How to eat quince correctly - 7 best cooking methods

Step-by-step recipe with photos

Freezing quince helps me out every year. I freeze quinces for the winter during the autumn season, when such hard yellow fruits are sold on almost every corner. For example, last year there were very few quinces and they were sold at an exorbitant price, but I had some left over from the year before and it really helped me out! For those who are not familiar with this fruit, I would like to say that it reveals its aroma and taste only after heat treatment - quince is not eaten fresh! More precisely, those who like the tart taste and dense stoneness of the fruit eat it, but that’s not about me.

I recommend freezing quince in baked and boiled form, but boiling it in syrup. I don’t make quince puree - it’s easy to create from baked frozen pieces after defrosting them at room temperature. The first option for freezing is made without sugar - I add these baked slices when cooking meat: pork, beef, chicken, lamb, etc. – the dishes turn out incredibly tasty! The second option, which is frozen in syrup, is suitable for creating the filling of pies, pies, drinks or lemonades.

So, get the necessary ingredients and let's start cooking!

There is a very thick fleecy layer on the surface of the quince - it needs to be washed off with water, scrubbing with the hard side of the sponge.

Then place half of the quince fruits in a baking dish and bake in the oven at 200°C for about 30-40 minutes.

Remove, cool and cut each fruit into four pieces. Remove seed blocks and cut into pieces.

Place the baked quince pieces in a bag, tie tightly, and place in the freezer.

Cut the remaining fruit into quarters and remove the seed blocks. Act very quickly, as quince pulp oxidizes when exposed to air and becomes rusty. Rinse the pulp and cut into slices.

Place them in a container, add granulated sugar.

Pour in warm water, add a slice of lemon or replace it with citric acid - 2 pinches.

Boil the quince slices in the syrup for about 20 minutes, being careful not to overcook them. Turn off the heat and cool. Pour into a container and freeze.

Freezing quince for the winter is completely completed. When needed, simply remove some of the frozen food and defrost at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

How to eat quince correctly - the main secrets

Quinces are not eaten fresh. It's like choking on an unripe wild pear. You won't get poisoned, but it's better not to torture yourself. Boiled, baked or stewed, it fully reveals its merits.

There are two varieties that can be eaten raw. I haven't met them. For most varieties, technological maturity occurs a month after harvest. During this time, the fruits gain sweetness, become softer, and gradually improve their taste. But they are clearly not ice. It's better to cook.

For this purpose, fully ripe specimens are selected, bright and evenly colored. They should not be damaged or fall from the tree, but whole, carefully picked.

Before use, the quince is thoroughly washed, fluff is removed from the surface, and the core is cut out. It is not necessary to remove the peel. The closer to the center, the harder the pulp. In addition, it contains dense, stony grains, like some pears. They will not disappear when cooked. Cut off everything you don't like.

To remove the skin, pour boiling water over the halves and cook for 10 minutes. Then rinse with cold water, dry, and clean with a sharp knife. I do it simpler: I cut it lengthwise into pieces, remove the “insides” and the outer part. I divide the resulting “boats” with a knife into small pieces of the required size.

The easiest way to make quince edible:

place the prepared slices in a saucepan;
pour sugar syrup (1:5);
blanch for a quarter of an hour under a closed lid;
Cool without removing from syrup.

It is eaten immediately or added to cottage cheese, porridge, or in a cupcake instead of raisins.

When cooked, quince is transformed beyond recognition. It becomes tender, tasty, very aromatic. It also helps improve digestion and support immunity during seasonal infections.

Various desserts are made from quince: jelly, marmalade, homemade sweets and marshmallows. It is added to pilaf (cut into cubes and fried in oil), meat stew, sauce. She feels good in fillings for pies and casseroles. I offer several ways to enjoy its benefits.

Quince for the winter

Quince is a fragrant fruit known since ancient times. In legends and myths there is a mention of a golden apple. It was not by chance that quince received this name; in appearance it resembles a large yellow apple and a little bit of a pear. When fresh, the fruit is hard and can be enjoyed in various dishes. But the smell - a mixture of pineapple and roses - promotes mental relaxation.

