Pumpkin It is considered a valuable dietary vegetable in terms of the content of vitamins and microelements.
But in winter you will not find it on store shelves. Therefore, after harvesting, many summer residents face the question of how and how much to store pumpkin at home in order to enjoy its taste as long as possible.
What's more, it's easy to do.
Content:
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Harvesting and preparing it for laying for long-term storage
The guarantee of long-term preservation of the taste and commercial qualities of fresh pumpkin is a well-conducted harvest
When is the best time to do this depends on weather conditions and a number of other factors. The main guideline for starting action will be the dried pumpkin stalk: it changes color from green to gray. Usually the vegetable ripens in late September - early October.
In order for the vegetable to retain its original properties for as long as possible, it is necessary to follow certain rules when harvesting:
- They remove the vegetable from the garden, trying not to damage the stalk so that it remains in its place. Why the fruit is gently lifted to reduce the tension of the tops, and cut off, leaving a tail of about 4-5 cm
- Harvesting is done in dry and sunny weather so that the pumpkins are completely dry. Stored raw fruits quickly begin to rot and become moldy, infecting a healthy crop. As a result, in a month you can lose all pumpkin stocks
- If the time for collecting pumpkins has come, and it is constantly raining outside, then the removed fruits should be thoroughly dried before being stored in storage. They are put in a dry and well-ventilated room and left for 10 days. Only then the beneficial properties of pumpkins are preserved until next year.
- If possible, it is advisable to wipe each vegetable with a dry rag and inspect for chips, rot and mold. Carefully inspect and rejected specimens are allowed for processing or try to eat as soon as possible. This extends the shelf life of the entire crop.
pumpkin harvest
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For storage, choose strong and undamaged fruits.
Avid gardeners know which pumpkin varieties to plant that are most suitable for long-term storage. Mostly choose late-ripening representatives.
There are a number of species that successfully winter at home:
- Zhdana
- Yanina
- Slavuta
- Polyanin
- Arbatskaya
All of them winter perfectly and retain their useful properties.
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Optimal storage conditions
How to store pumpkin
After the pumpkins are harvested and prepared for storage for the winter, the most suitable place should be chosen. It depends on the form in which the fruits are stored - whole or sliced.
There are no problems in a private house, since a basement or cellar is suitable for these purposes, where the conditions meet the requirements - coolness, dryness and darkness. It is acceptable to store pumpkins in a cool pantry.
The temperature at which the pumpkin is stored for a long time depends on the variety and varies between 5-15 degrees. However, some varieties feel great in the apartment. Damp rooms or those that freeze in winter are definitely not suitable for storing pumpkins. Humidity should not exceed 70%.
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In a good cellar, pumpkin retains its taste and presentable appearance all winter.
In the cellar, it is most convenient to store pumpkins that grow to large sizes. Before lowering vegetables into the cellar, it is necessary to prepare it to create favorable conditions:
- They clean the storage from garbage and the harvest remaining from last year (canned food can be left alone)
- Thoroughly ventilate so that there is no trace of mustiness and dampness
- Dry shelves and racks
- Provide ventilation if there is none.
- Disinfection is carried out using a sulfuric smoke bomb or by treating all surfaces with lime
- Shelves are lined with paper or straw
Storage of pumpkins in the cellar
When all the preliminary activities are completed, you can proceed to the laying of the fruit. To store whole, vegetables should have a hard shell without defects: dents, scratches and chips.
They are placed on wooden scaffolds so that they do not touch. It is unacceptable to dump them in a heap or fold them like a pyramid. Conveniently stack pumpkins so that the stalk looks up. If there are few fruits, then it is better to wrap each one in paper or plastic wrap.
In winter, you need to periodically look into the storage and check what form the fruits are in. Upon detection of a spoiled one, it is immediately removed from the general composition and the straw (paper) on which it lay is changed. To prevent condensation from accumulating on pumpkins (this usually leads to rotting of vegetable stocks), you need to put quicklime in the cellar, which is the best counteract to excess moisture in the air. And also the pumpkin needs periodic airing.
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How to keep a pumpkin in the apartment
Pumpkin must be stored without access to light
There are several ways to store pumpkins indoors. Each of them is good in its own way, but there are also disadvantages.
