How to dry raisin grapes at home. How to make raisins from grapes at home

Raisins are a favorite delicacy of millions of people and a source of essential carbohydrates and trace elements. At home, it is made only from ripe grapes of seedless varieties with a thick skin and dense pulp.

First you need to carefully examine and remove all the berries, even with minor damage, immature and dried. Drying greatly increases the sugar content and shelf life of berries.

Store the product in a dry and ventilated place, preventing the appearance of pests. Dried dried fruit can be soaked in wine or rum: both parties will benefit from such a neighborhood.

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg grapes sultanas
• 0.5 l boiling water
• 0.5 tsp soda

How to make raisins from grapes

1. Kishmish comes in several colors, choose any, but choose the size of the berries so that the drying time is the same. Rinse them in water and put them in a deep container. Boil water and add baking soda to it. Pour the berries with the resulting solution for 2 minutes, and then immediately rinse in water. Thus, soda destroys plaque and kills all bacteria that are on the surface of the berries. By the way, these bacteria play an important role in the creation of wine!

2. Blot the washed berries with a paper napkin or towel to exclude excess moisture, and pour into a mold or onto electric dryer trays.

If you are going to dry the grapes in the oven, then preheat it to 60-80 degrees and place a mold with berries in it. Dry for about 4-5 hours, occasionally stirring the mass, then be sure to let the raisins cool.

If you use an electric dryer, then the cooking time for raisins will increase to 10-12 hours, depending on the power of your equipment.

3. Check the dried raisins for moisture by lightly pressing the berry between your fingers. If the juice does not come out, then it is perfectly dried.

Pour the dried fruit into a hermetically sealed container for storage and take it out as you prepare various pastries, desserts,.

Note to the owner

1. Based on self-dried grapes, you can make a delicacy like marzipan. It is necessary to grind any nuts to a state of oily paste, mix them with raisins ground in a blender and fasten the mixture with thick syrup or liquid honey. If there is no powerful household appliance in the arsenal of the hostess, then a manual meat grinder will help out - it will turn both components into an elastic mass. Only its socket and screw must be moistened several times in the process. Nut-raisin mix is ​​used as a layer of biscuit and puff rolls, homemade sweets, figurines for decorating cakes are molded from it.

2. Raisins promote the fermentation of liquids. So, for example, in a three-liter jar of birch sap, it is enough to put only 80–120 g of these dried fruits, leave it in a dark place (not in the cold), and after a month there will already be healthy kvass in the container, rich in vitamins and similar to sweet and sour soda. Since the fermentation reaction took place without yeast, it has a minimum calorie content.

3. Fresh grapes, grape juice and even natural grape wines cause allergies in some people. However, for raisins, it occurs much less frequently. And yet, before you eat it in handfuls, you need to follow how the skin and the body as a whole react to the product.

The valuable properties of raisins have been known to people for more than two thousand years. This is truly a wonderful gift of nature, which can be used both as a delicious sweet treat and as a mild natural remedy. Today, grocery stores and markets are ready to offer a rich selection of raisins for almost every taste. However, in order to be sure of the absolute naturalness and usefulness of this dried fruit, many people prefer to make it themselves. Of course, in this case, the product may not turn out to be as appetizing and beautiful as on the store counter, but then it will definitely not contain those harmful chemical compounds that are used in its mass industrial production.

In this regard, beginners often have a question - how to make raisins on their own in order to preserve their beneficial properties and taste as much as possible.

There are several ways to dry grapes at home. Everyone can choose a suitable recipe for themselves, based on their capabilities.

This method is 100% natural and the most careful in terms of preserving useful vitamins in the product. However, this recipe is only suitable if it is possible to wait a long time - the full readiness of the product will come only after at least 1-2 months, depending on the drying conditions and the grape variety. To obtain raisins in this way, you need a dark, well-ventilated room. Clusters should be hung in a draft or the berries should be laid out in a single layer on a paper or wooden surface. Ventilation is a must!

Sun drying method

This is perhaps the most ancient and widespread method of obtaining raisins. This recipe is popular in those parts where viticulture has been practiced since ancient times. These are, as a rule, southern countries with a hot climate, where after the end of summer it is still warm and good sunny weather for a very long time. The berries are laid out in a thin layer on a dry surface and placed under direct sunlight. After drying the upper side of the berries, it is advisable to turn them over.

This method is also quite long in time - the process takes from 20 days to a month. However, the drying time can be reduced significantly by pre-treating the clusters with a special solution. The solution recipe includes two simple components: soda and water, taken in certain proportions. Their ratio depends on the grape variety: for berries with a thin skin, soda will need less (half a teaspoon per liter of water), and for wine varieties with a dense skin surface, more (tbsp. Spoon per liter of water). The solution should be brought to a boil, after which for a short time (only for 3-5 seconds) dip a bunch of berries into it. As a result of such short-term blanching, the wax protective layer that covers the skin is damaged (microscopic cracks appear through which moisture escapes), and the grapes dry much faster.