The fruit grows in the Caucasus, Far East, and Asian territory. And in central Russia it is found only on store shelves. To have the opportunity to taste the golden apple as often as possible and to have its fragrant aroma on the table, you can prepare quince for the winter. There are many options for preparation, from freezing to jam.

Content:

Purchased quince

Not everyone has the opportunity to grow quince on their plot and wait for the harvest. However, this is not a problem at all, because it is not at all difficult to buy quince at the market or in any of the many stores.

It is best to purchase quince in the second half of October - early November, when the fruit ripens and is removed from the tree. When choosing, you must carefully follow the following rules:

The fruit must have even and smooth skin, without bruises, scratches, rotten or moldy areas, otherwise it will not be stored for very long.
When choosing fruits, you need to focus on the color - it should be rich lemon or yellow. This color indicates maturity.
It is best to choose large or at least medium-sized fruits - often small quinces are sour, tasteless and dry.

The benefits and harms of quince

The most interesting thing is that the product has no significant contraindications. The only contraindication is individual intolerance.

As for useful qualities, there are a huge number of them. If you have a lack of vitamins or simply a loss of strength, feel free to include quince in your menu. Indicated for frequently ill children and adults.

Quince jam lowers body temperature. It has a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa and is recommended for use in cases of poisoning and intoxication. Having many useful substances and a rich aroma, the fruits are useful for men and women to improve their sex life. The most important quality is the ability to cleanse the body of harmful elements that come from outside.

How to prepare quince for the winter

There are many ways to prepare quince for the winter. Let's look at the main ones.

Freezing

If we consider all types of preparations, then freezing comes first. With this method, the products retain maximum benefits. The main thing is not to freeze it several times.

Proper defrosting should be gradual; you should not defrost, for example, in the microwave. The shelf life, if properly stored, reaches 12 months. It will just last until next season.

How to properly freeze quince for the winter

It is better to freeze the fruit in the form of chips. Subsequently, use it in the preparation of pies, desserts, and also add to salads and cereals.

What you need: quince itself, a grater (preferably a large one), bags for freezing.

First of all, you need to prepare the fruits. The skin is covered with fluff, you need to get rid of it. Remove rotting areas and dents, if any. Cut the fruit into 4 parts and cut out the core.
Then grind everything into small chips.
Pack into bags and freeze.

Advice. During cooking, do not delay the process so that the product does not have time to darken.

Drying

You can dry quince in the sun, in the oven and in special electric dryers. This type of processing preserves almost as many vitamins as freezing. But it is better to consume dried fruits within six months, since over time the amount of vitamins decreases.

Proper storage is very important! Away from sunlight, in a dry place. Make sure there are no harmful insects.

Collection rules for winter storage

Quince, an autumn fruit whose ripening occurs in the second half of autumn, can be stored for a long time if you take into account important rules during its collection:

The fruits should be removed carefully: so as not to damage the skin and pulp;
when collecting, place them on grass or canvas; if you put them in a bucket, then place a layer of paper on its bottom;
The best time to pick fruit is late morning, when the dew has completely disappeared from the trees;
Harvesting should be done in dry and clear weather, otherwise the fruits covered with moisture will begin to rot.

food with the chef

Quince in Uzbekistan is harvested in November. Erkin Aka, executive chef of the Khoja Nasreddin restaurant chain, tells how to choose it, how to store it and how to eat it.

— Are there many varieties of quince and how do they differ?

— Currently, several dozen varieties of quince are known, which differ from each other in the structure of flowers, leaves, shape of fruits, and time of flowering and fruiting. But the differences between quince varieties are much less significant and noticeable than between apple and pear varieties. Quince is a shrub or tree that blooms from March to May with light pink flowers. The fruits of some varieties are more similar in shape to apples, the fruits of others are more like pears, they are always yellow - from lemon yellow to dark yellow, sometimes with a slight blush, and are very dense, hard, and crunchy. The pulp is slightly viscous, tart and quite aromatic - the smell has something of an apple, and there is also a coniferous tint. The taste and smell of different varieties of quince are approximately the same, the only difference is in their concentration. But I am sure of one thing - Central Asian quince varieties are the sweetest and least tart.

