What can be done from blueberries for the winter. Ways to harvest blueberries: what can be made from healthy berries for the winter. Blueberry jam without cooking

Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, honeysuckle - these tasty and healthy berries grow in the garden of almost every summer resident. Their properties have long been known to all. But there are berries that are no less tasty and healthy, but they can only be found in the wild. These include blueberries - a storehouse of vitamins. And for vitamins to enter the body all year round, there are many ways to harvest blueberries for the winter.

Blueberries: useful properties

Blueberries are a small dark blue berry, a relative of lingonberries and cranberries (only not so sour). It is considered one of the most useful of all existing berries due to the high content of micro and macro elements. So, in terms of the amount of manganese, blueberries are in first place. It contains a lot of fiber, various vitamins of groups E, K, B and C.

It is in this berry that anthocyanoside is present, a rare plant pigment that is a natural antioxidant. It is not found in other berries. And blueberries also contain potassium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium ... This is a low-calorie product, there are only 56 kilocalories in 100 grams of a berry.

What is the point of blueberries? First of all (and, perhaps, this is the most well-known), it has a beneficial effect on vision. The substances contained in the berry are useful for blood vessels, including the retina. In addition, blueberries in the form of an extract are used in the treatment of retinopathy (retinal damage), glaucoma, and cataracts.

The use of blueberries helps to strengthen the immune system, it reduces cholesterol, normalizes blood sugar levels. Blueberries are recommended for those who have problems with nervous system or heart; its use is indicated for the prevention of cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

For diarrhea, urinary tract infections, circulatory disorders, blueberries are also used. It relieves pain and swelling of the legs, is an antidepressant. And nutritionists advise everyone who wants to lose weight to eat this berry!

Contraindications

Blueberries are forbidden to those who suffer from poor blood clotting, as they can cause bleeding due to the anthocyanosides they contain. You can not include the berry in the diet for exacerbations of urolithiasis, chronic constipation, diseases of the pancreas, as well as for personal intolerance to any components.

With caution (after consulting a doctor), it is recommended to use blueberries for diabetics, pregnant and lactating women.

Blueberry blanks for the winter

There are many ways to prepare blueberries for future use so that you can indulge in this seasonal delicacy even in the cold season. However, it is worth remembering that the most useful is nevertheless an exceptionally fresh berry - with any processing (even just with the addition of sugar), it loses some of its beneficial properties. Therefore, it is important to know which methods of blueberry blanks are more optimal in terms of preserving vitamins.

It is believed that there are three such methods. These are freezing, drying and grinding with sugar. Among other things, many different drinks are made from blueberries - wine, tinctures, juices and compotes. Jams and marmalades are made from berries, jelly is produced, used as an additive in various dishes ... But - first things first.

Blueberries frozen

An important tip: before the process, you should carefully consider the berries, if they are not dirty, you do not need to wash them - being exposed to moisture once again, when defrosted, they will become tough and not very tasty. But it is necessary to sort out the blueberries - to clear them of leaves, branches and other debris. In addition, it is worth throwing out spoiled, wrinkled, rotten fruits.

Freezing blueberries is also good because the berries can be used to prepare any dishes at any time - you just need to get them out of the freezer.

So, if the dimensions allow, the sorted blueberries should be laid out evenly, in one layer, on a baking sheet and placed in the chamber. If the freezer is not too big, you can use several flat saucers.

After a few hours, the berries need to be taken out and poured into a bag, controlling the absence of air in it - otherwise the blueberries will frost over. Close the bag tightly and store again. These two stages are necessary so that the berries do not stick together.

Important: blueberries should be kept separate from fish and meat products.

It is better to defrost blueberries without using any technique, including microwave oven. You can leave the berry in the refrigerator overnight or just at room temperature for several hours.

Dried blueberries

But there is a difference - blueberries need to be washed. This must be done very carefully, because the berry loses a lot of juice when washed. Then it is necessary to thoroughly dry each fruit, and after that you can proceed to the drying process itself. There are two options here.

In the case of living in a private house, it is permissible to leave blueberries in the open air. The place should be chosen shaded, ventilated, it is also desirable that a slight humidity of the air is maintained. From above it is necessary to cover the berry with any thin material, ordinary gauze is also suitable. Periodically, you need to check the fruits - shake them. This drying takes approximately three to four days. At night, the berries are recommended to be brought indoors.

Another way to dry blueberries is to use an oven or electric dryer. In the first case, it is necessary to put the prepared berry on a baking sheet and leave it in the oven for 7-8 hours. The temperature should be minimal, and the door should be opened. Berries also need to be checked and shaken. When working with a dryer, everything is even simpler - you need to put blueberries on trays, turn on the device and wait. Working time is about six hours.

