How to dry melon at home: methods and subtleties. Dried melon - a treat for those with a sweet tooth

It is used as an independent snack or dessert, added to salads, baked goods, ice cream, savory sandwiches and other dishes. Dried melon is prepared in special industrial chambers, but the dish can be easily prepared at home.

What do you need to know about the product, how to prepare dried fruit in your own kitchen, and is it useful to include melon in your seasonal diet?

General characteristics of dried fruits

Dried fruits are fruits or berries from which moisture is removed by heat treatment. The residual moisture content of the product averages 20%. The fruits are dried naturally in the sun or by industrial methods - in a special dryer or dehydrator.

The composition of the food component is rich in vitamins and minerals to almost the same extent as fresh raw materials. Dried melon loses most of its vitamin C (ascorbic acid), but the balance of other nutrients remains normal.

Dried fruit pieces have a long shelf life in cold storage. Manufacturers do not need to use preservatives and chemicals for additional protection. Dried fruits are an excellent alternative to greenhouse products during the cold season. Make a supply of dried melon, put it in the refrigerator and add it as a dessert for your New Year's tea party.

In the gastronomic industry, the product is added to baked goods, fruit desserts, breakfast cereals, sweets, muesli, and other drinks. Dried cubes lose most of their moisture, so the taste of the finished product is concentrated and as bright as possible.

Sulfur dioxide can often be found in industrial batches of dried fruits. It is added to preserve color and neutralize mold. Unscrupulous manufacturers use toxic chemicals, petroleum products or insecticides instead of safe sulfur dioxide. To reduce the cost of production as much as possible, fruits and berries are washed with industrial toxic agents. They leave a thin layer on the dried fruit that protects against mold/insects, but is harmful to health.

Often, manufacturers are silent about the use of chemicals, without indicating a word in the composition or on the packaging. The processed fruits are light, extremely dense and glossy in appearance. To avoid putting your health at risk, buy a product from a popular manufacturer or prepare the dessert yourself.

Useful properties of the product

Fighting Anxiety

Rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C). It is important not only for strengthening the protective function of the immune system, but also psychological health. Vitamin C has a real impact on our emotional health and even helps combat some forms of anxiety. Ascorbic acid reduces the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which ensures a state of internal harmony.

Maintaining external beauty

External data also owes a lot to ascorbic acid. Two grams of vitamin C per day in combination with makes the skin truly healthy and glowing. The combination of these two components forms collagen. The action of collagen is:

• narrowing of pores;
• rapid regeneration of skin lesions, regardless of age;
• strengthening gums;
• improving the condition of ligaments and bones.

Internal sun protection

Protection from ultraviolet rays does not end with applying an SPF filter (although this is the most important part of the procedure). There are a number of products that neutralize the harmful effects of the sun and increase the skin's protective functions. Among them is melon. Lycopene provides internal sun protection. It is a carotenoid pigment that is responsible for the color of fruits and vegetables.

Adjusting the acid-base balance

The acid-base balance is determined by the pH level - a hydrogen indicator of acidity or alkalinity. The normal adult pH ranges from 7.35 to 7.45. In modern humans, the balance is most often shifted towards the acidic side. This leads to malaise, sleep problems, irritability, illness and psycho-emotional disorders.

Every acidic product must be balanced with an alkalizing one. Alkaline foods include melon and dried fruits made from it. A healthy adult needs to eat 60% alkaline foods and 40% acidic foods. In case of serious illness or a clear imbalance, you should consult a doctor and switch to an individually selected diet.

Minimal risk of pesticide contamination

Pesticides are chemical or biological substances that destroy harmful insects, prevent the development of weeds and regulate plant growth. Pesticides make things much easier for farmers, but cause enormous harm to the human body. In especially severe cases, toxic components lead to cancer or genetic mutations.

Fruits and vegetables with thick skins are most protected from pesticides. All varieties of melon are among the purest products, the safety of which has been taken care of by nature itself.

How to prepare dried fruit in your own kitchen?

Wash and dry the fruit thoroughly. Cut it in half, remove the seeds and unusable innards. Remove the skin from the melon using a vegetable peeler or knife. Cut the prepared fruit into small cubes of any shape and size. Use special molds to give dried fruits an aesthetic appearance.

Line a baking tray with baking paper or grease it with a small portion of vegetable oil to taste. It is best to use either nutty ones - they will emphasize the sweetness of the melon and add bright accents to the taste palette. Place the finished pieces on parchment in one even layer. To enhance the taste, sprinkle the product with spices/chopped nuts/coconut sugar.

