Each hostess wants to present exceptional dishes for the winter holidays, so she starts looking for interesting recipes in advance and stuffs her hand. And imagine the delight of people if you offer them a real sorbet from watermelon or fresh chopped slices!
Many will think that this is impossible, since the watermelon season in October is coming to an end, and it is extremely difficult to keep them for several months. But we will still teach you 10 effective ways to keep a delicious berry for the winter holidays. To begin with, we will consider the popular methods collected thanks to the experience of hostesses of many generations, and then we will give recommendations on the correct choice of watermelon for long-term storage.
10. Ashes
Autumn kebabs should not pass in vain - collect and store at home wood ash, which may be needed to store gourds. Next, prepare a large wooden container (box, barrel, etc.), the bottom of which is densely covered with a thick layer of ash. Put a pre-selected soil watermelon on top, and again pour ash on top, creating a kind of “blanket” for the fruit. The barrel or box must be tightly closed and cleaned in a cool dark place (basement, garage, cellar, etc.). If you have your own house, and you heat it with wood, then ash can also be useful for storing watermelons - it will prevent the growth of putrefactive bacteria and mold, it will absorb condensation and moisture.
9. Moss
This method is one of the most effective, but it is associated with certain difficulties, because it is not so easy to quickly find moss. Another thing is if you have your own housing, and the plant has chosen wet stones or a fence area. As a last resort, remember the advice for the future and collect the moss in advance in the forest. So, prepare a wooden box or a deep container and form a nest and moss in it, where you carefully attach the striped fruit. Form a hat on top and sides with the rest of the plant. Remember that moss must be well-dried beforehand, not wet. Remove the container with watermelon in a cold area (for example, a cellar) and store at a temperature of 2-3ºС. Turn the berry every day, redistributing the moss layer.
8. Wax or paraffin
This method has long been used by our grandfathers and grandmothers. To begin with, a very good and dense watermelon is selected without traces of decay and dents. Next, wax or paraffin must be melted in a steam bath. We cover the berry with liquid wax until the thickness of the “fur coat” is about 1 cm. For this you will have to apply several layers. Send the fruit to a cold, but not humid place (basement, cellar, garage, etc. In this case, it is not necessary to turn over the berry. Storage containers are also selected arbitrarily, most importantly, so that it does not trap condensation on its surface.
7. Water
At first glance, storing gourds in water may seem extreme and unfeasible, however, years of practice, for lack of other means, prove the opposite. So, you will need very cold water in an amount sufficient to cover the entire fruit. You can store a watermelon in an ice-hole, a mountain river or a lake (if there are any near the house). But still, the practice of placing berries in a wooden tub, barrel or box filled with water and placing containers in a cold place (basement) is more common. Remember that you need to maintain a sufficient level of water and its low temperature. It is advisable to completely change the water several times a month. And in no case do not allow it to freeze, which destroys the pulp and makes the fruit unusable.
6. Sand
In a private apartment it’s hard to get ashes or moss, but you can collect sand in the yard in the sandbox, bring it from the cottage or even stock up on the sea coast during your vacation. Take a deep wooden container, take it to a cool area and fill it with dry (important!) Sand halfway. Lay the berry on it with the stem down (for several watermelons, it is advisable to prepare separate containers). Sprinkle dry sand on top so that the top does not peek out. Do not allow moisture to enter the room. By the way, sand in this regard can replace dried grain, which is what our great-grandfathers used.
5. Suspension
One of the simplest and most inexpensive methods of storing gourds is to suspend them, which can be implemented even if there is no access to the basement, cellar or garage. Choose a thick, thick-melon watermelon, wrap it tightly with a thick, natural cloth (e.g. cotton). Next, place the berry in a net or string bag (contact with air is important) and hang it on the hook from the ceiling in a cool and dry place (this can be an equipped balcony, pantry). The watermelon should not touch other surfaces, but just hang in the air.
4. Clay
Clay is known to perfectly isolate objects or products from moisture. But initially, to prepare a viscous composition, we will have to combine dry raw materials with water to a state of thick sour cream. The resulting mass with a construction brush evenly and densely cover the watermelon in several layers, and then let it dry completely. The thickness of the clay layer should be at least half a centimeter. By the way, if clay was not found, alabaster can also replace it in the recipe. Next, simply place the berry in a cold room - you can put it in a wooden container with sawdust or hang it in a grid.
3. Freezing
Here we give an example of how to freeze precisely the pulp of a watermelon so that before serving it looks appetizing and does not lose shape. An hour before freezing the berries, turn on the freezer to the maximum mode (we need to achieve a temperature of about -18-23 ° C). Cut the fruit into large pieces, removing the seeds and peel. Distribute the obtained pulp in one layer on a flat surface covered with cling film (the pieces should not touch). Send the tray to the freezer - there in 2-4 hours the dish will completely freeze. Then take it out, separate the pieces from the film and place in separate bags for storage, sending it back to the freezer in normal mode.
2. Straw
Firmly lay a layer of dry straw in a wooden container (make sure that parasites, fungus, and moisture do not accumulate there). From above lay out a hard, ground watermelon with the stalk up, and carefully wrap a “fur coat” of straw, including the top. If you plan to keep several watermelons, then create straw partitions between them. Storage temperature in this case should not exceed 5ºС. Periodically inspect watermelons for rot - one fruit can spread microorganisms and mold to neighboring ones.
1. Rules for choosing the right watermelon for long-term storage
In order for the winter harvest to go “like clockwork”, it is necessary to choose the right fruit, and preferably several, which will allow you to have at least one option for the festive table. Watermelons should all be absolutely whole - without dents, recesses, cracks or even scratches. Choose thick-bodied late-ripening varieties with stable dense pulp (for example, Volzhsky, Dessert, Melitopol, Astrakhan, etc. But the Kholodok variety is best stored, which has a characteristic spotty peel. The recommended weight of each fruit is about 5-6 kg. The optimal storage temperature is 1-3 ° C with an air humidity of not more than 85%, while the cellar or other storage room should be equipped with a ventilation system.
These simple tips will help a novice housewife to prepare an autumn berry for a festive table, surprising guests with its sweet, refreshing taste.