How to dry carrots for the winter. How to properly dry carrots in the oven while preserving their vitamins? Industrial style
Dry or. In this article, we will figure out how to dry carrots at home.
Benefits of the procurement method
This procurement method has several significant advantages:
- you can choose a convenient drying option;
- does not take up much space;
- it is not necessary to store it in the cold;
- retains most of the nutrients;
- always at hand;
- is an ingredient in many dishes;
- does not deteriorate for a long time due to lack of moisture.
Useful properties of dried carrots
The answer to the question: is it possible to dry carrots for the winter, is unambiguous - it is not only possible, but also necessary. under the influence of temperature, it preserves almost all elements, in particular, carotene, which maintains visual acuity and health of the retina, strengthens the respiratory system, reduces the level of bad cholesterol, strengthens the cardiovascular system, reduces the risk of cancer in women, supports the sexual health of men.
Fiber in the composition of the root vegetable improves digestion, removes toxins, normalizes sugar levels, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes, and helps to maintain normal weight.
Ascorbic acid is a prophylactic agent for colds, an agent that supports the immune system. Folic acid is an important element for the circulatory system, especially for pregnant women. It is also important for the health of the skin, hair and teeth, and the normal functioning of the nervous system. 
The presence of a large amount of trace elements is useful for the prevention of arthritis, heart disease, gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidney disease, varicose veins, blood pressure surges.
Important! It is not advisable to overdo it with the use of a root vegetable for people with gastrointestinal ulcers or high acidity.
Which carrots are best for drying
For drying, choose medium-sized root crops, without flaws and damage. Recommended for early and medium ripeness, rich orange color. It is advisable to choose carrots with a softer core, without impregnation of hard fibers.
Root preparation and blanching
Having picked up a product of the right size and quality, it must be cleaned and the tops removed. If, nevertheless, spoiled root crops are caught, you need to cut out the damaged places. Then the raw materials are thoroughly washed and blanched entirely in boiling water. The process, depending on the size, takes 10–20 minutes. To check the readiness, the product is pierced with a toothpick: it enters with little resistance, which means it is ready. 
What is the best way to cut carrots for drying
Carrots can be cut into slices of half a centimeter, into strips, cubes, cubes, grated on a coarse grater. You can use different slicing methods, packing them separately for storage, depending on which dishes you plan to use the root vegetable in.
Did you know? In one of the cities of California, Holtville, USA, in one of the weeks of February, there is an annual festival dedicated to the orange fruit. At the festival, a carrot queen is elected, a parade of mobile platforms with themed design is held along the streets, amateur chefs and professional chefs compete in cooking carrot dishes, comic battles are organized in which the root vegetable acts as a weapon or projectiles.
Popular drying methods
Among the main methods of drying carrots are drying in natural conditions, in an electric dryer, in an oven and a microwave.
Air-solar drying
For the natural drying method, select on site place on the south side, so the raw material will stay under the sun longer. It is advisable that there is no carriageway nearby so that dust and dirt do not get on the product. It's fine if you have a large sieve, but you can also use a tray or tray lined with a clean cloth. Spread the raw materials in a thin layer, denser to each other and leave in the fresh air. If the food is not on the sieve, turn it over from time to time. It will take about two weeks for high-quality treatment with the sun and air. 
In an electric dryer
Consider how to dry carrots in an electric dryer. Arrange properly prepared carrots on all trays with mesh in the dryer. The number of trays or pallets is not the same: in some devices there are five, in others, more powerful and modern - up to twenty. Distribute the raw materials so that they lie loose. Turn the temperature on 55 degrees and dry for 16-18 hours. In some devices, eight hours at 50 degrees are enough.
Important! Please note that in the process of dehydration, the product significantly decreases in size; from 9 kg of peeled root crops, the output is just over 900 g.
In the oven
Drying carrots in the oven is the most common way to harvest them for the winter. The prepared raw materials are evenly distributed on a baking sheet and left for 6-8 hours at a temperature of up to 80 degrees... It is advisable to stir the product from time to time.