— In which countries does quince grow?

— The homeland of quince is considered to be Transcaucasia and Central Asia, where it is found in the wild. But quince is one of the oldest fruit crops; people have been cultivating it for more than four thousand years. The ancient Greeks, by the way, treated the quince with deep respect and considered it a symbol of beauty, love and fertility. Today, quince is grown in many countries of the world - in Europe, North America, North Africa, East and Central Asia. In Central Europe, however, quince is more often used for decorative purposes. Winter-hardy varieties have also been developed and are successfully cultivated in the Volga region. And there is also Japanese quince - it is also called chaenomeles. The flowers and fruits of this plant do look like quince, but that's a completely different story. Chaenomeles was brought to Europe from Japan at the end of the 17th century and gradually became one of the most beloved plants of gardeners - the Japanese quince blooms very beautifully. However, the fruits of Chaenomeles are also edible, only they are more sour.

Rules for collecting fruits

Harvesting the plant in question does not require special equipment or a lot of effort.

Also find out how and when to replant Japanese quince.

The basic rules for harvesting are as follows:

Fruits must be picked before the first frost appears and before they begin to fall from the branches;
since the fruits are covered with a small fluff on top, it is recommended to use a gauze bandage when picking them to prevent fluff from getting into the nose or throat;
It is necessary to remove the fruits after they are fully ripe and do this manually;
During harvest, spoiled apples should be immediately separated from intact ones.

How to determine the ripeness of Japanese quince

Only ripe Japanese quince fruits contain the maximum amount of nutrients. Accordingly, it is necessary to be able to distinguish by appearance whether the harvest of a fruit crop has begun to ripen or not.

Did you know? In Mediterranean countries, quince symbolized love and fertility.

You should pay attention to the following signs:

ripe fruits should have a uniform yellow color without green spots;
a pronounced aroma indicates that the fruits are ripe;
if the fruits begin to fall from the bush to the ground, this is an important sign of their ripeness.

How to store quince at home

The quince fruit attracts the eye with its honey color and attracts with its delicate aroma. It is not without reason that the southern fruit has long been recognized as a symbol of love and fertility. It is round or pear-shaped and covered with a thick yellow skin. I want to pick it from the tree and try it, but when fresh it is tart with hard flesh. But if you store quince all winter, it acquires a more delicate texture and sweet taste.

Tea with quince - preparing the drink

Quince is not only eaten, but also delicious tea is made from it. It has an antiviral effect, has a good calming effect, and has a diuretic and antiseptic effect. In addition, the drink is bright and very tasty. During the season, I brew it every day.

What is needed:

Peel half the quince and remove the seeds.
Wash, cut crosswise into slices 3-4 mm thick.
Rinse the porcelain teapot with boiling water.
Pour 2 tsp into it. black or green tea.
Add fruit slices.
Fill with hot (not boiling) water.
Cover with a lid and place a napkin on top.
Let it brew.

The 4 minute rule doesn't apply here. I leave it for 7-10 minutes so that the quince gives off its taste and aroma. The color will not become dark. I also throw sugar (1 tbsp) or honey into the kettle.

The drink has a beautiful color and delicate taste. It relieves heartburn symptoms, strengthens defenses and relieves irritability.

Quince collection

The fruit belongs to the autumn: the time for collection falls precisely on this period. When picking fruits from a tree, you need to follow a number of rules:

carry out the collection carefully: there should be no dents or scratches on the peel;
do not throw the fruits into the basket, but carefully fold them;
It is better to collect quince in the morning, after the dew has evaporated;
collect only in dry weather;
If the fruit ends up on the ground, it is better to use it for processing.

Quinces for the winter can be harvested a little unripe. Harvesting is done manually using a ladder and special fruit pickers. Early varieties can be used for food immediately, while later varieties ripen only after 20-40 days. During this time, they become more juicy, tasty with a delicate aroma and a large amount of sugars.

