How to dry rosehips at home

Most people try to drink tea with lemon when they have a cold. Few people who prefer to brew rosehips on such days. And it is precisely in it contains the greatest amount of vitamin C, which successfully fights the viral infection. Even black currants do not have as much ascorbic acid as in the fruit of rosehips.

It is worth knowing! It is a well-known fact from the history of the Russian-Turkish and Great Patriotic War, when the berries of the miracle plant, thanks to their useful properties, saved many soldiers' lives.

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

When can I collect rosehips for drying?

Rose hips grow on the whole territory of our country, so there are no clear dates for harvesting. It all depends on the region and the weather. If in the middle belt to the collection begin in August (some begin to collect in the middle of the month, and someone - at the end), in the southern part of Russia berries will ripen much faster. But the timing of the harvest can be definitely said - the fruits can be harvested until the first frosts. Therefore, in the south the period may last until November, while residents of the middle zone will finish harvesting as early as October.

Harvest rosehips as soon as the berries are ripe. They should not be overripe, as the longer they are on the branch, the less useful substances are left in them. But they will taste better. A fruit that is overripe or has suffered sub-zero temperatures will have more sugar. So you need to decide on the purpose. If you plan to preserve berries for the winter, then listen to advice and observe the optimal time of harvesting. If you wish to cook something from them the other day, then leave them on the bush and collect as needed.

Important! Correct picking plays a significant role when preparing for the winter. If you don't meet the deadline and miss the time, the harvested late berries will have many times less vitamin C.

General recommendations:

1. Gather the fruit as it ripens. It is during this period that berries have the maximum number of important and useful substances for the human body.
2. To understand that the berries are ready for picking, you need to look closely at the condition of the sepal. If it's flared, then the time to harvest is now.
3. Another sign of maturity is the color. A ripe fruit has a bright orange color or red. You can feel the berry and determine its readiness. If it is hard, then everything is fine, you can pluck.
4. Gather rosehips for hibernation should be before the first cold weather.
5. If you plan a long storage, it is better to pluck the berries before their full maturity. There are a lot of vitamins and trace elements in the unripe fruits, as well as they are long stored and perfectly dried. These berries will have a sour taste.
6. It is better to take large specimens for winter preserves, as they are considered the most useful.
7. Do not tear off the stalk, but collect it together. After drying, it will come off easily.
8. The harvested crop must be dried in a short time, otherwise it will spoil.

Tips for harvesting:

1. It is better to collect the raw material in dry and sunny weather.
2. Do not collect the fruit from shrubs growing near highways or railroad tracks, in places near factories, chemical warehouses, with landfills.
3. You should not 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 the thorns. To do this, it is better to use thick protective gloves.

October 1 is considered the day of Arina Shipovnitsa. It is on this day, according to folk belief, you should carry out harvesting. But since we can not leave the fruit for a long time without drying, we will have to prepare when the time comes.

Harvesting is just the beginning. Therefore, next we will look at how to prepare the harvested fruit for drying and how to dry it properly.

How to prepare the fruit for drying

Dried rosehips in value and content of nutrients is not inferior to fresh ones. And it can be stored for much longer. If there is no possibility to collect the miracle berries yourself, you can always buy them in the market, paying attention to the condition of the fruit, so that they are not dull in color and shriveled in structure. The best time to buy them is from September to October. In October you can buy and pick only if the weather allows it and there is no frost.

1. First of all, sort out the berries and separate rotten, damaged or dry ones. Then they should be cleaned of garbage and dirt.
2. Do not wash them in any case, otherwise the drying process may be delayed, if not impossible.
3. If there is an urgent need for washing, it can be done before making decoctions or teas, i.e. brewing.
4. The sepals should not be torn off, as they also contain useful substances that will pass into the fruit when dried. They are easily removed from the dried berries.

There is another reason not to remove the stalk: Plucking the sepals may result in a loss of juice during the drying process.

How to dry rose hips properly

If you do not have a dacha or a country house, you will not be able to dry the harvest in the fresh air. So, we will prepare the preparation for the winter in the apartment. For this we will be suitable for the oven or an electric dryer.

Need to know! When drying, most of the moisture reserves are lost, so the product will significantly reduce in size. From a kilogram of fresh fruit, only 250 grams of dried berries will remain as a result.

