A simple recipe for making cranberry jam for the winter

Cranberry jam is an exquisite delicacy and a treasure trove of vitamins, macro- and microelements. It's nice to open a jar of healthy dessert in winter. It can be eaten by gardeners who do not like the too sour taste of the berry.

Previously, cranberries were collected in wild, swampy areas. Collectors handed it over to collection points or sold it in markets. Today, gardeners grow berries on their plots.A healthy product should be properly preserved: all vitamins should remain in the jam.

Subtleties of cooking

Jam is a traditional preparation of berries for the winter. It was made only in rich houses: sugar was too expensive.

Over time, the product became more accessible. Housewives began to care about the benefits of the delicacy. To preserve vitamins and obtain a quality product, you should follow the following rules:

1. For cooking, you need to purchase a copper basin with a wooden handle. It has a flat wide bottom. The contact of the contents with the heating surface is more complete. In such a container it is easier to ensure a slow, even boil.
2. Jars and lids must first be washed with detergent and sterilized. It is acceptable to use an air fryer, oven, or multicooker. At the dacha, gardeners use a microwave oven.
3. The berries need to be sorted before cooking. Rotten, green and damaged ones should be removed. Clean the raw materials from debris: twigs, leaves, insects.
4. Cranberries need to be washed in a colander. Pour cold water into the basin. Immerse the colander in it several times. Replace the water and repeat the operation.
5. Dry the washed raw materials on a paper towel. This will remove excess water.
6. You can cook from fresh or frozen berries. The latter needs to be thawed.
7. The berry has a sour taste. You should take sugar at the rate of 1.5 kg per 1 kg of raw materials.
8. Sugar is sometimes replaced with honey. For every 250 g of sugar, take 1 glass (250 ml) of honey.
9. The readiness of the jam is determined drop by drop. It is dripped onto a plate. If it spreads, you need to cook it more.
10. The readiness of the syrup is determined by the degree of dissolution of sugar and the absence of foam. The sand should dissolve completely.

It is necessary to distinguish jam from preserves.For the latter, you can use overripe berries. But the skin must be intact.

How to choose cranberries for jam

It is realistic to produce high-quality preparation only from high-grade berries. Cranberries collected on the site or purchased at the market should be carefully sorted. You need to get rid of the green berries.

The jam contains a dense, elastic berry. The color of the raw material is bright red or purple. Yellow cranberries have no beneficial substances: they have fermented.

When purchasing frozen raw materials, you need to monitor the friability of the product. Stuck together berries indicate re-freezing and improper storage.

It is recommended to find out the region of growth: a berry grown in an unfavorable environmental environment will be useless.

What are the recipes?

Gardeners know enough recipes for preparing winter preparations. Which recipe to use depends on the housewife’s imagination, available raw materials and free time. Last but not least, storage location is important.

A simple recipe for the winter

It is used when there is a large amount of raw materials and a lack of free time. You will have to stand at the stove for 20-25 minutes. Required:

• 1 kg cranberries;
• 1.5 kg granulated sugar;
• 250 ml water.

How to cook:

1. Add sugar to water and cook syrup. Remove foam regularly.
2. Cool the syrup and pour it over the berries. Leave for 3-4 hours. The raw materials should be saturated with syrup.
3. Put on fire. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes. Skim.
4. Leave the basin for 5-6 hours.
5. Repeat points 3-4 4 times.
6. Pour the boiling jam into jars and roll up the lids. Turn over and leave to cool.
7. The jam is stored at room temperature.

It is convenient to start cooking in the evening. The semi-finished product will cool down overnight.In the morning the process needs to be continued.

Cranberry jam without cooking

Simple cooking method. It allows you to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins. You will need:

• 1 kg cranberries;
• 2 kg granulated sugar.

How to proceed:

1. Cover the berries with sugar. Leave for 2-3 hours: the raw materials should give juice.
2. Grind everything using a blender.
3. Place into small jars and close with lids.
4. Store in the refrigerator for no more than six months.

Some gardeners have spacious freezers. They put the pureed cranberries into plastic containers and place them in the freezer. The jam is stored until the next harvest (at -18 degrees Celsius).

