Q梅🍑 清香微酸聽到就流口水💦釀一罐屬於自己的春天滋味 Chewy Green Plum – Soft, chewy, and fragrant

新鮮青梅吃起來既酸又苦澀，因此青梅都會經過加工後食用，製作Ｑ梅對青梅成熟度要求不高，只要不是全熟或過熟就都能使用

漬醃Q梅的過程不可沾⽔，否則很容易發霉，最好不要清洗，若洗過必須風乾至表面完全乾燥，才可以開始製作

時光荏苒，Q 梅因為氧化顏色變深。時間越長顏色越深，漬醃5年的酸梅乾變成深琥珀色

酸梅乾、Ｑ梅、日式梅干、脆梅，加工過程相似，分別是加糖比例及脫水流程，脫水速度是控制果肉口感的手法，不同的鹽糖比例控制酸甜度。

酸梅乾保持皮肉不分離，果肉 QQ 有爽口的嚼勁；Q梅皮肉分離，肉軟不爽口，很容易搗成泥 口味甜酸；日式紫蘇梅是Q梅的鹹味版，是鹹酸口味。不同口味的梅乾你最喜歡那種？

材料

• 青梅 Green Plum 1000 g
• 粗鹽 Coarse Salt 100 g
• 單晶冰糖 Monocrystal Sugar 20 g (第 1 次糖漬)
• 單晶冰糖 Monocrystal Sugar  20 g (第 2 次糖漬)
• 原蔗冰糖 Raw Rock Sugar 20 g (第 3 次糖漬)
• 原蔗冰糖 Raw Rock Sugar 20 g (第 4 次糖漬)
• 原蔗糖 Demerara Raw Cane Sugar 20 g (第 5 次糖漬)
• 原蔗糖 Demerara Raw Cane Sugar 20 g (第 6 次糖漬)
• 原蔗糖 Demerara Raw Cane Sugar 20 g (第 7 次糖漬)

◤做法

1.　先測量青梅的重量，粗鹽是青梅重量的1/10

2.　青梅倒入鐵盤，撒上粗鹽，帶上塑料手套比較不傷玉手，像打麻雀那樣滾動青梅，剛開始時青梅未出水，粗鹽不會黏在青梅表面，盡量讓青梅多接觸粗鹽，讓青梅去澀出苦水的重要步驟，一定要用力搓揉。十分鐘後，青梅開始出苦汁，粗鹽黏在表面，但還不夠，繼續搓揉，直到更多苦汁出來，看起來濕潤水亮，苦汁開始溶化粗鹽，再搓揉約 10 鐘出更多苦汁，完成搓揉的青梅表面亮晶晶

3.　青梅轉移到大盤裡，連同半溶化的粗鹽放入盤中，也可以在上⾯壓重物，有助青梅出更多苦水，漬壓期間不時翻拌青梅，讓青梅轉換位置
均勻接觸鹽液，否則下⾯的青梅太鹹，⽽上⾯的梅⼦沒醃到

4.　粗鹽漬醃 1 天後，青梅持續脫水，每顆青梅水份含量不同，有些變軟有些較硬

5.　粗鹽漬醃 2 天後，倒去苦水，整顆青梅從青色變黃色，鹽漬後的味道很好聞，沒有了先前青澀的味道，空氣裡飄著淡淡的梅香。由於每顆青梅的水份含量不同，有軟有硬都是正常的

6.　用乾燥機烘乾45°C 烘乾２～3小時，直至青梅青面乾燥即可，果肉不用完全脫水，否則會變柴，太陽日曬也可以

7.　砂糖或冰糖勻可漬醃 Q梅。第 1 和 2 次糖漬的出水會倒掉，我用較廉價的晶單冰糖，先打磨成粉末，單晶冰糖除了甜味沒其他味道
甜度較低

8.　撒少許在玻璃瓶底，放入一層青梅，輕輕搖晃讓每顆均勻接觸糖粉，加入第 2 層青梅，一層糖粉，糖粉接觸青梅後形成滲透壓關係，為免觸發隨機發酵，蓋上但不用密封，我用的玻璃瓶蓋有塑料墊，要先取下，放在陰涼處，約4～5個⼩時，糖⾃然溶化，青梅再度出水

9.　第 1 次糖漬後所產⽣的梅汁，雖然很香但還是很酸很苦，汁液倒掉不能食用，進行第 2 次糖漬（單晶冰糖磨粉），糖漬第 2 天，再次倒掉酸苦的梅汁

11.　第 3 次補糖後會保留糖液，可改成原蔗冰糖或較少精煉的原蔗糖，使用前敲碎，其甘蔗的香氣可提升梅香

12.　糖漬第 2 天。第 3 次補糖（原蔗冰糖敲碎）

13.　糖漬第 3 天。第 4 次補糖（原蔗冰糖敲碎）

14.　糖漬第 4 天。第 5 次補糖，繼續保留梅汁，循序漸進，加入等量的糖，可避免青梅出水太快過度收縮，導致沒有梅⾁⼝感很差

15.　糖漬第 5 天。第 6 次補糖，青梅持續出水，青梅出水時會凹陷

16.　糖漬第 6 天。第 7 次補糖，待糖液變多，青梅會再次膨脹，因為青梅大小和含水量有差異，補糖的次數由 4 ~ 7 次不等，只要糖液蓋過所有青梅，讓青梅浮起來，便可以停止補糖了

