The list of what can be prepared from red currants for the winter includes more than a dozen recipes. This is one of the few berries suitable for winter harvesting in several formats. Jam, marmalade, syrup, jam, fruit drink, kvass, sauce for meat - this is not a complete list of its uses. By choosing the right recipe, you can get a tasty dish rich in vitamins and healthy microelements.
- Features of harvesting red currants for the winter
- Specifics of choosing berries
- How to properly prepare the container?
- What can you make from red currants at home?
- Jam without cooking
- Currant jelly
- Homemade marmalade
- Currants in their own juice - natural, without sugar
- Berry syrup
- Morse
- Jam
- Jam
- Juice
- Mousse
- Sauce for meat
- Curd dessert
- Compote
- Redcurrant jam with apples
- Frozen red currants
- Fruit kvass
- Pickled red currants
Features of harvesting red currants for the winter
The unique properties of the berry make it possible to store it for the winter in different ways. The easiest way is to freeze them whole or as puree. Red currants will decorate not only sweet dishes (desserts and baked goods), but also gravies and sauces for meat and fish.
Pectin, which the berry contains in large quantities, allows you to prepare jelly and marmalade from it without adding gelatin or agar-agar.
Red currants have another interesting feature - in winter preparations they can replace a bite. It is washed and placed directly with the stem in a jar.
Specifics of choosing berries
There is one subtlety in choosing a base product. In addition to the fact that red currants must be free of spoilage, certain requirements apply to the presence of branches. When preparing jam, they are removed.
In other cases, they are left for the cooking time. They will give the product a more pronounced aroma and promote rapid thickening.
When preserving compotes and fruit drinks, it is generally better to pour the product into jars directly with them.
How to properly prepare the container?
In order for the product to be stored for a long time, it is important to properly prepare the dishes. A suitable option is glass jars, previously sterilized over steam. Lids should also be heat treated to remove germs.
There are no uniform recommendations regarding the size of the jars; it all depends on the number of family members for whom the dish is designed. Compotes are usually made in large 3-liter jars, preserves, marmalade or marmalade - in 1-liter containers, sauces - in 0.5-liter containers.
What can you make from red currants at home?
The list of what can be made from the harvest is almost endless. In addition to the fact that the dishes will help compensate for the lack of vitamins, they are simple to prepare. Below are the best recipes that even a novice housewife can handle.
Jam without cooking
You can preserve the beneficial properties as much as possible if you make a dessert that has not been subjected to heat treatment.
Ingredients:
- granulated sugar – 650 grams;
- red currants peeled from branches - 300 grams.
Cooking technique:
- Wash and mash the currants with a fork to release their juice.
- Cover with granulated sugar. There must be twice as much of it, otherwise the dish will become moldy.
- Do not mix the mixture immediately. The crystals should dissolve on their own in the berry juices.
- When the sweet component visually disappears, stir the dessert and place in jars.
Sugar will help preserve the product without cooking for six to 8 months. But you need to keep it in the refrigerator.
Currant jelly
The second most popular way to prepare crops for the winter is to cook jelly.
Ingredients:
- washed berries – 1 kilogram;
- sugar – 1 kilogram.
Cooking technique:
- Sort through the harvest. There is no need to be very zealous in removing the petioles; the mass will still grind.
- Sprinkle it with sweet crystals. To speed up the impregnation, stir the mixture periodically.
- Cook the mixture over high heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Rub the resulting mixture through a fine sieve and pour into jars.
The jelly is made without the use of artificial thickeners. Therefore, it takes longer to harden (2-3 weeks).
Homemade marmalade
It is customary to make marmalade from red fruits, which can be preserved in sterile containers for a long time.
Ingredients:
- peeled red currants – 560 grams;
- drinking water – 30 milliliters;
- sugar – 1 kilogram.
Cooking technique:
- Pour the mixture with water and steam over low heat.
- Rub the resulting red mass through a meat grinder or sieve and mix with sweetener.
- Continue boiling the marmalade mixture until thick.
The dessert is stored in closed, sterile jars. Before serving, the marmalade is cut into slices and rolled in powder.
Currants in their own juice - natural, without sugar
Although berry preparations are usually made with granulated sugar, currants can be preserved without it. For this you only need 2 kilograms or more of berries.
Cooking technique:
- Place the product in the jar to the top and cover.
- Place a wire rack or towel on the bottom of a deep pan and place containers with the workpiece.
- Turn on low heat and start heating. As a result, the base will begin to sink, filling the jar with juice. In this case, the containers are filled until the liquid rises to the top.
The workpiece should be kept in boiling water for 10 to 30 minutes (depending on the volume of the container).
Berry syrup
An interesting recipe for a healthy drink, although it requires 4 days of aging, it gives an unsurpassed result.
Ingredients:
- sugar – 800 grams;
- red currants – 1 kilogram;
- blackcurrant or raspberry juice - 60 milliliters.
Cooking technique:
- The first stage is crop processing. It is completely cleared of cuttings and kneaded with a blender.
- Add ½ cup granulated sugar and leave for 4 days.
- Strain the resulting mixture through linen cloth.
- Add the remaining ingredients, boil and pour into sterile jars.
The syrup has a thicker structure than the juice. Therefore, before use, it is diluted with water or added to desserts in its original form.
Morse
Another option for a winter drink is berry juice.
Ingredients:
- water – 1 liter;
- washed currants – 250 grams;
- sugar – 5 tablespoons.
