How to store figs: 3 options and 5 recipes for storing and preparing

How to store fresh figs

Ripe fresh figs are very tender. Therefore, it is preferable to consume berries in places of ripening, since fermentation quickly occurs after transportation.

Ripe fresh figs are very tender.

If you want to preserve fresh fruits, it is better to use a refrigerator with a temperature set at approximately +1 °C. Under these conditions, figs are stored for approximately 2-3 weeks.

The laying of berries is carried out as follows:

• they are washed;
• dried;
• put in containers, close;
• The containers are placed in the refrigerator on a shelf reserved for storing vegetables.

Fresh figs will last much longer when frozen. The suitable temperature for this is below -15 °C.

Important: room temperature is not suitable for preserving fresh figs. The berries will ferment in a day.

How to use

It is known that pistachios exhibit beneficial effects on the body only when eaten raw. Salty ones, so loved by most men, because... They are an excellent snack for beer, but will not bring the desired benefit.

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Their calorie content does not exceed 600 kcal, compared to other types of nuts, so they are often used in dietary nutrition.

You can prepare various dishes. There is an interesting recipe with the addition of pistachios, for example, sauce. To do this, take a red ripe tomato and cut it into small slices. Then add a finely chopped onion with chopped nuts. Mix well and add red pepper and let it brew.

How to store dried figs

The shelf life of dry fruits is up to 6 months.

Shelf life of dry fruits is up to 6 months

The duration of storage depends on the type of container and temperature values:

1. The “Freshness” zone in refrigeration equipment with a temperature just above zero is the most comfortable place for figs placed in a package (container).
2. Instead of a refrigerator, a basement room with a slightly above-zero temperature is also suitable. There are also conditions for preserving dried berries for two to three weeks.

The shelf life will be extended if you regularly open containers of dried fruits and check for any signs of spoilage or mold formation on the fruits.

Here is one of the methods for preserving fruits: you need to put them in a linen bag and put it in a glass vessel, tightly closed with a lid.

An important condition for this is indoor humidity up to 80% at a temperature of -15 °C.

Preparation

For drying, use ripe fruits. The main sign of maturity (and therefore quality) is their independent falling from the tree.

Stages of fruit preparation:

• rinse thoroughly to remove dust;
• remove damaged areas;
• Place on cloth to absorb moisture.

To add sweetness to the dry product, figs are boiled with constant stirring with a wooden spatula (spoon) for 7-10 minutes in boiling syrup.

A sweet solution is prepared from three glasses of water and one glass of sugar. At the end of the time, place the cooked figs in a colander and dry each fig well. Now the berries are ready for drying.

Oven

Important: do not place the fig tree on a baking sheet
Steps for drying figs in the oven:

1. The prepared fruits are placed on the oven rack.
2. The temperature is set to a minimum (not higher than +60 °C), and the door is kept ajar.
3. The figs are turned over at intervals of 2 hours.
4. Figs need to dry for 8 hours.

Important: Do not place the fig tree on a baking sheet. The air required for drying comes from all sides through the grille. It is better to put gauze on a lattice sheet with large holes.

Electric dryer

In such a unit, figs reach dryness much faster. They remain as juicy as freshly picked ones, and their color turns golden.

Drying procedure:

• The fruits are cut in half and placed on a clean cloth. It will absorb excess moisture from blanching.
• Halves of berries are evenly laid out on pallets of the drying device.
• Drying time for small fruits is up to 10 hours. Large specimens are best cut into two parts.

Sun drying

The figs are also washed and dried, and then laid out on a lattice sheet. It is installed so that warm air reaches the berries from all sides.

Traditional drying under the sun lasts 4-6 days. The berries are dried in the shade, strung on a strong thread.

If you first cut the figs into 2 parts and place them on a wire rack with the cut side up, this will speed up their drying.

Important: the sweet fig smell is a bait for insects. Therefore, fruits placed on a lattice sheet for drying must be covered with a layer of gauze.

Storage conditions

You need to start from the fact that ripe fruit is subject to rapid spoilage. Berries are quite capricious, so in order to preserve them, you should know a few secrets.

