How to keep watermelon at home for a long time. How to keep fresh

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It is perhaps difficult to find a person who does not like watermelons. In some southern countries, they are loved so much that they are even served as a Christmas treat. But is there a way to taste fresh watermelon in winter without visiting hot countries and buying expensive, but not very tasty fruit in the supermarket?

This is quite possible. We have compiled a small instruction for you, following which you can keep the striped berry fresh until the New Year.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WATERMELON

The most important thing is to find a watermelon without cracks, dents and other damage, otherwise the whole idea will be useless.
. Do not choose a very large watermelon. The best would be one that weighs about 4 kilograms.
. It is best to use late-ripening varieties with a thick crust.
. Very ripe fruits should not be taken for storage, they can deteriorate.

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APPLICATION OF THE PROTECTIVE SHELL

The method of storing watermelons, which we want to tell you about, came to us from India. It lies in the fact that watermelons are covered with a layer of paraffin or wax, which protects them from external influences and from the loss of their own moisture. This is done as follows:

Wipe the watermelon with a dry cloth, you do not need to wash it;
. melt the paraffin or wax in a water bath. If you did not find this material on sale, then you can use inexpensive candles. First remove the wicks from them and break them into pieces;
. cool the resulting liquid slightly and then evenly apply it to the watermelon, turning it over until the paraffin layer is thick enough - at least 0.5 cm;
. let the paraffin dry.

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STORAGE

Store paraffin-coated watermelons in a dark, dry and cool place. Before that, they need to be placed in boxes or boxes filled with straw or newspapers.
. It would be ideal to keep boxes of watermelons in the cellar or pantry, but if you don't have such storage spaces, then mezzanines or laundry compartments inside the sofa will do. The main thing is to choose a place away from heating appliances.
. From time to time, you need to inspect and turn the watermelons to prevent the appearance of spots.

Before serving, the watermelon must be cleaned of the paraffin shell and washed properly. We hope that this way of storing your favorite berry will help you surprise your guests and delight your loved ones.

There is no person who does not love sweet, juicy, extremely tasty watermelon. This is a real storehouse of vitamins, minerals, trace elements that nature endows us with. But this largest berry in the world is extremely delicate, so if you want to keep a piece of summer until the New Year, or a little longer, you need to know what needs to be done to keep the watermelon fresh for as long as possible. In principle, storing watermelon until winter is as easy as it is, but some subtleties still need to be remembered.

How to properly store watermelon

Storage temperature

The storage temperature should not exceed +1 - +4°C, with a relative humidity of not more than 85%. When the temperature rises by 4-6 ° C, the watermelon begins to sour.

First of all, you need to be able to choose the right watermelon for storage. To do this, you need to know a few simple rules that will help preserve this berry. It is undesirable to buy early watermelons, they will not lie for a long time. In addition, now there are many cases when melon growers feed plantations with nitrates for faster ripening. You need to buy late varieties that ripen naturally by early September. You should not buy watermelons at spontaneous points, especially along the roads, because the pulp of a watermelon instantly absorbs everything harmful that flies out of a car exhaust pipe. For storage, you need to choose medium-sized specimens, weighing 3.5-4.5 kg, of a brilliant color with a dried tail. A whole ripe fruit can be stored in the refrigerator, in the pantry, in the cellar, if it is in a multi-storey building. Watermelons should be stored on a soft bedding, the ideal option is straw, and the fruits should not come into contact with each other.

How to save a watermelon until the New Year

In the cellar where watermelons should be stored, there should not be other vegetables. You need to choose a fruit without cracks and spots. It is best to prepare the racks and line them with straw so that the watermelon does not lie on a hard surface. You can put the berry in a soft bag and hang it, so it will be well preserved. You should regularly inspect watermelons in order to immediately reject the fruit, even with the slightest signs of spoilage, otherwise the rest will quickly deteriorate.

