How to dry rose hips at home

Most people with colds try to drink tea with lemon. Few people who prefer to make rose hips on such days. But it is in it that contains the largest amount of vitamin C, which successfully fights against a viral infection. Even in blackcurrant there is not as much ascorbic acid as there is in rosehips.

Worth to know! A known fact from the history of the Russian-Turkish and World War II, when the berries of a miracle plant, thanks to its useful properties, saved many soldiers' lives.

Next, we learn how to properly harvest the fruits for the winter, what drying methods exist and what can be prepared from them.

When can I collect rose hips for drying?

Rosehip is growing throughout our country, so there are no clear collection dates. It all depends on the region and the weather. If in the middle lane they start collecting in August (someone starts collecting in the middle of the month, and someone at the end), then in the southern part of Russia the berries ripen much faster. But in terms of harvesting, you can definitely say - fruits can be harvested before the first frost. Therefore, in the south, the period can stretch until November, while residents of the middle zone will finish the collection in October.

Gather rose hips as soon as the berries are ripe. They should not be allowed to overripe, since the longer they stay on the branch, the less nutrients remain in them. But they will be more pleasant to taste. A fetus that has overripe or has experienced sub-zero temperatures will have more sugar. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the goals. If you plan to keep the berries for the winter, then listen to the tips and observe the optimal collection dates. If you want to cook something from them the other day, then leave them on the bush and collect as needed.

Important! Proper collection plays a significant role in harvesting for the winter. If you do not comply with the deadlines and miss the time, then the collected late berries will be with less vitamin C at times.

General recommendations:

1. Harvest fruits as they ripen. It is during this period that the berries contain the maximum amount of important and useful substances for the human body.
2. To understand that the berries are ready for collection, you need to carefully look at the condition of the sepals. If it is bulging, then the time has come to harvest.
3. Another sign of maturity is color. The ripe fruit has a bright orange color or red. You can touch the berry and determine its readiness. If it is solid, then everything is in order, you can tear.
4. You need to collect rosehips for billets for the winter before the onset of the first cold weather.
5. If long-term storage is planned, then it is better to pick berries before they are fully ripened. In unripe fruits, there are a lot of vitamins and minerals, and they are also stored for a long time and dried perfectly. Such berries will have a sour taste.
6. It is better to take large specimens for winter harvesting, since they are considered the most useful.
7. Do not tear off the stem, but collect with it. After drying, it will easily separate.
8. The harvested crop must be dried in a short time, otherwise it will deteriorate.

Collection Tips:

1. It is better to collect raw materials in dry and sunny weather.
2. You can not collect fruits from shrubs growing near roads or railways, in places near production, chemical warehouses, and landfills.
3. No need to take damaged or diseased berries for long-term storage.
4. In the process, you should protect your hands as much as possible from damage by spikes. To do this, it is better to use tight protective gloves.

October 1 is considered the day of Arina Rosehip.On this day, according to popular belief, should be harvested. But since we cannot leave the fruits for a long time without drying, we will have to cook when the time comes.

Harvesting is only the beginning. Therefore, we will continue to consider how to prepare the harvested crop for drying and properly dry it.

How to prepare fruits for drying

Dried rosehip in value and content of nutrients is not inferior to fresh. And you can store it much longer. If you can’t collect miracle berries on your own, you can always buy them on the market, paying attention to the condition of the fruits so that they are not dull in color and wrinkled in structure. The time to buy is from September to October inclusive. In October, you can buy and collect only if the weather allows it, and there are no frosts.

1. First of all, the berries need to be sorted out and separated rotted, damaged or dry specimens. Then clean them from debris and dirt.
2. In no case can they be washed, otherwise the drying process may be delayed, or it will not work at all.
3. If there is an urgent need for washing, then this can be done before preparing decoctions or teas, i.e. brewing.
4. Sepals should not be torn off, since they also contain useful substances that will pass into the fruit when dried. They can be easily removed from dried berries.

There is another reason why the stem should not be removed: peeling the sepals can lead to loss of juice during the drying process.

How to dry rosehips

If there is no cottage or a country house, then in the fresh air it will not work to dry the harvested crop. So, we will prepare the preparation for the winter in the apartment. For this, an oven or an electric dryer is suitable for us.

You should know! When drying, most of the moisture reserves are lost, so the product will significantly decrease in size. Out of a kilogram of fresh fruits, only 250 grams of dried berries will remain.

In the oven

This method allows you to save all the important and valuable components for a person, and in time it will turn out much faster.

1. We prepare the fruits, clean them from debris, and discard rotten or damaged specimens.
2. We spread our crop on a dry and clean baking sheet, carefully distributing all the berries.
3. We put the baking sheet in the oven, set the temperature to 40 ° C, and after an hour we raise to 50 ° C. We leave the door slightly ajar to get rid of excess moisture. Preheating the oven is not recommended.
4. In the process we take out the baking sheet and shake it. You can carefully rotate the fruits themselves so that they are evenly dried in the oven and not burnt.
5. Drying time will take at least 7 hours. In the process, the oven temperature can be raised to 60 ° C. But this is the maximum possible temperature. At higher degrees, the destruction of the vitamin complex in the fruits cannot be avoided.
6. Do not be afraid that the color of the rosehip will become dull and darken slightly, and the fruits themselves will wrinkle. This is as it should be. The berries should not be allowed to turn brown or darken considerably. This is a sign that the set temperature was high. Watch degrees and do not burn.
7. We lay out the dried berries in a glass container and cover with gauze. You can use fabric or canvas bags for storage.