Cooking technique:
- Grind the currants through a sieve.
- Pour the puree with 750 milliliters of water and cook the mixture (8 minutes under the lid is enough).
- Leave for 30 minutes without opening the dishes.
- Add the remaining sugar.
Stir the fruit drink and pour into clean jars and seal.
Jam
Red berries can be processed into jam for the winter.
Ingredients:
- currants – 1 kilogram;
- water – ½ cup;
- sugar – 1.5 kilograms.
Cooking technique:
- Pour water over the berries and boil for 5 minutes.
- Mash with a masher.
- Mix with sugar, adding it gradually, in small portions.
Boil the jam until thickened for 25 to 45 minutes (depending on the ripeness of the berries).
Jam
For him, berries and sugar are taken in equal proportions.
Cooking technique:
- Mash the currants into a paste.
- Pour in the second component and wait until it is completely absorbed (the crystals should disappear).
- Boil the mixture over medium heat until thickened.
Preservation ends by pouring the jam into sterile containers and rolling.
Juice
Such a preparation will be many times superior to store-bought analogues in taste and benefits. For cooking, take berries and sugar in equal proportions.
Cooking technique:
- Wash the red currants and place them in a saucepan.
- Boil for a couple of minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredient and stir.
Finally, pour into sterile bottles and close with metal caps.
Mousse
An ideal dessert in all respects, although it does not last as long as jam, it will delight any child.
Ingredients:
- water – 1 glass;
- red currants – 100 grams;
- powdered sugar – 40 grams;
- semolina – 25 grams.
Cooking technique:
- Grind clean berries and add water.
- Add powder and boil until boiling.
- Add semolina and continue heat treatment for another 10 minutes.
Cool the finished mousse, beat and pour into bowls.
Sauce for meat
Few people know, but red fruits can be used to prepare an interesting dressing for main courses.
Ingredients:
- sugar – 1 kilogram;
- pure currants - 2 kilograms;
- garlic cloves - according to taste;
- vinegar 9% - 200 milliliters;
- salt, cinnamon and cloves - 2 teaspoons each;
- ground pepper – 1 teaspoon.
Cooking technique:
- Grind the berries until they form juice.
- Boil the squeezed juice and add sugar in portions.
- Wait until the crystals disappear and add vinegar and spices. Remove from heat.
It is better to pour the sauce into small containers so that after opening you do not store the product for a long time.
Curd dessert
Cottage cheese plus berries are always a winning combination.
Ingredients:
- red currants and sugar - 500 grams each;
- cottage cheese and sour cream - 200 grams each.
Cooking technique:
- Sort and wash the berries.
- Fill it with granulated sugar and beat with a blender until smooth.
- Add to milk ingredients and beat.
Serve dessert in tall glasses or bowls.
Compote
An ideal drink in winter. The high content of vitamin C will help fight colds.
Ingredients:
- redcurrant branches - 500 grams;
- drinking water – 9 liters;
- sugar – 950 grams.
Cooking technique:
- Put the water to boil.
- Place the berries in sterile jars.
- Gradually add sugar to boiling water.
- Fill the jars with currants with syrup and roll up.
To be on the safe side before pouring syrup, you can fill the jars with boiled water. Then pour it back into the pan and heat it again, but with the addition of sweetener.
Redcurrant jam with apples
To make delicious jam, you need to use only ripe fruits.
Ingredients:
- granulated sugar – 1 cup;
- red currants – 300 grams;
- apples – 3 pieces.
Cooking technique:
- Place clean berries in a deep non-stick bowl.
- Add sliced apples to the currants.
- Sprinkle with granulated sugar and start heating.
- When the fruit becomes soft, remove the jam from the heat.
Ladle the jam into clean jars and roll up.
Frozen red currants
There are 2 methods of freezing. In the first case, after cleaning, they are distributed in an even, single layer and sent into the cold. When the product hardens, it is poured into a bag. The second method is to grind the product with sugar and freeze it in a container.
The choice of freezing method depends on the format in which the red currants are intended to be used. For cakes, jellies and decorations, the first option is suitable. In a situation where the structure of the product does not matter (for example, when preparing jelly), the ground format will be more convenient.
Fruit kvass
Another refreshing drink option designed for an adult audience.
Ingredients:
- yeast – 20 grams;
- red currants – 1 kilogram;
- water – 4 liters;
- sugar – 400 grams;
- lemon – 3 grams.
Cooking technique:
- Puree the berries, add water and boil. Let it brew for a couple of hours.
- Strain the broth and add the remaining ingredients. Leave in a warm place for 10 hours.
- Filter the fermented drink.
Currant kvass is stored in bottles in the refrigerator.
Pickled red currants
It is possible to preserve berries using vinegar.
Ingredients:
- currant bunches - as many as you have;
- water – 0.5 liters;
- 9% vinegar - 100 milliliters;
- green mix (basil, parsley), cloves and allspice - to taste;
- granulated sugar – 10 tablespoons;
- cinnamon powder – ½ teaspoon.
Cooking technique:
- Place currants and herbs in sterile jars and pour boiling water over them.
- Drain the water and prepare a marinade based on it (add the remaining ingredients and boil).
- Fill the jars up to the neck with the resulting hot, spicy liquid and roll up.
The finished dish is used as an appetizer for meat treats.
Currant preparations should not be limited to just jam. There are many other tasty, healthy and unusual dishes that are relevant not only for weekdays, but also for holiday feasts.