How to dry eggplants at home for the winter: in the dryer, oven, storage rules

Drying is one of the most ancient methods of preserving vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs and mushrooms. It takes less time than conservation. The resulting product requires less storage space. But the main advantage is that dried products preserve as much nutrients and vitamins as possible for a long time.

Eggplants, like other vegetables, are also prepared for future use in various ways. Let's look at how to dry eggplants for the winter at home.

Which eggplants can be dried?

There is an opinion that overripe eggplants are needed for drying. But that's not true. Such fruits contain large amounts of solanine. It also gives the fruits bitterness. When choosing, pay attention to the following points:

Size. It is best to take medium-sized eggplants. Larger fruits are more likely to contain large amounts of solanine.
Look at the stalk. It should be green, without wrinkled areas. If it has acquired a brown tint, spots, or softness, do not take it. This is evidence that the eggplant was harvested quite a long time ago.
Before purchasing, press on the skin near the base of the fruit. If the dent remains, this indicates that the harvest is old. Freshly picked fruits regain their shape in a couple of seconds.
The color should be uniform, without spots or any other inclusions.
The surface of a good and ripe eggplant acquires a characteristic but moderate shine. If the skin is too shiny, this may indicate that the crop has been pre-treated with chemicals.
And, of course, there should be no cracks, chips or other damage on the surface.

Author's note

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

If, when pressed, it is discovered that the fruit is soft, then this indicates that the eggplant has begun to rot inside.

You can see why eggplants can still taste bitter in the video below:

To avoid having to worry about choosing vegetables, grow eggplants at home yourself. I wrote about this not long ago, you can read it.

Selection and preliminary preparation of eggplants

To harvest in this way, you should take not only ripe, but also high-quality fruits. Eggplants that are beaten, rotten or limp are not suitable. Damaged areas need to be cut off.

Vegetables should also be washed well in running water. Then they cut off the tails and peel off the thin skin. However, you don’t have to peel it according to your taste.

The next step is slicing. You can use large cubes or circles 0.5 centimeters thick. The circles are strung on a thread (not artificial!). The pieces are dried in bulk.

And here it is important to note that when exposed to air, eggplant pulp tends to quickly darken. It's okay - this is a natural chemical process and it will not affect the quality of the final product. But it is unacceptable to sprinkle eggplants with lemon juice (a solution of citric acid), as apples are sometimes saved from browning! These vegetables need to be dried in their pure form without any impurities, period.

How to prepare them before drying

Before drying, eggplants must be prepared first. To do this, perform the following sequence of actions:

Wash all fruits under running water. Dry naturally or with a towel.
Trim both sides (the stalk and the “butt” of the vegetable).
Cut into pieces of the desired shape. At the same time, remember that the shape is not important, but the width should not exceed 1 cm. Otherwise, the pieces will not dry out and will become moldy during storage.
If you bought overripe fruits, soak them for 2-3 hours in water at room temperature. Then drain the water and repeat the process. This will help get rid of corned beef, which is contained in the highest concentration in such specimens.

Some housewives remove the skin from eggplants. But I don't recommend doing this. Since it contains a large number of useful substances and microelements. If you still decide to do this, then cut off as thin a layer as possible.

I like to cut the eggplant into thin strips lengthwise

How to use

Unlike canned vegetables, which adults and children love so much, up to eighty percent of the nutrients are retained in dried eggplants. Fiber, natural sugars and organic acids, vitamins A, C, E, B, P, PP, phosphorus, iron, calcium and potassium - this is a highly abbreviated list of what they contain in excess. You can prepare many dishes with such a healthy product.

Caviar.
Soups.
Vegetable stew.
Second courses.
Meat.
Fish.

To restore eggplants before cooking, place the required amount in a deep bowl, pour boiling water over it and cover with a lid. Leave the vegetables to swell for two hours, then drain the water through a colander.

If you dry vegetables thoroughly and then grind them using a blender or coffee grinder, you can get an unusual seasoning for any dish. It is believed that a tablespoon of this powder will help overcome addiction to alcohol and tobacco.

How to dry vegetablesHow to dry tomatoes at home

How to dry eggplants at home for the winter

Now let's move on to the drying methods themselves. There are several options. See for yourself which one to choose. As they say, there is no friend for color and taste.

In the oven

This method seems to me the simplest and most accessible. Because every housewife has an oven.

Cooking sequence:

Prepare the fruits according to the instructions described above. Then cut into desired pieces. Focus on what dish you need them for. For example, if for preparing stews or other dishes, squares are suitable, and if for sandwiches or snacks, plates are suitable.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Grease with a small amount of olive oil (if you don’t have it, you can substitute regular vegetable oil).
Distribute the eggplant pieces on the baking sheet so that they do not touch each other. Place in the oven.

