Bird cherry berries and leaves are used in folk medicine and cooking, and the bushes themselves are used as disinfectants due to their antiseptic properties. The fruits contain citric and malic acids, fructose, glucose and glycoside, as well as ascorbic acid. Therefore, the berries of this shrub are used for medicinal purposes. They can be eaten fresh. Jam or preserves are also made from bird cherry.
Features of making bird cherry jam
Any variety of bird cherry is used for jam.Can be prepared from red, black or white (it is considered rare). The most tart of all is red, but it is the healthiest because it contains a lot of vitamin A. Black is softer and sweeter, but contains fewer vitamins. White of all three is the sweetest, but it contains no less useful substances than black. Whatever bird cherry jam is made from, it will be healthy and tasty.
Grocery list
For preparation you will need:
- bird cherry fruits;
- sugar;
- water.
Selection and preparation of ingredients
Bird cherry is purchased at the market or collected in the forest. Wild bird cherry is smaller in appearance than domestic bird cherry, but in terms of the amount of vitamins it is much superior. To make jam, the fruits must be washed without exposing them to running water, as it can damage the skin of the berries. It is better to pour the fruits into a colander and place them in a bowl of water. This needs to be done 5-6 times.
For long-term storage, you need to remove garbage and spoiled berries when cooking.
Preparation of containers
It is better to cook jam in a stainless steel pan. They can also cook it in enamel, but the pigment contained in the berries will leave behind a trace that is almost not washed out. It is advisable not to use copper pans because they will release heavy metals into the mixture. Glass jars must be sterilized and metal lids prepared for sealing.
Other containers that will be used for preservation must also be doused with boiling water.
How to make bird cherry jam for the winter
Method for making seedless jam. Ingredients needed:
- 1 kilogram of sugar;
- 1 kilogram of bird cherry berries.
The recipe is easy, but will take a lot of time:
- The fruits need to be washed, sorted and dried.
- Place them in a cooking container.
- Fill it with water and cook the mixture for 25-30 minutes over low heat.
- Let the berries cool and rub through a bandage or gauze to remove the seeds.
- Mix the resulting mass with sugar.
- Leave it to steep for 45-50 minutes.
- Pour water in a proportion of 250-300 milliliters per 1 kilogram of puree.
- Keep on fire for 35-40 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into jars. Roll up the lid and leave to cool at 18-23 C°.
- Place in the refrigerator or cellar.
A simple jam recipe for the winter. To prepare you will need:
- 1 kilogram of black bird cherry;
- one and a half kilograms of granulated sugar;
- 750 milliliters of water.
Preparing this jam does not take much time:
- The fruits need to be washed and dried.
- Dissolve half a kilo of sugar in boiling water.
- Place the berries in a colander.
- Dip it into boiling syrup.
- Keep the fruits in it for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the container from the pan and hold it over it. This is necessary so that the syrup flows back into the bowl.
- Place the fruits in a clean, non-enamelled pan.
- Pour the remaining sugar into the syrup. After it is completely dissolved, pour the syrup over the berries and place the container on low heat.
- Cook for 15 minutes, stirring and removing foam.
- Pack the mixture into jars and seal with metal lids.
- When the contents in the jars have cooled, put them in the refrigerator or cellar.
How to properly store the finished product
There are several tips for storing the finished product:
- Bird cherry rolls containing seeds can be stored in a dark and cool room for up to 7 months from the date of preservation. This is due to the fact that its seeds contain hydrocyanic acid;
- jam should be made without seeds. This way it will be stored longer;
- The finished product must be kept in a cool, dark room.