You can find a large box, put a watermelon and fill it with dry sand. If there is no cellar and cold pantry, then one or two watermelons can be wrapped in paper and put in the coldest zone in the refrigerator. In this case, watermelons can lie up to two months. There are lovers of pickling watermelons. In this case, you can pickle it in chunks, even in jars, or you can in barrels, entirely, but for this you will need to choose medium-sized specimens, up to 2 kilograms, no more.

How to store cut watermelon

If the watermelon has not been completely eaten, then half of it can be put in the refrigerator, but not more than for two days, for a maximum of three, since its contents are very quickly susceptible to infection by bacteria.

Watermelon on the New Year's table will cause a real sensation. But is it possible to keep this summer treat in the refrigerator or in another way for such a long time? It turns out that this is not so difficult to do, even in a city apartment, not to mention a cellar in private homes. At the same time, no matter how much the fruit lies, it does not lose its taste, its pulp remains juicy and sweet.

There are several proven ways to preserve watermelons for the winter at home, the main thing is that the temperature is below room temperature. But at home, not any variety of berries can be stored for storage. Late-ripening with thick skin are suitable for this. Pay particular attention to the following options:

• Volzhsky;
• Astrakhan striped;
• Dessert;
• Bykovsky;
• Pulse
• Kholodov's gift.

When buying, pay attention to the fact that the watermelon does not have cracks, dents, damage to the peel and other, any significant defects.

Whatever variety you choose, you should not buy a watermelon in early August in order to extend its shelf life and keep it until the new year, it is right to make a purchase in mid-September - in October. Then the plant will lie at home for a very short time. To achieve a guaranteed result, you can even choose a suitable variety yourself.

When buying, pay attention to the fact that the watermelon does not have cracks, dents, damage to the peel and other, any significant defects. Moreover, it is better to choose an unripe one (the degree of maturity is easy to determine by lightly tapping on the rind of the fruit - in our case, the sound should be sonorous), no more than four kilograms of a plant, since it is sweeter and has every chance to lie down until the new year, and possibly all winter. In order to keep the "striped" delicacy in the apartment, he needs to create special conditions:

1. Temperature regime - from 1 to 30C. At higher temperatures, the watermelon will begin to spoil quickly.
2. Humidity - from 70 to 85%. With less moisture, the fruit dries out quickly.
3. Light mode - light has a negative effect on storage, so choose a dark place
4. Surface - do not store on a hard surface, soft bedding is required (straw, sawdust, ash, moss, sand, etc.).
5. Additional actions - periodically turn the watermelon from side to side.

Taking into account all the necessary conditions, we can say with confidence that the best places for storage in an apartment are mezzanines, a bathroom, a pantry, a glazed loggia. How many berries does it cost to store for the winter? Exactly as much as fit in the allotted place with the condition that they will not come into contact with each other.

Video on how to save watermelon until the new year

There are a number of steps you can take to ensure that your watermelon is stored more securely over the long term. So, for example, you can cover its surface with clay or alabaster diluted to the consistency of sour cream. The coating layer must be at least 5 mm to ensure greater shelf life after "reopening". Before storing the berry in a cool place, it is necessary to allow the semi-liquid coating to dry. Clay can be dug up on your own or purchased at a hardware store, while alabaster is served in household goods. In the same way, you can cover the crust with wax or paraffin, but already with a layer of 1 cm. Such conservation measures protect the plant from interaction with air, which means that it is less likely to rot and deteriorate.

Today, almost every apartment, every house has a refrigerator. If the internal volume of refrigeration equipment allows, then why not use the free space to keep juicy berries for the winter? Moreover, we are not talking about freezing the culture of the melon family, but correctly preserving it in its natural form. If you are full of intentions to treat your loved ones and please yourself on New Year's holiday with a juicy dessert, then first of all you should take care of creating special conditions and preparing the plant for storage in the refrigerator correctly.

A prerequisite for storage until the new year is the periodic rotation of the fetus

To do this, the selected watermelon must be washed and allowed to dry, in addition, carefully wiping it with a paper towel. After that, it is necessary to wrap the berry with a thick layer of newspapers (in no case use glossy magazines). You can place the prepared watermelon in the bottom drawer - the fruit department, after lining its bottom with a thick layer of natural fabric. A prerequisite for storage until the new year is the periodic rotation of the fetus. How many times should you turn over? On average, it is considered that it is worth disturbing a berry at least twice a week, more correctly every other day.