Ripe fruit

If the berries are not crushed during transportation, then they are placed in the refrigerator at a temperature of +1 - 3 degrees on the vegetable shelf. You should make sure that they lie at a short distance and do not touch. To eliminate extraneous odors, you can place them in a container or wrap them in wax paper. The berries are not stored for more than 4 days.

Unripe gifts of Pomona

They are most often found on store shelves and markets. It is impossible to rush them from Crimea or the Black Sea coast in any other form. In this case, you need to cum, should they still lie down or are they planned to be sucked as soon as possible. In the first option, it is immediately placed in the refrigerator. About eating, just leave it in a dark, cool place for 3 - 4 days, after which it will gain sweetness and become soft.

Important:

Dried figs have a huge concentration of sugar and nutrients.

The shelf life reaches 6 months without loss of quality if you place the berries first in a linen bag, and after some time in a closed container and put them in the refrigerator. Stocks should be inspected regularly for signs of mold.

Do you use expired food for cooking at home?

Yes, the main thing is to process it if it is meat or expired kefir for pancakes.

27.04%

No, it is very dangerous and not useful.

37.6%

If the products have fungus or mold, then we throw them away; if they are a couple of days past their expiration date, we use them for food, even without heat or other treatment.

35.36%

Voted: 1694

Freezing

Figs tolerate storage well at low temperatures. It remains in this form for up to 12 months. The requirement is not to re-freeze the rod. To preserve nutrients, quick deep freezing to -30 degrees and storage in sealed containers or bags is recommended.

How else can you prepare?

The fig can be pickled, compote, jam and juice can be made from it.

Pickled figs

Pickled figs are popular in fig harvest areas.

Pickled figs

To prepare it you will need:

• 250 g each of dried berries and port wine;
• 65 g balsamic vinegar;
• 1 tsp each orange and lemon peels;
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 125 g crushed nuts;
• salt, pepper powder - optional.

Figs are marinated like this:

1. The dried product is placed in a jar, port wine is poured in, grated zest is added and placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2. After which the liquid is poured into a pan, the remaining ingredients are added and the vessel is placed on the stove.
3. After boiling, add the fig tree to the dressing and cook for 30 minutes over low heat (do not cover with a lid).
4. The cooled contents are transferred to a clean jar and stored in the refrigerator.

Fig compote for future use

This homemade preserve is easy to prepare. Both fresh and dried figs are suitable for this.

Fig compote

For a three-liter jar you need:

• 300 g figs;
• 150 g sugar.

2.5 liters of water should boil in a bowl, pour the ingredients into it and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the compote from the heat, pour into a prepared glass jar and seal with a lid.

Insulate the inverted jar of compote with a blanket. A cooled container with fig contents can be stored not in the refrigerator - the compote will not spoil until the next harvest.

Important: you don’t need to add more sugar - the fig tree is already sweet.

Green fig jam

Needed:

• 1 kg of berries and sugar;
• 300 g water;
• 5 g citric acid.

Preparation:

1. The figs are poked with a fork and boiled in 2-3 waters for 5 minutes. Changing the water removes the bitterness and makes the berries softer.
2. Then the figs are dipped in syrup made from 500 g of sugar and 300 g of water, and boiled for 15 minutes until the figs become limp.
3. Then add 500 g of sugar, bring the contents of the pan to a boil, remove from heat, and place in a secluded place until the next day.
4. The fruits soaked in syrup are finished cooking, not forgetting to pour citric acid dissolved in a small volume of water into the jam 3-4 minutes before the end of cooking.

Store jam in a cool and dark place.

Ripe fig jam

It can also be prepared without cooking, for which the figs are infused in boiled syrup. For 1 kg of fruit you need 700-750 g of granulated sugar, 2 tbsp. water. Ripe fruits, washed and dried, are used.

Ripe fig jam

The first time the syrup is boiled for 7 minutes, pour it over the figs and cool. The drained sweet solution is brought to a boil, the heat is reduced, boiled for 5 minutes, combined with the berries a second time and allowed to cool.

And so on three more times. At the end of the third time, put the jam in a sterilized jar, close the lid and wrap it up. Store it in the refrigerator (cellar).