Preheat the oven to 120°C, then place the baking sheet in it. After 15 minutes of cooking, reduce the temperature to 80°C. The total cooking time for dried fruit will be 1.5-2 hours, depending on the quality of the oven and the thickness of the melon cubes. Do not forget to periodically stir the contents of the baking sheet so that all parts of the fruit are heat treated and do not stick to the surface.

Try the dish periodically and focus on your own taste. If you want to achieve a softer structure, turn off the oven after 1.5 hours. If you want to get exactly dense drying from the fruit, keep it for 2 hours or more. Cool completely before serving or using in other recipes. Store the finished dessert in a glass jar or natural fabric bag at room temperature.

Chemical composition of the food component

Nutrient balance (in milligrams per 100 grams)

Dried melon is a healthy and tasty dessert. Dried fruit can be eaten in its natural form or used as one of the components for preparing various dishes. The properties and subtleties of preparing dried melon are worth considering in more detail.

Composition and calorie content

Dried melon contains many vitamins and microelements that are beneficial to the body. Dried fruits are made using drying. When properly prepared, melon does not lose its beneficial properties. As for nutritional value, 100 grams of the product contains 341 calories. Dried melon contains the most carbohydrates – 82.2 grams. The amount of protein is 0.7 grams, and fats are present in the amount of 0.1 grams.

It is worth noting that all indicators are indicated per 100 grams of dried melon.

Vitamins

The product contains the most vitamin C. This element is vital for the human body and maintains normal general health. The product also contains many B vitamins. Each of the elements of this group has its own serial number and is responsible for performing individual functions. Taken together, these vitamins strengthen the nervous system and also improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Dried melon contains nicotinic acid, which is responsible for many vital processes of the body, for example, brain function, blood circulation, good vision and much more. Vitamins A and E are of great importance for health, since in addition to strengthening the immune system, they are responsible for the good condition of the skin. In addition to stimulating skin cell renewal, vitamin A helps strengthen bone tissue and teeth.

Microelements

In addition to vitamins, dried fruit contains many microelements. The product contains potassium in large quantities, which is primarily necessary to maintain water balance in the body. This element is also responsible for the performance of the brain and the condition of muscle tissue and blood vessels. The properties of sodium are similar to the functions of potassium, so it is worth saying that the elements help each other in strengthening the body. Sodium is responsible for water-salt metabolism, improves the condition of the nervous system and muscles, and also promotes the production of gastric juice.

Calcium is one of the essential elements that is necessary for bones and teeth. In addition, the element is involved in the process of blood clotting. Magnesium is very important for stabilizing the mental and emotional state, as this element improves the condition of the nervous system. This trace element also helps get rid of frequent headaches and migraines.

How is it useful?

The beneficial properties of dried fruit are due to its composition. During the drying process, melon retains its beneficial qualities, so the properties of the dried fruit are not inferior to the fresh product. Dried fruits bring the following benefits to the body:

• has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system as a whole; Regular consumption of dried fruit helps strengthen the heart muscle and improves its function;
• removes harmful substances and toxins from the body, which improves liver condition and overall health;
• promotes the removal of bile from the body, which also reduces the load on the kidneys and gallbladder;
• has a diuretic effect and helps remove sand and small stones from the kidneys;
• improves the functioning of the nervous system, helps with sleep disorders, relieving insomnia, and also protects against stress and helps cope with anxiety;
• strengthens bone and muscle tissue;
• has a moderate laxative effect, so it can be used as a preventative against constipation;
• It is recommended to use during menopause to reduce symptoms;
• increases male potency;
• improves the general condition of the body during pregnancy and promotes the normal development of the fetus;
• improves the functioning of the immune system;
• strengthens nail plates, promotes hair growth and improves skin condition.

Harm

Dried melon contains a lot of calories and is therefore not recommended for overweight people. The product also contains a lot of sugar, so dried fruit should be excluded from the diet of people suffering from diabetes. Dried melon takes a long time to digest.

For this reason, if you have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the product should be used with great caution.

How to choose fruits for drying?

To prepare delicious dried fruits at home, you need to choose a suitable and high-quality melon. First of all, it is important that the fruits are ripe and unspoiled. As for the variety, you should give preference to the following types of melon:

• "Persian";
• "Collective farmer";
• "Pineapple";
• "Gulyabi";
• "Torpedo".

"Collective farmer"

"Pineapple"

"Torpedo"

Other varieties can be used. The requirements for melon for drying are dense pulp, rich taste and aroma. As for the maturity of the fetus, it can be determined using some simple methods.

