Options for storing Jerusalem artichoke in the winter. Storage of large volumes

How to store Jerusalem artichoke? Very carefully. Unlike other tubers, the Jerusalem artichoke is too thin skin, which is damaged even by simple rubbing with a finger. And if the root crops are also turned over, then they will begin to deteriorate in three days.

Folk wisdom has long come up with several reliable ways to keep Jerusalem artichoke until spring:

• freezing
• drying
• paraffin
• natural shelter
• trench method
• basement method

Each of them is good enough, allows you to save tubers with virtually no loss.

Freezing

Jerusalem artichoke is dug up, washed. Here you can not stand on ceremony with the peel, because it is not needed. Next, the fruits are cleaned, cut into slices, cubes, plates - as you like. Put in a freezer bag or a special food container. Removed to the freezer. Such root crops can be stored all winter.

Advice. Freeze Jerusalem artichoke in small portions, at a time.

Dried Jerusalem artichoke

Advice. Contrary to the erroneous opinion, after drying, the tubers retain all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Waxing

A very good method that allows Jerusalem artichoke to remain juicy for a long time. Root crops are carefully cleaned of dirt, trying not to damage the thin skin. Dry in a shady place for about 2-3 hours.

Then, with a neat quick movement, the tubers are dipped in melted paraffin. If you manage to get a special food, it will be generally fine. In the absence of such, you can get by with the usual, candle. After hardening of the upper crust, the prepared Jerusalem artichoke is carefully placed in cardboard boxes or wooden boxes.

Cleaned for storage in the basement, cellar or cellar. If you intend to save root crops in an apartment environment, then a place under the bed or the bottom shelf of a cupboard is quite suitable. An insulated balcony will do.

natural storage

The most economical and reliable storage method. For use, they dig up the required number of tubers, the rest are left untouched in the ground. If the climate presupposes the onset of frosts below 30 ° C, then leaves or spruce branches can be additionally thrown directly on the soil from above. Cardboard, old roofing material, plywood are suitable for shelter.

As soon as the Jerusalem artichoke is over, you can go and dig up new tubers. Of course, it will be somewhat problematic to pick the frozen ground, but the fresh fruits of your own labor.

Cleaning in trenches

If it is not possible to leave an earthen pear for the winter in natural conditions, and there is simply nowhere to store it at home, then trenches will always help out.

They are prepared in the fall, when the ground has not yet frozen. They dig a hole or a short trench 50 cm deep. Sawdust or dry leaves are poured into the bottom. Dry, undamaged Jerusalem artichoke tubers are laid in two layers. 20 cm of soil, sand, straw are poured on top, covered with a thick film, pressed on top with another layer of soil.

For greater convenience, you can put each bush in a separate rag bag or wrap it with burlap.

Now you don’t have to worry, the root crops will live perfectly until spring. In winter, getting them will be very easy. Raise the edge of the film and dig out the right amount, close it back.

The main danger with this method of storage is mice. They also love to feast on juicy tubers. There are two exits:

1. Put a special poison in the straw. Inhumane, but very effective.
2. Dry burdock inflorescences are thrown into the trench mixed with an earthen pear. Effective and humane. Mice really do not like it when something clings to their fur and will not come again.

Advice. So that in spring the melt waters do not flood the mini-storage, at a distance of 40-50 cm from it they dig a shallow ditch in a circle.

Basement or cellar

If you are lucky enough to be the owner of a cellar or basement, then the task of storing Jerusalem artichoke is not worth it.

There are a lot of options here, each of them is easy, requires little cost and effort:

1. Dig in a container with sand, where carrots are usually stored.
2. A whole root of Jerusalem artichoke with tubers is dug up without breaking. Directly with the ground put in a container that is suitable in size. Placed on the floor.
3. No containers? Normal boxes will do. Just need to pour moss, peat or sawdust on top.
4. Lubricate the roots with clay mash, dry. Carefully spread in tight plastic bags. Tie off, trying to leave as little air as possible.

Most importantly, be sure to leave plant hemp 10 cm long. This way, root crops retain more nutrients.

If there is no cellar or basement, then a cool pantry or an insulated balcony will fit perfectly.

The optimum temperature for this method of storage is +2-4°C. If possible, you need to regularly inspect the bookmarks in order to notice the beginning of the putrefactive process in time. Jerusalem artichoke is a succulent plant, it can also deteriorate.

Advice. Beets and potatoes are bad neighbors for root crops. It is recommended to place them away from each other.

