Figs are a tropical fruit, the beneficial properties of which have been mentioned in the most ancient sources. Figs can often be found dried or dried – this way they are better stored, and the taste properties remain the same as those of fresh fruits. True, with one condition: if you follow the rules of storage. Let’s consider how to properly store dried figs at home.
We choose delicious fruits
When choosing fruits, it is useful to know the following facts:
- qualitatively dried fruits have an amber color, sometimes darker and matte;
- the darker the fruit, the sweeter it is. Pale specimens are the least sweet, but they keep better than overripe ones;
- dry fruits should not have dark spots, otherwise they will rot quickly. The shade of dried figs should be uniform;
- the fruits of properly dried figs have an average degree of hardness, a too “bony” consistency indicates that the fruits have dried out and, therefore, will be tasteless;
- the shape should be slightly flat, all the fruits of properly dried figs should have the same size;
- sometimes a whitish coating appears on the fruits. This is not a mold, but a glucose deposit that occurs due to the excessive sweetness of the product. Fruits with plaque are stored for a shorter period of time than completely dried fruits.
Storage rules
Dried figs, as a rule, are stored for no more than six months at room temperature or on the refrigerator shelf.
Figs can be stored for the longest time in the fruit compartment of the refrigerator. There, it will retain all useful properties in its original form and a decent appearance. At the same time, it is advisable to pack the fruits in a paper bag or in a plastic container: polyethylene film spoils the taste and reduces the shelf life .
Importantly! It is necessary to check the fruits for the absence of mold and try to eat the softer ones as soon as possible.
The best material for storage is canvas: you can sew special reusable bags from it. These bags are placed in a plastic container and hermetically closed. The temperature should not be more than +15 degrees, and the humidity should not be more than 80 percent.
Before eating dried figs, the fruits are well washed and soaked in warm water for half an hour. This will make them soft and fragrant, as it will restore their original properties. Figs cannot be boiled, as almost all useful properties are lost during boiling.
In the freezer, figs can be stored for 12 months , however, when thawed, most of the useful properties will be lost.
How to store dried figs
Dried fruits, in contrast to dried fruits, do not last as long. They contain much more moisture and begin to rot faster. To prevent this from happening, dried figs must be divided into small portions and stored in a closed, air-tight container.
Sometimes the fruits are placed in a glass container. This can be done, provided that the cuttings are removed from the figs, and the container itself will be stored in a dark, dry place (for example, in a pantry or on a balcony locker). In this case, the storage period will be shortened.
You can also store them in canvas bags, provided that they are tightly tied.
Advice ! Sometimes pests get into fabric bags. To prevent this from happening, the bags are first boiled in a salt solution, dried and ironed on both sides.
In such bags, figs will retain their beneficial properties for six months. As an option, the fruits can be wrapped in a paper wrapper and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Such storage will be more effective, and the terms will increase to 8 months.
No matter how figs are stored, one rule must be followed: the product must be placed in a thin layer, without close contact of the fruits. When the pieces interact with each other, rapid decay occurs, the taste deteriorates and useful properties are lost.
How to store without a refrigerator
If there is no refrigerator, you can do without it, the main condition is low temperature and humidity. It is necessary to avoid sunlight, high shelves located close to the ceiling: so the fruits will turn sour very quickly and acquire a musty taste and smell.
With any method of storage without a refrigerator, the shelf life of the product will be reduced by almost half: 3-4 months. They usually choose storage in plastic containers or glass vessels that are placed in the pantry. Figs should not be stored in the kitchen due to a strong temperature drop. You can send the fruits to the loggia, putting them in a locker.
Never put figs in polyethylene: without a refrigerator, they will spoil in a short time. It is best to place the fruits in small portions and check them every 2 weeks for spoilage. In this case, it is better not to buy a spare, as it is unlikely to be possible to preserve figs in conditions without a refrigerator.
Tips
- You cannot store dried figs together with other products. At the same time, this means not only joint storage, but also finding figs on the same shelf with other products with strong odors. Figs very quickly absorb all foreign smells, especially spices.
- Sometimes drops of sweet moisture appear on dried figs. “Drying” the product will help here: just put the dried fruit on a large sheet of paper and keep it outdoors at room temperature for several days. The wettest pieces are eaten first. Figs should not be dried in the oven: all useful substances will be lost, and the taste will deteriorate many times.
Important ! If the mold still penetrated, the product will have to be thrown away. Sometimes the fungus is simply cleaned, forgetting that its spores penetrate the fruit completely and are often capable of causing severe poisoning.
- You cannot store figs in newspaper, as the printing ink quickly eats into the fruit. The unpleasant chemical smell and bitter taste will be ensured, and the shelf life will be reduced several times.
- It is better not to sew storage bags from synthetic materials, as they do not “breathe” and quickly suffocate. The product will turn bitter and be spoiled.
- Sometimes, replenishing stocks and buying additional figs, housewives mix old and new portions of dried fruits. This cannot be allowed, as during mixing there is rapid reproduction of bacteria, which renders the product unusable.
- If figs were frozen, after thawing, the product cannot be frozen again. Otherwise, the taste will deteriorate, and the useful substances will quickly disappear.
- Some housewives put dried figs in candy boxes. This is a big mistake, because, firstly, the box retains the smell, and secondly, it is not sterile – all this will lead to the rapid spoilage of dried fruits.
- Sometimes dried fruits are bought in tents right on the street. This should not be done, since in addition to the risk of poisoning with low-quality products, there is a risk of purchasing a product that is stored incorrectly. Constant stay on the street and subsequent bringing indoors lead to the fact that in the near future the fruits begin to quickly spoil and rot.
Storing dried figs is not difficult, but you need to know a few rules. If a number of conditions are met, the product will retain its useful properties and serve as a source of valuable vitamins for the whole year.