Oven drying method

If it is not possible to dry the grapes in the open air (in the shade or in the sun), the usual oven, which is in every home, will also fit perfectly.

Prepared berries should be laid out on a baking sheet and placed in the oven. Do not close the door, otherwise the evaporated moisture will have nowhere to go. The oven temperature should be set to 90°. When the berries are half dry (about 10 hours in time), the temperature should be reduced to 70 °. The duration of the entire drying process is approximately 30 hours.

Drying method in a special dryer

This recipe will be, perhaps, the most optimal even for those who first thought about how to make raisins at home. Nowadays, more and more convenient and useful devices appear in the kitchen that can make life easier. An electric dryer for mushrooms, fruits and berries is one of such devices suitable for drying raisins. The most difficult action in this case will be, perhaps, the choice of the best drying mode. The rest will not require any special effort. You just need to place the berries on the grates and turn on the dryer.

Grape preparation

Regardless of which drying recipe was taken, it is very important to choose and prepare the raw materials correctly. Only then will the raisins turn out to be of high quality and tasty. The grapes must be ripe, in no case rotten or damaged. It would be ideal if the berries are already slightly wilted on the bush, but not all grape varieties have this property.

To make raisins at home, it is better to take seedless berries of small sizes, for example, a variety of sultanas. Before drying, the grapes must be sorted out and spoiled berries removed.

Properly dried raisins should darken, have a matte surface with a slight wax coating, and when pressed, moisture should not be released from the berries. Such raisins, cooked at home, are not inferior in quality to store-bought ones, and sometimes even surpass them. It can be used both in cooking and for eating in its pure form.

Raisins are dried grapes that are used as food ingredients for confectionery, bread, drinks, and separately as dried fruits. Often raisins are present in breakfast cereals, muesli and cereals. Raisins have received the greatest use in cooking in the countries of the Near and Middle East, as well as the Mediterranean.

Ingredients of raisins:

Despite the fact that raisins are obtained by drying grapes, they retain a number of useful vitamins and minerals that are originally found in grapes. The chemical composition of raisins is not too different from that of grapes.

Among the minerals in raisins are: potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron and zinc. Raisins are also rich in vitamins, including: B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9), ascorbic acid C, tocopherol E, vitamin K. The vitamins and minerals that make up raisins are necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Thanks to this, raisins are nutritious and healthy for humans.

The calorie content of raisins is 265 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Types of raisins:

Raisins can be divided into 4 types, which differ in color, size and number of seeds.

1. Small and light seedless raisins- this type of raisin is made from white and green kishmish grape varieties. These raisins are dried in two ways: in the shade or in the sun. In the first case, the raisins are called soyagi, and in the second, bedona.
   This type of raisin contains a lot of sugar, it is very tasty and nutritious. Especially useful for those who have weakened immunity to restore vitality and energy. Due to its excellent taste, this type of raisin has proven itself well as an ingredient for bakery and confectionery products.
2. Dark seedless raisins- This is a classic look that is made from dark grape varieties. It is prepared by drying in the sun. Shagani and Avlon varieties are obtained by simple drying in the sun without processing. Germian variety by drying in the sun grapes of the best dark varieties, with preliminary boiling in alkali.
   Dark raisins contain the largest amount of nutrients, so it can be called the most beneficial for the body. It is slightly dry, has a sweet taste and is dark blue in color. When used in baked goods and confectionery products, dark raisins add a nutmeg flavor to baked goods.
3. Light raisin with one seed- a classic medium-sized raisin obtained by drying light grape varieties with a stone. It was most common in the USSR during the Soviet era. Due to the presence of the bone, it contains additional useful elements. Some people think that raisins with a stone have a richer taste.
   It is used not only in the confectionery and baking industry, but also in other cooking, in dishes such as pilaf, stuffed chicken, compote.
4. Large raisins with several seeds- this type of raisin is made from ladies' fingers or germian grapes. It is the sweetest and meatiest grape. After drying, it gets a bright amber color.
   This raisin is used in many areas of cooking. It is crushed and added to the composition of pastries or curd mass, or used whole in fruit drink or compote. It is noteworthy that even after cooking, it retains its beautiful color and rich taste.

Raisin production technology:

Raisins are prepared both naturally, by drying in the sun, and artificially, using temperature and chemical processing. Naturally dried raisins have a less attractive appearance, as they are exposed to environmental influences during drying in the sun, but more beneficial properties, since they are not artificially processed.