1. Jerusalem artichoke should not be rubbed to remove dirt. It can only be shaken off. The same goes for drying. Let it dry naturally. Even the softest rags scratch the skin.
2. If it is not possible to somehow keep the ground pear fresh, then there are a great many recipes for blanks. After heat treatment, some of the substances are lost, but inulin (namely, because of it the plant is so valued) will not go anywhere.
3. In the refrigerator on a shelf for vegetables, tubers are stored for only 4 weeks.
4. If a natural storage method is chosen, it is recommended to cut off all the tops. Leave only stumps 12-15 cm high.
5. It is advisable to use an earthen pear until March-April. With the onset of heat, the tubers give buds, growth begins. For food purposes, such root crops are no longer suitable.
6. Dried slices or straws are best stored in glass jars with a tight lid.
7. People suffering from flatulence can stop worrying about the safety of Jerusalem artichoke. They simply cannot.
8. The humidity of the environment during storage after excavation should be at least 85%.
9. For the trench method, you can use plastic flower pots or buckets. So it will be more convenient to get an earthen pear in winter. Gently pull the handle and you're done!
10. You can not store Jerusalem artichoke directly on the concrete floor of the cellar. Cement perfectly absorbs moisture, so the tubers dry out quickly.
11. Carefully inspect each tuber before laying. It is necessary to use first of all damaged or scratched.

Video: useful properties of an earthen pear

Jerusalem artichoke (also ground pear or Jerusalem artichoke) is a dietary product that is used not only for food, but also for medicinal purposes, because it provides invaluable help in various diseases. In order to preserve the beneficial properties and prevent fungal infection of the root crop, you need to know how to properly store Jerusalem artichoke. We will talk about this in this article.

Source: depositphotos.com

Jerusalem artichoke tubers contain many amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins (including a large amount of vitamin C). Their juicy pulp has a pleasant sweetish aftertaste and is used to prepare various dishes.

Eating a root vegetable helps to eliminate toxins, lower blood sugar levels and strengthen immunity. It is also recommended in the treatment of diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Before we talk about storing Jerusalem artichoke, let's figure out how to choose the right root crop. When buying, pay attention to the following:

• Jerusalem artichoke fruits come in various shapes and sizes. The color of the tubers can vary from yellowish and brown to red;
• tubers should be elastic and firm to the touch. Do not buy soft and sluggish fruits;
• inspect the skin of the root crop. If there are roughness and growths on the surface, this is normal. But the wrinkled appearance and emerging spots on the peel indicate a poor-quality product;
• Jerusalem artichoke is characterized by a pleasant and light "earthy" smell.

Source: depositphotos.com

Jerusalem artichoke: when to harvest?

Jerusalem artichoke is an extremely unpretentious, prolific and frost-resistant plant. It is cultivated in different latitudes. The root crop tolerates temporary drought and is considered a hardy crop.

Source: depositphotos.com

The vulnerability of Jerusalem artichoke lies in the very thin skin, which does not coarsen and cannot protect the tubers from drying out and rotting.

A fresh root crop can be eaten for several days after harvest, after which it withers. That is why it is best to store Jerusalem artichoke in the winter in the ground.

The crop is harvested in autumn before the onset of frost or in early spring, while the tubers have not yet begun to germinate. The spring harvest of the root crop is preferable to the autumn one, since all vitamins are completely preserved in the tubers. They dig it up as needed, because the Jerusalem artichoke is stored better in the soil and tolerates frosts down to -40 ℃.

Source: depositphotos.com

Considering the characteristics of Jerusalem artichoke, residents of private houses practice the following storage method: for the harvested crop, they prepare a shallow trench, the bottom of which is covered with spruce branches. The dug out tubers are placed in plastic flower pots and placed in a trench, laid on top with a layer of snow or sand, then with insulating material (hay, peat) and a roofing material sheet. With this method, the root crop will lie until spring, save useful properties, will not fade or rot. Due to the frost resistance of Jerusalem artichoke, many gardeners store it in pits and piles.

How to store Jerusalem artichoke at home

Despite all the nuances, storing Jerusalem artichoke at home is quite acceptable. Let's consider several ways.

Source: depositphotos.com

In the refrigerator in a plastic or paper bag. The most affordable and efficient way. The tubers are washed, dried, placed in bags or plastic containers and stored in the vegetable compartment. The shelf life will be 2-3 weeks. Without a bag, the Jerusalem artichoke will wither in a few days. If you do not plan on long-term storage, you can simply wrap the tubers in a damp cloth and put in the refrigerator.

The temperature for storing Jerusalem artichoke should be from -5 to +4 ℃, and humidity - 85%. At higher rates, tubers begin to germinate, but Jerusalem artichoke is not afraid of frost - frozen tubers do not lose their taste and useful qualities.