Blueberries grated with sugar

And finally, the third way to save a large number of blueberry vitamins. There is nothing complicated in it. The berry needs to be disassembled, washed, dried, chopped with any convenient way, after mixing with sugar (the proportions are 1 to 1, however, it is believed that the more sugar, the longer the workpiece will last - especially in the refrigerator). Arrange in jars and put away - either in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Other harvesting methods and recipes

What about other ways to preserve blueberries for the winter? They may be less useful than the above three, but this does not make them less tasty!

Blueberries in their own juice without sugar

It is important to remember that blueberries are boiled one and a half times. In this recipe, this berry is the only ingredient.

1. You need to sterilize the jars in advance (in the oven - ten minutes).
2. Arrange the washed, selected blueberries in containers, close with lids (they must also be sterilized) and place the jars in a water bath.
3. Water in a saucepan (or a basin, or any other container where a “bath” is made) should be in jars up to the “shoulders”.
4. As the berries boil, you can add them.
5. Blueberries will be ready in about an hour, when the juice they secrete reaches the neck of the jars.
6. The containers need to be rolled up and let the blueberries cool.

Blueberry jam with lemon

The downside of blueberry jam is that vitamin C is lost with this harvesting method. Nevertheless, it retains B vitamins, it also contains carotene, manganese, iron and, most importantly, anthocyanins. Therefore, it cannot be said that jam is useless, on the contrary, it is often used in the treatment of colds.

It must be remembered, however, that half of the contents of the jam is sugar, and, as you know, you should not abuse it. The calorie content of blueberry jam is much higher than fresh berries - 214 kilocalories per 100 grams of delicacy.

So how to cook?

1. You need to take a fresh, not "stale" berry.
2. Before the process, it is recommended to wash it (however, there are those who claim that blueberries are not washed for cooking; it is worth looking at how dirty the berry is).
3. Be sure to remove the garbage, sort out the fruits.
4. You will need as much sugar as berries, but to make the jam sweeter, its amount can be increased.
5. Jam can be made with only blueberries and sugar, but if you add additional ingredients to it, this will give the dish an interesting flavor. For example, a lemon gives an exquisite sourness, and the color of the jam becomes lighter.
6. The prepared berry must be blanched for five minutes, then folded into a colander.
7. Boil blueberry broth with sugar until it is completely dissolved.
8. Pour blueberries with broth, let it boil, boil for five minutes.
9. After cooling, repeat the process, add the juice of one lemon to the boiled mass, cook for another ten minutes.
10. Pour hot into jars, wrap, let cool at room temperature.

blueberry wine

Homemade blueberry wine has a tart taste. It is much more beneficial for the body than purchased white or red, because it retains the healing properties of blueberries.

You can add various spices to the drink, which will give a unique flavor - cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. Also put lemon or honey in the wine. As a rule, homemade blueberry wine tastes like red, blueberries themselves are not very noticeable in it.

First you need to prepare the sourdough. A glass of unwashed berries should be crushed (a wooden pestle is best), pour half a glass of sugar and pour the same amount of water. Cover the container with the mass with ventilated material and leave in a warm place. The appearance of foam fruit flies and a sour smell will let you know that you can start making wine.

The amount of water (exceptionally clean!) For a drink should be equal to the amount of a berry. Sugar should be taken a couple of kilograms less.

1. Add sugar to the crushed blueberries, pour the mass with water and sourdough.
2. Leave the container with future wine in a room with a temperature of 18 to 28 degrees above zero, having previously covered it with ventilated material. From time to time it needs to be shaken, to control the absence of mold.
3. When sediment appears at the bottom (usually after a few days), you need to carefully filter the wort.
4. Then a rubber medical glove is placed on the neck of the container, in which small holes must first be made - to release carbon dioxide.
5. Then it remains only to wait until the fermentation lasts. Typically, this takes several months. It is impossible to miss its end: the wort will become lighter, carbon dioxide will not be released.
6. After that, it is necessary to drain the wine from the sediment and leave for another week. If the precipitate reappears, repeat the procedure. Sugar can be added if desired.
7. When the sediment no longer falls out, the wine is poured, tightly closed and kept for another two to three weeks before drinking.

How to properly store blueberries and blueberries

• Fresh berries can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of ten days. You do not need to wash it before storage!
• Frozen berries can lie in the freezer for up to 8 months without losing their properties.
• Dried blueberries should be placed in linen or cotton bags, where they will feel comfortable throughout the year. It is important not to put such a berry in jars - instant mold is guaranteed.
• Jam in jars must be kept in a cool place - a cellar, a refrigerator or on a balcony. In this case, it will stand for up to three years.
• Blueberry jelly is stored for no more than a day in the refrigerator at temperatures up to 14 degrees. The same time is given to compotes and juices, if they are not canned.

Whatever recipe for harvesting blueberries for the winter is chosen, the main thing is that this unique berry will somehow be present in the diet. So, the body will receive its share of vitamins and even more!