On the balcony
Pumpkin can not only be stored on the balcony, but also grown
Long-term storage of melons on an insulated balcony or loggia is guaranteed due to certain conditions:
- temperature - in the range of 5-15 degrees
- the presence of protection from cold and direct sunlight (use any breathable and shading covering material)
- the location of the fruits at some distance from each other so that there is no contact between the sides
It is advisable to place the vegetables in wooden crates rather than laying them directly on the floor. (regardless of what it is covered with). You can line paper, boards or plywood.
During the winter, do not forget to check pumpkin supplies on the balcony, especially when the temperature outside drops below zero. It is important that the fruits do not freeze.To avoid this, wrap them in a warm blanket or thick cloth. There is still a high probability of rotting due to sharp temperature jumps.
Inside the apartment
If it is not possible to remove the pumpkins to the balcony (loggia), you will have to find a cool place in the apartment
There should be good ventilation and no sun exposure. The ideal place is a pantry. The fruits are folded at a distance of 2-3 cm.
To prevent vegetables from drying out, you need to systematically ventilate the room and maintain acceptable humidity in it. (install humidifier).
Many residents of metropolitan areas prefer to put pumpkins under their beds or keep them in the kitchen. This is fundamentally wrong, although some species tolerate such conditions quite tolerably.
Read also: Pumpkin: description of the 30 best varieties with Photos. Types, Classification How to store cut pumpkin
Cut and peeled pumpkin can be stored in the refrigerator
How to save a whole pumpkin has been considered, now it’s worth sorting out the storage options for the cut one. In this case, there is a refrigerator with a freezer. This is the best solution for urban residents if a large amount of product and all fruits are large-fruited. Although there is enough space on the refrigerator shelf for a small pumpkin.
The excess pumpkin remaining during cooking should be cut into pieces. The same is done with specimens rejected during the autumn sorting of the crop or during winter storage. It is necessary to wrap the cut in cling film and place in refrigerator. There it will remain fresh for two weeks. If you pack in foil, then the shelf life is extended to a month.
Cut and packaged pumpkin is stored in the freezer
You can extend the storage of chopped pumpkin with the help of a freezer.. This allows you to save time in the future when cooking, since the vegetable is already prepared (peeled and seeds and cut) - it remains only to defrost.
How to freeze pumpkin:
- Remove the skin from the fruit, peel the flesh from the stones and cut it with a knife or use a grater
- Pieces or grated mass must be laid out in food containers or special bags for freezing. It is important to close them tightly so that air does not enter inside.
- Stack packages (trays) in the chamber on top of each other, which saves space
With this method of preservation, the product will lie for a year or more.
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Candied pumpkin - healthy and tasty!
In addition to the standard winter storage options for pumpkins, there are others - no less effective. This is drying, drying, pickling. And also tasty and fragrant desserts are obtained from pumpkin - jam, mashed potatoes, compotes, jelly and juice.
Drying
Dried pumpkin does not lose its original taste
The advantage of this method is that the dried vegetable practically does not change its taste, but decreases in size and therefore does not take up much space. Cook dried fruits can be in the oven or electric dryer at a temperature of 55-60 °C.
The sequence of actions to be followed:
- Ripe and healthy fruit should first be washed, then peeled and seeds removed.
- Cut the pulp into slices 1 cm thick
- Dip them for a couple of minutes in slightly salted boiling water to keep the bright orange color.
- Pumpkin cuts are laid out evenly on a baking sheet and placed in an oven preheated to 60 ° C. Holding time - about 6 hours
- Then they increase it to 75 ᵒС and wait a couple more hours
Drying pumpkin
Ready dried fruits are allowed to cool and packaged in cardboard boxes or glass jars. If dried properly, they will keep for about 12 months without problems.
Seeds taken from the fruit should not be thrown away, because they contain a lot of useful substances. It's best to dry them. put in a plastic container and put on the battery. So they dry naturally in just 2-3 days. After which they can be used. Some prefer to fry them, but only after that they partially lose their valuable qualities.
salting
Pickled pumpkin makes a great winter snack
To pickle 5 kg of fresh pumpkin, you will need to take 1.5 kg of table salt. Marinating is carried out as follows:
- Glass jars are sterilized
- The selected fruits are washed in cool water, the peel is cut off and the seeds are taken out. Then the pulp is cut into portioned pieces of arbitrary size.
- Fold the cut into prepared and dried jars, then pour it with saline. You can sprinkle some dry salt on top.