In the oven

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

1. Prepare the fruits, clean them from debris, separate rotten or damaged specimens.
2. On a dry and clean baking tray we lay out our harvest, carefully distributing all the berries.
3. Put it in the oven, set the temperature to 40°C and turn it up to 50°C in about an hour. Leave the door slightly ajar to get rid of excess moisture. It is not recommended to preheat the oven.
4. In the process, take out the tray and shake it. You can carefully turn the fruits themselves, so that they dry evenly in the oven and do not burn.
5. The 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 temperature possible. At higher degrees it is impossible to avoid the destruction of the vitamin complex in the fruit.
6. Don't be frightened if the color of the rosehip becomes dull and slightly darker, and the fruit itself shrivels. This is how it should be. Do not allow the berries to become brown or heavily darkened. This is a sign that the set temperature was high. Watch the degrees and don't let them burn.
7. Dried berries spread in a glass container and cover with gauze. You can use cloth or canvas bags for storage.

No need to rush immediately unfold in a container, it is worth checking the readiness, feeling the berries. They should not be sticky to your hands and other fruits, and be soft. This is a sign that the berries have not yet "reached" the right condition. You can prolong the process for a few minutes or let them "ripen" in a dry and preferably dark room.

If everything is done correctly, you need to give them time to cool down completely. Only after that, you can put them into storage containers. Otherwise, the uncooked fruit in an airtight container can spoil and begin to rot.

In an electric dryer.

Simple method, but it takes longer than in the oven. The process can take 11 hours or more. The dryer is equipped with a dehydrator, which can conduct high-quality drying without human intervention.

1. We spread the berries on the trays.
2. Set the temperature to a maximum of 65°C. Everything depends on the size of the harvested crop. If the berries are large, the temperature is higher, if medium-sized - no more than 50°C.
3. The process lasts from 11 to 13 hours.
4. In the process of cooking, we periodically change the trays in places for even drying.

In the microwave

This is an unfortunate drying option for several reasons:

1. When drying rosehips in the microwave, the value of the product cannot be preserved because the radiation emitted by the technique will destroy it.
2. Yes, and the process itself in the microwave will not give a quality result. The fruits will not be able to dry the way they need to be dried for the winter. They simply will not dry out. Dry berries will be half, that is, on top, and inside will remain unprepared for long-term storage.
3. The taste of berries will change. It will become with an unpleasant aftertaste, which will then be transferred to the finished teas, infusions, jams 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 resorting to such spending, if there is a simple option with an oven.

Based on the above, we conclude that you should not dry rosehips in the microwave.

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

In the oven

It is possible to dry the harvested crops in an air grill. And in terms of time it will be much faster than in the oven or in an electric dryer.

1. Set the air blower on the maximum speed.
2. Set the temperature no higher than 65°C. Look at the berries. If they are small, then turn it up to 55°C.
3. Gradually increase the temperature while cooking.
4. The time it will take to dry will not take more than 4 hours. If the fruits are large, you can add another 30 minutes. Longer cooking is not necessary, so as not to destroy the value of the product.

In the sun

This option is immediately excluded, as the impact of ultraviolet light has a devastating effect on the contents of the harvest prepared for drying. Most of the valuable components will be destroyed. Do not dry rosehips in the sun, because in the end you will get not a useful product, but only raw material for giving the drink a sour-sweet taste.

In the fresh air

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

Drying steps:

1. Let's sort through the berries and prepare worthy specimens.
2. Spread any clean paper or newspaper on pallets and scatter the rosehips on them. Watch the weather. If the night announces a minus temperature, then the fruit should be brought into the warmth, and in the morning or afternoon again take it out into the fresh air.
3. During drying, occasionally stir the berries so that they dry evenly.
4. After 2 weeks we check the readiness. Ready for long-term storage, the fruit will break if you press on it.
5. If the berries are ready, do not rush to send them for storage. We pour them into a cardboard container and give them a few days so that they can finally get rid of moisture.

This method is considered the most effective, but it is not suitable for everyone, since not everyone has a country house, garden plots or dachas. And the weather can spoil the whole thing. If it rains, you can't avoid the spoiling of the crop, since at high humidity it will begin to rot.

How to store dried rosehips correctly

For storage, glass containers, tin containers or bags will do. The bags should be small in size on a fabric base, such as cotton. Cardboard boxes will do. The main thing is that they should be clean and new, that no strong-smelling objects or substances were previously stored in them. Otherwise, rosehips will absorb foreign odors and will be unusable.

Tips:

1. The container must be "breathable" so that the berries will not spoil during storage.
2. Before laying in a container remove the stalks. To do this, just rub the fruit with your hands: sepals themselves will fall off.
3. The places in which rosehips are stored are dry rooms, preferably without direct sunlight. The ideal place would be closets in rooms or a pantry.
4. When using jars, you should not cover them with lids. As a "closure" use a cloth that is well permeable to air, or gauze of several layers.
5. Berries should not be stored near products or objects that give off a pungent odor.
6. Plastic bags are not suitable for storage. They can only be used for freezing.
7. You should periodically check the dried food and turn it to prevent mold.
8. If you follow all the recommendations rosehips can be stored for 2.5-3 years.