However, it is worth recalling that only whole plants can be removed for storage for the winter. A cut watermelon can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days, no matter what conditions are created for it. Further, its pulp is filled with substances harmful and dangerous to the human body. There can be no talk of any storage in the cellar for a long time.

Is it possible to freeze the pulp of a watermelon in such a way that it does not lose its taste qualities, for which we are so loved by many people? Of course, you can freeze cut watermelon, but, unfortunately, when defrosted, it loses its natural texture, so you can use it for making cocktails, jelly and other dishes all winter, where the integrity of the pulp is not required. Of course, you can serve frozen pieces of this berry to the table, but they will have to be consumed quickly enough until they have thawed.

Of course, you can freeze a cut watermelon, but, unfortunately, when defrosted, it loses its natural texture.

There are several ways to freeze watermelons: with syrup, with granulated sugar or fructose, simple freezing of pieces or with juice. How long can a berry be stored in this state? The shelf life of the frozen fruit is from 6 to 12 months at a constant negative temperature. Moreover, the aroma and sweetness of the pulp remains the same, so a cocktail with the addition of frozen pieces will have no less pronounced taste than the watermelon itself.

Advantages of a private house or cottage

It is possible to preserve the melon culture for up to 3-4 months - before the new year, in a city apartment, but it is much easier to do this in a country house or living in a private house. It's all about the presence of a cellar and the ability to place a watermelon for storage in more suitable conditions for this. So, if you want to remove several watermelons for the winter, then each of the fruits individually can be tightly wrapped with a natural cloth, and put in a string bag (a bag woven from threads), and in this form, hang the fruits from the ceiling in the cellar with a sufficient level of coolness and humidity.

In addition, you can store sunny berries in sand or grain. As a rule, purchased or grown fruits are completely placed in containers with dry sand. The containers themselves, and sometimes the barrels, are also better placed in a cellar or in another room with a low air temperature. Periodically it is worth checking the fetus for safety. It is not necessary to change the sand for fresh.

Some who are not averse to enjoying a tasty and juicy treat in the cold winter practice storing watermelons in a barrel or other large container of water. The water should be cool enough all the time, but in no case should it freeze. It should completely cover the fruits, only if these conditions are met, it will be possible to increase the shelf life of the solar delicacy until the New Year and Christmas. Moreover, choosing this option - remember that the water, although rare, needs to be changed to a new one. How many times? Three times a month, no more.

Video about watermelons. Sweet canned watermelons for the winter

When choosing a place for storage in a cellar or in a refrigerator, remember that the culture perfectly absorbs all odors, which negatively affects its taste, so be careful what products are next to the watermelon during storage, and if possible, put the fruit separately to smell other fruits and vegetables were not affected. In general, this berry is properly stored apart from other products.

If, after buying a watermelon, you find that it has a crack, then in no case do not store this fruit, because even if it manages to survive, then, like a cut watermelon, stored for a long time, it will accumulate a lot of substances harmful to the human body.

Many people want to save watermelon until the New Year holidays in order to pleasantly surprise guests and relatives. Agree, summer delicacy will cause a real sensation. Since ancient times, storage of watermelons has been carried out by means of straw, clay, paraffin and even ash. The procedure is not particularly difficult, but you need to have basic knowledge. Consider the most relevant methods that will preserve the beneficial properties, structure and texture of the fruit.

The benefits of watermelon

1. Thanks to the watermelon pulp, the intestinal microflora improves, the activity of the digestive tract normalizes, and the vessels expand. The use of fruits is indicated for people suffering from chronic constipation or, conversely, diarrhea.
2. Watermelon contains fiber, which is responsible for cholesterol levels. With regular use, the risk of developing atherosclerosis and other serious diseases associated with a large amount of adipose tissue is reduced. In addition, watermelon maintains blood glucose levels, allowing people with diabetes to lead a full life.
3. The berry contains lycopene, a natural antioxidant. It normalizes the work of the heart, stabilizes blood pressure, reduces the risk of developing malignant and benign tumors. With regular use, the possible occurrence of cancer is prevented.