- Close with airtight lids and store blanks in a dark place for storage
Such canned food will not spoil all winter even when it is in room conditions.
Candied fruit
Candied pumpkin will please even the most selective sweet tooth
Another way out of the situation, especially with a large harvest of pumpkins - This is the preparation of candied fruits. They can later be added to various pastries or used as a decoration for confectionery.
Recipe:
- The fruit is washed and prepared accordingly
- The remaining pulp is cut into small slices.
- Next, they begin to prepare the syrup, which will require 200 ml of water, 1.3 kg of granulated sugar and juice from one lemon. You can add cinnamon (1 stick)
- Pour pumpkin slices with syrup and put on fire. After boiling, they are boiled for 5 minutes, then turned off and left for at least five hours.
- After the allotted time, the pumpkin is boiled again. Then it must be kept until the morning
- The next day, pumpkin cubes are filtered through a colander. When the syrup is completely drained from them, sprinkle with sugar
Upon completion of the preparatory activities, you can begin to dry the blanks. As a standard, this is done outdoors, in an oven or a special drying device.
In the first case, the candied pieces are laid out on paper where there is good ventilation and no direct sunlight. After 2 days, the layout is stirred and left to dry for some more time. Then they change its location - they are transferred under the sun and left for another 2 days. Usually, the whole procedure is completed in 7-8 days.
In the oven, candied fruits are obtained faster. Scatter them in a thin layer on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 85 ᵒС. After half an hour, take out and cool. Then the manipulation is repeated, but already at 70 ᵒС.
In an electric dryer, drying pumpkin slices is even easier. First set the maximum possible temperature. As soon as the product begins to dry out, lower the degree to 65 and continue the drying process until cooked.
How to cook delicious pumpkin sweets in an electric dryer can be found in the video clip:
VIDEO: Pumpkin and banana sweets
Candies from pumpkin and bananas
How to store a pumpkin for the winter at home: on the balcony, inside the apartment, alternative storage methods | (Photo and video)
pumpkin puree
Pumpkin puree is not only tasty, but also healthy
A very tasty and healthy puree or caviar comes out of a pumpkin (as it is more convenient for anyone to call it). Cooking technology:
- Wash pumpkin and apples, peeling them from the outer shell and seeds
- Vegetables and fruits are passed through a meat grinder or twisted in a blender, cut into pieces for convenience.
- Sugar should be added to the grated mass at the rate of 4-5 tbsp. l.for 1.5 kg of apple-pumpkin puree
- This fruit and vegetable mixture should be blanched over low heat for two hours.
- Shortly before turning off, add 1 tsp. citric acid
Immediately mashed potatoes are laid out in sterilized containers and rolled up.
If you cook vegetable caviar, then 1 kg of tomatoes and carrots (500 g) are added to the same amount of pumpkin. If desired, you can add zucchini (put to taste). Salt is added instead of sugar (4 tablespoons).
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Failure to follow standard rules when harvesting leads to its early death
Typical mistakes of gardeners that lead to premature damage to the crop and interfere with the harvesting process:
- they begin to harvest fruits ahead of time, without waiting for them to fully ripen
- vegetables are stored in storage immediately after cutting, where they begin to rot and mold in a week
- spread the fruits on bare concrete (it is necessary to lay dry hay or pour sawdust)
- vegetables are not sorted by size before laying (large ones must be folded separately from small ones)
Pumpkin
Helpful hints:
- about 10-12 days before the planned collection of pumpkins stop watering
- the collected fruits must be left to dry in the fresh air for at least a day
- if mechanical damage is found on the surface of vegetables, it should be treated with a manganese solution or brilliant green (this way it is possible to prevent the development of pathogenic microflora inside the fruit)
Pumpkin is not a particularly whimsical vegetable, both in cultivation and in storage. If you follow the rules, you will be able to keep it in its original state until the next harvest, treating yourself and your loved ones with a tasty and healthy product all winter.
This is important, because it is during this period that the body is especially deficient in vitamins. And since you can cook a lot of dishes and desserts from pumpkin, this will help to significantly diversify your daily diet.
You can learn about some secrets of harvesting pumpkins for the winter from the video:
VIDEO: Pumpkin storage
pumpkin storage
How to store a pumpkin for the winter at home: on the balcony, inside the apartment, alternative storage methods | (Photo and video)
