Rose hips: How to store rose hips
Freshly picked rose hips very quickly lose their qualities and, after a week of storage in the refrigerator, they significantly lose their taste and benefits, therefore, berries are used for long-term storage in 3 ways: drying in the oven, drying in the sun, and freezing. So you can make the harvesting of rose hips for future use for several years.
Drying in the oven
The easiest way to dry rose hips is by using the oven. Inside the oven, the temperature is maintained up to 140-145 ° C, check with a thermometer. The berries are poured onto a baking sheet (the layer thickness should be no more than 2.5 cm). Placed inside, the door is open.
Rosehip temperature does not rise more than 60-65 ° C (tested in practice). Stir periodically with a wooden spoon or stick.
After 4.0-4.5 hours, you can turn off the cabinet and close the door. After cooling, the berries are poured into a linen bag and hung in the shade. Final drying takes place there within 4-6 days.
Drying rose hips in the country
To speed up drying, you can blanch the rose hips. Boil water, pour 2 tablespoons of baking soda per liter of water. The berries are dipped for 5-7 seconds in a boiling solution and then tipped over in a colander. As a result of such a treatment, microcracks are formed on the surface, contributing to the accelerated evaporation of moisture.
The processed berries are shaken in a colander and then poured onto a surface covered with a plain or terry cloth. After lying for half an hour, the remaining liquid drains from the surface.
Cover the baking sheet or tray with strips of toilet paper. A rosehip is poured onto it with a layer of no more than 1.5 cm (no more than two berries in height). Cover with gauze. They put the tray in the shade, it can be in a gazebo or under a canopy, the main thing is that atmospheric moisture does not enter. Twice a day, it is advisable to turn over the product to be dried. At an average air temperature of 15-18 ° C, the berries completely dry out in a week. Then you can store them for up to a year at room temperature.
Freeze the rose hips correctly
Freezing is carried out in a freezer. The pre-washed dog rose is shaken off in a colander to completely drain off the moisture. Then they are transferred to plastic bags. It is convenient to pour in 300-400 grams. The bags are placed in a refrigerator freezer or freezer. Freezing at -18 ° C takes about 1 hour. The frozen bags are placed in a container or other larger bag and left in the freezer. In a similar state, berries can be guaranteed for two to three years.
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