Preserving dried zucchini for the winter is a good way to preserve the beneficial properties of this product. Housewives annually dry zucchini for the winter, since this vegetable, after full ripening, can be stored under normal conditions for no more than 10 days, after which it begins to deteriorate. It is prepared in large quantities due to its characteristics - a large amount of vitamins and low calorie content.
Is it possible to dry zucchini for the winter?
Many people mistakenly believe that when food is dried, it loses all its beneficial properties, however, this is not the case.Drying of fruits and vegetables was carried out on smooth and clean surfaces under the sun's rays. Today there is special equipment that will significantly speed up this process.
Despite the fact that the product visually becomes worse, it retains most of the beneficial substances that the human body needs.
Also, this method is the most profitable for preserving products from the summer or spring period from a financial point of view.
When drying zucchini, you can get approximately 1 kilogram of the finished product from 10 kilograms of the original raw product. This is due to the fact that the procedure removes all moisture from the vegetable. Zucchini consists of 90% liquid, which is why large losses in mass occur.
A medium-sized zucchini has a calorie value of 24 kcal and contains the following substances:
- monosaccharides;
- disaccharides;
- various vitamin groups (A, B, C, E, H);
- ash;
- saturated fatty acids;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- iron and other metals.
Drying zucchini has the following benefits:
- preservation of 80-90% of microelements, vitamins and other useful substances that are in the product;
- there is no likelihood of purchasing products containing preservatives if drying is carried out on home-grown vegetables;
- economy in the presence of a special electric dryer;
- preventing the development and spread of pathogenic microbes;
- the possibility of drying any variety or subspecies of zucchini;
- impossibility of oxidation of products.
Features of selection and preparation of vegetables
Any type of vegetable is suitable for the drying procedure, so you should choose according to your taste and preference. It is most convenient to dry small specimens from 10 to 20 centimeters.When choosing a product, you should pay attention to their appearance. You should avoid purchasing vegetables that have:
- darkening on the surface;
- damage;
- peeled or trimmed parts;
- rotten areas;
- dry stalk;
- cracked or wrinkled skin;
- unnatural surface shine.
Before you start drying, you need to take some preparatory measures:
- Rinse the vegetables thoroughly under running, cool water.
- Cut off the stem and back of the squash.
- If the vegetable is old, you should peel off the peel, and if it is young, you can leave it.
- If the specimens are large and contain large seeds, they must be removed using a small spoon.
- Cut the zucchini into any convenient shape: strips, slices, cubes or slices.
- Before directly drying, you need to boil the chopped zucchini for 2 minutes or sprinkle generously with salt. After a strong release of juice, the vegetable can be peeled and dried.
Drying recipes
There are several methods for drying zucchini. Each of them has different terms of complete preparation, as well as the percentage of retention of nutrients in the product.
In the oven
Cooking in the oven will completely dry the vegetables within 6-8 hours. When baking, you need to use parchment paper so that the zucchini does not stick to the baking sheet. You need to stack the products so that there is a little space between them.
The suitable temperature for drying is 50-55 °C. Periodically, the parts need to be turned over and swapped.
In an electric dryer
The fastest and most economical way is in an electric dryer, but to prepare it you must initially purchase a special device.In the dryer you just need to place the chopped vegetables on several levels, cover with a lid, turn on the program and wait for cooking.
Sun drying
The longest process for drying food is in the sun. It can last from several days to a week. To dry, you need to take any flat surface with small holes and place the cut products on it. Such a tray must be placed in the sun and the vegetables must be turned over twice daily for uniform processing.
How to check readiness
You can determine the degree of readiness of a product by its appearance and structure. When touched, they should be elastic and not release liquid.
The surface of the squash becomes wrinkled and limp.
How to store dried zucchini
For long-term storage of dried vegetables, it is better to use glass containers with an airtight lid or special plastic packaging that will not contain moisture and parasites.