In the microwave
For drying in microwave oven you need to prepare a container with water of about 200 ml. Carrots, cut into strips or cubes, must be dried. Wrap the mass in a thick paper napkin or towel and put it in the oven with water. Set the appliance to full power for three minutes. After the time has elapsed, turn off the power by half, dry for another three minutes. Then, at intervals of a minute, check the condition of the raw materials and the presence of water in the container, if it has boiled away, add.
Did you know? Carrots were a frequent ingredient in the cooking of ancient Rome, their medicinal properties described by ancient scholars - Theophrastus, Hippocrates, Avicenna. In Kievan Rus used a root vegetable and its juice, mixed with butter, from stomach diseases.
How to determine readiness
Ideally, moisture in the finished product should decrease by about 15%, but since this is difficult to determine, look at the elasticity of the pieces. They should be in moderation fragile but not crumble.
Sun-dried carrots are very useful and delicious dish, which, moreover, can be harvested for future use for the winter. In the cold season, the human body desperately needs vitamins, especially those found in vegetables. Many vegetables can be harvested for the winter in a variety of ways and methods.
IMPORTANT: The method takes place at a low temperature, which contributes to the preservation of proteins in the vegetable.
general information
Carrot Is a vegetable rich in vitamins and minerals that tastes good. The root crop is harvested for the winter fresh, as well as using different ways drying. Drying is a type of drying and dehydration of carrots, as a result of which the vegetable retains all useful substances for a long time.
Dried root vegetable has a pleasant aroma and taste, soft and elastic consistency.
Benefit
Carrots, harvested by drying, are distinguished by the following useful features:
- The root vegetable contains a large amount of vitamins: groups B, A, C, PP;
- Carrots are rich in organic acids and minerals: magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, chloro, iodine, potassium.
- Amino acids have a beneficial effect on nervous system, as well as the heart and blood vessels;
- Beta-carotene improves the functioning of the respiratory system;
- Dietary fiber normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- The low calorie content of jerky can help maintain your figure.
Regular consumption of dried root vegetables:
- Promotes the restoration of vision;
- Reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood;
- It has a strengthening effect on the walls of blood vessels;
- Stimulates blood circulation in brain cells;
- Reduces high blood pressure;
- Suppresses the development and growth of tumors and cancer cells;
- Reduces the risk of atherosclerosis;
- Provides prevention of stones in the gallbladder;
- Slows down skin aging;
- Removes toxins and toxins from the body;
- Strengthens the immune system;
- It has a beneficial effect on the liver, promotes the renewal of its cells.
REFERENCE: Dried carrots are much higher in antioxidants than raw carrots.
Dried carrots: preparing a vegetable
Before harvesting carrots for the winter, you must first properly prepare the vegetable.
Medium-sized root vegetables must first be washed and peeled. Then rinse again in warm water and pat dry with a tea towel.
For drying, carrots are cut into circles about 2.5 centimeters thick or into pieces no more than 5 centimeters long.
The chopped root vegetable is sprinkled with granulated sugar: for 1 kilogram of carrots, you need to take about 150 grams of sugar. Slices of carrots in sugar should be pressed down with a heavy load and left for 12 hours in a cool place (no more than 18 degrees).
At the end of the time indicated above, juice is released from the carrots, which is drained. Pieces of root vegetables are re-filled with sugar and left for another half a day at the same air temperature under oppression.
Then the carrot juice is drained again, and the pieces of vegetable are poured with hot syrup (350 grams boiled water- 250 grams of granulated sugar).
IMPORTANT: In hot syrup, carrots should be kept for no more than 15 minutes.
Candied carrots: home cooking process
It should be noted that there are two ways to prepare sun-dried carrots: in the oven and with room temperature. In the oven, dried carrots are prepared as follows:
- Remove the carrots from the hot syrup and blot thoroughly to remove moisture;
- Spread the pieces of root vegetables on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 85 ° C;
- After 25 minutes, remove the vegetable, cool and place the baking sheet in the oven again for 40 minutes. The drying temperature will be 70 ° C;
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, cool and re-place the carrots in the oven at 70 ° C for 40 minutes.
Candied carrots:
The second recipe for harvesting dried carrots:
- Remove the vegetable from the syrup, discard in a colander;
- Spread carrot pieces on a baking sheet and place for two days in a dark place with a good ventilation system;
- After two days, turn the vegetable pieces over and leave for at least a week.
