Amid the coolness of peat bogs , a beautiful undersized shrub grows, which in early autumn erupts in hundreds of small rubies. This cranberry is a berry, rich in all kinds of vitamins and minerals, healthy and just very tasty. The “inner vitamin” world of this berry is incredibly diverse: ascorbic acid and benzoic acid, citric and quinic, ursolic and apple, vitamin PP, B (whole group), K, pectins and glycosides, sugars, and much more.
Benefit
Perhaps, it was such a rich combination of vitamins and organic substances that allowed cranberries to take a leading place among garden and forest berries. It was her beneficial properties that allowed her to occupy a pedestal and to pass for a natural natural cure for many diseases. For weakened and diseased organisms, this berry is simply irreplaceable, obligatory and is indicated for all recipes.
However, for an ordinary healthy person, cranberries will not be superfluous in the diet. It enhances immunity, removes harmful substances from the body, helps fight colds and prevent more dangerous diseases. But few housewives know what can be done with cranberries in order to stock up on medicinal berries for the winter and preserve the benefits hidden by nature inside it. Today we will tell you how to harvest this berry and what stocks from it can be preserved for the winter.
Storage without preservation
First, let's figure out what can be done with fresh cranberries, in addition to canning. Our ancestors kept cranberries simply in a cold cellar, carefully sorting and removing rotten berries and drying good ones. It is recommended to sprinkle the berry with a loose layer so that it is well ventilated. Previously, the berry was stored in Sentsi, scattering right on the floor. But in urban housing, of course, this option will not work. Yes, and long-term storage in this case is not expected. Cranberries with this method have the ability to wither and dry, which is completely undesirable.
Freezing
What can be done with cranberries if there is a large freezer? Of course, subject the berry to deep freeze. This is the second, but the most popular way to preserve all the benefits that nature has in this berry. For storage in the freezer, it is better to choose those berries that have already been exposed to frost in natural conditions. As a rule, experienced gardeners wait until the first light frost grabs the cranberries, only after that the berries are picked.
Before freezing, it is recommended to sort out the cranberries, carefully examine them for rotten spoiled berries. Then rinse, spread on a clean kitchen towel with a thin layer and allow to dry naturally. After that, pack the clean and dry berries in bags and put them in storage in the freezer. If you have a very ripe berry, then for freezing it is better to choose not plastic bags, but a plastic container with a lid.
Frozen Berry Jam
What can be made from frozen cranberries? There are a lot of options: compotes, juices, fruit drinks, jam and mashed potatoes. But today we will prepare amazingly delicious and incredibly healthy cranberry jam. It will not contain any extra ingredients. Sugar and berry - that’s the whole secret of making gentle, melting in your mouth and amazingly fragrant jam.
The proportions of the products in this recipe are 1 * 1, that is, per kilogram of sugar you will need to take the same mass of berries. Frozen berries should be allowed to thaw on their own. No microwave ovens!
In a large container with a thick bottom and stacks (it is best to take a cauldron for pilaf) we place the berry and pour the right amount of granulated sugar. Immerse the blender in the mass and grind it to a homogeneous consistency. Next, we dissolve the sugar by placing the pan on the stove and letting the berry mass boil over low heat for five to seven minutes.
It remains to remove the container from the heat and, carefully shifting it with a spoon, grind the hot berry through a sieve. We no longer need peel and cranberry seeds. As a result, you should get a translucent cranberry jam. When it hardens, it will resemble a supple fragrant jelly.
Soaked cranberries
If you have large supplies of healthy berries, then you can not only dry or freeze them, but also soak them. Since ancient times, people have known what can be made from cranberries and cranberries. The berries were sorted, poured into large wooden barrels and poured to the top with ice well water. Some heavy load was placed on top and the berry was left alone for a month or two.
At present, of course, nobody uses tubs and barrels to store berries, but a method for soaking cranberries still exists today. For storage, ordinary glass jars with a capacity of three liters are used. The berry is moved, washed and poured into a jar. Pour water or a special syrup (1 liter of water, a pinch of salt, a spoonful of sugar, cloves 2 pcs., A pinch of cinnamon).
Dried berry
What can be done with fresh cranberries yet? A very popular option is drying. The process is carried out using a special kitchen unit for drying berries, vegetables and mushrooms, or in the old fashioned way - in the oven. To dry the berries in the oven, you must first rinse it, and then boil it for a couple of minutes in boiling water. Next, spread the foil on a baking sheet, sprinkle the berry and send it to the oven for 4-5 hours. Remember that the layer should not be very thick. Every 30-40 minutes, the berry must be monitored by turning it over.
When the drying is over, do not make fun of picking the berry. At room temperature, it should cool and “reach” for another 1-2 hours. And after all these manipulations we remove cranberries in glass jars for storage.
Cranberry Compote
If you are a conservation lover and are wondering what can be done with cranberries for the winter, then you will like the option of making compotes. The case is simple, quick and does not require special costs.
The following set of products is typical for the classic cranberry compote recipe:
- Berry - one kilogram.
