Currant is one of the favorite berries not only for adults but also for children. But, unfortunately, fresh fruits are not possible to enjoy throughout the year, and in the winter season you really want to feel the unique aroma and taste of this berry. For this, in the season you can prepare currants for the winter in the form of a variety of conservation.
Contents:
- Currant use
- Currant harvesting methods for the winter
- What is the best way to billet?
- Rules and subtleties of currant billet for the winter
- Jam and other conservation
- Drying and freezing
Currant: tasty and healthy
Currant is a very useful berry. It includes many vitamins, minerals, pectin and tannins necessary for the body. The composition of red, white and black currants is slightly different, but each berry is useful in its own way.
The red currant contains more iron, potassium and vitamins P, B1 and B2.These components are very useful for the cardiovascular system, and the photocoumarins and coumarins that make up berries have antitumor and analgesic effects.
Black currant berries are enriched with pectic substances and fiber, vitamins C and P. This combination of vitamins contributes to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
Regular consumption of currant helps to strengthen immunity and helps to cope with inflammatory processes in the body.
Different methods of harvesting currants for the winter
You can prepare currants for the winter in various ways. More often from berries prepare various preservation. From the red and black currants are very delicious and aromatic compotes, jam, jam, confiture, jelly, mashed potatoes, syrup and sauces.
In addition to canning, currants can be harvested in several other ways:
- rub with sugar;
- dry;
- freeze.
All seasonal billets from the currant are very useful. Even after heat treatment, the fruits retain most of the vitamins and almost all the nutritional value.
What kind of workpiece is better?
Each method of harvesting currants has its own characteristics.
- Jam, compotes, jam, syrup and confiture are cooked with heat treatment. This technology allows storage of preservation for a long time at room temperature. But the disadvantage of this preparation is that with prolonged cooking or disturbing the technological process, the amount of nutrients and vitamins decreases.
- To make jelly, mashed potatoes and sauce, you need less sugar than jam or jam. This makes the product less caloric.
- Currant, ground with sugar, preserves all the nutritional value and aroma of fresh berries. The only drawback is that this blank must be stored in the refrigerator, and this is not always convenient.
- Dried currant berries are as useful as preservation. Berries retain nutritional value, but unlike other methods lose their external appeal. This currant is used to make compote, tea or sauces. With their help, the dishes are given a rich aroma and light acidity.
- Frozen currants do not change their appearance. Such berries are always fragrant and completely retain all nutritional value. The main advantage is that they can be used for preparing many dishes: desserts, drinks, marinades, sauces. The downside of this workpiece is that they need to be stored in a freezer compartment, where usually there is not enough space, and the electricity consumption is considerable.
Several subtleties of the currant billet for the winter
Regardless of the method of harvesting, currant berries must be pre-prepared. They are cleaned from the tails and the remains of the flower. Cull unripened and spoiled fruits.
How to cook tasty currant jam and other preserves
- For the preparation of jam, jam, compote, syrup or sauce, stainless steel utensils, enameled or copper containers must be used. Copperware is made of yellow copper, and it should not have green oxides. It is not recommended to use aluminum cookware for cooking, since currants in it can oxidize.
- For the preparation of currant jam it is necessary to use white sugar. Yellow and refined are not suitable, because with their help you can spoil the taste.
- For the preparation of cold jam from the grated currant with sugar, the proportion 1: 1 is observed. In order that it can be stored at room temperature, the amount of sugar is doubled.
- To preserve the integrity of the berries, it is necessary to boil it in 2-3 meals. This means that the jam is brought to a boil and completely cooled, and so several times.
- To the currant does not wrinkle when cooking, it is necessary for 5-10 hours before it to fall asleep with sugar or to fill in syrup.
- When preparing jam from a currant, you must ensure that it is not digested and not burnt. It will spoil the taste and give a darker shade. Also, this jam can quickly be sugared.
Drying and freezing tricks
- Drying currants can be done in a natural way or with the help of cabinets for drying fruits, vegetables and berries. Pre-berry must be cleaned of debris and thoroughly rinsed under running water.
- For freezing, cleaned and washed currants must be dried with a paper towel. Berries in one layer are laid out on a tray and placed in the freezer. After freezing, the currant is placed in small portions in plastic containers or plastic bags.
- Thawed berries can not be frozen again. Currant loses nutrients and attractive appearance.
Using currants prepared for the winter, you can cook your favorite desserts, pies and pancakes with currants or just have jam and drink it with hot tea, getting warm on a cold winter day.