Depending on the selected temperature, drying can be done in 2 ways:

At 60 degrees, the drying process lasts 5-6 hours. Readiness is checked only after the eggplants have cooled completely. If additional drying is required, then the baking sheet is again placed in the oven for a couple of hours.
At a temperature of 160 degrees. In this case, drying lasts only an hour. Then the temperature is reduced to 60 degrees and left in the oven for another 2 hours. This method is recommended to be used only if there is a catastrophic lack of time. Because high temperatures destroy a large number of useful substances and microelements.

The oven lid should always be slightly open. Also, be sure to check the pieces regularly to make sure they don't burn. At high temperatures this can happen.

Author's note

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

During the drying process, the vegetables dry out greatly: from 1 kg of eggplant only about 150 g of dried product comes out.

The shelf life with this method is up to a year.

Want to learn about other storage methods? Then read how to freeze eggplants for the winter. The method is also interesting.

Do you dry eggplants in the oven?

Not really

In an electric dryer

Drying in an electric dryer is even easier than in an oven. But the problem is that not everyone has such a unit (and, by the way, it’s not that cheap). But for those who have it, I’ll share the recipe:

Prepare the eggplants: wash and leave to dry for a couple of minutes.
Cut into desired pieces. It is more convenient to dry eggplants cut into rounds in an electric dryer.
Place all the pieces on the grates of the unit (usually there are five of them). Leave space between vegetables. This is necessary for good air circulation and faster and more uniform drying.
If you have a thermostat, then set the temperature in the range from 50 to 70 degrees (you can start with 70, and then dry it at 50). If there is none, then set it to the mode that is programmed in your unit.
During drying, change the trays several times (every 30 minutes or an hour): move the top ones down and vice versa. The bottom rows will receive more hot air and dry faster.
Typically it takes a day to dry in an electric dryer. During this time, the pieces become hard and brittle.

For storage, place the eggplants in fabric bags, glass containers or bags. Store in a dark and cool place. Storage duration is one year or more.

If you want something exotic, then read how to grow an avocado from a seed. I can tell you from experience that this is possible at home.

If you use glass containers, sterilize them first.

On open air

To dry outdoors, you need to take into account weather conditions: it must be warm and dry. In wet and cloudy weather, the fruits may rot.

Slice the eggplants into thin slices.
Dilute slightly salted water (add 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter).
Place the chopped pieces in it. Leave in this state for 1-2 hours. This procedure promotes faster evaporation of moisture and also relieves eggplants of bitterness.

Next, you can dry using one of the following original methods:

Place the slices on a baking sheet (or other flat surface) and place in a well-lit area, but not in direct sunlight. Turn the pieces over every day.
In the second option, string the slices on a thread. Hang outdoors under an awning or other shaded area.

Author's note

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

To prevent insects from landing on the fruits, cover them with gauze.

In both cases, the drying process will take from 5 to 7 days. It all depends on the thickness of the pieces, their juiciness and size. Storage duration is up to a year.

Do you dry eggplants outdoors?

Not really

In room

The indoor drying method is no different from the previous one. You do everything the same way, only you need to dry it on the balcony or windowsill on the south side. The duration is the same.

You got acquainted with the process of drying vegetables, then in addition, read how to store garlic at home. Information will always be needed on the farm.

Salads

To prepare an original salad from dried eggplants, you need to put 300 grams of the vegetable in a pan, add water and boil for 15 minutes. Then transfer the vegetable mass to a colander to drain all the liquid. While the boiled vegetable is cooling, you should make the marinade: crush 2 cloves of garlic, mix with a teaspoon of Korean seasoning. Combine this marinade with eggplants and let it brew for two hours. Drain the resulting liquid, combine the vegetables with chopped dill, lightly pepper with allspice and add a few slices of tomato. Season the salad with mayonnaise.

There is another good Japanese salad. Dry eggplants are also filled with water, salted and boiled for 15 minutes. Boiled vegetables are placed in a colander and lightly squeezed with your hands. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry some grated carrots and chopped garlic. The vegetables are sautéed for a couple of minutes, after which the eggplants are added. As soon as all the products become soft, remove the pan from the stove, add soy sauce and a little vinegar. The result was a dish of dried eggplants.

source

How to make eggplant chips

I also love making eggplant chips. They taste just as good as store-bought ones, but they have much more benefits. I'll share my favorite recipe.