Optimal storage conditions for watermelons

1. Fruit aging in the basement is rightfully considered the most profitable option, especially in winter. The main thing is to ensure that the humidity of the air does not exceed 80%.
2. In this case, the temperature regime should be within the mark of 2-4 degrees. It is these characteristics that guarantee the preservation of juiciness, taste and structure of the fruit.
3. It is important to remember forever that at sub-zero temperatures, watermelons begin to freeze. This feature leads to an irreversible loss of quality.
4. The same applies to too high a mode (from 4 degrees). If the mark is violated inside the fruit, fermentation begins, which makes the pulp mushy and sour.
5. It is also worth considering the optimal level of humidity, it should not be higher than 80%. Otherwise, watermelons begin to massively rot, again, the taste, juiciness and structure of the pulp are lost.
6. It is worth considering another important point - air circulation. A room for long-term storage of watermelons should be equipped with ventilation or airflow. Such a move will not allow bacteria to actively develop.

Selection of watermelon for long-term storage

1. If you buy a berry with dents or a cracked peel, watermelons will definitely disappear. The same applies to specimens with an early degree of maturity. Watermelons with defects are stored for a maximum of 15 days.
2. Remember that late-ripening watermelons are suitable for storage. Fruits of this kind are not stuffed with nitrates for early ripeness. Therefore, you need to buy them in the fall (approximately September 15-30).
3. Berries with a very thick skin are ideal for storage. Give preference to the Volga, Astrakhan, Melitopol, Bykovsky watermelons. Also suitable varieties "Stokes", "Dessert", "Grace", "Kholodov", "Icarus".
4. Before buying, inspect, feel the selected copies. The “correct” watermelons have a bright green and glossy peel without matte inclusions. Tap on it to make sure the density and elasticity.
5. A very important aspect in choosing berries is the integrity of the skin. You can not buy watermelons with dents, cracks, sunburn, excessively immature areas, scratches and other minor damage.
6. To keep the treat until the New Year, choose watermelons with weak immaturity. Tails should be green, not dry. Also, on suitable specimens, stripes of white color and a slight coating will be visible.
7. Tap on the surface of the watermelon, the sound should be clear, not muffled. Fruits of this kind in the process of aging will reach the required level of ripeness, while they will lie even after the New Year (if the situation requires it).
8. Refuse to purchase fruits that are sold along dirty roads on the side of the road. Especially if the watermelons are lying on the ground, uncovered by an awning. Watermelons lying on gravel or sand under direct ultraviolet light soak up all the smog.
9. If possible, buy berries in designated specialized shops. At your request, the seller is obliged to provide documents and a sanitary book for the services provided. All instances should be stored in one, maximum two rows, but not in a huge pile. According to the rules, watermelons are placed on a pallet or in a box covered with a canopy.
10. To save watermelon until the New Year, you need to pay attention to the weight of the product. The optimal indicator is considered to be 3-5 kg., Not more. Too large fruits will begin to deteriorate from the inside.

To meet all the conditions, it is necessary to choose the right room for storage. The ideal option is aging in the basement or cellar. Immediate preservation depends on the observance of important aspects, which we will discuss below.

Preparation

1. In late autumn and winter, keep the temperature in the range of 1-4 degrees. Keep the air humidity around 75-80%. Organize proper circulation by building ventilation.
2. Before sending watermelons for permanent storage, sort them out. Next, you need to get rid of excess fluid in the bark. For these purposes, place watermelons on dry grass and cover with plenty of straw. Keep the berries for 2.5-3 days, periodically turning them over.
3. To prevent the development of fungus, prepare a lime mortar with a concentration of 2%. Lubricate the peel of each watermelon with it, leave to dry for 3 hours. Next, choose the appropriate storage option from the options below.