When finished, dried carrots should be firm and elastic to the touch.
Recipes
A delicious dried root vegetable can be prepared for the winter using such popular recipes.
Sun-dried carrots with beet tops
For cooking, you need the following ingredients:
- Sugar - 350 grams;
- Water - 350 milliliters;
- 700 grams of carrots, chopped into circles;
- 300 grams of beet stalks.
Mix carrot slices and beet stalks in a deep bowl, sprinkle with sugar. Place the container in a dark place, the temperature in which should be no more than 6 degrees. After three days, drain the juice and prepare the syrup. Mix 350 grams of sugar with the same amount of boiling water and pour the carrots with beet stalks for 15 minutes. Drain the liquid, dry the carrots. For further drying, use the above two methods: in the oven or in a dark room.
How to dry carrots outdoors:
Carrots with vanilla
To prepare delicious and useful product you need to take such products:
- A kilo of chopped carrots;
- A teaspoon of citric acid; 1 gram vanillin;
- A glass of sugar.
Mix pieces of root vegetables with sugar, vanilla and citric acid, put in a deep container under oppression for 12 hours. After the specified time has elapsed, the root crop should release juice. Remove the oppression and put the container with carrots on the fire, bring to a boil, remove and cool.
After the sun-dried carrots are ready, they must be placed in a hermetically sealed container.
Put slices of carrots on a baking sheet and take further steps to get a sun-dried vegetable.
Storage
The root crop is stored from a year to one and a half years in a dark place at a temperature of no more than 18 degrees.
Dried carrots can be used as an additive in baked goods, compotes, fruit drinks and teas, as well as used as an independent delicacy. A vegetable prepared in this way contains a huge amount of nutrients and vitamins.
Dried carrots will decorate the first and main courses, the high content of nutrients will save the body from beriberi. How to dry carrots in an electric dryer? How else can you prepare a root crop for the winter? We will tell you in this article.
How to dry carrots: rules for harvesting and storage
To get quality winter preparations, carrots should be selected and prepared correctly. Suitable for drying are mid-season or early, medium-sized root crops. It is better to choose vegetables with a rounded bottom - they are sweeter and brighter.
Preparatory stages:
- sorting - arrange carrots by size, remove roots with signs of spoilage;
- cleaning - cut off the tops, remove green veins, wash thoroughly with a brush, do not remove the peel;
- heat treatment - immerse the carrots in boiling water for 12–20 minutes, depending on the size; the toothpick should hardly enter the finished vegetable;
- cool in a container with ice water.
Prepared carrots can be cut into 3 mm circles, small cubes or cubes, thin strips.
Storing dried carrots is easy - you can use fabric bags or glass and tin containers.
How to dry carrots for the winter: basic methods
The electric dryer allows you to quickly prepare winter blanks from different vegetables... The instructions for the device indicate the temperature regime and the duration of the process. The ideal temperature for drying carrots is 6-70 degrees.
It will take several cycles to completely dry the root vegetable - complete drying of the vegetable will take 6-17 hours, depending on its variety and the size of the pieces. Properly cooked carrots preserve bright color, has an elastic consistency.
Air-solar drying is the best way to harvest carrots, provided that the vegetable does not get dust and dirt from the environment. The prepared root crop must be spread out in a thin layer on a sieve, it must be stirred 3-4 times a day. Drying time - at least 14 days.
To dry in the microwave, carrots should be cut into small cubes, spread out in a thin layer between two sheets of thin paper. Place the workpiece in a microwave oven, place a container with water. You need to check the readiness every half a minute, the water in the container should be constantly.
Can carrots be dried for the winter? Not possible, but necessary! Judge for yourself, when drying the most important elements of carrots, in particular provitamin A and carotene, are retained by almost 95%.
In order to have an idea about everyone useful properties of dried carrots, you need to get acquainted with its composition:
Beta carotene, which is part of the dried product, has a beneficial effect on the functionality of the respiratory system.
Once in the body, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A, which plays one of the most important roles for the health of women.
Due to its beneficial properties, the consumption of dried carrots helps to strengthen the retina of the eye.