Fig juice

Only ripe figs are suitable. They are washed in cool water and allowed to drain. Then scald with boiling water and rub through a metal sieve.

Add cooled boiled water to the prepared mixture, maintaining a 2:1 ratio, and squeeze the mixture through several layers of gauze.

Storing champignons in the freezer

At home, champignons can be stored in the freezer for a longer time. For ease of further use, before storing champignons in the freezer, you can subject them to various degrees of processing.

There are several options:

Freezing fresh champignons

Having chosen this storage option, you need to do the following:

• Clean the mushrooms using the above method;
• If necessary, cut the product into suitable pieces;
• Divide into portions and seal the mushrooms using bags or containers.

Freshly frozen champignons can be stored for no more than 1 month.

Freezing boiled champignons

In order to freeze boiled champignons, you need:

• Clean the mushrooms as above;
• Rinse with running water;
• Cut if necessary;
• Place in boiling salted water and cook for about 10 minutes;
• Place the cooked product in a colander and allow the liquid to drain;
• Place on paper towels and let dry completely;
• Place into portioned bags or containers and place in the freezer.

Frozen boiled champignons can be stored for six months.

Freezing fried champignons

If you need to freeze fried champignons, the procedure should be as follows:

• Carry out preliminary cleaning of mushrooms;
• Wash in running water;
• Grind with a knife;
• Fry with the addition of vegetable oil until the liquid evaporates;
• Place on paper towels and allow excess oil to drain and let the mushrooms cool thoroughly.

Pack into bags and containers and place in the freezer.

Fried champignons can be stored in the freezer for six months.

Once thawed, champignons should be used immediately, as they cannot be re-frozen or stored in the refrigerator for long periods of time.

By using champignons for cooking, the rules and shelf life of which have been violated, you risk getting poisoned and harming your health. The fact is that after the expiration date, toxic substances begin to be produced in mushrooms, and they cease to be suitable for consumption. Therefore, only knowing how to store fresh champignons and frozen semi-finished products of this product can you be completely confident in the harmlessness of the prepared mushroom dishes.

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Champignons are very popular mushrooms and are easy to find in grocery stores. They have a pleasant taste and beneficial properties and are often used to prepare homemade dishes. Champignons are classified as safe mushrooms. They can be consumed even raw, without heat treatment.

In this article we will talk about how to properly store store-bought champignons so that they stay fresh longer.

Preparation

Take a frying pan with a thick bottom, a cast iron variety is suitable, which is heated on the stove and lightly greased with oil. Pistachios are laid out in a thin layer and stirred with a wooden spatula so that the ingredient does not burn. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare a delicious snack. It is recommended to take one nut and break it: if it is golden inside and smells delicious, you can remove it; if it is greenish, you need to hold it a little longer.

Option two does not require preliminary preparation: without peeling the pistachios, place them in a frying pan and stir thoroughly. When they begin to crackle and the apartment is filled with the aroma of roasted nuts, they can be removed.

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It is recommended to leave the product on a napkin or parchment for a few minutes to remove excess fat, otherwise such a snack will be too high in calories and will harm your figure.

Oven-dried pistachios are stored for about a year, when fresh varieties quickly deteriorate and develop a bitter taste.

How to choose

The shelf life largely depends on the quality of the fruit. Therefore, it is important to be careful when purchasing. Look at the following points:

• Color won't help you. Depending on the variety, it can vary from yellow to black and blue. But the main thing is that there are no various stains or damage on the surface. The color should be uniform.
• You can check the freshness of figs by touch. Only dense specimens are suitable for storage. If the pulp is heavily dented, then the fruit is either overripe or was picked a long time ago. But don't press too hard: figs are a very delicate fruit.
• Smell it. The smell should be pleasant, fruity. If there are wine notes, then the figs have already begun to ferment.
• The shape does not affect the taste, but the size does. The smaller the figs, the sweeter they will be.
• If possible, ask for the figs to be cut. The more seeds inside, the healthier it is
  .
• Feel the surface. It should be dry. If it is wet and sticky, then most likely it was lying next to spoiled fruits or has small cracks that are not immediately visible.

There is no desire to bother with the choice of fruits, then read how to grow figs at home. Then you will control the quality of the harvest yourself.