17.　糖漬 30 天，膨脹的青梅再度收縮，Q 梅初步完成了，再放置 2 至 3 個⽉或以上，蔗糖的甜味慢慢與梅香融和，退去青梅刺喉的酸味
使Q梅的香味更醇更好吃，口感軟Q清香微酸

◤注意事項

• 在醃製過程中使用乾淨消毒過的器具和容器以防止污染
• 醃製的時間會因為青梅的大小和水分含量而有所不同。調整醃製時間以達到所需的口感和風味
• 不要在醃製的早期使用太多的糖，否則青梅可能會收縮並失去口感。逐漸增加糖的量以避免此情況
• 要有耐心，不要急於完成腌製過程。腌製的時間越長，青梅的風味和口感越好。

◤Method

1. Measure the weight of the green plums. The amount of coarse salt used should be 1/10 of the weight of the green plums.
2. Put the green plums in an iron tray and sprinkle with coarse salt. Wear plastic gloves to protect your hands and roll the green plums like playing mahjong. At first, the green plums won’t release any water and the coarse salt won’t stick to the surface of the plums. Try to make sure the green plums come into contact with the coarse salt, which is an important step in removing the bitterness from the plums. Rub the plums vigorously for about 10 minutes until more bitter juice comes out, making the surface of the plums shiny.
3. Transfer the green plums to a large plate along with the partially dissolved coarse salt. You can also press a weight on top of the plums to help them release more bitter juice. During the pickling process, stir the plums occasionally to ensure they are evenly coated with the saltwater. Otherwise, the plums at the bottom may become too salty while those on top may not be pickled properly.
4. After pickling with coarse salt for one day, the green plums continue to dehydrate, and each plum has a different water content, so some may become soft while others remain hard.
5. After pickling with coarse salt for two days, pour off the bitter juice. The green plums will change from green to yellow, and the pickled plums will have a pleasant aroma and no longer taste bitter. The air will be filled with a subtle plum fragrance. It’s normal for some plums to become soft while others remain hard due to their varying water content.
6. Dry the green plums in a dehydrator at 45°C for 2-3 hours until the surface of the plums is dry. The flesh doesn’t need to be completely dehydrated, or it will become too dry and tough. Alternatively, you can dry the plums under the sun.
7. Mix the sugar (monocrystal sugar or rock sugar) and pickle the green plums. The juice produced from the first and second sugar additions should be discarded. I used cheaper monocrystal sugar, which I ground into powder. Monocrystal sugar has only a sweet taste and no other flavor, so it is less sweet than other types of sugar.
8. Sprinkle a little sugar at the bottom of a glass jar, add a layer of green plums, and gently shake the jar to ensure that each plum is evenly coated with sugar. Add another layer of green plums and another layer of sugar. When the sugar comes into contact with the plums, it creates an osmotic pressure, which prevents random fermentation. Cover the jar but don’t seal it. I used a glass jar with a plastic liner, which I removed. Store the jar in a cool place. After about 4-5 hours, the sugar will naturally dissolve, and the green plums will release more juice.
9. The juice produced from the first sugar addition may smell good, but it is still very sour and bitter, so it should be discarded. Proceed to the second sugar addition (monocrystal sugar ground into powder). On the second day of sugar pickling, pour off the sour and bitter juice again.
10. Repeat the sugar pickling process for a total of 4-7 times using different types of sugar (rock sugar, raw cane sugar, etc.). After each sugar addition, let the green plums soak for one day before pouring off the juice. The juice produced from the final sugar addition should be reserved.
11. Use unrefined cane sugar or raw cane sugar for the third sugar addition. Crush the sugar before using it. The aroma of the cane sugar can enhance the plum fragrance.
12. On the second day of sugar pickling after the third sugar addition, pour off the juice again.
13. On the third day of sugar pickling after the fourth sugar addition, pour off the juice again.
14. On the fourth day of sugar pickling after the fifth sugar addition, continue to reserve the juice. Gradually add an equal amount of sugar to avoid the green plums releasing too much juice too quickly, which can cause them to shrink excessively and lose their texture.
15. On the fifth day of sugar pickling after the sixth sugar addition, continue to reserve the juice. The green plums will continue to release juice and become concave.
16. On the sixth day of sugar pickling after the seventh sugar addition, the sugar liquid will increase, and the green plums will expand again. The number of sugar additions can vary from 4 to 7 depending on the size and water content of the green plums. As long as the sugar liquid covers all the green plums and makes them float, you can stop adding sugar.
17. After 30 days of sugar pickling, the expanded green plums will shrink again, and thesugar liquid will become viscous and shiny. The green plums will have a translucent appearance. At this point, the pickled plums are ready to be eaten. You can remove the plums from the sugar liquid and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The sugar liquid can be used as a topping for desserts or added to drinks for flavor.

◤Notes

• It’s important to use clean utensils and containers during the pickling process to prevent contamination.
• The pickling time can vary depending on the size and water content of the green plums. Adjust the pickling time accordingly to achieve the desired texture and flavor.
• Don’t use too much sugar in the early stages of pickling, or the green plums may shrink and lose their texture. Gradually increase the amount of sugar to avoid this.
• Be patient and don’t rush the pickling process. The longer the pickling time, the better the flavor and texture of the pickled plums.

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