• When purchasing, you should pay attention to the smell of the fruit. A pleasant, unobtrusive aroma should emanate from the peel of a ripe melon. The lack of smell will indicate that it is not yet ripe.
• In addition to the aroma, the sound can also indicate the ripeness of the fruit. You need to lightly slap your palm on the surface of the melon. If the sound is muffled, then the fruit is ripe, but a ringing clap will indicate the opposite.
• The melon skin should be elastic. If you press lightly on the peel, there should be no indentations. If the skin loses its original shape after pressing, then the fruit is overripe.
• There should be no damage or defects on the surface of the melon. Whatever variety is purchased, the skin of the fruit should have a uniform shade without extraneous spots of a different color.

How to dry it yourself?

In order for dried fruits to retain all the beneficial properties of melon after drying, it is important to approach this process responsibly. There are several ways to dry a product, each of which differs in the drying method.

In an electric dryer

One of the most convenient ways to prepare dried fruits, vegetables and berries is to use a device such as an electric dryer. At the same time, you do not need an expensive unit with complex drying programs - the simplest model will do. The melon must first be washed, peeled and seeds removed. In the meantime, you need to warm up the electric dryer by leaving it on for five minutes. The peeled fruit is cut into small pieces. The thickness of one piece should not be more than five millimeters. As for the length, you need to focus on the size of the electric dryer so that the pieces fit easily into it.

When the machine warms up, place the melon on the tray so that the pieces do not touch each other, but lie at a short distance. The drying process in total lasts no more than twelve hours. The temperature in the device should be at +70 degrees.

In the oven

Not everyone has such a unit as an electric dryer. But buying such equipment for single or rare use is impractical. You can prepare dried melon in a conventional oven, and in terms of taste and quality it will be in no way inferior to the product from the dryer. The procedure for preparing the fruit is similar: the melon is peeled and seeds removed and cut into thin short pieces. The oven must be preheated to a temperature of +70 degrees. You need to put parchment paper on a baking sheet, and the melon is already placed on it.

Drying a product in an oven has some peculiarities. The fact is that during the cooking process the melon will lose a lot of moisture, which should evaporate. To do this, keep the oven door slightly open during cooking. Due to the abundant release of moisture during the first five hours of drying, it is necessary to regularly change the parchment paper. Otherwise, the melon will turn out boiled and not dried.

The total cooking time will be at least ten hours. In this case, everything will depend on the varietal of the melon.

On the street

Drying melon in direct sunlight and in a draft is considered by many to be the best and correct way. Residents of regions with warm climates can apply this method in practice. Hot and dry summers will be the ideal conditions for drying melons outside. Melon for this drying method is prepared in a slightly different way. The fruit is thoroughly washed, cut in half and cleared of seeds.

Each half must be cut thinly, not separating the pieces from each other, but leaving them connected at one end. The plates must be moved in different directions so that they do not touch each other. You need to act very carefully so that not a single piece comes off. For the first two days, the product must be kept on a sieve in the house at room temperature. During this period, the melon must be turned over regularly.

After this, you need to place ropes between thin dried pieces of fruit. In this case, the rope should not be too thin, otherwise it may cut the melon and disconnect the plates. The fruit is hung outside in the sunniest place. The drying process can take fourteen days - it all depends on weather conditions.

Step 1: Prepare the melon.

First, the melon must be thoroughly washed and dried. After this, use a knife with a long blade to cut it in half and remove the seeds from it using a spoon or your hands. Cut the skin off each half with a knife or vegetable peeler. Place the peeled melon on a cutting board and first cut it lengthwise (the width of each slice should be no more than 3 centimeters), then across. This way we get small melon cubes.

Step 2: Dry the melon in the oven.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, which we grease with a small amount of vegetable oil. This measure is necessary to ensure that the melon pieces do not stick to the surface of the baking sheet and the paper. Next, lay out the cubes in one layer and sprinkle the melon with a little granulated sugar. Preheat the oven to temperature 120 degrees and place the pan in it. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 80 degrees and continue to dry the melon. In general, it is necessary to cook fruit in a Dutch oven. 1.5 – 2 hours. Periodically (about every half hour) the pieces must be turned over. As for time, after 1.5 hours the melon will be still soft and elastic, more like dried, and after 2 hours it will already be dried. In this regard, adjust the cooking time according to your individual desires and taste.

Step 3: Serve the dried melon.

