Cranberries are one of the healthiest berries, containing a record amount of ascorbic acid. It also contains B vitamins. This berry has a beneficial effect on health - it strengthens the immune system, slows down aging, and cleanses the body of toxins. Fresh cranberries are not always available, and because of their inherent sour taste, you can’t eat many berries. The best solution would be to make cranberry jam, which can be saved for the winter.
Features of preparing cranberry jam for the winter
Cranberry jam prepared according to all the rules contains all the valuable substances characteristic of fresh berries.
This healing delicacy can:
- protect body cells from the destructive effects of free radicals due to the high content of natural antioxidants;
- improve the condition of blood vessels;
- resist viruses;
- regulate blood clotting;
- cleanse the body of toxic substances;
- improve the condition of nails, skin and hair;
- reduce bad cholesterol levels;
- normalize blood pressure.
All these properties of the berry are an excellent reason to make jam from it, which you can enjoy at any time of the year. To do this, you need to carefully select the fruits and properly prepare the container for twisting.
Selection and preparation of berries for harvesting
To make high-quality and tasty jam, you need to select the most beautiful and fully ripened, undamaged berries, grown in an environmentally safe area. They should have a rich purple or bright red color.
Cannot be used for jam:
- green berries, since they have not gained enough useful properties and do not have a characteristic expressive taste;
- berries with a yellow tint - this indicates the beginning of the fermentation process and, consequently, the loss of all useful substances.
Cranberries do not require special preparation. Just rinse the berries and dry them on a towel or soft paper napkin.
As an alternative, you can make jam from frozen cranberries. It must be crumbly.
If the cranberries are stuck together, this means that the storage rules were violated, and the raw materials were subjected to repeated freezing and thawing.
How to prepare containers for the start of the process
Glass jars are used to make cranberry jam for the winter.They must first be washed with a warm water-soda solution, and then sterilized in a large saucepan with boiling water or in the oven using dry steam.
Screw caps also need to be sterilized.
How to make cranberry jam
There are many options for making cranberry jam. They suggest using this berry both independently and with the addition of other ingredients - for example, apples and citrus juice - this increases the beneficial and taste properties of the product.
Simple recipe
Every housewife can easily cope with the first recipe, spending a minimum of time. It only requires two ingredients:
- 1 kg cranberries;
- 1 kg sugar or powdered sugar.
Step-by-step cooking process:
- Place the washed and dried berries in a cooking container. You can use a spacious, thick-walled, thick-bottomed pan or cauldron.
- Pour out the entire prepared amount of granulated sugar or powder (at your own discretion).
- Using a mixer or immersion blender, grind the berries with sugar until smooth.
- Set the burner to medium and cook the berry mixture until it boils - about 10 minutes. During this time, you need to stir the mixture periodically to completely dissolve the sugar.
- Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the cranberry mixture to a sieve and grind to get rid of small seeds and skin.
- Return the processed mass to the pan, bring to a boil and continue boiling for 10 minutes.
- While boiling, pour the jam into sterilized glass containers and close with airtight lids.
With apples
Supplemented with juicy apples, cranberry jam will turn out more delicate and jelly-like in consistency.
For this recipe you need:
- 1 kg cranberries;
- 2 kg of ripe juicy apples;
- 2 kg granulated sugar;
- 2 g ground cinnamon;
- 250 ml boiled water.
You need to prepare the delicacy as follows:
- Wash the apples, peel them from seeds and core, and then, if desired, cut into small slices or grate.
- Pour water into a saucepan and add apples. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes to soften the fruit.
- Add the prepared cranberries to the apple mixture, add sugar and grind using a submersible blender.
- Place the saucepan with the apple-cranberry mixture over low heat and let it boil.
- Set the flame to medium and cook for half an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Towards the end of the cooking process, add cinnamon and mix thoroughly.
- While hot, pour the jam into jars and seal tightly with lids.
No cooking
The following recipe will save time. Jam without heat treatment retains maximum nutrients. It will require:
- 300 g of cranberries and sugar;
- 1 medium sized orange.
Cooking process:
- Scald the orange with boiling water and, using a grater, carefully remove the fragrant zest - it should be set aside separately.
- Remove the peel and divide the fruit into slices.
- Using a meat grinder or blender, squeeze the juice out of the orange slices.
- Add washed cranberries to the citrus mass and sprinkle with sugar. Send the zest there too. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Keep the vitamin mass at room temperature for several hours. During this time, the components will release juice abundantly and become evenly saturated.
- Place the finished dessert in sterilized jars, close with tight lids and store in the refrigerator.
With citrus juice
Another recipe based on a combination of citrus fruits and cranberries. Such a twist must definitely be prepared for the winter.
To prepare you will need:
- 2 kg cranberries;
- 500 g sweet oranges;
- 2 lemons and limes each;
- 2 kg of flower honey (instead of sugar).
The step-by-step process is simple:
- Wash and then scald citrus fruits with boiling water, grate the zest, remove the peel and squeeze out the juice.
- Cut the lime and lemon into halves and then cut into the thinnest slices.
- Remove the seeds from citrus fruits to remove the unpleasant bitterness effect.
- Mix cranberries, washed and dried, with a blender along with citrus juice and zest.
- If the honey is thick, melt it a little in a water bath. Use liquid honey as usual. Pour honey over lemon and lime slices and leave for thirty minutes to completely soak in.
- Add cranberry and orange pulp. Leave everything together for another hour.
- Place the aromatic vitamin mass into sterile glass containers and close with tight plastic lids.
Terms and conditions of storage
Heat-treated and sterilized jam can be stored for 24 months in a cool, dry place..
Treats prepared without cooking can be stored exclusively in the refrigerator for no longer than 12 months.