- Sugar - 550-650 grams.
- Water - 1.5 liters.
Cooking
As in the case with other storage methods, it is recommended to carefully sort the cranberries before cooking the compote, removing the bad berries. We rinse them under running water with a colander. Now put the berries in a saucepan, fill with water, pour sugar and do not turn on the fire, but let stand. Ten minutes is enough for the cranberries to swell. Now you can turn on the fire and cook the berry for compote. She will quickly give away all the healthy juice contained inside and, therefore, beneficial substances and vitamins.
As soon as the water began to boil, we detect five minutes. Then turn off the gas, let the compote cool down a bit. During this time, you can prepare the banks. They are recommended to be thoroughly washed with soda, sterilized. If you like berries in compotes, then you can leave them. If not, then remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon, and pour useful water into cans and roll up the lids.
What can be done with cranberries if you are a compote lover? There are a lot of options and combinations:
- cranberries - lingonberries,
- cranberries - sour apples ,
- cranberries - mint leaves,
- cranberries - raspberries, etc.
Jam
What can be done with cranberries for the winter if you are a lover of sweet preparations? Of course, jam. We suggest you make a very healthy and fortified jam from berries, walnuts and apples. It can be served on the table with pancakes, pancakes, used as a filling for pies, pies, bagels, croissants, sweet pizza, etc.
Essential Ingredients
- Cranberries - 1kg.
- Two glasses of water.
- 1.5 kg of sugar.
- One large green apple.
- A handful of chopped walnuts.
How to cook
As in the case of jam making, berries for jam are needed clean, processed, rid of rotten or unripe “brothers”. So that cranberries are soft and give healthy juice faster, they should be blanched in hot water for ten minutes.
While the berry will "rest" in boiling water, prepare the syrup. Pour two glasses of water into a deep pan, pour sugar and put on medium heat. Bring to a boil, wait for the sugar to dissolve. We remove the fire and add the berries to the pan. Simmer for about ten minutes. This will be enough for the jam to freeze later, and the berry will not lose its useful qualities due to exposure to high temperature. At the last stage of cooking, you can add a few apple slices and a handful of chopped walnuts. Also, lemon peel or even whole fruit, cut into large pieces, will perfectly go into such a jam.
What can be made from twisted cranberries?
A very popular recipe is grated or ground cranberries with sugar. Such a blank will be perfectly stored for a long time, and the berry will not lose its useful qualities, since it will not be subjected to heat treatment at all.
For the recipe you will need one kilogram of granulated sugar and the same amount of washed and dried berries. Cranberries should be mashed. A meat grinder, food processor or blender can help in this process. Twisted cranberries are covered with sugar and left for two hours at room temperature. It remains only to put it in jars and put it in storage in a refrigerator or cellar.
What can be done from cranberries. Cold Blanks
We already talked a lot about what can be made from cranberries. There are still a lot of recipes left. Very fast in preparation and healthy harvesting is made from cranberries and honey. A jar of such a natural medicine will be just a lifesaver in the period of colds. Two or three tablespoons of cranberries with honey for breakfast for tea, and your immunity will say a solid no flu and SARS.
The cooking process in this case is very similar to the previous one, only instead of sugar, honey in a 1/1 ratio is added to the twisted cranberries. You can grind the berry using a blender, gradually adding honey. So the mass will be more uniform. Pour it into jars. We put it into storage in the cold.
Juices
Another option for harvesting cranberries for the winter is to make juice. The berries should be thoroughly washed. It is recommended to sort them out, discarding bad cranberries. For cooking, two kilograms of berries and 0.5 liters of water are taken. Pour the berry into the water and, bringing to a boil, immediately turn it off. This is done so that the cranberries soften, and from it it was more convenient and faster to squeeze the juice.
Squeeze the juice using regular gauze. She will quickly separate the cake. Bring the resulting healthy liquid to a boil again, cook with sugar (to taste) for three to five minutes. We pour the resulting juice into sterilized jars and roll it with metal lids using a key.
Filling
In conclusion, I would like to offer you a healthy and delicious drink that is obtained from cranberries by fermentation. This is the answer for those who do not know what can be done with cranberries, for those who do not like sweet jam or jams.
Pouring is prepared from 750 g of sugar, a liter of water and a kilogram of berries. Fruits should be mashed with a spoon or a crush, put in a bottle with a narrow neck, pour water and add granulated sugar.
Tip: washing the berries is not recommended, as natural yeast should remain on their surface. Without them, the fermentation process will not start, and the filling will not work.
We mix the ingredients in a bottle, wrap it with gauze. We leave the drink for several days. After 48 hours, making sure that the fermentation process begins, we put on a medical glove on the neck. We make several holes in it that allow the air to come out. In this state, the liquor “rests” for another 40-45 days. Next, filter the liquid, removing the berry meal, and pour into storage containers.
Now you know what preparations can be made from cranberries for the winter. If there is an opportunity to buy this healthy berry in the market or pick up in the nearest forest, then do not neglect this opportunity. It will take you minimum time to cook, and the benefits will be tremendous.