Frozen blueberry jam is the easiest

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of frozen blueberries;
• 800 grams of granulated sugar;
• citric acid on the tip of a knife.

Cooking:

Pour the defrosted and washed berries into a saucepan (if the blueberries are from bags, you don’t need to wash them, because they have already been sorted and washed). Sprinkle blueberries with sugar, mix well so that the berries release juice, put on a small fire, cook until boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove the foam from the boiled brew, turn off the stove, leave the blueberry jam to cool. When cool, bring to a boil again, simmer over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add citric acid to the tip of a knife. Pour hot blueberry jam into sterilized jars and seal. Can be covered with capron lids.

Frozen blueberry jam without cooking

I won't tell you about blueberries ground with sugar. I cook frozen blueberry jam without cooking according to a completely different recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg blueberries;
• 700 grams of sugar.

Cooking:

Rinse the blueberries and sort them out, then sprinkle with sugar, mix thoroughly, leave for half an hour. In the meantime, wash the jars, fill them first hot water, then boiling water. Heat the berries with sugar to a temperature of 70-80 degrees, immediately remove from heat. After 5 minutes, drain the boiling water from the jars and put blueberries with sugar in a glass container. Put the jars in the oven, turn on the oven to 100 degrees and simmer the jars with berries for 20 minutes. Do not be afraid, nothing threatens the glass with gradual heating. Remove the jars from the oven using oven mitts to avoid burning your hands. Close with capron lids, store in the refrigerator. This jam retains more vitamins than the traditional one.

Frozen blueberry jam five minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of frozen blueberries;
• 800 grams of granulated sugar.

Cooking:

Defrost the berry and sprinkle it with sugar properly. You can even lightly press down with a spoon while stirring, so that the blueberries release the juice more quickly. As soon as there is enough juice, start cooking. Bring the berry mass to a boil and cook for exactly 5 minutes. Cool, and while the jam is infused, process the jars (sterilization process). Stir for five minutes again, bring to a boil and after 5 minutes pour into jars. Screw or close with nylon caps.

Frozen blueberry jam in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of frozen blueberries;
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice;
• 900 grams of sugar.

Cooking:

Sprinkle the thawed berry with sugar in a large enameled bowl. Stir after half an hour, add lemon juice, transfer the berry mass to the multicooker bowl and cook for 45 minutes in the “Extinguishing” mode. The jam is very tasty, but a little watery. It can be rolled up or closed with ordinary lids and then stored in the refrigerator.

Frozen blueberry jam in a pan

An express way to make jam, for which you need a deep pan with a non-stick coating.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg blueberries frozen;
• 1 kg of sugar.

Cooking:

Place the blueberries from the bags in a large bowl. Sprinkle the berries with sugar without defrosting. After an hour, stir and put in a deep frying pan. Boil the future jam over low heat, stirring constantly. When it boils, remove the foam and heat in the pan for another 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting to avoid a violent boil. After 20 minutes of cooking, transfer the jam to sterile jars and roll up.

Microwave frozen blueberry jam

And this recipe was sent to me by Galina Bolotova from the Tver region. “I pick a lot of blueberries,” she writes. And there is not always time to mess with it right away. And I freeze the berry, and then I cook the jam in the microwave.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg blueberries;
• 2 cups of sugar.

Cooking:

Since the berries were sorted out during freezing, we don’t do anything special with them - we put them out of the bags into a heat-resistant glass dish and sprinkle with sugar. Mix properly. We put a pot of water on the stove, on it - a grate for sterilizing jars and lids. I wash the jars under the tap detergent rinse first with warm water, then cold. We put on the grate and with the gradual heating of the water we sterilize with steam. Attention: cold jars should not be placed over boiling water. First install the grates and jars, and then turn on the stove. We put the berries in a bowl in a microwave oven and cook for 10 minutes at maximum power. We shift into a processed container and close the lids. Here is such a simple recipe that everyone likes without exception.

Frozen blueberry and raspberry jam

I used to do like everyone else - I just cooked berries with sugar. But one day I found an amazing recipe in some magazine.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of frozen raspberries;
• 1 kg of frozen blueberries;
• 50 grams of dried raspberry leaf;
• 1.5 kg of sugar;
• 2 glasses of water.

Cooking:

Remove the frozen berries from the freezer, leave them in a bowl for half an hour, then sprinkle with four glasses of sugar. Make an infusion from dry raspberry leaves and two cups of boiling water, strain it after half an hour, add the remaining granulated sugar and cook a strong syrup. Pour the berries over them, mix, put the pan on the stove and wait for it to boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then cool. Prepare jars and lids (steam for example). Bring the jam to a boil again, remove the foam, if it forms, pour the boiling jam into jars 15 minutes after boiling again.

Frozen blueberry and blackcurrant jam

For a change, we will prepare it from berries, chopped with a blender.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of blackcurrant;
• 1 kg blueberries;
• 2 kg of sugar;
• a third of a teaspoon of citric acid.