Jam in a slow cooker

Sometimes gardeners use bread makers (if there is a mode) or multicookers to prepare winter delicacies. The advantages of these devices: the raw materials are heated evenly, the presence of the hostess is not required. You will need:

• 1 kg of berries;
• 1.5 kg of sand;
• cinnamon to taste.

How to cook:

1. Place the berries in a slow cooker. Add sand and cinnamon. Leave for 2 hours to release the juice.
2. Close the lid. Select the “baking” mode, time 45 minutes.
3. Place the hot jam into jars and roll up.

Some multicookers count down the time from the moment you press the “start” button. In this case, the warm-up time must be taken into account. It needs to be added.

Cranberry jam with banana

The perfect combination of sweet, sour and tart. This dessert will perfectly complement morning porridge and will appeal to children. You will need:

• 1 kg of berries;
• 1.5 kg bananas;
• 1 kg sugar.

How to cook dessert:

1. Puree the cranberries in a blender or pass through a sieve. Place in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle the puree with sugar and leave for 1 hour to release the juice.
3. Puree some bananas and mix with cranberries.
4. Cut the remaining bananas into pieces.
5. Place the basin on low heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Carefully add banana pieces. Remove from heat and leave for 30 minutes: the bananas should be soaked in juice.
7. Stir and cook for another 15 minutes. The bananas should become transparent.
8. Place the hot product into sterile jars and roll up.

The delicious dessert is stored at room temperature. It has a thick consistency.

Jam “Five Minute”

It doesn't take long to cook. But you need to spend time preparing. Required:

• 1 kg cranberries;
• 1.5 kg granulated sugar;
• 500 ml water.

How to proceed:

1. Place the cranberries in a bowl and add 300 g of sugar. Leave for an hour to release the juice.
2. Boil syrup from the remaining sand and water.
3. Strain the cranberry juice. Add it to the syrup and bring to a boil.
4. Pour syrup over berries. Bring to a boil and cook for exactly 5 minutes.
5. Pour the hot dessert into jars and seal.

“Five Minute” can only be kept in the refrigerator. The dessert stays fresh for six months.

Cranberry jam with orange

Citrus adds an unexpected flavor note to the taste of cranberries. This exquisite dessert will delight gourmets. You should prepare:

• 1 kg cranberries;
• 0.5 kg of oranges;
• 2 kg sugar.

What to do:

1. Peel the zest from 1 orange. The rest - peel, remove seeds and remove films.
2. Mix cranberries with oranges and cover with sand. Leave for 1 hour until the juice releases.
3. Puree the mixture using a blender. Add zest.
4. Place the basin on the fire. Bring to a boil, cook for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Leave for 30 minutes.
6. Put on fire and cook for another 15 minutes.
7. Pour the hot mixture into jars and seal.

The jam is stored in the cellar or in the room.

Cranberry jam without sugar

An original recipe for a healthy dessert. The housewife will have to spend enough time preparing. How to cook:

1. Place the prepared berries in a sterile jar. Place it in a water bath.
2. When reducing the quantity, you need to add berries to the jar.
3. When filling the jar, completely sterilize the contents and seal.
4. The jam is stored at room temperature.
5. 

Disadvantage of dessert: too sour taste.

Cranberry jam with apples and walnuts

Traditional apple dessert is complemented with delicious cranberries and walnuts. The combination of honey and fruit flavor makes the dish unforgettable. Required:

• 1 kg cranberries;
• 1 kg of winter apples;
• 3 kg of liquid honey;
• a glass of shelled walnuts.

How to cook:

1. Puree the cranberries, place in a bowl, pour honey.
2. Peel the apples and cut into thin slices.
3. Combine chopped apples and puree. Leave for 3 hours. The apples should be soaked in juice.
4. Add chopped walnuts. Put on fire, bring to a boil. Cook until the apples are translucent.
5. Place the finished jam into sterile jars and seal.

The dessert is stored in the refrigerator or other cool place. Shelf life: 6 months.

From frozen cranberries

Frozen berries retain their beneficial properties. You can make any jam from it. Cranberries need to be defrosted before cooking. Its weight decreases during defrosting: this should be taken into account when laying out.

Storage Features

Cranberry jam can be stored in the refrigerator, basement, or at room temperature. Storage features depend on the amount of granulated sugar, additional ingredients and method of preparation.