Delicious grapes from your own garden are transformed into aromatic raisins in no time at all. How you can easily dry table grapes under the sun and in the oven is explained here in a practical way.

This is how grapes dry in the sunshine

While lovingly tended vines produced a rich harvest, knowledgeable hobby gardeners use the warm rays of the sun to professionally dry the table grapes. There are primarily seedless varieties that can be processed into raisins. How to do it right:

  • Clean undamaged, ripe grapes under running water
  • Carefully pick off the fruit stalks that are still sticking
  • spread the berries on an openwork tray made of bamboo or rattan
  • place in the garden or on the balcony in a sunny, warm, rain-protected place
  • the fruits with an insect net protect against bees and flies

The grapes stay outdoors for 2 to 3 days to dry in the sun and air. In regions with nightly fog or morning dew, bring the tray indoors at night. Store the finished raisins in an airtight container in a cool place.

Skillfully dry in the oven

You dry grapes much faster in the oven. The heat removes the water from the berries down to an acceptable residual moisture content of 20 to 30 percent. Here's how to do it:

  • Prepare grapes as for air drying
  • Line an oven rack with parchment paper to spread the fruit on
  • set the device to 60 degrees Celsius top and bottom heat or circulating air
  • with the door slightly open, turn the grapes every 2 hours

Depending on the size and water content, the procedure takes between 10 and 24 hours. The finished raisins are tough and pliable. Only when they have completely cooled down are the dried grapes filled into an airtight jar. Otherwise, condensation will form during storage and cause mold.

tips and tricks

It is particularly convenient to produce your raisins in a dehydrator. Housewives appreciate the decisive advantage that their oven is not permanently occupied during the harvest season. Distributed on sieve trays on several levels, the grapes dry within 8 to 10 hours as if by magic.

GTH

The garden journal freshness ABC

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The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

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Category:

Vegetable garden