Naturally, raisins are produced mainly in the Mediterranean, South Australia, California and Asia Minor, in these countries there are appropriate conditions for growing and drying grapes. The technology for the production of raisins in a natural way will include 7 stages:

1. The grapes are harvested and placed in trays, in which it lies between the beds for 3 weeks. Some varieties of grapes are dipped in an alkaline solution for a few seconds before drying to improve its properties.
2. Dried grapes are transferred to boxes in which it enters the factories.
3. At the factories, dried grapes are placed on a conveyor, where they are cleaned of twigs, washed from dirt, and additionally processed.
4. The grapes are then dried until they have lost three-quarters of their original weight.
5. Ready raisins are packaged and sent to points of sale.

It should be noted that the need to dry the grapes in the sun for 3 weeks after their ripening imposes certain restrictions on the country of the raisin producer. Not everywhere after the ripening of the grapes is good sunny weather without rain, so some use temperature or chemical treatment to produce raisins.

Among the artificial methods for the production of raisins are:

1. Drying raisins in a tunnel oven with the grapes previously placed in a soda solution to loosen the skins and dry faster.
2. Drying raisins on racks using gasoline and gas burners.
3. Fumigation of raisins with sulfur dioxide to protect against bacteria and pests. Also, when smoked, raisins become golden and shiny.
4. Raisins are smeared with fat and glycerin to give it a shine.

Although the artificial methods of producing raisins make them prettier and more attractive, they also add harmful substances to them, as well as reduce the level of minerals and vitamins. Whatever way the raisins are produced, before using them, they should be washed well, soaking them in water several times and draining the water.

How to make raisins at home:

To be sure of the environmental friendliness and safety of raisins, you can cook it yourself at home. There are several ways to make raisins from grapes at home:

1. Can you make raisins in the oven?. To do this, the grapes must be washed and dried. Put the berries in a colander and dip for 5 seconds in a boiling soda solution prepared according to the principle: half a teaspoon of soda per 1 liter of water for thin-skinned varieties or one tablespoon per 1 liter of water for wine varieties. After that, cracks will appear in the skin of the grapes through which water can evaporate.
   Then heat the oven to 90 degrees Celsius, put the grapes on a baking sheet in a single layer and put in the oven. The oven door should be slightly ajar. After 10 hours, when the grapes are half dry, lower the oven temperature to 70 degrees Celsius and dry for about 20 more hours. The process of cooking raisins in the oven will take a total of about 30 hours. After the grapes have dried, put them in a tightly closed box for 3 weeks to even out the moisture.
2. Drying grapes in a dark and well-ventilated area at home. If there is a well-ventilated and dark place at home, then you can cook raisins there by laying the washed and dried grapes in one layer on a wooden or paper surface and leave for a month.
3. Cooking raisins in a home electric dryer for vegetables and fruits. In order to cook raisins at home in this way, it must be washed and dried well, then placed in an electric dryer and set to the mode as indicated in the instructions. This method of making raisins is the easiest to make at home.

The benefits of raisins:

Due to the high content of minerals and vitamins, raisins are good for the health of most people. Raisins are rich in iron, which helps fight anemia, which often occurs in pregnant women. Also, raisins can be very useful for children from the age of one, as they contain calcium, which is involved in the formation and strengthening of bones and joints. Raisins are rich in antioxidants that kill infection, so raisins are useful as an immune booster.

Raisins help improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system and normalize the functioning of the nervous system. In general, raisins are useful for the human body, but they should not be consumed excessively, besides this, they also have a number of contraindications.

Harm of raisins:

Since raisins are high in sugar and high in calories, they can be harmful to people with diabetes and obesity. Raisins are also contraindicated for people suffering from stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as for people suffering from an active form of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Breastfeeding mothers should also use raisins with extreme caution, although raisins contain many useful substances for mother and child, excessive use of it can greatly change the composition of milk and adversely affect the child.

It is good to consume raisins in moderation, its excessive consumption can harm the human body, for example, lead to overweight and obesity, because raisins are very high in calories. In addition, one should not forget that before use, raisins should be well soaked and washed in order to avoid infection that could form on the skin of raisins during drying.