List of required products:

blue ones - 2 pcs;
salt - 2-3 pinches;
dried ground paprika - 1 tbsp. l.;
apple cider vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.;
vegetable oil - 3 tbsp. l.;
maple syrup - 1 tbsp;
ground dried garlic - 1 tsp;
filtered water - 2 tbsp. l.

Step by step recipe:

Wash the eggplants, cut off the stem and butt, and remove the skin.
Rinse again under running water and dry with paper kitchen towels.
Cut the pulp into thin slices. I use a paring knife for this. As a result, the slice should be no more than 2-3 mm thick.
Arrange the slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little salt on top. Place cutting boards on them for weight. This procedure helps to align the pieces and remove excess moisture from them. Leave in this state for 2 hours.
In a separate bowl, mix all other ingredients. As a result, you will get a marinade for chips.
Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggplants on it. Apply marinade to both sides. Let stand in this state for 10 minutes.
Place in the oven preheated to 170 degrees for 20-25 minutes. After cooling, you can eat.

Calorie content per 100 g serving is 45 Kcal. The shelf life is not long: chips can be stored in a glass jar for up to 14 days.

If you want to start planting any crop, then look at how to grow felt cherries at home. The tree is not picky, so there will be no problems.

You can see the benefits of eggplants for our body in the video below:

FAQ

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

Ask your question

Now let's talk about the questions that readers most often ask. I hope the answers to them will help you overcome any difficulties that you might have.

Are the beneficial substances of eggplants preserved when dried?

Although some beneficial substances leave, most still remain. Especially if dried at low temperatures (for example, outdoors or indoors). As a result, the composition of the dried product includes: • pectin, fiber, organic acids; • vitamin P, C, A and B vitamins; • mineral and natural sugars; • calcium, potassium; • proteins, fats and carbohydrates; • iron, phosphorus, magnesium and copper.

What are the benefits of dried eggplant?

Dried eggplants are good because they are healthy and can be stored for a long time. They can also be used to prepare various dishes.

What is the best way to cut eggplants for drying?

The shape of the cut is not important - do it in a way that is convenient. The main thing is the width. It should not be more than 1 cm.

How to properly store dried eggplants

The cooled eggplants are divided into portions and placed in a glass container with a ground-in lid, in linen or cotton bags tied with a rope, or cardboard boxes with lids.

The bags are hung on nails in dry pantries and stored in this state at a moderate temperature. Cans and boxes are placed on the shelves of kitchen cabinets. The shelf life of dried preparations is 6-8 months.

Why waste time preparing products for the winter when any store sells fresh eggplants at any time of the year - an inexperienced housewife will think. And she will be right in her own way. But the prices for vegetables in winter are not low, and the desire to please your loved ones with an exquisite aromatic dish enriched with vitamins and minerals is very great.

Let me sum it up

You should not buy fruits that have the stem cut off. Most likely, the seller did this in order to hide the fact that the vegetable was stale or spoiled.
Eggplants are watery vegetables, so after drying they lose a lot of volume.
The higher the temperature when drying vegetables, the less beneficial properties remain in them. So it's better to use low temperatures.

Now you know how to dry eggplants at home. Try different methods and choose the one you like best.

Dried eggplant recipes

Dried “blue” ones are great for preparing a wide variety of snacks.

Korean-style sun-dried eggplant salad

One of the most piquant and spicy dishes made from dried eggplant.

Ingredients:

100 grams of Korean carrots, prepared yourself or purchased in a store;
50 grams of dried eggplant;
1 medium-sized sweet pepper;
1 medium onion;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (can be replaced with apple or grape);
salt and spices to taste;
vegetable oil for frying.

To prepare the salad, dried eggplants are pre-soaked in hot water for 20-30 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan.
Add spices and large slices of garlic to it.
After a few minutes, add the “blue” ones and the peppers and onions cut into half rings.
Fry all ingredients for 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add vinegar and soy sauce, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

The cooled vegetables are mixed with Korean carrots and placed in clean jars. In a couple of hours, the savory dish will be ready.

Appetizer of dried eggplants with Provençal herbs

A great recipe for those who love rosemary and basil.

For preparation you will need:

0.5 kg of eggplant dried in any way;
250 ml olive oil;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
10 grams of ready-made herbs de Provence seasoning;
a pinch of salt.

The garlic is crushed, mixed with seasoning and salt. The “blue ones” are placed in layers in jars, sprinkled with spices. Pour in well-heated, but not boiling, olive oil. The jars are wrapped and left to cool. The appetizer will be ready in a week. Store it in the refrigerator.

Attention!

If you plan to cook eggplants according to this recipe, then before drying you can sprinkle them with Provençal herbs and sea salt. This will give them a richer taste and aroma.