Cooking:

Defrost the berries completely, you can mix them at the same time. Grind with a blender into a homogeneous mass, add sugar, mix well. Cook on low heat for half an hour. If cooking takes place in a special non-stick cookware, then you can not stir. Add citric acid, mix well again, wait for it to boil again and pour the jam into prepared jars. Close with lids.

Frozen blueberry and blackberry jam

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of frozen blueberries;
• half a kilo of frozen blackberries;
• 2 kg of sugar;
• some candied ginger (optional)

Cooking:

Remove the berries from the freezer, sprinkle with sugar, leave for 2 hours. Then start cooking: over medium heat, heat to a boil, remove the foam, cook for 5 minutes and cool. Steam jars with lids. Bring the jam back to a boil. Add candied ginger if you have any. For the indicated number of berries - no more than 50 grams. Leave the blueberry and blackberry jam to infuse for 4-5 hours, covering it with a clean cloth. After that, stir, bring to a boil and pour into prepared jars. Screw on the lids - the jam is ready.

Frozen blueberry jam with lemon

Ingredients:

• 1 kg blueberries from the freezer;
• 1 glass of water;
• 2 lemons;
• 1 kg of sugar.

Cooking:

Remove the berries from the freezer, transfer to a saucepan and leave for half an hour. Then add a glass of boiling water to this container and heat quickly on the stove to a boil. Drop the berry on a sieve. Do not pour the broth, but pour it into a ladle, squeeze the juice of two lemons into it and add 2 cups of sugar. Pour the remaining granulated sugar into the berry in a cooking pot. Boil blueberry syrup with lemon juice for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Then pour it into a saucepan with berries, put the container on a small fire and cook for 15 minutes, removing the foam. The workpiece should thicken before our eyes during the cooking process, so do not forget to stir it. Pour the boiling jam into sterile jars and screw on the lids. It turns out a real storehouse of vitamins - you can take 1-2 tablespoons a day as a medicine and natural source substances beneficial to the body.

Frozen Blueberry Jam with Orange

Not just juice will go into business, as one might think. Whole oranges are used.

Ingredients:

• 2 kg blueberries;
• 2 large oranges;
• 2 kg of sugar.

Cooking:

Put the frozen blueberries in a container for cooking and leave for half an hour. Then add sugar and stir. From oranges, previously washed, remove the zest with a grater. Cut the pulp into cubes and mix with the berry mass. Lay the zest on top. Leave all this for the duration of the processing of cans. When the containers and lids are ready, put the pan with berries, oranges and sugar on the fire. Stir well, heat to a boil, cook over low heat for half an hour, removing the foam. Then put into jars and twist.

Blueberry, apple and zucchini jam

To make jam, we need blueberries, young zucchini, apples, sugar. I cook it in one go, after chopping the berries and zucchini with apples.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of blueberries;
• 2 young zucchini;
• 2 large apples;
• 700 grams of sugar;
• juice of half a lemon.

Cooking:

Peel the zucchini and apples, wash them first, of course. Grate, pour over lemon juice, sprinkle with sugar. Defrost blueberries at room temperature in advance, chop with a blender. Add berry puree to grated fruits, mix, leave all this mass for half an hour. Then put to boil, stirring occasionally. Treat jars and lids at the same time. Pour the thickened hot jam into prepared storage containers and screw on the lids.

If you need not only different ways cooking delicious homemade jam from, but also others, follow the link or watch this wonderful video. You can do both :)

Berries can not only be ground or mixed with sugar without kneading, but also frozen, canned in their own juice. “Cold” jam in winter is eaten with pancakes, pancakes, added to cottage cheese, porridge, used as a filling for pies.

The benefits of "raw" jam

It is not for nothing that the mashed berry is called a “rejuvenating” treat and a natural antibiotic. "Raw" dessert helps prevent the development of cancer, normalizes metabolism and digestion. Blueberry mixture with regular use improves visual acuity, relieves eye fatigue.

"Cold" jam can be included in the menu even with indigestion, inflammation and colitis. Also, the delicacy helps to eliminate toxins, helps to normalize blood sugar levels.

Preparatory stage

In order for the berry to be preserved for the winter without boiling, not to ferment and not become moldy, it is necessary to take into account a few simple recommendations.

• Freshness of berries. Having gathered a rich harvest in the forest, you do not need to keep it in the heat for a long time. Blueberries should be immediately sorted out, washed several times, dried, processed.
• Cleanliness of dishes. When cooking, it is necessary to monitor the sterility of the container, use only clean bowls, spoons, tools and household appliances.
• Suitable saucepan. It is forbidden to keep crops in aluminum containers. It is better to take ceramic, glass containers, stainless steel pans.
• The amount of sugar. No need to feel sorry for the product, on which the safety of the workpiece depends. You need to add it no less than indicated in the recipe. You can increase the dosage according to your taste.
• Container sterilization. Glass containers should be treated with boiling water or steam, calcined in the oven, microwave. It is advisable to wash the containers with soda, dry them with steam over a saucepan or kettle.
• Storage. Keep blanks in the refrigerator or in a cool place. The frozen product should be placed in the freezer, defrosted as needed.

