In summer cottages, space is always reserved for fruit bushes. Red currants are grown less frequently than black currants, although both types of crops are rich in vitamin C and contain pectins and organic acids. After heat treatment of the berries, most of the beneficial substances are preserved; red and black currant jam is enjoyed with tea and added to pies. In winter, the delicacy protects against colds and saturates it with vitamins.
Features of making black and red currant jam
Many women close various fruits for the winter and make jams and compotes from the fruits using their own proven recipe. To make jam, red berries can be taken in equal proportions with black currants, in smaller or larger quantities, which determines the color and taste of the mixture.
Required Products
Jam is prepared in different ways. It takes on a very beautiful shade and becomes fragrant if you take:
- 500 g red berries;
- 1 kg of black fruits;
- 2 kilograms of sugar.
Currant jam, which is good for children to eat, is sealed for the winter and poured into a sterile container.
Rules for preparing ingredients
The berries need to be washed, twigs and stalks removed, rinsed with cool water, and transferred to a plastic or aluminum bowl or pan.
Beet sugar not only adds sweetness to the jam, but also kills microbes, acts as a preservative, and prevents the product from turning sour or exploding in the jar.
How to prepare the container?
Boiling jam is poured into small glass containers. They are thoroughly washed with mustard powder or soda, dried and placed on the rack of a gas or electric oven, where they are sterilized for a quarter of an hour. Banks are disinfected:
- in the microwave;
- in boiling water;
- held above the steam.
After disinfection, the dishes are placed on a towel with the neck down, which prevents germs from getting inside. Select lids without deformations and disinfect them in boiling water.
Cooking process
Place pure red and black currants together in a bowl or pan, pour in a little water, and turn on high heat. After boiling, boil the assortment for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms.
Sugar is poured into the berries, the mixture is returned to the stove, stirred with a spoon, and boiled for another quarter of an hour. When hot, transfer to disinfected jars.
To make it easier to clean the berries from debris, they are placed in a colander and dipped in cool water, and the floating branches and stalks are collected. Tasty and aromatic jam is made from a kilogram of black and the same amount of red currants and sugar:
- The berries must be chopped in a meat grinder.
- The prepared mass must be poured into a saucepan.
- Pour 500 g of sugar into the mixture, after boiling, add all the preservative.
- Cooking the grated currants is enough for 6 or 7 minutes.
Place the delicacy in jars, disinfected in the oven, and seal hermetically with sterile lids. The container with the workpiece is insulated with a terry towel or blanket, turned upside down.
Further storage of treats
Red and black currant jam, to which an insufficient amount of sugar was added and sealed in an unsterile container, will hardly last for six months and can easily ferment.
Currant jam, prepared in compliance with the rules and proportions, can be stored for 3-4 years even at room temperature.
If the mass thickens too much, add a couple of grams of citric acid, a little water and boil. Candied jam is added to pies, muffins, cookies, and used to make wine.