So, for example, people with conjunctivitis, myopia, blepharitis, and nocturnal leptosis should consume regularly this product.
It is also recommended to include this product in the diet for people with increased fatigue... Regular consumption of dried carrots helps to strengthen immune system, increase vitality and accelerate the regenerative processes of the human body.
Basic rules for drying
How to dry carrots for the winter? When starting to dry this root crop, you need to to prepare.
For drying, you need to choose medium-sized carrots, it is better early varieties or mid-season... It is desirable that the core of the fruit is medium-sized and uncoarse.
Sort the carrots by size, cut the tops and cut the green necks. After that, the carrots must be checked for the presence damage(if any, eliminate). Rinse sorted carrots thoroughly and immerse whole in boiling water.
Blanch carrots need from 12 (small) to 20 minutes (large). Readiness can be determined by piercing the carrot with a toothpick - it should enter the fruit with little difficulty. After heat treatment of carrots, it must be cooled under running water.
How to cut carrots for drying? Chilled carrots can be chopped cubes, small straws or circles, the thickness of which should not be more than 3 mm.
On air
The best place for air-drying is an open, dry area away from environmental pollution factors(roadways, landfills).
The best choice would be a place in the garden or vegetable garden.
It is better if the selected place has a slight slope to the south, so that the sun's rays warm this area as long as possible during the day.
Prepared for drying and chopped carrots are scattered on a long sieve or tray in a thin layer and placed in the sun. If the process takes place on a tray, then the root crop is necessary stir every few days, if drying is carried out on a sieve, the carrots can be left alone.
Air-solar drying - the process is quite long - for high-quality processing it is required at least 2 weeks... After the root vegetable has been dried, it must be carefully reviewed. Underdried and contaminated pieces are removed from the total mass.
Like the fruit itself, carrot tops need preparation before drying. This requires careful wash the ground part of the root crop, dry, finely chop and place in one layer on a cardboard or wooden tray.
The tops are dried in the air in the shade or in a semi-dark room with good ventilation.
When the tops are completely dry, it must be ground into powder and poured in glass containers, where it will be stored with the lid tightly closed.
About the benefits of carrot tops for the body and about the rules for drying it an experienced housewife will tell you at home in this video:
How to dry carrots at home? In addition to the natural drying process, there is also artificial... An artificial process can be attributed to drying in a microwave oven, oven and in an electric dryer.
In the microwave
In order to dry the carrots in the microwave, cut them into small pieces, dry them and place the mass between two paper towels... Place the resulting bundle in the microwave together with a container with water(Cup). After the first 3 minutes of the process, check the readiness of the root crop every 30 seconds. It is important to monitor the condition of the water in the tank - it shouldn't boil over.
In the oven
How to dry carrots in the oven? The most widespread the way is to dry carrots (as well as other vegetables and fruits) in the oven.
To do this, the prepared root crop is sprinkled on a baking sheet and dried in a cabinet at a temperature 65-80 degrees Celsius stirring occasionally.
The cooking time for dried carrots in the oven is from 6 to 8 hours.
In an electric dryer
How to dry carrots in an electric dryer? In the case of an electric dryer, it is very difficult to say the exact time and temperature of processing, since each model of equipment is characterized by individual parameters... Usually, the processed fruits are laid out on nets and the appropriate mode is set, which is detailed in the instructions for the apparatus.
How to properly dry carrots in an electric dryer? Instructions for drying carrots in an electric dryer in this video:
For tea
How to dry carrots at home for tea? Suitable for tea are carrots that have undergone solar drying or oven drying.
However, if there are no subtleties with drying in the sun, then when using oven the process needs to be slightly modified.
So, the crushed fruits, intended for their further use in tea, are placed in an oven preheated up to the maximum (!) temperature... Drying takes place in 3 stages, each of which lasts no more than 20 minutes.
So, having placed a baking sheet with carrots in the oven, it is necessary extract from it after 20 minutes... After the carrot pieces have cooled down at room temperature, they must be placed back in the preheated oven, etc.
Recipe healthy chips in the oven from carrots, as well as from beets in this video:
How and what to store?