The easiest recipes

The absence of heat treatment in all recipes, except for the Five Minutes, will allow you to save vitamins and nutrients for the winter with virtually no loss. In addition, preparing such a delicacy is simple, you do not need to stand at the stove for hours, stirring the burning mass.

shabby

Peculiarities. Grinding fresh blueberries with sugar is possible even for a child, so you can safely take the smallest family members as assistants, handing each one a crush. It is better to sterilize the jars on your own, carefully monitoring the cleanliness and integrity of the containers.

What to prepare:

• fresh berries - 2 kg;
• sugar - 2.6-3 kg.

How to do

1. Pour the blueberries into a plastic colander, rinse, let the water drip off.
2. Pour into a bowl, mash with a wooden crush. If you have a blender at home, you can grind the mass to a homogeneous state.
3. Pour in half the sugar, stir.
4. Leave for 40 minutes to allow the juice to stand out.
5. Add the rest of the sand, mix, let stand for another half hour.
6. Arrange in dry jars, cork.

The dessert is thick, aromatic and very sweet. It is convenient to use the workpiece as a filling for pies.

In own juice

Peculiarities. It is convenient to harvest berries not only in the form of mashed potatoes, but also with whole ones. Granulated sugar can not even be added, if such is the desire of the hostess. Such a blank will be stored no worse if you immediately remove it in a cool place.

What to prepare:

• ripe berries - 2.5 kg;
• sugar - 1 kg.

How to do

1. Wash the berries, mash about 500 g with a crush.
2. Transfer the mass to the pan, add the remaining ingredients.
3. Heat the mixture to about 80-90°C without boiling.
4. Mix immediately, arrange in steamed jars.

If you decide to cook blueberries in your own juice without sugar, then be guided by the parameters of the Five Minute recipe. Part of the berries should be mashed, squeeze out the juice. Transfer the rest to a basin, pour juice, warm on the stove for five minutes after boiling. Immediately decompose the mass into sterile jars, roll up.

frozen

Peculiarities. Such a berry will be stored in the freezer even until the next harvest, without losing its beneficial properties. It is better to purchase new containers or tight bags for harvesting, plastic jars with screw caps.

What to prepare:

• berries - 1 kg;
• sugar - 1 kg.

How to do

1. Rinse the berries, dry, scattering on a towel.
2. If you need a puree, grind with a blender. Whole berries will first have to be scattered on a tray, hold for three hours in the freezer.
3. Combine blueberry puree with sand, mix. Or layered.
4. Packed in containers, bags with locks. Close tightly.

Eat a delicacy after defrosting with sour cream, yogurt, bite with white bread. It is also recommended to add mass to cereals, compotes, homemade desserts.

original variants

You can prepare "cold" jam by original recipes. Variations with gelatin, honey and nuts are especially popular with housewives.

with gelatin

What to prepare:

• berries - 600 g;
• water - 700 ml;
• gin or vermouth - three tablespoons;
• gelatin - three tablespoons;
• granulated sugar - 300 g.

How to do

1. Rinse the berries under running water, placing in a colander. Dry.
2. Scroll through a meat grinder or grind with a blender. In the absence of kitchen "helpers" - just crush in a bowl.
3. Sprinkle the mass with half of the granulated sugar, set aside for half an hour.
4. Boil water, cool, add gelatin.
5. Wait for the crystals to swell. Mix.
6. Pour vermouth or gin into the gelatinous mass, in the absence of strong cognac. Pour in the sand.
7. Add berry puree, mix everything.
8. Place in refrigerator to chill.
9. Divide into clean containers, seal.

With honey and nuts

What to prepare:

• blueberries - two glasses;
• honey - three tablespoons;
• water - 100 ml;
• walnuts, peeled - half a glass;
• sugar - half a glass.

How to do

1. Grind the sorted and washed berries with a blender.
2. Roast the nuts in a dry frying pan.
3. Heat honey in a water bath. Avoid boiling.
4. Dissolve sugar in warm water, introduce honey.
5. Combine the syrup with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Mix, leave for a couple of hours.
7. Arrange in sterile jars, roll up.

To add a nut-blueberry mixture of aroma and sourness, it is advised to add to the mass half a teaspoon of lemon zest, minced ginger or cardamom to choose from.

Blueberries are famous not so much for their taste, but for their healing properties. Therefore, the main task when harvesting blueberries for the winter is to preserve vitamins and other useful substances. We will describe in detail the most simple and popular methods in the article.