Sand storage

1. Prepare a wooden box of a suitable size. Pour dry sifted sand to the bottom, send a watermelon into the cavity. Sprinkle the fruit with sand and tamp.
2. If you decide to store several watermelons in this way, make sure that they do not touch each other. If all the conditions are met, preparation and “preservation” are carried out, the watermelon will lie in the box until mid-January-early February.

Storage on racks

1. Make sure that the shelves for future storage of watermelons are located at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other. Line the shelves with needles, straw, dried peat or other natural material.
2. Arrange the fruits on the shelves, observing the interval between the berries. Don't let them touch. Once a week, check the watermelons, turn them over, exclude rotten ones.

storage in the ground

1. If you have a summer cottage, use it. Dig a deep hole (about 35-50 cm), line the bottom with dry wood shavings or straw. The layer should be about 10-15 cm.
2. Treat watermelons with 25% lime, send specimens to the pit. Make sure that the berries lie separately from each other. Add more straw or wood to cover the sides and top.
3. Sprinkle the watermelons on top with earth to get a 30-40 cm layer. In this way, you can store a large number of berries, but it is very difficult to keep track of their integrity.

Water storage

1. An excellent storage option that does not require ingenuity and improvised means is the use of water. Pick up a deep tub, send a watermelon into it, fill it with cold, clean liquid.
2. In order to resort to this technique, the surface of the berries must be perfectly intact. In this case, the water must be changed 1 time in 8-10 days.

Storage in the ashes

1. Ash serves as an analogue of aging fruits in the sand. If for some reason you decide to resort to this method, choose ashes from burning branches of fruit trees.
2. The "preservation" technology is identical: pick up a wooden box, line the bottom with ash, lay out the berries and sprinkle them. Duration of exposure - until January.

Grid storage

1. If you plan to keep a small crop until the New Year, use a string bag or a fine mesh. Choose one fixture for each berry.
2. Wash the fruits with newspaper, parchment paper or landscape sheets, send them inside. Hang the mesh from the ceiling in the basement or cellar. It is important not to allow fruit to touch each other.

Moss storage

1. To resort to this method, you need to collect moss in the fall. It must be dry and whole, otherwise the watermelons will rot. Before packing the berries, spread the moss in the sun, leave for 2 days to dry.
2. Choose a wooden box of the right size. It would be better if each copy is allocated a separate box. Line the bottom with moss, send the watermelon inside, wrap it on all sides, tamp it down.

Storage in clay

1. Many housewives resort to this method on the advice of grandmothers, and this is not surprising. The method is considered the most effective of all available. If you create an individual cocoon for a watermelon, the fruit will lie for up to six months without losing its taste and structural properties.
2. Paraffin, alabaster or clay is taken as the basis for modeling. You need to prepare the composition, then “wrap” each berry with it. The product layer should not be less than 1 cm. After hardening, watermelons are calmly placed on racks, hung in a net or wrapped in straw.

How to keep a watermelon until the New Year in an apartment

1. To present the berry to the festive table, it is necessary to organize all the conditions for long-term storage. The easiest way to maintain the temperature is in the refrigerator.
2. Before loading the watermelon into the chamber, send it to the freezer for 1.5 hours. Hold at -10 degrees to ensure pre-treatment. Then send it to the refrigerator, observe the mode of 1-4 degrees above zero.
3. If it is not possible to store watermelon in the refrigerator, provide proper conditions on the balcony. At the same time, in winter, the temperature should not fall below +1 degree.
4. The methods described above are considered excellent options for preserving fruits. You can also make a “cocoon” of paraffin, send the berry to a box with ashes or sand, keep it in cold water, etc. The placement option is also considered similar: hanging, laying on shelves.

Consider ways to store watermelon in soil, sand, water, straw, ash, moss. Hang the fruits from the ceiling, after wrapping them with newspaper and placing them in a net. Arrange the berries on the racks so that they do not touch.

Video: how to save a watermelon for the new year

Watermelon is a symbol of summer. Juicy fruits perfectly quench thirst, and it is in this season that they are easy to find.

