An indispensable treat for the cold winter is healthy and tasty red currant jam. Compared to blackcurrant, it is less aromatic and juicy, but this berry has undeniable advantages. It ripens earlier, almost simultaneously with strawberries. Red currant is a valuable source of vitamins and elements - A, C, E, H, PP, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium and phosphorus. There are several options for making currant jam, including adding other fruit ingredients.
- Features of making red currant jam for the winter
- How to choose and prepare the main ingredients correctly?
- Rules for preparing containers before the start of the process
- How long does it take to cook the jam?
- How to make delicious redcurrant jam at home?
- Classic recipe
- Quick simple recipe “Five Minute”
- No cooking or sterilization
- With whole berries
- With gelatin
- With orange
- With raspberries
- With cherry
- With gooseberries
- With fruits
- With zucchini
- With strawberries
- With lemon
- In a slow cooker
- From red and black currants
- From frozen currants
- How to store the finished product?
Features of making red currant jam for the winter
In winter, there must be several jars of beautiful and healthy red currant jam in the pantry or cellar.
The berry has a beneficial effect on the body:
- strengthens the immune system;
- reduces temperature and eliminates sore throat during colds;
- prevents the occurrence of cardiovascular pathologies;
- reduces cholesterol content;
- stimulates collagen production and promotes cell restoration;
- strengthens vascular walls;
- improves metabolic processes;
- normalizes intestinal function.
In order for the jam to have all of the listed properties, it is important to choose the highest quality fruits and properly prepare the container for rolling.
How to choose and prepare the main ingredients correctly?
For jam, you need to choose fully ripe and juicy, large red currants. Crumpled and rotten ones should be thrown away immediately.
Preparation of selected fruits requires minimal steps:
- Pour into a colander and rinse several times under running water.
- Place on a disposable cloth or paper towel to allow the berries to dry.
- Using small scissors, very carefully, so as not to damage the berries, cut off the tails, leaves and fragments of twigs.
Rules for preparing containers before the start of the process
Small glass jars are used to make redcurrant jam. Before starting the process, it is necessary to check their integrity. The glass should be free of cracks, chips, scratches, traces of rust and other defects.
Preparing containers consists of two stages - washing and sterilization:
- You need to wash glass containers with a solution of baking soda.
- The simplest and most affordable method of sterilization is in the oven or oven. To do this, you need to set the temperature at +120 °C, place the jars on the grill with their necks up so that the moisture evaporates. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
How long does it take to cook the jam?
Depending on the requirements and specifics of the recipe, the cooking time for red currant jam can be from ten minutes to half an hour.
How to make delicious redcurrant jam at home?
Redcurrant jam, prepared independently at home, largely exceeds the beneficial and taste properties of factory-made versions, since special attention is paid to each stage. There are several successful recipes for vitamin treats.
Classic recipe
The simplest and most popular is a classic recipe that requires a minimum of ingredients:
- kilogram of red currant berries;
- one and a half kilograms of granulated sugar;
- 400 ml of filtered water, which can be replaced with still mineral water.
You need to do the following:
- Wash the berries separated from the branches and dry slightly.
- Pour into a bowl or large saucepan for making jam.
- Fill a separate container with sugar and water and boil the syrup.
- Pour the sweet liquid over the fruits.
- Set the burner flame to minimum and cook for twenty-five minutes. Stir regularly and skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
- Cool slightly and place in prepared containers.
Quick simple recipe “Five Minute”
To save time, you can use the simplest recipe for five-minute jam. Even novice housewives can make such a delicacy.
According to the recipe, you need to prepare:
- sugar and berries in equal quantities - one kilogram each;
- one standard glass of water (passed through a filter or mineral water without gas).
Preparation consists of several steps:
- Prepare sweet syrup from sugar and water. Once boiling, continue to simmer the liquid for five minutes over low heat.
- Pour all the berries into the prepared clear syrup.
- Boil for another five minutes, skimming off the rising foam.
- Place the prepared quick jam in a sterile container.
No cooking or sterilization
The absence of heat treatment will allow you to preserve the maximum of valuable components contained in fresh berries.
