Red bird cherry has a tart taste, so few people like it fresh. But the preparations from it turn out to be very tasty and aromatic. One of the most favorite preparations is compote. But you need to know all the intricacies of its preparation. There are many recipes for red cherry compotes.
- Subtleties of preparing bird cherry compote for the winter
- What varieties of apples are best to choose?
- How to properly prepare bird cherry
- Methods for preparing bird cherry compote at home
- A simple recipe for a 3-liter jar
- Without sterilization
- With apples
- With raspberries
- With red currants
- With vinegar
- With rosehip
- Double filled
- With gooseberries
- Storage
Subtleties of preparing bird cherry compote for the winter
When preparing bird cherry compote, it is necessary to take into account the following subtleties:
- It is well stored and does not deteriorate. Therefore, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week before preparing the drink.
- If the compote is being prepared for the winter, you can only use fresh fruits. Frozen berries are suitable for preparing a drink for quick consumption.
- The riper the berries, the richer the color of the prepared drink. Therefore, there is no need to rush to collect it. But you need to wait for the most suitable moment, otherwise the berries may dry out.
- The compote will not acquire a rich taste immediately. The longer you cook it, the faster this will happen. You should not drink the drink until it turns bright red.
- To extend the shelf life of the product, you can add a little citric acid or vinegar to it.
- The drink can be prepared with or without pasteurization. In the second case, you should pour the drink into two- or three-liter jars. This way it will stay hot for a long time, so the berries will have time to steam.
Otherwise, its preparation is no different from compotes made from other fruits.
Drinking a lot of the drink at once is not recommended, as this can disrupt the functioning of the intestines. It is contraindicated for people with heart disease and those suffering from frequent constipation.
What varieties of apples are best to choose?
When preparing red bird cherry compote, you can use any variety of summer apples. But it is necessary to take into account that they have a crumbly structure. Therefore, it is not necessary to cook such apples for long, since they can be destroyed during prolonged heat treatment.
Black bird cherry fruits can also be combined with some autumn varieties of apples.From the fruits collected in September, you can prepare a compote with the following varieties of apples - Kovalenkovskoe, Ranetka, Medok and others.
How to properly prepare bird cherry
The berries must be sorted, leaves and stems removed. Dried fruits are not recommended for use. Then rinse the bird cherry well, drain the water and place the berries on a paper towel to dry.
Methods for preparing bird cherry compote at home
There are a wide variety of recipes for bird cherry compote. They differ in labor intensity and the ingredients used.
A simple recipe for a 3-liter jar
To cook compote for a three-liter jar, you need to take the following ingredients:
- 0.5 kg of fruits;
- approximately 2 liters of water;
- 400-500 g sugar, to taste.
Place the berries in a wide bowl, pour 200 ml of boiling water and blanch for 5 minutes. Cover with a tight lid and leave for 5 hours. Separately, boil water with sugar and boil for 2-3 minutes. Pour the prepared berries into a jar, pour the prepared syrup on top and roll up the lids.
Without sterilization
You can prepare a drink that preserves the beneficial properties of the plant. For a three-liter jar you will need the following ingredients:
- 3 cups of fruits;
- 3 cups granulated sugar;
- boiling water to completely fill the jar - about 2 liters.
Pour berries, sugar into a jar and pour boiling water to the very top. Quickly roll up the lid. You can use this compote no earlier than in 2-3 months. During this time it will have time to brew well.
With apples
Can be done bird cherry preparation and apples. This drink has a more delicate taste and a pleasant apple aroma. To do this take:
- 250 g bird cherry;
- 500 g apples;
- 400 g sugar;
- water.
Wash the berries and add them to the pan.Wash the apples, remove rot and dirt, add to the bird cherry. Add water and cook over low heat until the fruit is ready. Add sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour into a jar and roll up.
With raspberries
You can also make compote with raspberries. It cancels out the tart taste of bird cherry, making the drink very pleasant. Use these ingredients:
- 1 kg of berries;
- 0.5 kg raspberries;
- 4 liters of water;
- 4 cups granulated sugar.
This amount is enough for 2 three-liter jars of compote. First blanch the bird cherry for 3 minutes, then pour it into the jars. Add sorted and peeled raspberries. Pour water over sugar and boil for 3 minutes. Pour the prepared syrup over the berries. Roll up the lids.
With red currants
Currants go well with bird cherry. But it is sour, so when preparing the drink you will need to use more granulated sugar. Take:
- 1 kg of fruits;
- 500 g red currants;
- 2 cups sugar;
- 1.5 liters of water.
Throw the berries into the pan, add water and cook for 20-30 minutes. Add granulated sugar and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Pour the prepared compote into a suitable jar.
With vinegar
Vinegar is added to compotes very rarely, but thanks to it you can protect the drink from fermentation. For a three-liter jar you need to add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. First, the blanched berries are laid out, then vinegar is poured in, and then sugar syrup. Immediately close the jar with a lid.
With rosehip
Rosehip is a very useful plant, it increases immunity and improves digestion. It goes well with bird cherry and further emphasizes its taste. For a three-liter jar take:
- 300 g granulated sugar;
- 0.5 kg bird cherry;
- 200 g rose hips;
- 2 liters of water.
Mix water with granulated sugar, boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add bird cherry and rose hips. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to steep for 5 hours. Pour the fruits into a jar, and bring the sugar syrup to a boil again. Pour the liquid into the jar and roll up.
Double filled
Preparing compote with double pouring briefly increases its shelf life. It is recommended to prepare the drink this way if fruits with large stones are added to the bird cherry - cherries, sweet cherries, plums and others.
Fill the jar to the top with boiling water, cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes. Then pour the water into a saucepan, bring it to a boil and add granulated sugar. Boil the syrup for another 2 minutes and pour it into the jar with the fruit. Roll up the lid and wrap with a blanket until cool.
With gooseberries
Take 1 cup each of bird cherry and gooseberry, sort out the debris well. Separately boil the syrup - use 1 cup of sugar for 1.5 liters of water. Add the fruits to the syrup, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. You can add a slice of lemon for taste.
The prepared bird cherry compote can be consumed immediately. But in this case, it is recommended to cook it longer until the liquid darkens. You can also pour it into a jar and roll it up.
Storage
Bird cherry seeds contain hydrocyanic acid. Therefore, long-term storage of compote made from them is not recommended. Its use is safe for 6 months. And in the future this can cause poisoning. If it was prepared with the addition of vinegar or citric acid, the shelf life increases to 1 year. It is forbidden to give expired compote to small children - such a drink is especially dangerous for them.