This valuable berry grows mainly in coniferous and mixed forests, as well as in the tundra and high mountain regions. Prefers flat, semi-shady places with high humidity, often near swamps. Blueberries are harvested and harvested in many regions of Russia (in Siberia and the Non-Black Earth Region, in the Urals and the Caucasus), Ukraine and Belarus. Among the people, it is often called black, blue or dew berry, blackberry, blackberry or blackberry.

Beneficial features

IN medicinal purposes they use not only blueberries, but also leaves that are harvested during the flowering period (May - June), dried and added to teas, infusions or decoctions in winter. The greatest value in berries is complex of biologically active substances:

In addition, the composition contains flavonoids, fatty acids, pectin substances, macro- and microelements.

The content of vitamin C in blueberry leaves is much higher than in berries - up to 250 mg%, and tannins - up to 20%.

Thanks to tannins, blueberries have astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins - natural antioxidants - improve visual acuity and reduce eye fatigue. In addition, blueberries have an insulin-like (sugar-lowering) and general tonic effect, which is why it is widely used in folk medicine and is a part of many commercial preparations - dietary supplements.

Ways to harvest blueberries for the winter

To save as much as possible beneficial features blueberries, berries are recommended not to be subjected to heat treatment, not crushed and not even washed.

Freeze

The fastest and in a simple way blanks can be called freezing. If you picked blueberries yourself in an environmentally friendly place, then you can do without washing. Berries bought on the market, it is better to wash after all running water, removing all debris, and then dry thoroughly, spreading out in one layer on a towel.

For freezing, take small containers or plastic bags, in which it is convenient to arrange the berries in portions so that they can be thawed later in required quantity. After thawing, blueberries remain tasty and practically do not “float”, that is, they retain their shape, texture, color and aroma.

Drying

Another traditional harvesting method that allows you to preserve the usefulness of berries is drying. Before drying, the collected ripe fruits are reviewed, cleaned of litter, without washing or soaking.

At home, it is easiest to dry blueberries in a special dryer or oven, especially if there is convection. The berries are laid out in one layer on a baking sheet and first dried for 2-3 days in the air in a well-ventilated room or 2-3 hours in the oven at a temperature of 35-40 ℃, and then dried at 50-60 ℃. It takes quite a lot of time to dry - 6-12 hours, depending on the size and juiciness of the berries. At the same time, the oven door must be kept slightly ajar or constantly open and wipe off the accumulated condensate. Dried berries, if squeezed in the palm of your hand, should not stick together into a lump and stain the skin of the hands.

As one of the drying options, you can cook blueberries with sugar for the winter without cooking in the form of marshmallows.

Many housewives prefer not to dry the whole berries, but to prepare a natural delicacy from them - marshmallow. Often, blueberries are mixed with various fruits (apples, pears, apricots) or with neutral-tasting vegetables, such as zucchini. At the same time, the composition of the marshmallow, the proportions of ingredients, the need to add sugar are determined individually.

Ingredients:

• fresh blueberries - 1 kg;
• sugar - 1-2 tbsp. l. (taste).

Cooking technology:

1. Kill whole clean dry berries (and other fruit and vegetable ingredients) into a homogeneous mass - puree in a blender, scroll through a meat grinder or steam and push through a sieve. Sugar to taste.
2. Distribute the resulting puree on a baking sheet covered with parchment, a thin layer (3-4 mm) for even drying.
3. Dry in the oven at a low temperature (+45…50 ℃) for 4-6 hours or in a well-ventilated warm room for 4-5 days.
4. Cut the finished marshmallow into strips and roll into rolls. Place in a dry container, tightly close the lid and store in a dark, cool place.

Properly dried marshmallow ceases to stick to the hands and can be easily removed from the parchment, remaining sufficiently elastic, unbreakable when folded.

An experienced hostess tells about the various methods of harvesting blueberries, including the preparation of marshmallows, in the following video:

homemade recipes

The choice of harvesting method depends primarily on the possibilities of storage and further culinary purposes. If you do not have room for stocks of berries in the freezer, but a roomy enough refrigerator, then prepare blueberries with sugar without cooking for the winter. And for those who seek to do without unnecessary preservatives and plan to keep the workpiece at room temperature, we advise you to roll a few jars of blueberries in your own juice.

Preparing blueberries mashed with sugar for the winter is simple and quick. According to this recipe, many “cultural” berries are harvested - raspberries, blackcurrants. Store them in tightly closed jars in the refrigerator or other cold place.

Servings/Volume: 1-1.5 l

Ingredients:

• blueberries (fresh) - 1 kg;
• sugar - 0.5-2 kg.

On the one hand, the amount of sugar reduces the usefulness of the finished product and clogs the natural berry flavor, but on the other hand, it affects the shelf life of the workpiece (from 1-2 months to 1 year).