Quince jam - recipe with walnuts and lemon zest

I think this is the best way to use quince. Both adults and children eat jam with pleasure. It is extremely tasty, tender, fragrant. The amber slices look like marmalade. No candy is needed when there is such yummy food in the house!

Prepare:

kilogram of quince,
0.6 kg sugar,
lemon,
a glass of walnuts.

In this recipe I do without pre-blanching. The right syrup is viscous like honey.

What to do:

Cut as desired. Size 2-3 cm.
Place in a bowl, add sugar. We are waiting for the juice to appear. It is better to leave it overnight and continue in the morning.
Place on the fire, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Once it boils, set aside.
After 5-6 hours we repeat the procedure.
Then again.
Throw in the chopped nuts and lemon zest.
We bring it to readiness.
Remove from heat.

I don’t see any point in making jam for the winter. By the time the harvest appears, it is already winter. Moreover, such yummy food does not stay stale. I eat it in a couple of days.

How to store quince at home

When fresh, quince is well stored and does not lose its beneficial properties. During this period, it ripens, which improves its taste. Ideal conditions are a temperature within 0-+2°C, humidity 80% and a dark room.

It is better to store unripe and large products without damage. At home, they are stored for no longer than a week, even if they are wrapped in film. The exception is unripe specimens, which are laid out in a warm room to ripen for a longer period.

How to store quince for a long time? A cellar, basement or refrigerator is an ideal place. A number of nuances are important so that all beneficial qualities are preserved during the winter:

If there are large quantities, it is better to lay them out in layers and sprinkle them with sand or sawdust so that they lie separately from each other.
It is not advisable to place them together with pears: they contribute to the rapid ripening and rotting of the fruit.
At room temperature, place in paper bags. Avoid direct sunlight when stored open.
Sliced fruits are placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, pre-wrapped with cling film.
The higher the temperature, the shorter the storage time. It does not lose its qualities from 20 to 120 days, which depends on external conditions. The shelf life at a temperature of about 0°C increases by 2 times.

Healthy dessert – quince in sour cream sauce

You will need:

half a glass of raisins,
orange zest,
sour cream – 1.5 cups,
3 large quinces,
flour – 1/4 cup,
eggs – 3 pcs.,
granulated sugar - 1/3 cup.

Recipe:

The quince is cut into large cubes and stewed in a small amount of liquid until it becomes soft.
Take out, place in a heat-resistant bowl, sprinkle with grated orange or lemon zest.
Pour over eggs, beaten with sour cream and flour dried until golden brown.
Bake in a preheated oven until the top is browned.

Served in the same form. Divide into portions with a silicone spatula and place on saucers. Each serving of dessert is sprinkled with powdered sugar or topped with raspberry jam. They eat with a spoon.

Long-term storage conditions

It is most convenient to store quince for a long time in a cellar or refrigerator. Here are the optimal conditions for the fruit to last through the winter:

stable temperature close to 0°C;
constant humidity;
artificial ventilation;
preliminary quartzing before laying.

In the cellar, containers are used in boxes; in the refrigerator, there is a section for storing fruit or any of the shelves. Long-term storage in the cellar is possible if all conditions are met. If the humidity is very high and condensation accumulates, the fruits will begin to deteriorate very quickly. It is important that the quince is stored dry.

In the refrigerator, each specimen is wrapped in cling film and placed separately so that they do not touch each other. In this form they can lie in the winter for 3 months.

Proper storage involves storing only ripe fruits. If they are collected unripe, they should be kept at home until fully ripe. After 2 weeks they will turn yellow and become ready for transportation to the cellar. If unripe quinces are kept at low temperatures, they will remain hard and tart throughout the winter.

How to choose quince for storage

The latest fruit. Even early varieties of quince appear on the shelves only in autumn. All types have firm flesh. This is where we often make mistakes. It is important to choose a ripe specimen. Only the shelves are full of green quince. It did not have time to reach the desired state, to be filled with aroma and useful substances. This product can be stored. He will lie there for some time. Only the taste and aroma will not please you.

Where do you store quince?