To implement this method you will need:
- a kilogram of ripe large red currants;
- half a kilogram of sugar.
The process is as follows:
- Grind the juicy fruits in a convenient way - using a blender or meat grinder.
- Add sugar and stir thoroughly until it dissolves.
- Place the vitamin mixture in sterilized glass jars, close with airtight lids and place in the refrigerator for storage.
With whole berries
The most delicious and thick jam will be obtained by using whole large berries and a small amount of water.
For this recipe you need:
- 1 kilogram of fruit and sugar;
- 100 ml purified water.
You should do the following:
- Place the berries in a cooking container, sprinkling each layer with granulated sugar.
- Pour in water.
- Let it cook, having previously set the heat on the burner to medium.
- Stirring the berry mixture and removing the foam in time, bring to a boil.
- Reduce the flame intensity to minimum and cook the berries for half an hour.
- Remove the container from the stove and, after cooling completely, distribute into jars.
With gelatin
Adding gelatin will shorten the process of heat treatment of berries and quickly achieve the desired thickness and jelly-like texture of the jam.
To prepare a vitamin treat according to this recipe, you need:
- half a kilogram of fresh berries;
- 300 g sugar;
- 30 ml filtered water;
- 10 g instant gelatin.
Step by step process:
- Place the berries washed in a colander in small portions into a fine-mesh sieve and mash using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Pour the required amount of sugar into the resulting berry mass.
- Place the container with the berry-sugar contents on low heat and warm to room temperature.
- Pour gelatin into a small bowl and add water. Heat it in a water bath until a homogeneous liquid consistency is obtained.
- Pour the gelatin into the currant mass and mix thoroughly.
- Distribute the dessert among glass containers, cool and close with lids.
With orange
Red currants and citrus fruits make an unusual, but very tasty and healthy jam. According to the recipe, for this dessert you will need:
- 2 ripe large oranges;
- a kilogram of currants and sugar.
The following steps are required:
- Sort the berries, rinse and dry slightly.
- Wash the oranges and, without peeling them, cut them into several slices to remove the bitter seeds.
- Grind the berry-citrus mass in a blender or through a meat grinder.
- Rub the puree through cheesecloth.
- Add sugar and after stirring, place over medium heat.
- After boiling, reduce the flame level and boil for ten minutes.
- Place the cooled mass back on the stove for 6 hours, then spread the jam into containers and screw.
With raspberries
The combination of these two berries allows you to get a luxurious ruby-colored jam, enriched with vitamins.
For the recipe you need:
- 2 kg raspberries;
- half a kilo of granulated sugar;
- sugar (the target amount is 1.5-2 kilograms, but you can change it based on your own preferences).
Step-by-step preparation:
- Mix raspberries and sugar.
- When the berry releases its juice, put it on the stove.
- From the moment it boils, boil for five minutes and then cool.
- Carry out two more stages of cooking and cooling.
- At the last stage of boiling, add red currants, boil and keep on medium heat for ten minutes.
With cherry
The jam according to this recipe is made from the following ingredients:
- a kilogram of red currants;
- 500 grams of cherries;
- 300 ml cherry juice;
- one and a half kilograms of granulated sugar.
Culinary process:
- Make sweet syrup from cherry juice and sugar.
- Remove the pits from the cherries and add them to the syrup.
- Send red currants there too.
- Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
- While hot, place into jars, cool and close with airtight lids.
With gooseberries
To make this jam for the winter, you will need:
- 1 kg each of gooseberries and red currants;
- 1.5 kg granulated sugar.
Cooking process:
- Pour the washed and stemmed gooseberries into a large container.
- Mash with a masher.
- Mash the currants through a sieve to obtain juice. Discard the remaining skins.
- Add sugar to redcurrant juice and make syrup.
- Add grated gooseberries to it.
- Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes.
- If foam forms on the surface of the jam, remove it immediately.
- While hot, pour the dessert into jars and seal.
With fruits
Apricots, apples, bananas, kiwis, pineapples, peaches and other fruits are combined with the taste of red currants.