Cooking technology:

1. Sort fresh berries, rinse and dry on a towel.
2. Pass blueberries through a meat grinder or chop in a blender (preferably in a bowl with a lid so that splashes do not scatter).
3. Mix the berry mass with sugar and let it dissolve completely.
4. Sterilize and dry jars.
5. Arrange the finished mixture in jars, on top you can pour a few more tablespoons of sugar in a thin layer, close with tight lids and put in the refrigerator.

Berry puree with sugar is convenient to use for making hot drinks, mousses, creams, sauces; add to cereals, serve with pancakes or pancakes. It can also be packaged in small containers and placed in the freezer - you get a homemade version of the classic sorbet dessert.

To cook blueberries in their own juice for the winter, you will not need anything other than the berries themselves.

Servings/Volume: 1.5-2 l

Ingredients:

• blueberries (fresh) - 3 kg.

Cooking:

1. Sort the berries, rejecting all spoiled ones, put them in a large bowl and pour cold water. Remove the debris that has floated to the surface, rinse the berries, put them in a colander or on a sieve so that the water is glass. Then sprinkle them on a towel or old sheet in one layer and let dry.
2. Sterilize jars and lids.
3. Prepare a large saucepan or basin for a water bath. Place a wire rack on the bottom or cover with a cloth napkin.
4. Arrange 2/3 of the berries in dry jars and put them in a saucepan. Fill it with cold water so that the shoulders of the jars are covered. Put on fire. Boil.
5. In the process of sterilization over low heat, the berries will release juice, evaporate and decrease in volume. As they settle, report the remaining blueberries to the jars.
6. When all the berries are covered with juice and stop settling, cover the jars with lids and hold in boiling water for another 5-7 minutes.
7. Seal the jars tightly by twisting the lids, turn over, wrap with a blanket and leave to cool.

To speed up the cooking process, you can report not fresh berries, but already steamed ones, freeing one of the cans. We invite you to watch the whole technology in the video:

This recipe involves minimal heat treatment and a small amount of sugar, which will surely appeal to all lovers of natural berry flavor. Adding cinnamon or lemon will help make it even more interesting and unusual.

Servings/Volume: 1.5-2 l

Ingredients:

• fresh blueberries - 2 kg;
• sugar - 0.5-1 kg;
• water - 0.3-0.5 l;
• gelling component (Zhelfix, Konfiturka, etc.) - 1-2 sachets (according to the instructions);
• lemon / cinnamon (optional) - 1 piece / 20-40 g.

Cooking:

1. Dissolve sugar in warm water in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
2. Pour prepared berries into sugar syrup, bring to a boil.
3. Add the lemon zest grated on a fine grater and the juice squeezed out of it, ground cinnamon.
4. Dilute gelling powder in a small amount of water, as directed in the instructions.
5. Slowly, stirring constantly, pour it into the pan with berries.
6. Boil after boiling for 5 minutes over medium heat. The jam must be gently mixed so as not to burn, and, if necessary, remove the foam.
7. Sterilize jars, dry.
8. Pour the finished jam into hot jars, evenly distributing the berries and syrup. Close with tight lids and let cool at room temperature.

This jam can be made without adding water. To do this, the berries are covered with sugar and left for several hours (overnight) so that they have time to release the juice.

Video

Several Yet interesting recipes jam, confiture and blueberry jam, we invite you to watch in the following videos:

Worked for several years as a television program editor with leading producers ornamental plants in Ukraine. At the dacha, of all types of agricultural work, she prefers harvesting, but for this she is ready to regularly weed, chop, stepchild, water, tie up, thin out, etc. I am convinced that the most delicious vegetables and fruits are self-grown!

Humus - rotted manure or bird droppings. It is prepared like this: manure is piled in a heap or pile, interbedded with sawdust, peat and garden soil. The collar is covered with a film to stabilize the temperature and humidity (this is necessary to increase the activity of microorganisms). Fertilizer "ripens" within 2-5 years - depending on external conditions and composition of the feedstock. The output is a loose homogeneous mass with a pleasant smell of fresh earth.

Natural toxins are found in many plants; no exception, and those that are grown in gardens and vegetable gardens. So, in the bones of apples, apricots, peaches there is hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid, and in the tops and peel of unripe nightshade (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes) - solanine. But do not be afraid: their number is too small.

The birthplace of pepper is America, but the main breeding work for the breeding of sweet varieties were carried out, in particular, by Ferenc Horváth (Hungary) in the 20s. XX century in Europe, mainly in the Balkans. Pepper came to Russia from Bulgaria, which is why it got its usual name - “Bulgarian”.

In Australia, scientists have begun cloning experiments on several cold-weather grape varieties. Climate warming, which is predicted for the next 50 years, will lead to their disappearance. Australian varieties have excellent characteristics for winemaking and are not susceptible to diseases common in Europe and America.