Let the dried melon cool completely, after which it can be eaten or used later in the preparation of other dishes and desserts. Nutritionists recommend that people suffering from liver and gastrointestinal diseases eat dried melon at least several times a week. Also, people who are losing weight need to pamper themselves with such a delicacy. In addition to the fact that it contains a minimal amount of sugar and calories, the dish has a beneficial effect on our health and metabolic processes of the body. Bon appetit everyone!

In summer, dried melon can be cooked not only in the oven, but also in the sun. It's very tasty, but it will take a lot more time. Also, the melon is cut into pieces, after which it is threaded through a stainless wire or laid out on a newspaper and the whole thing is placed in the sun. In 3-5 days you will have a wonderful delicacy on your table that will appeal to adults and children.

In the future, dried melon can be used to prepare aromatic desserts, baked goods, and you can also cook jelly or compote from it. Tea lovers can be advised to brew a few pieces of dried melon along with tea, after which the taste of the drink will be saturated with a very aromatic aftertaste.

Mostly summer and sweet varieties of melon with dense pulp are suitable for drying. For example, these could be the following varieties: Kolkhoznitsa, Incomparable, Bykovskaya, Zimovka, etc. They have a very rich taste and aroma that will be preserved during drying.

Home | cooking | canning | How to dry melon for the winter

Sun-dried fruits and berries are the best alternative to sweets, chips, dried goods... This is not a low-calorie product, but in some cases it is even more dietary than fresh fruit. You can dry almost any fruit. Except watermelon (pulp), because if you dry almost distilled water, nothing remains... Melon can be dried and dried. Depending on how much moisture remains in this melon berry, you will get either dried or dried melon. Another reason why you sometimes need a recipe for canning melon can be its size. As a rule, the larger the ripe melon, the tastier it is. But not every group, even a very large one, can eat a 12-kilogram berry. And so we dry the part that we couldn’t handle, roll up compotes, make preserves and marmalade...

How to dry or dry melon:

At home (if there is no special drying), an oven or convection oven is used for this purpose. In the photo, the “collective farmer” melon has gone to drying. This variety has denser and less watery pulp. It can be dried completely and left dried. There are melons that are more watery than watermelon. It is better to prepare melon marshmallow from these varieties.
	photo 1. Peel the melon. How to dry melons Remove only the topmost hard yellow layer. Cut into thin strips. The thinner it is, the faster the melon will dry out. Place in a single layer on air fryer or oven racks.
At what temperature and how long to dry: In a convection oven: in 2 steps for 20 minutes at 65 C and maximum fan strength (if there is an adjustment). In the oven: in 3-4 batches at 50-60 C for 20-30 minutes.
	photo 2. Roll the strips into rolls - this makes them easier to store and eat. Store dried or dried melon in closed containers, but ventilate periodically and check to see if there are fruit moths there (how do they get there!?). The calorie content of dried melon is quite high - depending on the variety, up to 500 kcal. But if there are no restrictions on the consumption of sugar, including fructose, a small portion of dried melon can be a wonderful snack.
August 8, 2014.

Dried melon - a delicacy for adults and children

Dried melon

To prepare baked melon you will need:

- melon weighing approximately 1.5 kg;

- orange;

- sugar (to taste);

- lemon juice (tablespoon);

- cinnamon;

1. First of all, the melon needs to be peeled and pitted. Then cut into slices about 1-1.5 cm thick and place in a layer in a baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, add another layer of wedges, pour with lemon juice again, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

2. The orange should be cut into rings and placed in a mold on top of the melon slices.

3. Place the mold with the melon and orange in the oven and bake at maximum temperature for about an hour and a half (until the oranges are sure to darken - you can throw them away after cooking).

It is better to choose an unripe melon for baking or a firmer variety - a juicy melon gives off too much liquid when baked.

Dried melon- This is an elegant and unusual delicacy that will appeal to both adults and the younger generation. There are quite a lot of different varieties of this amazing fruit, which vary in taste, color and size, but they all contain useful microcomponents that give strength, health and beauty.

To make delicious dried melon at home, it is advisable to use only the best fruits. In order to choose a good product correctly, we recommend reading a few recommendations. A ripe melon always gives off a sweet and fresh aroma. Also, a ripe melon’s crust should be slightly soft, but if it is hard and elastic, this means that the fruit is not yet fully ripe. And lastly, the ponytail must be dry.

There are several ways to dry fruits and berries, for example, this can be done in the oven or the old method - under the sun. In this step-by-step photo recipe, we have prepared instructions for preparing dried melon in an electric dryer, which describes each step in detail.