In the cellarIn the refrigerator

Quince selection criteria:

correct form. You should not take one-sided, flattened, crooked specimens;
perfect skin. No damage, stains, dents or chips. All these places will rot over time;
yellowish color. The shade depends on the variety. We will not store green fruit;

pleasant aroma. One of the main selection criteria. Immature specimens smell like grass;
slightly pressed. There should be no rock hardness.

It is advisable to choose medium-sized fruits. We are not chasing giant specimens. We avoid small things. It is desirable that they be similar in size to each other. It will be much easier to put into containers and store.

In winter, quince can be stored in the cellar, basement, or refrigerator. Freezing is not prohibited. We choose medium-sized, fragrant, ripe fruits with smooth, intact skin.

How to freeze quince

Freezing quince for the winter is another convenient way to store the product. It gives the fruits a delicate taste and softness. The sequence of actions when placing it in the freezer is as follows:

We divide the fruits in half, cutting off the peel and removing the seeds.
Cut the pulp into pieces and place on a shelf, covered with cling film.
After freezing, place the quince in pieces in a food container and leave for the winter. Since they “frozen” separately, if necessary, we take the required portion.
We puree their pulp and put it in containers in the freezer for the winter.
We use blast freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming in the slices. We put them in a bag from which we remove the air. In this form, the quince is kept in the freezer for 24 hours, and then also transferred to a container.

Frozen quince can be stored throughout the winter or a whole year. During this time it must be used, otherwise the fruit slices will dry out.

Baked quince

Halves of the same size are first blanched in sweetened water (100 grams of sugar per liter), and then placed in a mold and baked in a preheated oven until cooked.

The pieces should become soft. This usually takes me 40-45 minutes. I sprinkle powdered sugar on top or pour natural honey melted in a water bath. Eat baked quince slightly cooled.

If you want to complicate the dish and make it more interesting, then remove the middle with the seeds. Bake as in the previous version. 5 minutes before readiness, fill the resulting space with a mixture of ground nuts and raisins. Serve cool with ice cream or whipped cream.

Other ways to store quince

As a preparation for the winter, you can prepare dried fruits or “drying” from quince. The fruits are washed and cleaned. Cut into slices or circles 5 mm thick. The prepared pieces need to be blanched for several minutes, as they have very hard flesh.

Lay out the prepared slices outside in the sun, if the weather permits. For drying, you can use an oven (t=75°C) or a special fruit dryer. Sliced fruits are laid out in a thin layer on baking trays, sieves or racks. The best option is natural drying.

There should be no moisture remaining in the resulting product, otherwise the process of spoilage is inevitable. Storage rules must not be violated. Dried quince pieces are placed in jars with tight-fitting lids and left for storage in winter. When using canvas bags or plastic bags as containers, insects may enter them.

If fruits are not suitable for storage in winter, then prepare various delicacies from them: compotes, jams, preserves, candied fruits. After heat treatment, quince pieces become tender and aromatic. This dessert will be a pleasant addition to family tea on long winter evenings.

Chicken baked with quince

A tasty and satisfying dish will bring the whole family together at the table. There is no shame in serving it to guests for a holiday. Properly cooked chicken is very appetizing and incredibly flavorful. They eat it hot, but the next day it is also good.

Prepare the following ingredients:

chicken – 1 pc. weighing up to 2.5 kg,
large fruits – 2-3 pcs.,
salt - a tablespoon,
dried sweet and ground black pepper,
whey – 1 liter,
garlic – 2 cloves.

How to cook correctly:

Wash the chicken, soak in whey, leave in a cool place for 6 hours or overnight. This technique will make the meat softer and juicier. I always do this. Whey can be replaced with white wine, but the cost of the dish will triple.
Remove, rub outside and inside with a mixture of peppers, crushed garlic, and salt.
Wash the quince. Remove the fluffy coating, cut into 6-8 slices. Remove the core with seeds. Leave the skin on.
Place the prepared slices inside the chicken and place the rest around.
Wrap in foil. Bring the edges together tightly.
Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 1.5 hours.
Just before finishing, unroll and let brown.

How to eat: put a piece of meat and 1-2 slices of aromatic quince on each plate. Serve correctly - with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables. I baked it with potatoes.