In the freezer. Up to 3 months, you can keep the freshness of Jerusalem artichoke if you freeze it. Peeled tubers are cut into pieces or grated, put in a plastic container with a lid or plastic bags and stored in the freezer.

Source: depositphotos.com

On the balcony. Jerusalem artichoke is placed in boxes or bags with sawdust, wet sand or peat. It is important to avoid exposure to sunlight and temperature rises above +4 ℃. The tubers will be able to retain their properties for 2-4 months.

Only freshly harvested crops are laid for long-term storage, so you should not expect much from store-bought Jerusalem artichoke.

In a cellar or basement. Jerusalem artichoke is laid out in wooden boxes, sprinkled with sand, earth, peat or moss, and covered with plywood sheets on top. Before storing the tubers, it is better not to clear the soil. Jerusalem artichoke can be stored with carrots. But beets and potatoes are far from the best "neighbors" for him.

Dried. Dried root crop retains all useful properties. The tubers are washed, cut into plates and dried in the open air for 4-5 days. You can use an electric dryer (following its instructions) or an oven (see below).

Source: depositphotos.com

Jerusalem artichoke is not dried under the sun, but only in the shade. The product is stored in sealed paper bags or fabric bags, in a dry and cool place for 12-18 months. It is permissible to keep it in the refrigerator in a tightly closed glass jar.

Ground pear, Volga turnip, sun root, Jerusalem artichoke - all this is the name of one root crop. To most of us, he is known as Jerusalem artichoke. Brought to us from distant North America, this perennial conquered everyone with its useful composition. It contains a large number of B vitamins, micro and macro elements, various amino acids (most of them our body must receive from the outside). Regular consumption of it in food will cure beriberi, remove toxins from the body, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and lower blood sugar levels. And this is not all the benefits of an earthen pear. To stock up on this useful product for the whole winter, you need to learn how to store Jerusalem artichoke at home.

Where and how to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter at home?

Jerusalem artichoke is a frost-resistant plant. If the garden is near your house, then do not rush to dig up the entire crop at the same time. Do it as needed. Moreover, since this root crop is not afraid of big frosts, that part of the crop that you do not have time to sell during the winter can be left in the ground until early spring. This method will save you free space at home, and even enrich Jerusalem artichoke with a large number of useful substances. The main thing is to dig it up before it starts to germinate.

This is important to know. The first two months of autumn are the time when carbohydrates actively accumulate in root crops, which give a characteristic taste. Therefore, you can not remove them from the garden early. It is better to cut the stems before frosts, and after a couple of weeks, dig them out from the beds.

It is not difficult to keep an earthen pear at home. The main thing is to observe two factors: temperature and humidity. The optimum temperature for its storage ranges from 1 to 4 degrees Celsius, and humidity - from 85 to 95%. Therefore, a place to store the crop can be:

• Cellar or cold basement;
• Insulated balcony;
• Fridge;
• Freezer.

Each of the methods has its own specific features that affect the duration of the shelf life. Let's look at each option on how to save Jerusalem artichoke for the winter separately.

Cellar

The cellar is one of the best places to store Jerusalem artichoke, as the temperature regime, sufficient humidity and a minimum amount of light are observed. In order for the dug-out root crop to be stored longer, it is not worth completely clearing it from the ground. The following tips will also help you.

• Find a dark and cool place in the cellar or basement.
• Transfer the ground potatoes to wooden crates that already contain soil from your garden.
• Sprinkle the tubers with wet sand.
• Cover the boxes with a sheet of thick cardboard or plywood.
• Do not place boxes next to potatoes and beets.

Paraffin can be used for better storage. It is melted, tubers are dipped into it, and after solidification, they are moved to the basement.

Helpful information. When harvesting, leave the tubers on a stem about 20 cm long. This method will save even more nutrients.

Insulated balcony

A similar method can be used if you decide to store an earthen pear on the balcony. Sandbags can be used instead of sandboxes. So the shelf life will last from 2 to 4 months. Make sure that severe frosts are not predicted in the near future, and the temperature on the balcony does not drop below 5 degrees below zero. You can correct the situation by trying to insulate the box with root crops. Or transfer to an apartment to store an earthen pear in the refrigerator.

Fridge

• Wash and dry the harvested root crop;
• Wrap in a plastic bag or put in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid;
• Put in the part of the refrigerator where there is minimal light.

Hostess advice. Ground pear is very fond of moisture, so before placing it in the refrigerator, wrap it with a damp cloth. So the root crop will remain juicy for a long time and will not become unusable.