Dried melon is beneficial to health, primarily due to the content of trace elements and amino acids.

How to make dried melon at home

It is the melon pulp that perfectly serves to strengthen hair and capillaries. Also, its beneficial properties extend to people with cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the benefit of dried melon also lies in the content of folic acid, which is simply necessary for pregnant women.

You can make a healthy and tasty compote from dried melon, and also add a few pieces to tea to diversify the taste and aroma.

After preparing wonderful dried melon, you need to follow the rules for storing it. It needs to breathe, which means that in a tightly closed container, it will probably become moldy. It is necessary to store dried melon correctly in paper bags or in a glass jar, but use paper instead of a lid.

So, let's start preparing an exquisite and tasty delicacy called “Dried Melon”.

A juicy fruit with a sweet aroma and bright taste - that’s what a melon is, which is more correctly called a berry from the pumpkin family. Even one slice will improve your mood, improve your well-being, and give you a boost of energy thanks to its beneficial properties. However, one must be careful with the gift of nature. If you like melon, you should know the benefits and harms of the product.

Health benefits of melon

Fragrant melon is not only a delicacy, but a storehouse of medicinal substances necessary for human health, a large set of vitamins and microelements:

1. The product contains folic acid - very useful for women, and ascorbic acid.
2. Phosphorus, cobalt, fluorine, sulfur, sodium strengthen the body, renew cells, and improve metabolism.
3. Iron, chlorine, iodine activate brain activity and help the thyroid gland work.
4. Calcium protects bones from fractures, potassium and magnesium are saviors of the cardiovascular system, zinc is a natural immunostimulant.

The benefits of melon for the body are great. B vitamins support the nervous system, improve memory, and restore damaged tissue. Vitamin A regulates the reproductive function of the body, has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, and improves vision. The berry enhances the therapeutic effect of antibiotics while reducing their toxicity. It should be noted that this tasty product can also act as a gentle laxative. In a word, you need to eat melon delicacy, but there are contraindications to its use.

Is melon good for pregnancy?

Pregnant women love juicy fruits; their pulp helps produce the “joy hormone”. Is melon good for pregnancy? Yes, because it is non-caloric, increases hemoglobin in the blood, effectively relieves edema, improves intestinal motility, regulates stool, and relieves the problem of hemorrhoids. However, its pulp is very sweet, the sugar in its composition is easily digestible, harmful if exceeded. Melon - its benefits and harms - is strictly taken into account during breastfeeding, since even one juicy slice eaten by the mother can cause stomach upset in the baby.

Is melon harmful for pancreatitis?

The properties of melon are such that a ban on it is imposed in the acute phase of the disease, and during the period of remission you can eat it, but not on an empty stomach and not after a hearty meal. For diseases of the pancreas, this berry should not be eaten in unlimited quantities. A high percentage of fiber and sugar can cause flatulence and aggravate the disease. You need to choose ripe, sweet fruits to protect yourself from hydrochloric acid, which is produced under the influence of melon juice.

Is melon harmful for diabetes?

Sweet temptation tempts even patients with diabetes and is quite acceptable for this disease - provided that the person eats little, monitors blood glucose levels, and takes prescribed medications. It is worth listening to the advice:

• It is necessary to choose a fruit that is not very ripe; it contains less fructose.
• It is better to eat the product separately, no earlier than an hour after another meal. When combined with other foods, it causes strong fermentation in the intestines.
• Melon for diabetes during the season is consumed as follows: the patient should give up other foods with a large amount of carbohydrates.

Dried melon - benefits and harm

A delicacy and very tasty product is dried fruit. What are the benefits of dried melon? The same as fresh culture. The beneficial properties of the fruit are perfectly preserved during heat treatment, so it is recommended for people with cardiovascular and nervous diseases, genitourinary diseases, and jaundice. Women should definitely pamper themselves with this wonderful dried fruit: it contains a lot of folic acid, which has a healing effect:

• responsible for the hormonal sphere;
• fights depression;
• improves immunity;
• rejuvenates the body.

The harm of dried melon, or, more correctly, its side effects, is manifested in the fact that it is not combined with certain foods, and this can lead to digestive upset. Alcohol, milk and dairy products, as well as honey should not be present in the stomach. Patients with diabetes and those suffering from obesity should avoid it: dried melon has a high calorie content, and it also contains a lot of natural sugar. It is worth considering that the dried product purchased in a store or at the market may have been treated with chemicals; it must be washed before use.