Convenient applications for Android have been developed to help gardeners and gardeners. First of all, these are sowing (lunar, flower, etc.) calendars, thematic magazines, collections useful tips. With their help, you can choose a day favorable for planting each type of plant, determine the timing of their maturation and harvest on time.

Compost - rotted organic residues of various origins. How to do? Everything is put in a pile, a pit or a large box: kitchen leftovers, tops of garden crops, weeds mowed before flowering, thin twigs. All this is interbedded with phosphorite flour, sometimes straw, earth or peat. (Some summer residents add special composting accelerators.) Cover with foil. In the process of overheating, the pile is periodically stirred or pierced to bring in fresh air. Usually compost "ripens" for 2 years, but with modern additives it can be ready in one summer season.

It is believed that some vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, stalk celery, all varieties of cabbage, peppers, apples) have a “negative calorie content”, that is, more calories are expended during digestion than they contain. In fact, only 10-20% of the calories received from food are consumed in the digestive process.

The novelty of American developers is the Tertill robot, which performs weeding in the garden. The device was invented under the guidance of John Downes (the creator of the robot vacuum cleaner) and works autonomously in all weather conditions, moving on uneven surfaces on wheels. At the same time, it cuts all plants below 3 cm with a built-in trimmer.

For blanks, take ripe unspoiled berries. Be sure to sort them out, remove the leaves. Rinse blueberries under running water and pat dry.

Banks and lids for preservation. After spinning, turn the containers with blanks upside down, wrap them in a towel or blanket and leave to cool.

www.baibaz.depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 1 kg blueberries;
• 1 kg of sugar - for the third method.

Cooking

Method 1

Arrange the berries in bags or compact containers in small portions, which is enough for one time. Wrap and put in the freezer.

Method 2

Grind the berries with a blender, food processor or meat grinder. Divide into serving containers and place in the freezer.

Method 3

Grind the berries with a blender, food processor or meat grinder. Mix with sugar. Divide into serving containers and place in the freezer compartment.

tycoon/depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 500–600 g blueberries;
• 1 700–1 800 ml of water;
• 300 g of sugar;
• 1 pinch of citric acid.

Cooking

Put the berries in a three-liter jar and pour boiling water over them so that they are completely covered. Leave on for 15-20 minutes. Pour the remaining water into the pan and add the liquid from the jar to it. Boil, add sugar and cook until it dissolves completely. Add in citric acid and pour it into a jar of blueberries to the very top. Roll up the lid.

StephanieFrey/Depositphotos.com

Ingredients

650-750 g blueberries.

Cooking

Pour the berries into a 500 ml jar to the very top.

Place a towel or wooden stand in the bottom of a large pot. Put a jar of berries and fill with water to the top edge, but so that the liquid does not get inside. Bring to a boil and leave on low heat. When the berries settle, add more blueberries all the way to the top.

Boil and report the berries until the jar is full. This will take approximately 40-50 minutes. After cook for a few more minutes, remove the jar and roll up.

HandmadePicture/Depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 500 g blueberries;
• 1 kg of sugar.

Cooking

Grind the berries with a blender, meat grinder or food processor. Mix blueberries with sugar. Pour into a jar, close the lid and store in the refrigerator.

marcomayer/Depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 500 g blueberries;
• 400-500 g of sugar.

Cooking

Place the berries in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and leave for 2-3 hours at room temperature. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into jars and roll up.

tycoon/depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 2 kg blueberries;
• 100 ml of water;
• 700 g of sugar;
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice.

Cooking

Chop 300-400 g blueberries. Pour water into a saucepan, add about a third of sugar and boil over low heat. When the sand begins to dissolve, add the ground berries and stir constantly. After 5 minutes, add the remaining sugar.

When syrup boils, add whole blueberries and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Pour in the lemon juice a couple of minutes before it's done. Arrange the jam in jars and roll up.

Gbuglok/Depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 1 kg blueberries;
• 1,000–1,200 g of sugar;
• 100 g pectin;
• 100 ml of water.

Cooking

Mash the berries with a crush, pass through a meat grinder or chop with a blender. Put in a saucepan, sprinkle with sugar, mix well and leave for 10-15 minutes.

Dissolve pectin in water and boil for a minute over medium heat to dissolve.

Bring blueberries and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Pour in the pectin, reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 3-5 minutes. Pour into jars and close with lids.

anskuw/Depositphotos.com

Ingredients

• 1½ kg blueberries;
• 400 ml of water;
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest;
• 600 g of sugar;
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

Cooking

Put blueberries in a saucepan and crush with a masher or spoon. Add half the water with the zest and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Pass through a sieve to remove the pulp and seeds.

Boil the remaining water with sugar and cook until the crystals are completely dissolved. Pour the syrup over the berries and leave to boil for a couple more minutes. Add lemon juice, stir and remove from heat. Pour into jars and close with lids.