No need to rush to immediately lay out in containers, it is worth checking readiness by probing the berries. They should not stick to hands and other fruits and be soft. This is a sign that the berries have not yet “reached” the desired condition. You can extend the process for several minutes or let them “ripen” in a dry and preferably dark room.

If everything is done correctly, then you need to give them time to cool completely. Only then can they be placed in storage containers. Otherwise, un-cooled fruits in a sealed container may deteriorate and begin to rot.

In an electric dryer

A simple way, but takes more time than in the oven. The process can last 11 hours or more. The dryer is equipped with a dehydrator, which can dry properly without human intervention.

1. We lay the berries on pallets.
2. Set the temperature mode - not more than 65 ° C. It all depends on the size of the harvest. If the berries are large, then the temperature is higher, if the average size is not more than 50 ° C.
3. The process lasts from 11 to 13 hours.
4. During the preparation process, the pallets are periodically interchanged for uniform drying.

In the microwave

This is an unsuccessful drying option for several reasons:

1. When drying the rosehip in the microwave, it is impossible to ensure the preservation of the value of the product, since the radiation emitted by the technique will destroy it.
2. And the process itself in the microwave will not give a qualitative result. The fruits will not be able to dry as necessary for harvesting for the winter. They just won't dry out. The berries will be half dry, that is, on top, and inside they will remain unprepared for long-term storage.
3. The taste of the berries will change. It will become an unpleasant aftertaste, which will then be transferred to ready-made teas, infusions, preserves or decoctions.
4. Since the process takes a sufficient amount of time, the consumption of electricity will be significant for the family. Is it worth it to resort to such expenses if there is a simple option with an oven.

Based on the foregoing, we conclude that dogrose should not be dried in a microwave.

The microwave is suitable for drying rosehip leaves. They have less moisture, so they dry out faster. It is enough to put them in a dish, set the maximum temperature in the microwave. After 3 minutes, the leaves will be ready. The timer should not be set longer.

In the air grill

You can dry the harvest in aerogrill. And in time it will be much faster than in the oven or in the electric dryer.

1. We set the airflow at maximum speed.
2. We set the temperature to not more than 65 ° C. We look at the berries. If they are small, then set no more than 55 ° C.
3. Gradually increase the temperature during cooking.
4. The time it takes to dry will take no more than 4 hours. If the fruits are large, then you can add another 30 minutes. Cooking is not worth it, so as not to destroy the value of the product.

In the sun

This option is immediately excluded, since the effect of ultraviolet radiation has a detrimental effect on the contents of the crop prepared for drying. Most of the valuable components will be destroyed. You can not dry the rosehip in the sun, because in the end it will not be a useful product, but only raw materials to give the drink a sweet and sour taste.

In the open air

But in the fresh air, and even in a darkened place, would be the perfect solution. Such places can be well-ventilated dry rooms, such as an attic, a veranda, a summer kitchen, etc.

Stages of drying:

1. We sort through the berries and prepare worthy specimens.
2. We spread any clean paper or newspaper on pallets and sprinkle dogrose on them. Watch the weather. If minus temperatures are announced at night, the fruits must be brought into the heat, and again taken out into the fresh air in the morning or in the afternoon.
3. During drying, occasionally teddy berries, so that they are dried evenly.
4. After 2 weeks, we check the readiness. A fruit that is ready for long-term storage will break if pressed.
5. If the berries are ready, do not rush to send them for storage. We pour them into cardboard containers and give them several days so that they can finally get rid of moisture.

This method is considered the most effective, but not for everyone, since not everyone has suburban homes, plots of land or cottages. And the weather can ruin the whole thing. If it rains, then you can’t avoid spoiling the crop, because with high humidity it will begin to rot.

How to store dried rosehips

For storage, glass containers, tin containers or bags are suitable. The bags should be small in size on a fabric basis, such as cotton. Cardboard boxes will do.The main thing is that they are clean and new, so that they did not previously store strong-smelling objects or substances. Otherwise, the rosehip will absorb foreign odors and will be unsuitable for consumption.

Tips:

1. The container must be “breathable” so that the berries do not deteriorate during storage.
2. Before laying out the containers, the stalks are removed. To do this, just rub the fruits with your hands: the sepals themselves will disappear.
3. The places in which the rose hip is stored are dry rooms, it is advisable that direct sunshine does not fall there. Ideal place would be wardrobes in rooms or pantry.
4. When using cans, do not cover them with lids. As a “closure” we use a fabric that allows good air permeability, or gauze from several layers.
5. Do not store berries next to products or objects that emit a pungent smell.
6. Plastic bags for storage are not suitable. They can only be used for freezing.
7. You should periodically check the dried product and stir it up so that there is no mildew.
8. Subject to all recommendations, dogrose can be stored for 2.5–3 years.

