hang them in a darkened room. When stringing, make sure that the berries are at a distance from each other. We dry, check and, if everything is in order, send it for storage.

Cluster drying

It is not necessary to separate the berries, as there is a way to dry with brushes. After the cut from the tree, we cluster the bunches with bundles of strong thread and hang them. Thus, it can be dried in the sun and in the shade. The main thing is that there is access to fresh dry air and a small breeze to blow.

You can just pull a strong rope and place grapes cut from branches on it. Dry until fully cooked. This option, of course, is simple, but rather risky. If the balance is not observed, then the brushes may fall, and even the berries themselves, after drying, can separate from the stem and appear on the ground.

In both cases, the fruits are kept until completely dry. After that, they are separated, placed in prepared containers and sent to the "storage".

How to store dried chokeberry

For storage, glassware or plastic containers are suitable.Cotton bags can be used. Paper bags are also suitable.

The container should be airtight and not leak moisture, so it is better to choose dry and dark places for long-term storage. Sunlight can negatively affect the beneficial qualities of berries.

If the blanks were made naturally, without the use of home appliances, then they can be stored for no longer than 8 months. The product dried in an oven, air grill or electric dryer is stored longer - 12 months.

What is the use of dried chokeberry

Before talking about the benefits of dry fruits of chokeberry, you should consider their composition.

Structure

Fruits contain a sufficient amount of nutrients that are useful and important for the human body, among which fructose, glucose, sucrose, tannins, and pectins should be highlighted.

Of the vitamins, we note group B. In terms of the amount of ascorbic acid, it is ahead of gooseberries, citrus fruits and even currants. For women, it will be important to know that blackberries have a rejuvenating effect and prolong youth due to the presence of vitamins E and R.

Note! For diabetics, the fruits will be beneficial, as it is a natural source of sorbitol.

From micro and macro elements it is worth highlighting:

• iodine;
• potassium;
• boron;
• manganese;
• copper;
• fluorine and others

Calorie content

Fruits are low-calorie foods, as they contain only 55 kcal per 100 g. In addition, they contain protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Benefit

For summer residents
Aronia has many positive aspects. It not only benefits the human body, but is also convenient from an aesthetic point of view. If you plant it in your own area, you can get healthy fruits, prepare them for the winter and prepare medicinal potions for a whole year. If you look from the other side, then the bush will also decorate your site, and on hot days it will save you from the scorching sun, if you hide in the shadow of its crown. Growing chokeberry on the plot is not only simple, but also profitable:

1. The site will be updated and become beautiful. A shrub with gorgeous greenery and large bright fruits will look great in the garden or in the garden.
2. The plant bears fruit well, even from one shrub you can collect a good crop.
3. During flowering, aronia attracts bees that are useful to other plants growing on the site.
4. Aronia is an unpretentious culture, does not require special care, quickly takes root in any area.

For health

1. Dried fruits are recommended for patients suffering from low acidity. It is enough to chew some dry berries to eliminate the problem.
2. Chamomile is useful for vitamin deficiency, it quickly compensates for the deficiency of C-vitamin and iodine, helps to cope with diseases of the endocrine system and thyroid gland, and is indicated for goiter.
3. For diabetics, there is an excellent recipe for infusion that will lower blood pressure, improve digestion, and dilate blood vessels. To do this, just chop the fruits and pour them with boiling water. Just do not use boiling water, it is better to use very hot water. Cover and leave for half an hour. Take 2 tbsp. 3 times a day. You can store the composition in the refrigerator, but not longer than 3 days.

Worth to know! Officially, chokeberry was recognized as a medicinal plant in our country in the early 60s, when it was proved that its fruits and leaves have a beneficial effect on health. Moreover, the evidence was supported by experimental material.

Aronia is capable of:

• regulate blood sugar;
• reduce acidity;
• remove excess fluid from the body;
• normalize digestion;
• prevent indigestion;
• lower cholesterol;
• help with anemia;
• prevent thrombosis;
• reduce bloating and eliminate gas formation;
• improve eyesight;
• calm the nervous system and normalize sleep;
• relieve seizures;
• relieve pain, etc.

Contraindications

Despite all its useful qualities, there are contraindications to its use. For example, children under 2 years old are not recommended to give the berry. And from 2 to 3 years, it is necessary to carefully enter it into the diet of the child. It’s worth checking to see if it causes an allergy. And do not forget that in the berries there are seeds, which are easy to choke.

In diseases such as gastric ulcer, gastritis, colitis or thrombophlebitis, doctors do not recommend consuming chokeberry berries in any form. But, if there is a desire, then you can consult your doctor and determine the dosage. So you do not harm your body, but only strengthen it.

For people with poor blood coagulability, as well as suffering from vascular diseases, such as varicose veins or blood clots, experts advise either to completely abandon the use, or reduce the dose to a minimum.