Yellow-green color is a special varietal characteristic

How to dry figs

Dried figs store much better than fresh ones. But you need to use it more carefully, because... The calorie content of fresh figs is only 50 kcal per 100 g, and dried figs are 250 kcal. The beneficial properties of figs are almost completely preserved when dried. You can dry it, like other fruits, in a dryer, oven or in the sun.

For convenience, fig tree fruits are dried on a special grill.

How it's done?

The figs are washed, when the water has evaporated, the fruits are placed on a baking sheet and placed in the oven at 400C for 8-12 hours. Then they let it cool and put it in the freezer, or in a dry, dark place for further storage.

In order to dry figs in the sun, they must be washed, dried, and placed on a wire rack. Cover the grill with gauze to prevent insects. It should be blown from all sides. The fruits are left for several days. After this, they are taken to a shady place, strung on a thread and dried.

Dried figs can be stored for up to six months in a cool place. It is effectively stored and retains its beneficial properties in the fruit compartment of the refrigerator.

In this case, it must be packed in a paper bag or in a food-grade plastic container. You can also keep the fruits in canvas bags in plastic containers. Storage should be at a humidity not higher than 80% and a temperature not higher than 150C. At the same time, constantly check the safety of the fruits and ensure that they do not begin to deteriorate.

People often ask, do you need to wash dried figs before eating? Certainly! Dust and dirt settle on the fruits during transportation. It can also be made softer by soaking it in warm water for about half an hour.

Dried figs

Dried figs, like fresh ones, contain beneficial elements. Unlike dried figs, dried figs have more moisture, so they need special storage conditions.

You can keep dried figs in fabric bags or tightly closed jars in a cool, dark place. Dried figs can be stored in fabric containers longer than in jars: up to 4-6 months. To increase shelf life, figs can be wrapped in paper and placed in the refrigerator. This way it will retain its taste for up to 8 months.

Dried figs contain more moisture, so they need to be stored differently.

No matter how you preserve the figs, you must remember that they should be placed in a thin layer so that they do not rot and the taste does not deteriorate.

Figs can also be canned.

How to dry figs at home

To preserve the benefits of figs longer, you can dry them at home. Initially, you need to choose the right fresh fruits. They should not be deformed. If the fig tree is unripe, it is brought to maturity by placing it in the refrigerator for 3 days. Maturity is indicated by a thick, dark purple skin, slightly amenable to pressure. A surface that is too hard indicates a violation of transportation and storage conditions. It is not advisable to buy such a berry.

Dried figs are prepared as follows:

1. The fruits are cut in half and placed in a container. They are sprinkled with granulated sugar on top so that they release the juice.
2. The berries remain in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. The syrup is prepared separately. Equal amounts of water and sugar are poured into a small container. The syrup is simmered over low heat until the granulated sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Each fig half is dipped in syrup and then placed on a tray, skin side down.
5. The fruits are dried in an oven, electric dryer or in the sun for 3 hours.

Comment! To prevent the fruits from becoming too sugary, they are dried without adding sugar.

How to store dried figs at home

To store fig tree fruits, choose a cool place. Cotton cloth is placed at the bottom of the glass container. Only after this are dried figs placed in it. The container is closed with a tight lid.

Dried fig trees can also be stored in a suspended state, having previously been placed in linen bags. In this case, good air circulation is ensured. To avoid insect breeding, figs can be placed in a paper bag.

Freezing will help preserve the benefits of the fig tree for as long as possible. Before it is carried out, the figs are placed in an airtight container. If necessary, the fruits are pre-chopped. Freezing increases the shelf life of the product by up to a year.

Important! The average shelf life of nutrients varies from 5 to 8 months. It depends on compliance with storage conditions.

Pickled figs

To marinate figs, you need to take figs and port wine in equal parts, and then add 4 times less balsamic vinegar, lemon and orange zest, nuts, sugar, salt and pepper. First, the figs are marinated for a day in wine with the addition of zest for piquancy, then the marinade is drained, the rest of the products are added, boiled, the figs are added and cooked for about 30 minutes. The cooled pickled figs are placed in jars and stored in the refrigerator.