Useful properties of dried rosehips

Properly dried berries will preserve the useful elements contained in the fresh fruit. This is a treasure trove of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Rosehips can be safely called a champion in the amount of ascorbic acid. In addition, it contains many other vitamins such as E, P, K, A, B-group, etc.

If we talk about calories, there are 280 kcal per 100 g of dried product. It has a sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This is not only a valuable, but also a nutritious product.

Let's list the useful properties of dried raw materials:

1. Strengthens the cardiovascular system. It is proved that rosehips can normalize blood pressure, lower cholesterol, preventing the formation of blood clots.
2. Activates the work of the gastrointestinal tract. With regular intake of decoctions with the addition of rosehips normalize metabolic processes in the body.
3. It helps with avitaminosis. The product has a sufficient number of useful substances that can quickly make up for the lack of vitamins in the body. Decoctions of dried rosehips will be especially indispensable in the spring and winter period.
4. Beneficial effect on the liver. Prepared teas, infusions or decoctions will restore the cells of the organ and neutralize bile.
5. Increases protective properties, strengthens the immune system. Due to the high concentration of vitamin C increases the body's ability to resist viruses and infections.
6. It has anti-inflammatory properties. It successfully treats colds and relieves inflammation.
7. Renews the blood. The fruit normalizes cholesterol and saturates the body with useful elements.

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

What can be cooked from dried rosehips

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

• compotes;
• infusions;
• kissels;
• jam;
• phyto teas;
• jellies, etc.

Let's give some recipes for cooking. Before using, the berries should be thoroughly washed. It is recommended to strain the prepared drinks to filter out the excess particles.

Before describing the recipes, let's learn how to properly brew rosehips.

1. Berries are thoroughly washed.
2. Grind them with a knife or pass them through a meat grinder. You can use a food processor.
3. Pour boiling water, but not steep. The temperature - no more than 90 ° C.
4. Put on a water bath and boil for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat, pour into a thermos and infuse for half an hour.
6. Strain and drink.

Worth knowing! Grind the miracle fruit is necessary in order to get the maximum useful substances from the berries. Whole rosehips will not give the drink the full complex of vitamins and trace elements contained in it.

To enhance the valuable properties and improve the taste, rosehips can be cooked in the composition of other useful berries or herbs.

Tea

Process:

1. Pour into a thermos 6 tablespoons of crushed berries, add to them 3 tablespoons of hawthorn and 8-9 leaves of melissa.
2. Pour boiling water and insist. The infusion process takes at least four hours. It is possible to prepare such a tea in the evening and leave it to infuse overnight. Then the drink will have time to be thoroughly saturated.
3. Then we strain the ready-made tea, add honey if necessary. The phyto tea will be delicious not only when it is warm, but also when it is cooled.

Often the volume of prepared infusion turns out more than expected. The remainder can be poured into a glass container and stored in the refrigerator, but no longer than 2 days. Without a fridge, you can not store decoction longer than 10 hours, or the drink will go bad.

Decoction .

A small handful of berries will be needed to prepare the decoction. Process:

1. Pour them with boiling water and boil over low heat for about 15 minutes.
2. We cool the drink slightly, add honey if desired (you can dilute sugar) and take it.

Kissel .

To prepare it will require:

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

Preparation:

1. First, we pour water over the washed berries and boil them for 15 minutes over low heat. Then we strain them.
2. Add sugar and stir well until the sugar particles are completely dissolved.
3. Dilute the starch with a little water and add it to the sweet drink of rosehip.
4. We put the mixture on a low heat and bring it to a boil. It is necessary to stir constantly to avoid the formation of lumps.
5. If there is a desire, then in the kissel add a couple of lemon wedges.

What is better: to dry or freeze rosehips

To understand what is better: to dry or freeze, you need to know both processes. If everything is clear to us on drying, then on freezing we do not know anything yet. Let's get to the bottom of it.

Freezing berries is another option for preserving products for the winter. And the value of the miracle fruit is preserved. Washed fruits can be placed in plastic bags and sent to the freezer. You can freeze both whole berries and pre-grinded berries. Plastic containers are often used as containers.

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

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

The process does not take much time. The only disadvantage is that the storage time is shorter than for drying. Therefore, only the hostess herself can answer the question of what is better dried product or frozen.

Conclusion
Properly dried fruits of the miracle plant will benefit your family and friends, will help to cope with colds in the cold winter or autumn, will get rid of avitaminosis in the spring. If you follow all the recommendations and heed the advice, then this product can be stored for several years. Be patient and make preparations for the winter. Be healthy!