For jam you will need:
- 1 kg red currants;
- 1 banana and large apple;
- several ripe apricots to taste;
- 100 ml filtered water;
- 1 kg sugar;
- 20 g pectin.
First of all, you need to prepare the ingredients. Rinse the currants in a colander and dry, placing them on a towel. Wash the banana, peel and cut into pieces. Slice the apple without peeling it. Wash the apricots, dry them, halve them and remove the pits.
Next you need to do the following:
- Pour the currants into a large container and lightly crush them.
- Add banana pieces and stir evenly.
- Do the same with apple pieces.
- Add the apricots and mix the ingredients again.
- Pour in water, add sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Place the container over medium heat and wait until it boils.
- In a separate small container, mix pectin with sugar and add to the jam to speed up thickening.
- After the berry-fruit mixture boils, continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring and skimming off the foam.
- When hot, place into sterile jars and roll up.
With zucchini
Red currants go well not only with berries, but also with fruits. As an example - delicious jam with zucchini.
It will require:
- half a kilo of granulated sugar and zucchini;
- 200 g of ripe and juicy red currants.
Preparation will take a minimum of time thanks to a simple step-by-step recipe:
- Rinse the zucchini under running water and remove the top layer of peel with a vegetable peeler or sharp kitchen knife.
- Roughly chop the vegetable pulp.
- Rinse the red currant branches in a colander and dry.
- Separate the berries from the branches.
- Place the zucchini and then the currants into a blender bowl.
- Set the power to maximum to thoroughly grind the ingredients.
- Place the resulting mixture in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.
- Add sugar and dissolve it by vigorous stirring.
- After 10 minutes, remove from heat and cool.
- Let the jam brew for 12 hours.
- Repeat the above process twice.
- After final cooking, rub the mixture through a sieve to crush the zucchini fragments until smooth.
- Boil the jam and transfer to a glass container.
With strawberries
This sophisticated delicacy requires the following ingredients:
- a kilogram of ripe and fragrant strawberries;
- half a kilogram of red currants;
- one and a half kilograms of sugar.
Description of preparation:
- Mix the washed and stemmed strawberries with sugar and leave for three hours so that the berries release their juice.
- Mash the currants with a fork and add to the strawberries. Stir to combine evenly.
- Place the container on low heat and boil for twenty minutes, remembering to stir.
- Leave for three hours, boil again and distribute into jars.
With lemon
For this source of vitamins you will need:
- one kilo each of currants and sugar;
- 1 lemon.
The delicacy is prepared simply:
- Place currants in a cooking container, sprinkling each layer with granulated sugar.
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon and pour it into the berries.
- Infuse the mixture for three hours.
- Cook over low heat, bringing to a boil.
- After removing the resulting foam, cook for ten minutes.
- Infuse the jam for twelve hours.
- Boil again, remove the foam and package in sterilized containers.
In a slow cooker
A simple and quick recipe that requires sugar and red currants in the same volume - per kilogram:
- Place the berries in the multicooker bowl.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly and leave for one hour - this is necessary so that enough berry juice is released.
- Activate the “Stew” mode and cook for about an hour.
- Place the prepared dessert into sterile glass jars and seal.
From red and black currants
For this vitamin-packed option you'll need:
- 750 g black currants;
- 250 g red currants;
- 1.5 kg granulated sugar.
Preparation:
- Place the washed and dried berries in a cooking container.
- Bring to a boil on low heat.
- As soon as the berries begin to burst, add sugar.
- Cook for 20 minutes, then divide into jars.
- Leave in open jars for 20 minutes and then close with airtight lids.
From frozen currants
Frozen red currants, containing ascorbic acid and B vitamins, are available at any time of the year.
To make jam you need:
- 500 g berries;
- similar amount of sugar.
First you need to defrost and sort the currants. Then follow these steps:
- Cover the berries with granulated sugar and let sit for half an hour.
- When the juice appears, start cooking. Keep on medium flame for ten minutes.
- Cool and immediately put into jars for later storage in the refrigerator.
How to store the finished product?
Dessert made from grated red currants can be stored for no longer than eight months in the refrigerator. Heat-treated product - up to three years in dark, dry and cool places.