Freezer

Many housewives will want to know if Jerusalem artichoke can be frozen. Since this root crop is not afraid of frost and practically does not lose its taste and useful properties when defrosted, you can safely store it in the freezer for three months. For this you need:

• Thoroughly wash and peel the earthen pear;
• Grate or cut it;
• Fold in a bag or plastic container;
• Send to the freezer.

It will be more convenient to immediately package the grated mass in portions, that is, one package contains as much Jerusalem artichoke as needed to prepare one dish.

Useful properties of Jerusalem artichoke were known in the middle of the 17th century, when this plant was used for medicinal purposes. Later, it began to be bred as a vegetable crop. earthen pear, as this root crop is also called, is a dietary product that provides invaluable assistance in many diseases.

However, you need to know how to store Jerusalem artichoke in winter in order to preserve its medicinal properties and prevent fungal or bacterial diseases.

Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial plant, the fruits of which are tubers of various shapes, sizes and colors. Their flesh is very juicy, has a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. Due to its enormous nutritional value, the root vegetable can serve as an alternative to potatoes.

Jerusalem artichoke tubers contain many vitamins, proteins, amino acids. Their use in food helps to lower blood sugar levels, remove toxic substances, increase the body's resistance to various viruses and infections.

Jerusalem artichoke is often used in the treatment of gastritis, ulcers, heartburn and other diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Harvesting and the possibility of its storage in the beds

Due to its properties, Jerusalem artichoke is able to winter in the soil much better than in storage, both in summer and in winter. When growing a plant in the country do not dig up the entire crop at one time, it is better to do it as needed. In late autumn, it makes sense to dig up some of the root crops that you plan to use in winter, and keep the rest in the ground until spring.

Jerusalem artichoke is a very cold-resistant plant and tolerates frosts up to 20 C.

Tubers that are dug up in the fall and harvested for the winter, for example, for livestock feed, can be stored in ground piles. Burt is several layers of root crops laid on the surface of the earth or in a small depression, covered and sprinkled with layers of straw, peat or sawdust. The place for storing root crops must be chosen correctly: it must be dry and elevated. To protect the fruits from surface water around the storage, it is necessary to dig a small ditch up to 30 cm deep. It is also important to protect the root crops from rodents that can spoil the crop stored for the winter.

For residents of private houses, there is another way to store Jerusalem artichoke in the ground. For him, it is necessary to prepare a not very deep trench, the bottom of which is covered with spruce branches. The dug up tubers are placed in plastic flower pots and placed in the prepared recess. A layer of snow or sand, a layer of insulating material (hay, spruce branches, etc.) and a sheet of roofing material are placed on top. Under such conditions, Jerusalem artichoke will retain all its beneficial properties until spring and will not succumb to withering and decay.

Basement and cellar for storage

If it is not possible to leave Jerusalem artichoke for the winter in the ground, then you can organize its storage in a dark, cool place, for example, a basement or cellar. Best used for this purpose wooden boxes. It is necessary to lay out the dug out tubers of the plant in them, which can not even be cleared from the ground. Then they are sprinkled with sand, peat or shifted with moss. From above, boxes with root crops are covered with sheets of plywood.

You can process Jerusalem artichoke tubers paraffin It will also help preserve useful vitamins and minerals. Root crops are immersed in melted warm paraffin, then, when it hardens, they are sent for storage in the basement.

It is important to ensure the correct temperature for storing vegetables at home. The cellar temperature should be from +1 to +4 C, and the relative humidity of the air is 85 - 95%. Such conditions will avoid drying or rotting of stored tubers.

Storage of Jerusalem artichoke in apartment conditions

Residents of multi-storey buildings who do not have cellars should not despair, since there are various ways to store earthen pear fruits at home.

Storage on a balcony or loggia

For storing Jerusalem artichoke in an apartment, a balcony or a glazed loggia is an excellent solution. Even if the balcony is not sufficiently insulated, with a slight freezing of the tubers, their nutritional properties do not change.

Root crops must be placed in boxes or bags filled with wet sand, peat or sawdust. The fruits stored in this way are able to retain their properties for two months.

It is worth remembering that Jerusalem artichoke does not tolerate heat and direct sunlight, so it must be stored for storage as soon as it has been dug up.

Cold storage methods: refrigerator and freezer

Another option for winter storage of a small amount of Jerusalem artichoke fruits at home is a refrigerator. The tubers of the plant are necessary Rinse thoroughly, pat dry and pack or other sealed containers. It is best to store root vegetables in a vegetable drawer. This method of storage will ensure their safety for 2-3 weeks.