Useful properties of dried rosehips

Properly dried berries will retain the beneficial elements found in fresh fruits. This is a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Rosehip can be safely called a champion in the amount of ascorbic acid. In addition, it has many other vitamins, such as E, P, K, A, B-groups, etc.

If we talk about calories, then per 100 g of dried product accounts for 280 kcal. It has a sufficient amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats. It is not only valuable, but also a nutritious product.

We list the useful properties of dried raw materials:

1. Strengthens the cardiovascular system. It has been proven that rosehip is able to normalize blood pressure, lower cholesterol, preventing the formation of blood clots.
2. Activates the digestive tract. With regular intake of decoctions with the addition of rosehip berries, metabolic processes in the body normalize.
3. Helps with vitamin deficiency. The product has a sufficient amount of nutrients that can quickly make up for the lack of vitamins in the body. Decoctions of dried rose hips will be especially indispensable in the spring and winter.
4. Beneficial effect on the liver. Cooked teas, infusions or decoctions will restore the cells of the body and neutralize bile.
5. Increases protective properties, strengthens the immune system. Due to the high concentration of vitamin C, the body's ability to resist viruses and infections increases.
6. It has anti-inflammatory properties. They successfully treat colds, relieve inflammation.
7. Refreshes blood. Fruits normalize cholesterol and saturate with useful elements.

This is an incomplete list of positive properties of a miracle plant for humans.

What can be prepared from dried rose hips

From dried fruits, you can prepare many delicious drinks and dishes:

• compotes;
• infusions;
• jelly;
• jam;
• herbal teas;
• jelly and others

Let's give some cooking recipes. Before use, the berries must be thoroughly washed. It is recommended that the prepared drinks be filtered to filter out excess particles.

Before describing recipes, we will learn how to brew rose hips correctly.

1. The berries are thoroughly washed.
2. Grind with a knife or pass them through a meat grinder. You can use a food processor.
3. Pour boiling water, but not cool. Temperature - no more than 90 ° C.
4. We put in a water bath and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat, fill in a thermos and insist for half an hour.
6. We filter and accept.

Worth to know! Grinding miraculous fruits is necessary in order to get the maximum nutrients from berries. Whole rosehips will not give the drink a full complex of vitamins and minerals contained in it.

To enhance valuable properties and improve the taste of wild rose can be prepared as part of other healthy berries or herbs.

Tea

Process:

1. Pour 6 tablespoons of chopped berries into a thermos, add 3 tablespoons of hawthorn and 8–9 lemon balm leaves to them.
2. Pour boiling water and insist. The process of insisting takes at least 4 hours. You can make such tea in the evening and leave it to insist for the night. Then the drink will have time to fully satiate.
3. Then filter the finished tea, add honey if necessary. The prepared phyto tea will be tasty not only in a warm state, but also in a chilled state.

Often the volume of the prepared infusion is greater than expected. Leftovers can be poured into glass containers and stored in the refrigerator, but not longer than 2 days. Without a refrigerator, the broth cannot be stored for longer than 10 hours, otherwise the drink will deteriorate.

Decoction

To prepare the broth you need a small handful of berries. Process:

1. Pour them with boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Cool the drink slightly, add honey if desired (sugar can be diluted) and take.

Kissel

To prepare you will need:

• 100 grams of dried product;
• 2 liters of water;
• 1 cup of sugar;
• 50 grams of starch.

Cooking:

1. First, fill the washed berries with water and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Then we filter.
2. Add sugar and mix well until sugar particles are completely dissolved.
3. We dilute the starch with a small amount of water and add it to the rosehip sweet drink.
4. We put the mixture on a slow fire and bring to a boil. Stir constantly to avoid lumping.
5. If you wish, then add a couple of lemon slices to the kissel.

Which is better: dry or freeze rosehips

To understand which is better: to dry or freeze, you need to know both processes. If we understand everything about drying, then we still don't know anything about freezing. Let's get it right.

Freezing berries is another option for preserving food for the winter. Moreover, the value of miracle fruits is preserved. The washed fruits can be laid out in plastic bags and sent to the freezer. You can freeze both whole berries and pre-ground. Often, plastic containers are used as containers.

But the shelf life will be less than that of dried rose hips. Whole foods are stored in the freezer for only a year, and in frayed form even less: no longer than 9 months.

Before freezing, the berries are washed thoroughly and thoroughly dried with paper towels or a towel.

The process does not take much time. The only minus is the shelf life is shorter than when drying. Therefore, to answer the question, what is better, a dried product or frozen, can only the hostess herself.

Conclusion
Properly dried fruits of a miracle plant will benefit your family and friends, help cope with a cold in the cold of winter or autumn, and relieve vitamin deficiency in the spring. If you follow all the recommendations and listen to the tips, then such a product can be stored for several years. Be patient and make preparations for the winter. Be healthy!