Delicious compote will be a wonderful addition to the winter table. Most housewives prefer to roll up the jars themselves - this way more vitamins are preserved and healthy, homemade products without preservatives are used. However, not everyone knows whether compote jars need to be thoroughly sterilized and how to do it correctly. Proper seaming will extend the life of the product and kill most unwanted microorganisms.
Is it necessary to sterilize compote jars?
The classic preparation method involves sterilizing containers with dry heat. Due to the high content of microorganisms in fruits and berries, the liquid can quickly deteriorate. A sweet environment is an opportunity for yeast to actively multiply, which can cause too much gas to form - glass jars easily burst at low temperatures.
How to properly cook and roll compote for the winter at home?
Compote for the winter can be made from almost anything - berries, peaches, apples, apricots. Here the choice is limited by the hostess’s imagination. The berries are carefully sorted, weeding out spoiled ones, the seeds are removed from the cherries and apricots, and washed under running water. Apples, like peaches, can be rolled whole or in pieces. Exotic options for a delicious drink - from watermelons, melons and even mangoes.
To properly preserve compote, jars are sterilized using one of the proposed methods:
- Keep the jar and lid over steam for 20 minutes.
- Place the container in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Boil water in a saucepan and place the jars in it for 15 minutes.
Before sterilization, all utensils are thoroughly washed with soap, and in some cases wiped with alcohol. The glass should be at room temperature, otherwise it may crack if placed in a hot oven. Fruits and berries are placed in a dense layer on the bottom of the jar, and do not fill the container more than half. The workpiece is filled with hot water. Before rolling up the lid, make sure there are no holes or punctures.
Semi-automatic and automatic machines, which create a vacuum without air penetration, cope best with seaming.
Tin lids that are not varnished usually oxidize quickly and are not suitable for long-term storage. Therefore, it is better to choose reusable varnished lids. Glass lids are very fragile and require careful handling, but can be used for several years in a row. The edge of the lid should be free of irregularities, abrasions or other defects through which air can get inside the jar.
Afterwards, the jars are turned over and placed upside down, wrapped in a warm towel and left for a day. If, when turning over, the compote leaks out or air bubbles form, then the twisting must be redone. Wrapping with a towel allows you to prolong the sterilization process - there is less chance that microorganisms will multiply in warm or hot compote.
Finished products are stored in a warm and cool place, away from sunlight. It is advisable to use ready-made preserves within one year, because it is impossible to roll up perfectly sterile products at home. The compote will gradually deteriorate and become moldy.
Why can banks explode?
Most often, the cause of a jar explosion is insufficient cleaning of fruits or berries. Any rot is caused by the work of microorganisms that actively multiply in the sweet compote, causing the accumulation of gases, which is why the jars easily explode even after high-quality seaming.
Apple compote often explodes due to poor sterilization. These fruits contain a large amount of acid, which actively ferments and itself causes the release of gases.You don’t have to throw away apple compote that is too sour or carbonated, but make apple cider.
What to do if the compote is cloudy or there is foam in it?
As soon as white foam appears in the compote, it needs to be opened and thoroughly sterilized again - for example, boiled for 10-15 minutes. Then most of the product can be saved. If the apple compote has foamed, you can make cider or ale from it - just keep the bottles or jars in a cold room.
If the compote from apricots or plums has fermented, but has not become moldy, does not smell rotten or has a sharply changed odor, then you can make homemade wine.
To do this, just put the contents of the jar in a special fermentation pan and add sugar. For three liters, 100-200 grams is enough. Place a rubber glove over the container and leave it alone for a couple of weeks. The resulting drink is filtered using a funnel and then kept in the refrigerator for a couple of months. The result is a very tasty homemade wine with a delicate aroma.
Many housewives prefer to add a large amount of sugar and make delicious jam from the spoiled delicacy. The only death sentence for compote is mold. If a dark crust appears on the surface, you can carefully remove it and boil the remaining liquid. But if the fungus has spread throughout the jar, then the compote will have to be thrown away - it can be hazardous to health.
Do you need to turn the jars over?
It is customary to turn the twists over after seaming - this way you can immediately determine the error in sterilization and seaming. If the lid does not fit tightly, bubbles will form in the compote almost immediately, or the liquid will leak onto the table.This way, the housewife will be able to immediately see jars that are not ready for storage and quickly redo the preservation before the food completely deteriorates.
You don’t have to turn the jar over, but only if you are confident in your experience and know that air or liquid cannot enter from the outside.
