How to dry figs in the oven
One of the most used homemade methods to dehydrate food is the oven, as it gives good results, it is hygienic and almost everyone has one. Therefore, it is our first option. Next we tell you how to dry figs in the oven following the step by easy step:- Acquire fresh and good quality figs. Regardless of the variety, fresh figs must have a firm texture to the touch and with an exquisite aroma. Discard all those that present soft texture or brown spots.
– Do not expect much to use them. This food is very delicate and even if you refrigerate it, it will remain in good condition only for 3 days, and as that time passes, it will gradually lose organoleptic qualities, for example its flavor will be attenuated.
– Wash the figs scrupulously using abundant cold water. Hand them very carefully, because it is very soft fruits and can easily be mistreated or break. Place them underwater and use your thumbs to eliminate earth and waste.
– Be very well using paper towels or a dry cloth. Wheel the figs on the paper or cloth until they dry. Remember, do it subtly, because as you know it is a delicate fruit.
– Remove the stem and cut them. You can cut the figs in half or in the rooms. If you cut them in half, do it transverse from the beginning of the stem to the lower end. Thanks to this step the drying process will accelerate and you will get a more even result.
– Deposit the figs on a rack and under the grid add a tray. Sometimes leaving 2-3 cm of space between them. Put them with the cut part (the pulp) looking up and avoid piled up on each other.
– Preheat the oven at 80 ° C. Have it ready between 10-20 minutes and before entering the low temperature.
– Dry the figs in the oven at 50 ° C and 60 ° C. That is the ideal temperature, but if your oven does not allow you to have the temperature so low, use the minimum allowed and leave the door a bit ajar.
– Turn the figs every 1-3 hours and check as drying progresses. You will know that they are ready when they acquire the following characteristics: brown and soft texture shell, but not sticky, in addition, you should not expel internal juices when you squeeze them.
– The drying process will take between 10 and 24 hours. This time assures you that you can keep the product for a long time, as all the humidity of the fruit has been extracted.
– If you want an express method, you can take between 2-5 hours. The result will be a product that you must consume in less time, maximum one or two weeks. Of course, the oven begins at 180 ° C and lowers during the process at 80 ° C, just when the figs acquire a rough and somewhat sticky texture. From that moment on, review them every 30 minutes twice.
– Turn off the oven until it cools and leave the figs inside. Then take them out but don touch them immediately.
– Once cold, keep them in a sterilized glass jar. Make sure the container is tightly closed and place it in a cool and dry place. And if you wonder how to keep the dry figs in the oven, keep in mind that some people freeze them in special bags and thus last up to 2 years.
How to dry figs in the microwave
The microwave is the express method par excellence and the ideal option for beginners who want to know how to dry the figs. However, this technique does not always guarantee the most optimal result, so it is not the most recommended. Anyway, if you want to know a quick and acceptable result to dry figs in the microwave, follow the step by step:- Wash the figs very well and the stem will be removed. Then cut them in half in a transverse way or on segments.
– Set on a plate with the pulp up. You should never pile the fruit you want to dehydrate, because the air between the pieces must circulate. Therefore, place only 3 figs in each batch (already cut), and leave space between them.
– Dry the figs for 10 minutes. Put the maximum microwave power.
– After the time, take out the dish with a kitchen glove or with a cloth. After placing the plate in a safe place, turn the figs.
– Dehydrate the figs for another 10 minutes. After the first 5 minutes, pause and verify the development of the process. If you observe that the figs acquire a very wrinkled texture, do not fulfill the time stipulated above and continue to dehydrate them only 2-3 more minutes.
– Place the figs in a rack for 30 minutes or until they cool. Pass them there with the help of a spatula.- Once cold, put them in a bag with special closure to refrigerate food. Cix it tightly, put it in another similar bag and also close it.
– Save the bag in the fridge for 2 days. When the weather is fulfilled, remove the bag, open it, pull all the air you can and pull it again. The idea is to imitate a vacuum seal.
– Save the bag in the refrigerator again, this time for 3 weeks. After that time, the figs will be completely dry and you can consume them.
Do you want to learn to make figs in syrup? Keep reading!
How to dry fresh to the sun
If you have an outdoor place and with a warm climate, you can learn how to dry figs naturally, since it is a very effective ancestral method, and today many people continue to apply it. Do you wonder how to dry dry figs in the sun? Follow the indications that we provide below:- Wash and cut the figs. If the figs are already dry, better leave them whole, if they do not cut them in half (they are commonly cut over two without separating the halves below) or in the rooms.
– Place them on a grid or on some similar utensil. If you do not have similar, you can build a kind of screen printing frame made with tables and with a mosquito net or mesh. And if not as a last option, you can use trays and line them with the fabric that serves to filter cheese serum.
– accommodate the figs so that there is space between them. Thus the air will circulate better and facilitate drying. Place them with the pulp looking up.
– Discuss the grilles on a dry place that receives direct light from the sun. Remember the figs must be ventilated very well, that is, the air must enter everywhere (below, up, and among them). For this reason, put the grilles so that none of the ventilated areas is tape, it could be on bricks between the backs of two chairs or in some other ingenious way that you can think of.
– Cover them to prevent insects from posing on figs. It uses other equal grilles or white mosquito net (also serves any other breathable fabric).
– Turn the figs 2-4 times a day. Thus the drying will be more even.
– Save the grilles during the night inside the house. In this way, you will protect the figs from night humidity that could affect the dehydration process. Remember, leave the covered grilles, as you do during the day, and on the next morning, turn the figs before exposing them to the sun.
– The drying process can last approximately 1-4 days. There is no exact time because it can vary depending on the temperature and moisture of the place. For this reason, it is recommended to dry in seasons that have many warm and dry days.
– The drying process can last approximately 1-4 days. There is no exact time because it can vary depending on the temperature and humidity of the place. For this reason, it is recommended to dry in seasons that have many warm and dry days.
– Package in a sterilized jar. Finished drying time. You can now pack or consume the product. However, additional treatment is traditionally applied to ensure the results, we detailed below.
– Dry the figs in the oven at a temperature of 80 ºC (optional). Leave them there for 2 hours, then turn off the oven and wait 24 hours before taking them out.
– Skip them 3 times in a row in boiling water (optional). Immerse them very briefly in just seconds. Drain them and let them dry very well before pachating them tightly.
Other ways of drying figs
You have already observed what are the most common forms to dehydrate food, but there are many more. It is always good to know them, because some of them can better adapt to your needs. That said, lets see more options to learn how to dry figs:- Domestic or industrial dehydrators. These are electrical artifacts made to dry food. Drying time can vary depending on the power of the dehydrator, although compared to other techniques, it is reduced considerably, since sometimes foods can be dry in 2-4 hours. In addition, this process does not depend on the weather, the result is guaranteed.
– Home dehydrators. These are homemade elaboration boxes designed to be exposed directly to the sun, therefore, they depend on the weather. In addition, they protect food from external elements, which is why it is more hygienic than the traditional natural method.
And if you also want to prepare a dry fig sauce for meat, do not miss this article and keep reading.
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