The classic way of preserving elderberries by drying them has lost none of its topicality to this day. Here you can find out how easy it is to do it in the air, in the oven and in the dehydrator.

Air drying - free and easy

If you leave the small berries on the umbels after harvesting, they are ideal for air drying. Simply attach to a line with clothespins. A dry, warm, air-flushed place in the attic is ideal. Under no circumstances should the elderberries be exposed to direct sunlight or even get wet during the process.

How to dry elderberries in the oven

While air drying takes several days, the process in the oven is completed within a few hours. Devices with a recirculation function are perfectly suited because it is even quicker and can be carried out on several levels. How to do it right:

  • Wash the fully ripe elderberries and pat dry
  • lay out parchment paper on a grid
  • Arrange the fruit so that they don't touch each other
  • set the device to a maximum of 50 degrees Celsius

The door of the oven is not completely closed, but only ajar. In this way, the evaporating liquid can escape unhindered.

Convenient drying in the dehydrator

If you dry larger quantities of fruit every year, it is worth investing in a dehydrator. This has the advantage that the oven is not permanently occupied at harvest time. It also dries faster. Thats how it works:

  • distribute the cleaned, fully ripe elderberries on the sieves
  • each screen is only 90 percent occupied for better air circulation
  • all unneeded screens are removed

After 8-10 hours the process is complete. Turn off the device and run a test. The elderberries should feel soft and pliable. After it has completely cooled, dark glass jars with screw caps are ideal for storage. The temperature at the site fluctuates between 5 and 20 degrees Celsius

tips and tricks

The drying process does not reduce the level of unhealthy sambunigrin in elderberries. Therefore, only dry the fruit for later preparation and avoid eating it, as is possible with raisins. Only by boiling at more than 80 degrees Celsius does the glycoside decompose and the black berries become digestible.

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