Any fruit cannot be stored for a long time without special conditions. Oranges are no exception. Let's look at how to store oranges, how to select fruits and prepare them for storage. Where and under what conditions should citrus fruits be stored? Recipes for preparing canned oranges for long-term storage for the winter, and how much you can save homemade preparations.
Fruit selection
To preserve oranges, you need to choose certain fruits. Select specimens that are completely healthy, with intact skin that is free of stains and rot. The color must be characteristic of the variety. Oranges should only be as fresh as possible, no more than 1-2 weeks. Fruits that are picked earlier lie worse and dry out faster. Slightly unripe fruits are better suited for storage rather than fully ripe ones.
As for size, you need to take medium-sized fruits, with thin, even, elastic skin. Often these are the oranges that taste sweet and have excellent shelf life. The smell should be weak; if the fruit smells strong, it has previously been kept warm and will dry out quickly.
Preparation for storage
To extend the shelf life, you can apply some techniques. For example, fruits will be preserved longer if you grease the skin of each with odorless vegetable oil and dry it. Citrus fruits cannot be washed. You can also treat them with a borax solution (2 tablespoons per 1 liter) or wrap each copy in light paper. These are ways to reduce the likelihood of infection by pathogens.
How to properly store oranges at home
In an apartment or private house, oranges can be kept in a regular refrigerator or cellar, that is, in the cold, or simply at room temperature. In each case the conditions are different.
Fridge
Citrus fruits can be stored inside the refrigerator for at least 12-14 days. Slightly unripe ones last even longer - 2-3 months and up to 6 months - greenish ones. For oranges, choose a fruit box and lay them in 2-3 layers.If you put them in perforated bags, the citrus fruits will last longer. During storage, fruits need to be inspected and sorted, removing rotten ones and those that have begun to dry out.
Freezer
Oranges are stored in the freezer in ground form. Citrus fruits are washed, cut into pieces and ground in a meat grinder. Sprinkle the mixture with sugar in a ratio of 2 to 1 and stir until smooth. Place in plastic containers and place in the freezer. Shelf life – 6 months.
Cellar
If there are a lot of oranges, it is easier to keep them in the cellar. Place in shallow plywood boxes and cover the layers with paper. Place the boxes one on one. The temperature and humidity in the cellar are almost optimal for preserving fruit. While it lasts, it is necessary to sort out the fruits, remove rotten or, conversely, dry ones. They lie in the cellar for at least 2-3 months.
You cannot place boxes with other aromatic fruits next to them, for example, melons, apples, plums, pears. So that the products do not perceive someone else's aroma and are not saturated with it.
At room temperature
In an apartment, oranges should be kept in the coolest, driest and unlit place. They are placed in boxes in 2-3 layers and covered with perforated film. You can’t keep fruits in the sun, as this will cause them to dry out. Depending on the conditions, citrus fruits are stored in the apartment from 1 to 2-3 months.
Preservation recipes for long-term storage for the winter
Homemade sweet preparations are prepared from oranges. In this case, sugar acts as a preservative. Let's look at several recipes, ingredients and cooking methods.
Puree
Wash oranges; if you need to get a thick mass, then you should take thick-skinned fruits. Wash the fruits, boil in boiling water for 15 minutes, cool. Cut into pieces, remove seeds.Grind in a meat grinder, add sugar in the amount of half the volume. Divide the mixture into bags and place in the freezer.
Lemon jam
Take 5-6 oranges and 1 lemon. Wash and remove skin and seeds. Pass through a blender. For each kg of the resulting mass, add 0.3-0.5 kg of sugar. Cook over high heat for 15 minutes, then another 15 minutes. on average. After cooking, roll the jam into sterilized jars.
Jam with zest
For 1 kg orange take:
- 1.2 kg sugar;
- 2-3 tbsp. l. zest;
- 1 glass of water.
Remove skins and cut into pieces. Boil syrup, add orange slices. After 2 hours, bring to a boil. Repeat one more time. Then increase the heat, add the zest and cook until the jam begins to thicken. Pack the mixture into steamed jars and roll up. After cooling, take it to the cellar.
Shelf life
Canned products are stored for 1-2 years in a cool and dry place. Fresh citrus fruits last 2-3 months in the refrigerator, and at least 6 months in the freezer. In the cellar - 3-5 months, in the room - 2-3 months.
The main conditions are low temperature, low humidity, dark place. Fruits and preserves deteriorate most quickly in a warm, humid room and if they are exposed to sunlight. In such conditions, the workpieces can deteriorate within six months.
Oranges, like all fruits, cannot be stored for long unless they are provided with special conditions. Cold, low humidity, and lack of sunlight or artificial lighting extend the shelf life. When preparing preparations, the role of a preservative is performed by sugar and heat treatment. Preserving citrus fruits is not difficult; they require proper selection, preparation and processing. If everything is done correctly, the fruit can be preserved for several months.
