How to store quince

How to store quince

Quince grows as a shrub or tree. Fruits are unusual in appearance and taste. Outwardly, they resemble a lemon, apple and pear at the same time. But the taste of quince closer to the last two. But the popularity of fruit is much inferior to apples and pears.

Only those who know how useful a quince will be to stock up with its fruits to eat all year round.

How to properly collect fruits for storage

Quince is an autumn fruit. Its full ripening occurs in September-November.

Removing the fruit from the branches, you must not forget about the simple rules. If they are done, then the quince can be saved for a long time:

  • Fruits should be picked carefully so that there are no dents or scratches on them.
  • Fruits should not be thrown, but laid one by one on a soft surface, for example, in a basket. If the container is a bucket, then a layer of paper or cloth should be put on its bottom.
  • The most convenient time to collect quinces is the morning when the dew has evaporated in the sun.
  • To remove the fruits, it is better to choose a dry day so that there is not a drop of moisture on the fruits.

If the fruit fell to the ground, it must be sent to prepare jam or jam. Mortgage fruits for long storage is not worth it.

Buying fruit for winter storage

If the quince does not grow in its own garden, it does not matter. You can buy it. It is best to do this in October, when the fruit is completely ripe. Choose a quince need to carefully. In order for fruits to survive the winter and remain juicy, it is necessary to take into account such nuances:

  • Skin condition. The surface of the quince should be smooth and even. No spots, dents or scratches - all of these disadvantages will contribute to the rapid deterioration of the fetus.
  • Color. In ripe quince peel bright, golden yellow. No wonder the fruit is called golden apples.
  • Size. No need to choose very small fruits. Buy should be more fruit.

At home, each fruit should be considered further. If he meets the described requirements, then he will lie the whole winter. Properly selected fruit and storage conditions will ensure minimum losses.

Necessary storage conditions

To keep the quince all winter long, one cannot do without observing certain conditions:

  • Fruits should be kept at a temperature not exceeding four degrees.
  • Humidity should be kept within 80%.
  • Quince should be kept in complete darkness.

The refrigerator is an ideal place for long-term preservation of fruits. The temperature of the compartment designed for fruit meets all requirements. It can keep the temperature from 0 to +4 and an acceptable level of humidity. The fridge is almost always dark.

To better preserve the fruits, they should be wrapped with foil or paper. In such conditions, the quince will remain juicy and fresh for about two months. If you keep the temperature around zero, the shelf life of the fruit can be doubled - up to four months.

Storing the quince in the freezer

You can store a quince in the freezer. It is well tolerated freezing. During this hibernation, the fruits become softer, the astringent taste of the fruit goes away. It turns into a richer, which contributes to the action of low temperatures.

Before you put the fruit in the freezer, they need to be divided in half, remove the peel and seeds. Cut the remaining flesh into small pieces. Then place them on the surface of the freezer and cover with cling film.

Shock freeze is ideal. With its help you can avoid the formation of ice crystals in a quince. Slice the fruit into a sealed bag, remove the air and close. Quince is sent to the freezer for a day.

After the fruit pieces are completely frozen, they can be moved to a special container. Cover it with foil and continue to store in the freezer. Frozen pieces do not stick together, they can be taken in any quantity.

Quince prepared this way can be stored in the freezer for a whole year. The taste of fruit is not lost. But it is not recommended to keep quinces longer: juicy pieces of fruit begin to dry out.

If the fruit has been thawed, it is impossible to send them back to the freezer: after re-freezing, they lose both taste and healthy qualities.

Long-term storage of quince in the cellar

To store a large crop of one refrigerator is not enough. You can place the fruit in the cellar. Before you move the crop there, you should check the room. The microclimate in the cellar must meet all standards that apply to the successful storage of fruit:

  • the absence of temperature differences (it must be constant and keep within zero);
  • stable humidity;
  • availability of ventilation.

In addition, before starting the season of laying the fruit for the winter period, the room must be treated with a quartz lamp. The less microbes live in the cellar, the better for the quince.

Preparation of fruits for laying for winter storage

Every quince fruit must be examined. Those fruits that are damaged, even if barely noticeable, should be postponed. Quince with defects will not last long, although tannins are contained in its fruits, and the flesh is firm.

Fruit should be wiped with a cloth or napkin. Wash the fruit is not worth it, because you can damage the skin and open additional ways for the penetration of bacteria.

In order to increase storage time, each quince can be rubbed with wax or vegetable oil. But before use, they must be washed.

For storage of quince fit wooden boxes, the same as for apples or pears. Ideally, if they are divided into separate cells or partitions.

Fruits can be sprinkled with fruit sawdust. Instead, another method is applied — each fruit is wrapped in paper. You can use foil. Fruits are laid out in one layer. Then it is covered with paper. On top place the next layer of quince.

Fruits should be checked periodically. If found tainted, they are immediately removed.

It is undesirable to store with quince pears. These fruits can produce essential substances that contribute to the rapid ripening of quince and its damage. The ideal neighbor for these fruits is apples.

How to store a quince before ripening

For long-term storage should be laid only ripe fruit. Immature fruits can independently reach the desired condition. They should be left in a room at room temperature. After two weeks, the quince will turn yellow and can be hidden in a refrigerator or cellar.

If stored fruits that have not reached ripening at low temperatures, they will not ripen. The quince will either rot, or, at best, remain the same as it was when it was laid for storage - unripe and hard.

From the fruits of quince you can make compote, jam, jam. Her piece is thrown into the tea, and he gets an unusual, but pleasant taste.

Additional ways to store fruit are drying and drying. In addition, quince can be cooked, chopped in a blender and freeze the resulting puree.

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