Beetroot is a healthy and even medicinal vegetable. Drying beets does not destroy the vitamins, minerals and trace elements it contains. Storage of dried root crops does not require a lot of space, special conditions. Not only the usual borscht or beetroot can be prepared from dried beets. Sweets, juices, salads are made from it, added to tea, dried for the winter. Used as a natural food coloring. The use of dried and dried root vegetables will diversify the family menu, and dishes that are useful for children will become more attractive.
How and why to dry beets
This method of processing vegetables has many advantages. It allows you to:
- fully preserve the grown crop;
- does not require a lot of effort and time, unlike conservation;
- you don't need a lot of space to store dried vegetables;
- in the dried root crop, nutrients remain almost one hundred percent;
- it will take less time to prepare dishes using beets.
In 100 g of dried product, about 255 kcal.
Selection and preparation for drying
Not all varieties are suitable for drying. Beets are dried with rich burgundy pulp, without white rings and veins, more sugary. The higher the sugar content of the beets, the longer the dried product will be stored. Most suitable varieties:
- Incomparable;
- Egyptian;
- Bordeaux;
- Red ball
- Cylinder.
The root crop is prepared for drying in two ways:
- pre-boil for a short time (15-20 minutes);
- dried fresh.
According to fans of dried vegetables, it is easier and faster to dry fresh beets than boiled ones, since the boiled root vegetable retains moisture longer (juiciness).
Before drying (in any of the ways), the beets must be prepared.
- They clean it, cut off the tails, rinse thoroughly. Some housewives soak in cold water for 2.5 hours.
- Peel off, then chop. You can use a variety of beetroot cutting tools available in the kitchen besides the regular grater. When rubbing a root crop, a lot of juice is lost, with which vitamins and useful minerals "leave".
Beets are cut arbitrarily, as it is more convenient for anyone: in circles, straws, cubes.
Drying leaves
In the beet tops, as well as in the root vegetable itself, there are many healing minerals and vitamins.
Greens are also dried, added to borsch, beetroot. The resulting dishes are delicious, healthy, beautiful, awakening the appetite.
The tops are thoroughly washed, cut, laid out on baking sheets made of wood or thick cardboard, and dried. Sometimes they stir up. Dry tops are removed in glass jars, tightly closed and stored in a cool dark place.
You can grind dried beet greens into powder. It is also kept in banks.
Drying methods
The red vegetable is dried in different ways: outdoors, in the oven, in an electric dryer, in the microwave. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Air drying
The prepared root vegetable is laid out in a large sieve, or better - in several. A baking sheet or wooden pallet will not work in this situation, since air must be available not only from above, but also from below.
The main requirement for this drying method is that there is no direct sunlight. The place should be ventilated and slightly shaded.
This is how grandparents always dried herbs. Beets are also dried.
Disadvantages of this method:
- insects that sit on the product;
- long drying process;
- changeable weather.
You can dry the beets as you used to dry the mushrooms. If this option is used, then it is advisable to cut the root crop into thin slices.
They are strung on a string and beet beads are hung over a gas stove. The main thing is to leave an interval between circles of at least 3 cm. Otherwise, moisture from one slice will pass into another.
This is the easiest way. Its main advantage is that all useful substances are preserved, since there is no heat treatment that destroys vitamins.
In the oven
It does not matter whether boiled or raw beets, they are placed on baking sheets (no more than two). Turn on the oven, while leaving the door open.
The temperature inside the oven will not be too high, but its walls will warm up well, giving off heat to the vegetable on baking sheets.
The temperature in the oven can be adjusted (from 60 to 80 ° C). With a high heating rate, the drying process is faster, but strong heating destroys the beneficial composition of the vegetable.
In this way, the root crop is dried for 5-6 hours. If you plan to dry a large amount of red vegetables, then the process will take a long time.
The disadvantage of this method is that it takes a lot of time, since you cannot put several trays in the oven at the same time. And the acceleration of the process by increasing the temperature leads to the loss of nutrients.
One of the advantages of the drying method is saving energy, which is consumed when operating an electric dryer or microwave.
In the dryer
The chopped beets are placed on pallets. The temperature regime is set, in the VOLTERA dryer 1000 Lux is 50-55 ° С. Include dryer.
If drying takes place in a room, then it is advisable to ventilate the room from time to time. Dries in an average of 8-9 hours. It depends on the power of the device, on the ambient temperature.
The advantages of this method:
- Ability to dry large quantities (up to 7 kg) at a time.
- What is called: "turned on and forgotten." You do not need to monitor the heating temperature so that it does not burn and stick, as in the oven. While the dryer is running, you can do other things or relax.
- The low temperature does not destroy the useful composition.
In the microwave
The prepared root vegetable is placed on a plastic or ceramic tray, since metal dishes, as you know, cannot be used in a microwave oven.
The red vegetable is dried in two steps.
- The furnace is heated to 85-95 ° C, turning it on at full power for 3-4 minutes. More specifically, you can determine the heating temperature by taking out the first batch of vegetables from the oven. Mix the pieces on the tray.
- The microwave oven is turned on at a quarter or half of the power of the device and the vegetables are dried for 1/3 hour.
- The presence of a fan in the oven will speed up the drying process.
In order not to spoil the food, you need to carefully study the capabilities of your microwave.
The advantage of such drying is that microwaves sterilize vegetables, kill harmful organisms. And according to some experts, more nutrients are stored in vegetables dried in the microwave.
There are also many opponents of this drying method.
Storage and use of dried root vegetable
Regardless of how the beets are dried, they are placed in clean and dry jars, tightly closed with lids, and removed to a darkened place where it is cool. Canvas pouches are also suitable.
You can fold the dried food into a plastic container and store it in the refrigerator.
Dried beets will reduce the time spent on cooking and make your home menu richer.
You can also try growing beets before drying them.
It is worth trying to dry fruits: apples, plums, grapes.