It is not easy to save watermelons for several months, not spoiled, retaining all the useful things that they contain, and not losing their taste.

But knowing all the features of storing these giant berries, and during the winter holidays, you can treat yourself and your loved ones to the delicacy familiar to the summer table.

Which watermelons can be stored for a long time?

Before you decide how to store watermelons at home, you need to choose the right ones.

The fruit should be of medium size, whole and firm: without cracks, cuts, dents, marks of blows and sunburn, and its surface is smooth and even. The thicker the rind of the watermelon, the better. It will more reliably protect the pulp from external influences.

If the watermelon is purchased for storage, it is important to know its variety and harvest time. Later varieties are preferable, for example, Kholodok, Peasant, Lezhky. And it is better to buy berries at the end of September. By autumn, the fruits ripen on their own, without the help of chemicals, which means they have less nitrates.

If you plan to save watermelons grown on your own, you need to be especially careful when picking them up, wearing gloves, without damaging the surface of the berries. You need to fold on a clean soft cloth or other surface that allows you to "breathe" and so that the fruits do not touch each other.

Properly selected watermelons as a whole, under favorable conditions, can be stored from 1 to 5 months.

Where to store watermelons?

To save watermelons at home, you need to take care of where to place them. Both in an apartment and in a private house there is an opportunity to keep a summer delicacy until winter. The main thing - at the location of the fruit should be:

Good air circulation

Constant temperature not higher than 6 and not lower than 1 degree Celsius

Humidity within 60-80% Protection from light

In an apartment for storing berries fit: bathroom, pantry, room where there is no lighting and it is always cool, mezzanine, balcony or loggia, if there is no temperature below zero.

In the case of a private house storing watermelons is possible in more places, since you can not be limited to the residential part of the house. The necessary conditions can be created in the attic, in the garage, in the basement, in the summer kitchen or on the veranda.

What are the ways to store watermelons?

Fans of these juicy giant berries have come up with many ways in which there is a chance to keep watermelons until spring. Here are a few of them:

1. Hang in the net fruits wrapped with natural cloth or non-woven cloth

2. Spread the surface of the berries with a thick solution of clay, paraffin or wax with a layer 1 centimeter thick. Such a shell will protect the fruit from external excess moisture, that is, it will prevent the formation of mold, and preserve its juiciness.

3. Place the watermelons stalk down in boxes filled with sand, wood ash or dry grain. Thus, the conditions of the soil in which the berries are grown are imitated.

4. Surround the fruits on all sides with straw, the space between the watermelons must also be filled. Straw will prevent fruit contact with a hard surface and protect the crust from damage, plus it will collect excess moisture.

5. Put the berries on the sphagnum swamp moss, after drying it. It perfectly absorbs excess moisture, does not damage the surface of the fruit and has a disinfecting effect, preventing the development of all kinds of fungi and bacteria.

What else do you need to know to save watermelons?

Having chosen a convenient option for storing watermelons at home, providing the necessary temperature and humidity level, you need to know a number of nuances.

Throughout the shelf life, watermelons need to be turned over periodically.

These huge berries are often of considerable weight, plus the flesh has a tender texture. A fetus that has lain in one position for several months is likely to begin some kind of deformation that will adversely affect the safety of the watermelon.

It is important to minimize all fruit contact with any hard surfaces, including each other.

A watermelon placed in a large closed metal container (pot, bucket, covered with a lid), and left in the dark, does not need to be refrigerated. This method of storage is similar to the stay of berries in the cellar. Do not store watermelons close to other vegetables, especially potatoes. If possible, it is recommended to allocate a separate room. Absolute darkness is just as important as temperature and humidity when storing watermelons.

Before placing the fruits in a prepared place, you need to wash and dry them. So less likely to multiply harmful microorganisms on the surface of the berries.

Watermelons left for storage should be checked regularly so that one accidentally spoiled fruit does not harm the rest.

Storing watermelons at home for a long time is troublesome work. But the time and effort spent is worth it. In the cold winter season, greetings from summer in the form of a fresh juicy sweet piece of ripe watermelon will come in handy.