There are many ways to process grapes. One of the healthiest and most delicious is raisins. It strengthens the immune system, is a prophylactic against colds, has a general strengthening effect for the body, helps in the treatment of the liver, heart and blood vessels, and copes well with coughs. Grape raisins contain minerals, fiber, vitamins and are a good adjuvant in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. What is healthier raisins or grapes? The answer to this question is twofold. Fresh berries contain a large amount of vitamin B2, B1, A, C, B6, including magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, chlorine, boron. But dried grape fruits contain 10 times more vitamins and minerals than fresh berries. Its vitamin value and benefits for the body are many times higher. Dried grape fruits also contain a lot of organic acids and minerals, vegetable fibers, which help better digestibility. But, on the other hand, the nutritional value and calorie content of such a product is much higher. An average of 280 kcal per 100 grams of product. Therefore, raisins can affect the weight and health of a person. It must be remembered that raisins are contraindicated in diabetes mellitus, acute pancreatitis, stomach ulcers, enterocolitis, and obesity.

“The nutritional value of raisins: fats - 1%, proteins - 6%, the rest is carbohydrates. Potassium - 21%, magnesium - 8%, iron - 10%, calcium - 5%, zinc - 1%, phosphorus - 10%.

How to make raisins from grapes

Raisins are obtained in the process of drying grapes. Most often, seedless varieties are used, but they are also suitable with seeds. Their processing takes a little longer. You can dry both large and small fruits. The taste will be similar to the original product - if it is muscat grapes, then dried fruit from it will also have a nutmeg flavor. The color of dried fruits depends on what grapes the raisins are made from. Dark varieties are most useful - in them the concentration of iron is several times higher than in raisins from white grapes.

Which varieties are suitable for the production of raisins:

• Kishmish white oval
• Kishmish pink
• Kishmish white round
• Kishmish black
• Surprise
• Dream
• Diamond Muscat
• Fiesta
• Surprise
• Dream
• Kodryanka
• Nimrang
• Rusball

Next, let's talk about how grapes are dried for raisins. There are several ways, each hostess chooses the most convenient for herself. To prepare for drying, the crop must be harvested. Carefully pick so that there are no crumpled, rotten or spoiled berries.

Drying grapes in the sun

The most "natural", of all existing options. Berries need to be collected and prepared. Put in a flat large container so that all the fruits are next to each other on the same surface. Expose to direct sunlight. Stir as it wilts. The method is not fast, this type of drying takes 2-4 weeks.

Cooking raisins in an electric dryer

Rinse the berries, do not pick. Prepare a soda solution, for this, add 100 grams of soda to 5 liters of water. Mix the composition, boil. Dip the bunch for 3-5 seconds in boiling water. Take out and let the water drain. Disassemble into berries. If they are large, then cut in half. Spread in a thick layer on the dryer tray. After some time (determined by the instructions), take out the finished raisins and place them in storage.

“If you purchase a store product, you should first familiarize yourself with its composition. Since the industry makes raisins from grapes with the addition of preservatives.”

Storage and use of finished raisins

For long and proper storage A cotton bag works well. Ready dried fruits must be placed in it, tied tightly so that insects do not get there. Put away in a dry place. Also, for good preservation, glass jars with lids that can be placed in the refrigerator are suitable.

Dried grape fruit is a very useful product. And there are many ways to use it. Raisins are often used in cooking to add to desserts, baked goods, and as a garnish. Ideal for preparing drinks and compotes. Good for sauces and meat stews. And thanks to the high calorie content, you can make healthy and nutritious snacks.

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How to dry grapes in the sun

Grape berries should be picked from the twigs, scattered on the grate in one layer and left in a sunny place. The drying process takes up to three weeks depending on the weather. The finished product has a moisture percentage of not more than 20%.

The disadvantage of drying in the sun is that the grapes lose their original color and turn dark brown, the aroma is also dulled.

How to dry grapes in the shade

The berries are laid out in the shade under awnings or hung in the attic without removing them from the bunch. Drying lasts 4-5 months, grapes in bunches tolerate cold well and even frost if the attic is cold.

In addition to traditional, there are also accelerated drying methods:

• With alkali. The berries must be put in a colander and blanched in a soda solution (1 heaping tablespoon per 5-liter saucepan). Take out, pour over the grapes with cold water. Spread out in one layer to dry. Mix on the fourth day. After another 3-4 days, the raisins are ready.
• In the oven. Drying, or drying, takes place at minimal heating (no more than 60 ° C) with the door ajar. The grapes are laid out on baking sheets, periodically changing their places so that they warm up evenly. Periodically, the oven is turned off, and the berries are mixed. In this temperature regime, the grapes are dried for two days. On the third day, the temperature is reduced to 40°C.

In three days, the berries are dried to the desired degree of moisture, and you can put them away for storage.

How to dry grapes in an electric dryer

For harvesting in an electric dryer, fully ripe and sweet grapes with dense pulp and skin are suitable.

Rinse the bunches with cold running water, separate the berries, trying not to deform them so that the juice does not start to flow out. Fill each dryer tray with grapes (in one layer).