After drying, the product is kept for 1-2 days in a wooden box, after which it is poured in tin or glass containers and close tightly. Dried carrots are stored for the winter in a cool dark room.
Recipe
Chop the boiled carrots with a coarse grater and spread on a baking sheet covered with paper.
Dry the carrots in the oven for 30 minutes at 60 ° C, then increase the temperature to 80 ° C and continue the drying process 4 more hours until complete readiness.
Dried carrot shavings that cooked correctly, has a bright orange color, dense and elastic consistency.
Drying carrots at home has clear advantage before other methods of harvesting it for the winter. The process does not require special devices, containers or skills. Drying occurs due to the evaporation of their fruit water, while maintaining all the beneficial qualities.
How to dry candied carrot in the oven, you can find out from the video:
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Late autumn is the time for the last preparations for the winter. At autumn fairs, there is an abundance of cabbage, carrots, potatoes, beets, onions and other vegetables, which constitute an important and significant part of the diet of every person.
Last year (in late winter - early spring) I was faced with the lack of normal (not frozen and not rotting) carrots in the nearest stores. It is difficult to imagine the preparation of the first courses without this root vegetable, it is noticeably lacking for the second one, what can we say about my love for carrot juice.. It was very unusual and extremely unpleasant. I had to buy dried mixtures with carrots for seasoning soups, and this turned out to be not a very pleasant burden for the family budget.
That is why dried carrots have become one of the most important preparations this fall. It was necessary, but the anticipation of the process was bleak ... but in vain! - drying carrots for the winter was not difficult and not long. And, of course, the quality of the resulting product is much higher than what you buy in small bags in the store.
So, how to dry carrots at home?
We go to the autumn fair, where we buy carrots so nicely packed in small nets. We will harvest in parts, good, raw carrots stored well, especially if there is a cool room (in our case, a basement).
Carrot wash and clean from the peel. The use of a vegetable peeler (a special knife for peeling vegetables) greatly simplifies and speeds up this process, especially if the carrots are large and even - then in general there is a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from simplicity and speed.
Next, carrots are needed blanch, otherwise the carrots will quickly lose not only their taste, but also their beneficial features... To do this, bring the water to a boil, put the carrots in boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the carrots.
Dry carrots in the oven, for example, and without preliminary blanching, but this is possible, but not the best way drying carrots.
I gave carrots cool off independently (of course, draining the water and pulling it out of the pan to increase the cooling rate), although I read that it must be quickly cooled under cold running water.
After the carrots have cooled down, rub it on a coarse grater. You can also cut in slices up to 3 mm thick or in blocks - try to make them the same so that the drying proceeds more evenly.
We spread the grated carrots on all levels of the dryer (at first I tried to spread it in a rather thin layer and at intervals for air, but then I simply spread the entire volume obtained on the grates, i.e. all the carrots that fit in the cooking process in a 3-liter saucepan were stacked on 5 dryer levels).
There was a concern that due to the density of the layers of grated carrots on the trays, drying would not be uniform, but no - drying was going well and took only 2 days.
No, no, don't be alarmed, not a full 2 days. Cumulatively came out 6-7 hours at a temperature of 50-60 degrees... The first day I dried the carrots for 3-4 hours, every hour changing the positions of the levels, since the bottom of the product can be dried faster than on the upper levels. And also removing moisture droplets from the inside of the dryer cover. On the second day, I finished drying the carrots for 3 hours, also rearranging the levels and slightly stirring the already dried carrots.
When the consistency of the carrots became suitable (the carrots should be dry, but not crumbly into powder), I turned off the dryer, let the carrots cool for about half an hour and put everything in an 800 gram jar. It turned out to be "jam-packed".
What a joyous orange color the dried carrots have! But do not rush to close it with a lid - let it stand for another day in a dry, warm place (covering it with gauze instead of a lid), so the carrots will probably dry out and will be stored even better.
Total: I will not say by weight (next time I will definitely weigh it (it turned out to be 1.5 kg)), but by volume from a 3-liter saucepan with large carrots an 800 gram can of dried product came out.
How to store dried carrots?
Dried carrots are stored for a very long time.
Store dried carrots in a dry, dark place in a hermetically sealed container. You can use both glass containers and paper or plastic bags.