A longer shelf life can ensure the placement of Jerusalem artichoke into the freezer. Due to resistance to low temperatures, the fruits of the plant will retain their taste and nutritional properties. Before use, they must be placed in cold water for gradual thawing.

Preservation and drying of Jerusalem artichoke

Since the roots of Jerusalem artichoke are used not only in their raw form, it is advisable to think about such a method of storing a vegetable as conservation. From the peeled tubers of the plant can be prepared syrups, jams, use them for pickling and sourdough. Even in this form, its useful properties will not disappear anywhere.

In addition, it is effective to harvest the roots of Jerusalem artichoke in dried form. The vegetable, peeled and cut into plates, is dried in a ventilated place without direct sunlight or in an oven. In the future, the dried product can be stored in a glass container in the refrigerator.

Your brownie.

The drying process for many food products has opened up new areas of their application and previously unknown beneficial properties. A vivid example of this is the history of the introduction into the life of the consumer of an earthen pear - Jerusalem artichoke.

Russia got acquainted with Jerusalem artichoke in the middle of the 17th century and adopted it as a medicinal plant. Today, following the example of many European countries, this healthy vegetable is increasingly being introduced into cooking: raw, baked, fried, in salads, soups and even drinks. And quite recently, due to its rich composition of biologically active substances and the use of new processing technologies, in particular drying technology, the prospect of using Jerusalem artichoke in the food industry, as the basis for dietary nutrition and raw materials for unique healing products, has been opened.

Technological developments have shown that the dried pear concentrate contains a large amount of carbohydrates, vitamins and micro- and macroelements, which obliges it to be used in the medical, cosmetic, biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Depending on the type of drying and the form of the final product, Jerusalem artichoke is a raw material for the production of inulin, the basis of biologically active food supplements and an auxiliary component of food products.

Industrial drying of Jerusalem artichoke

Known technological schemes for obtaining a concentrate from the tubers of this vegetable, which are based on various types of drying. The chemical composition of the initial product is standardized, and is not a criterion for choosing the method of drying Jerusalem artichoke. It depends on the goals set in terms of physical and organoleptic characteristics, as well as in terms of the duration of storage of valuable substances. The most effective method is recognized as the method of sublimation vacuum drying of Jerusalem artichoke.

Jerusalem artichoke tubers undergo preliminary selection and preparation: cleaning and cutting. The size and shape of the cut depends on what type of product is being produced - plates, tablets or powder. In some cases, the tubers retain their original integrity.

The first stage of dehydration of the product takes place in special vacuum chambers at a temperature of -10 ... -15 degrees and continues for 2/3 of the total time of the drying technology. During this time, up to 50% of moisture is removed from the product. Next, the object - comes the stage of exposure to high temperatures (from +40 to +70 degrees), at which the product gets rid of the so-called bound moisture present in frozen Jerusalem artichoke in the amount of 25-35%. With all the outward simplicity of freeze drying, the developed and tested framework of the technological process is very important - the optimal ratio of temperatures and duration of all stages, eliminating the possibility of thawing between freezing and heating.

Subject to sublimation conditions, this method of drying Jerusalem artichoke provides maximum (up to 90%) preservation of important enzymes, vitamins and bioactive substances in the product.

Drying at home

For those who wish to improve their health with Jerusalem artichoke, having confidence in its purity and environmental friendliness, and do not trust industrial dietary supplements, there are easy ways to process vegetables at home.

When preparing the product for drying, a careful selection is made for the absence of damage and foci of decay, cleaning from the ground and secondary roots, trimming the peel and grinding. In order to avoid unnecessary oxidation and darkening of Jerusalem artichoke, it is recommended to clean the tubers with a bone or wooden knife.

Sliced ​​Jerusalem artichoke is dried on an open surface, in the shade, at room temperature, or using a solar dryer. After 4 days the product is ready for use.

When drying in an oven or a home gas dryer, a preliminary process of blanching the tubers is carried out. Blanching takes place in salted water with the addition of baking soda (about 8 grams per 1 liter of water) for 8-10 minutes. Next, the vegetable is cut into plates or noodles and placed in a heated container for drying, and dried for about 3 hours at a temperature in the range of 50-60 degrees, periodically stirring the product on the grates.

To obtain a powder from an earthen pear, dried Jerusalem artichoke is ground in a coffee grinder, or better - in a wooden mortar, followed by storage in a glass container. By brewing the resulting powder like coffee, they get a fortified drink that tones up and provides the prevention of many ailments!