Blueberry is a stunted shrub with edible blue berries. It is usually found in regions with a cold to moderate climate. The succulent fruits of this plant since ancient times have been the subject of gathering. They are consumed both fresh and in processed form. Blueberry compote is very popular among the people. Due to the unique properties of the berry itself, this product is very useful. And you can cook it in a variety of ways.
Healing drink
Eating blueberries helps a person solve a number of serious health problems. This seemingly ordinary berry is capable of:
- fight intestinal disorders;
- prevent an increase in blood sugar;
- restore bowel function;
- cope with diseases of the cardiovascular system.
From the fruits of this plant at home, you can cook fragrant and delicious jelly or fruit drinks. But the easiest way is to make blueberry compote.
For this you will need: a pound of fresh berries a liter of water and 125 grams of sugar.
Making such a compote of blueberries is not difficult:
- First you need to rinse the berries well, and then pour them on a colander and let the water drain completely.
- At this time, you can make syrup. It is necessary to boil water in a pan, and then pour sugar into it and wait for it to completely dissolve.
- Transfer the berries to hot syrup and bring the mixture to a boil.
Now the drink will only have to cool. After that, you can drink it, enjoying the delicate aroma of juicy blueberries.
Stewed fruit
Fresh berries, as a rule, happen only in the fall. In the rest of the year, blueberry compote can be prepared from frozen fruits. In this case, it is necessary: for every half a kilogram of berries, one and a half glasses of sugar and 2 liters of water.
The method of preparation of the drink is partly similar to the previous version:
- The first step is to cook the syrup. To do this, a measured amount of sugar should be poured into a clean pot or copper basin.
- Pour it with water in a certain proportion and put on a small fire. The mixture must be brought to a boil. During this time, with constant stirring, the sugar should dissolve completely.
- Pour berries and mix well.
- Cook under the lid for 12 minutes over very low heat. The product does not need to boil for a long time. Otherwise, it can lead to the destruction of all its vitamins.
It is better to cool the drink under natural conditions, so that it can additionally infuse a little. After that, it can be stored in the refrigerator for several more days.
Winter blanks
People are used to procuring a variety of products for the future. Indeed, in winter, many of them are almost impossible to find. This is more true for berries. In addition to the usual jam or jelly, you can cook a delicious compote of blueberries for the winter. Such a cold drink will remind you of warm autumn days.
In addition, many useful ingredients remain in it, and this is also important. To cook blueberry compote for the winter, you will first need to make syrup. To do this, you need to take: for every 600 milliliters of water, 400 grams of sugar.
The work must be done in stages:
- First you need to sort out the berries. It is better to discard rotten or damaged fruits immediately. After this, the products should be washed well.
- To process glass jars for conservation with steam or fry in the oven. Everyone can choose the option that he likes best.
- Pour berries into prepared dishes. Depending on the desired saturation of the drink, they can fill ¼ or 1/3 of the volume of the can.
- Pour the products with fresh, still hot syrup and immediately seal.
- Pasteurize cans in a pan with hot water (90 degrees): for dishes with a half-liter capacity, it will take 15 minutes, and for liter cans - 20 minutes.
Then the finished product needs to be cooled, and then sent to a cool place for storage.
More taste
Everyone knows that blueberries are not a very fragrant fruit. To make a good blueberry compote for the winter, the recipe can be slightly modified. As initial components for this should be taken: per kilogram of water 0.4 kilograms of sugar, as well as 300 grams of blueberries and cherries.
The preparation of the drink, as usual, begins with berries:
- The fruits need to be sorted out and completely clear them of the existing stalks. After this, the products must be washed with cold water.
- Sterilize banks using any known method.
- In the prepared dishes place the products, laying them in layers of 3 centimeters, on top of each other. Better to start with cherries. Berries should fill the jars to the very shoulders.
- Separately prepare sugar syrup.
- Pour food into hot solution.
- Cover the neck of each jar with a metal lid and place them in hot water for sterilization (for 1 liter - 20 minutes).
- After this, the containers must be hermetically rolled up, turned them upside down and tightly wrapped.
It turns out a very fragrant compote of blueberries for the winter. The recipe for its preparation, in principle, can be repeated even by one who has never been involved in canning.
Quick and easy
The next recipe is the fastest blueberry compote. The whole process will take no more than half an hour. For preparation, you will need the following initial ingredients: 2 grams of water 2 grams of citric acid, as well as 300 grams of blueberries, sugar and apples.
Everything happens very quickly:
- The apples need to be washed, removed from their core, and then cut the flesh into 4 parts. Do not cut the fruit very finely, otherwise when cooked they will turn into a "mess".
- Blueberries should be washed and dried. To do this, it can be scattered on a towel to remove excess moisture.
- Pour water into a deep pan, bring to a boil, and then pour lemon and sugar.
- Add apples and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.
- Pour the berries and gently mix the contents of the pan.
- Bring the composition to a boil again and turn off the fire immediately.
- Give the compote a little infusion, and then pour it into banks and roll up.
Such a drink in the cold winter will be a real find.
Alternative option
There is another interesting way to cook blueberry compote. To do this, based on three liters of the finished drink, you will need: 400 grams of granulated sugar and 300 grams of fresh berries.
In this case, another process technology is used:
- First, as usual, you need to sort out and wash the blueberries. This berry is very tender, so everything must be done with extreme caution.
- After that, it must be transferred to a dry sterilized glass jar.
- Pour the berries with boiling water, cover the container loosely with a lid and leave it in this position for 20 minutes.
- After the time has expired, you need to drain the water and prepare syrup on it. To do this, you need a basin or an enameled pan.
- Pour boiling sugar syrup into jars to the top.
- The drink should cool to room temperature.
After that, you can store it in the refrigerator and drink with pleasure. If such a compote is cooked as a winter harvest, then, without waiting for cooling, it must be rolled up immediately.