Gardeners are not very familiar with red bird cherry recipes for the winter. It's a pity! You can prepare a variety of dishes from this healthy berry. Red bird cherry is very decorative. She decorates the area with her fruits, and in the fall with leaves. The bush is easy to shape.
Some summer residents leave the berry harvest to the birds. Waxwings and tits readily eat them in winter. But it’s worth spending time on homemade preparations: healthy canned food has an excellent taste.
Tips for preparing bird cherry for the winter
Bird cherry preparations have a healing effect. But the berry may be harmful to the body. To prevent this from happening, you must follow the canning rules:
- due to the high content of hydrocyanic acid in the seeds, canned whole fruits should be stored for up to six months;
- canned food with pits removed have a longer shelf life;
- use sterilized jars and lids;
- storage rules should be followed: some preparations stand well at room temperature, others - only in the refrigerator.
Properly prepared canned food from this unusual berry will delight summer residents with a reminder of sunny summer.
Selection and preparation of the main ingredient
Any preparation should begin with a competent selection of raw materials. This is the main component of success. How to proceed:
- berries should be picked together with the stalks;
- red bird cherry has a thin skin: it is recommended to wash the raw materials together with the stalks;
- the berries should be placed in a colander and washed under running cold water;
- place the washed raw materials on a paper towel to dry;
- red bird cherry quickly releases juice: after being separated from the branches, it should be cooked immediately;
- Virginia curiosity attracts pests to its clusters: they should be removed along with green and rotten berries when sorting.
After collection, the red wonder can lie in the refrigerator for a week without losing its presentation.
Bird cherry jam recipe
This is the easiest and fastest way to hot s. It has a thick consistency and a tart-sweet taste.
What you will need:
- red bird cherry – 1 kilogram;
- granulated sugar – 1 kilogram;
- water.
How to make jam correctly:
- put the bird cherry in a saucepan, add water so that the berries are barely covered;
- put on low heat and heat for 5 minutes;
- remove from heat and strain through a fine colander or sieve;
- place in a bowl, add sugar, stir;
- put on fire and cook for 20 minutes, skimming off the foam.
Pour the finished jam into sterile jars and roll up. The product can be stored at room temperature for up to a year.
Compote of bird cherry and red currant
Currants dilute the tartness of the strange berry with acid. The drink turns out to be original and very healthy.
What you will need:
- red currants and red bird cherry – 500 grams each;
- granulated sugar – 500 grams;
- water.
How to prepare compote correctly:
- put the berries in sterilized jars so that 1/4 of the volume is obtained;
- dissolve sugar in 3 liters of water;
- Pour the syrup equally into the jars, add water up to the hangers of the jars;
- cover with tin lids without rubber bands;
- put in the oven for sterilization (mode 1 for gas stoves or according to the menu for electric ones);
- let the contents boil for 30 minutes;
- Remove the jars, add boiling water to full volume, insert rubber bands into the lids and roll up.
Place the compote on the lids and wrap it up. Once cooled, it can be stored at room temperature for six months.
Bird cherry juice
This very simple recipe will work even for beginners. The advantage of cooking: the ingredients are taken in arbitrary proportions. The summer resident is guided by his taste.
What you will need:
- red bird cherry;
- sugar.
How to cook:
- put the bird cherry in a saucepan and place in a water bath;
- heat for 15 minutes from the moment of boiling;
- strain off the released juice;
- squeeze out the remains;
- add sugar to taste, stir;
- put on fire and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes.
Pour the finished product into prepared jars and close the lids. The juice is stored in the refrigerator for 6 months.
Delicious jelly
This preparation will decorate any dish: porridge for breakfast, cake for a celebration, pancakes. It's not difficult to make. What you will need:
- Bird cherry juice – 1 liter;
- sugar – 1 kilogram.
How to proceed:
- pour the juice into a bowl, mix with sugar;
- put on the slowest fire;
- Boil until volume is reduced by half.
Pack the finished product into prepared sterile jars and roll up. Jelly is stored in the room for 1.5 years.
Coffee made from bird cherry flour
The red Virginia berry contains caffeic acid. When added to natural coffee, the drink acquires unexpected astringency. This coffee will warm summer residents on cold winter days.
What you will need:
- natural ground coffee – 1 teaspoon;
- bird cherry flour – 1 teaspoon;
- sugar, milk - to taste.
How to do:
- pour coffee and flour into a Turk;
- to fill with water;
- boil.
Add milk and sugar as desired.
Jam
This simple dish will come in handy in the cold winter. The jam will delight gardeners and remind them of summer.
What you will need:
- red bird cherry – 1 kilogram;
- sugar – 1 kilogram;
- water – 3 glasses.
How to make jam:
- make syrup from sugar and water;
- Pour the cooled syrup over the berries and leave overnight;
- put on fire, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes at a time.
Packaged in sterile jars and rolled up, the jam can be stored in the room for up to 9 months.
Syrup
The syrup can be used to add to drinks or baked goods. The dessert is easy to prepare. What is required from a summer resident is not skills, but attentiveness. What you will need:
- red bird cherry juice – 1 liter;
- sugar – 200 grams.
How to do:
- pour the juice into a bowl and boil by half;
- mix with sugar and boil for 5 minutes.
Pack into sterile bottles. Raw materials are stored in the refrigerator.
Flour
An ancient method of harvesting bird cherry. Properly prepared flour can be stored for several years. It is used for making coffee, jelly, and baking. By adding bird cherry flour, the dough becomes fluffier and tastier.
To obtain flour, grind dried bird cherry in a coffee grinder. It is recommended to store the semi-finished product in jars with ground-in lids.
Dried bird cherry
This is the best way to prepare bird cherry for the winter without cooking. To obtain dry berries, you should place the raw materials in an electric dryer. Fan temperature is 40-50 degrees. Cooking time – 4 hours.
If you don’t have an appliance, you can dry the berries in the oven with the door open. The baking tray should be covered with baking paper. Mode – “1” on a gas stove or with the minimum temperature from the electric menu.
How to freeze
You can store red bird cherry in the freezer. The berries are washed, dried and placed in a bag along with the stalks. Before cooking, they are easily separated from frozen berries.
Storage
The storage time and location depend on how the preservation was carried out. Twisted berries with seeds can be stored for 6-9 months. The reason is hydrocyanic acid. If stored for a long time, it poisons the product.
Canned food with pits removed that have undergone complete heat treatment can be stored until the next harvest.
If there is a lack of preservative (sugar), the products are kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 months.