Caution should be given to people with kidney failure and urinary tract problems. The acids contained in the product can aggravate the situation and cause undesirable consequences in the form of stone formation.

It is strictly forbidden to people with individual intolerance and allergic reactions.

Remember that excessive consumption of the product is harmful even to a healthy person. Do not harm yourself and your loved ones, prepare healthy drinks and dishes to please them, give them pleasure and benefit their health.

Is it possible to freeze chokeberry

Of course, one of the methods for long-term storage of berries while maintaining beneficial properties is freezing. The main thing is to carry out the process quickly so that the sugar that is part of the composition does not turn into starch.

Late berries are suitable for freezing, i.e. harvested at maturity. To begin with, we cut them from the branches of the bush, clean and select suitable specimens. Berries should not be rotten, damaged or “diseased”.

We wash them, let them dry, put them in sachets or plastic containers and freeze them.

What can be prepared from dried chokeberry

From the dried fruits of chokeberry, you can cook many different dishes and drinks that will be not only tasty, but also healthy. Before cooking, regardless of the drying method and storage method, the berries are washed thoroughly.

Tincture

To prepare you will need:

• chokeberry - at least 100 berries;
• dried cherry leaves - a couple of bunches;
• citric acid - 2 tsp;
• sugar - 800 g;
• vodka - a couple of glasses;
• water - 1 l.

Cooking:

1. Wash and dry the berries. You can use paper towels or a towel for this.
2. We push the fruits along with the leaves and fill them with water.
3. Set to simmer for 7 minutes.
4. Add sugar, mix and continue boiling.
5. Pour citric acid and boil for another 20 minutes.
6. Cool and mix with vodka.
7. We insist a couple of days.

Such a tincture will perfectly cure a cold and relieve inflammation.

Liquor

It will be required:

• chokeberry berries - 200 g;
• dry cherry leaves - 100 g;
• water - 1 l;
• sugar - 800 g;
• vodka - 0.5 l;
• citric acid - 1 tsp

Cooking process
Reminds the previous, but there are some features:

1. Using a mortar or blender, grind pre-washed and dried berries.
2. Finely chop the leaves of the cherry and mix with mountain ash.
3. Fill it with water and set it on fire for 10 minutes.
4. Bring to a boil and add sugar. We do not stop the boiling process.
5. Pour a lemon and cook for 15–20 minutes.
6. Cool and mix the broth with vodka.
7. We insist for 5-7 days.
8. Pour into beautiful bottles.

Jam

What do you need:

• dried aronia fruits - 1 kg;
• water - for soaking;
• sugar - 500 g.

Cooking:

1. We rinse dry berries, pour boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. They must swell.
2. Drain the water, put sugar in a saucepan with mountain ash and put on a slow fire.
3. Cook, stirring constantly to completely dissolve the sugar.
4. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, turn off the gas.
5. We sterilize the cans with the lids.
6. We transfer the mass to the prepared container and roll it up.

Jam is especially useful for people after an illness, with weakened immunity and hypertension. For therapeutic purposes, it is eaten by 1 tsp. three times a day after eating. And healthy people can drink it with tea, spread on bread, etc.

Vitamin tea

Will need to cook:

• boiling water - 2 glasses;
• washed dried aronia - 3 tablespoons with a slide.

Cooking:

1. Pour boiling water over chokeberry and put on fire. Install a little gas.
2. We boil for about 7 or 10 minutes. We make sure that the liquid boils for a couple of minutes.
3. Remove from heat, cover the dishes with a lid and insist 2 hours.
4. For taste, add honey or sugar.

Before use, you can slightly warm it up and take it as tea.

Syrup

We will need:

• granulated sugar - 700 g;
• citric acid - 10 g;
• cherry leaves - 50 g;
• dried chokeberry - 1 kg;
• water - 700 ml.

Cooking:

1. Before cooking, thoroughly wash and dry the dried fruits, i.e. douse with boiling water and hold for 3-4 minutes.
2. We wash the cherry leaves, pour boiling water and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. We take out the leaves, and send berries to this water. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Pour citric acid into boiling water, mix and remove from heat.
5. We insist day.
6. The next day, filter the broth and mix it with sugar.
7. We put on a slow fire and with constant stirring, bring to a boil, but do not boil.
8. We prepare cans for syrup, i.e. we sterilize them together with covers.
9. Pour the syrup into containers and roll up.

Such syrup can act as additives in drinks, jellies, pastries. It is great for pancakes or ice cream supplements.

We met with chokeberry, or, as they used to call it, chokeberry. We know when to collect it, how to dry it, store it and what can be prepared from it. We learned about its miraculous properties and valuable composition. Collect black chokeberry, harvest for the winter, and the chokeberry will answer you with gratitude. She will save you and your loved ones from colds more than once, give strength after an illness, help cope with ailments. Be healthy!