Many housewives who are tired of their usual dishes are happy to experiment in choosing ingredients for making jams. At the same time, shattering the opinion that jam should be made only from fruits. The recipe for cucumber jam will not only allow you to make a tasty and healthy delicacy, but also save a lot on preparation. And the variety of additional components will make the taste refined and unique.
Features of preparing cucumber jam for the winter
Cucumber jam will appeal to those who prefer original and unusual offerings. It does not have a pronounced taste of cucumbers, but has delicate notes of lemon, orange, mint, currants or gooseberries, depending on additional ingredients. Such jam will not only be an excellent addition to the table, but will also strengthen the immune system, which is especially important in winter.
Cooking instructions:
- Cucumbers for jam must be boiled several times before cooking over low heat. After the gherkins are soaked in sugar and release their juice, the jam made from them will be much tastier.
- For cooking, it is preferable to choose medium-sized cucumbers that have thin skin and few seeds. This will save time and result in less waste.
- Instead of sugar for jam, you can use honey.
To make the jam tender, place the cucumbers in a bowl with salted water, cover with a cabbage leaf and leave in this form for 2-3 days. After the fruits have turned yellow, they are transferred to another bowl, surrounded on both sides with cabbage leaves. The brine in which the gherkins were soaked is boiled and again poured into the container with the cucumbers.
The process must be repeated until the cucumbers turn green.
Only by doing such manipulations can you get a truly high-quality product.
Preparing Ingredients
The first step is to sort through the harvest and select small gherkins, which will significantly speed up and facilitate the cooking process. All cucumbers should be thoroughly washed and, if possible, pre-cooked.
There is an opinion that it is better to make cucumber jam from yellow, already aged cucumbers. It is worth remembering that it takes much longer to prepare, there will be much more waste from the fruit, and the final yield will be correspondingly less.
Cooking methods
Gherkin jam can be prepared either in the standard way or using a slow cooker or bread maker. Modern devices have a special “Jam” button. In any case, the result is tasty and unexpected; the main thing is to properly prepare the cucumbers before starting cooking, since the taste, tenderness and consistency of the resulting product depend on this.
Cucumber jam with mint and lemon
In addition to the main ingredients, you can add cinnamon, kiwi pulp, cloves, and vanilla to taste.
To prepare you need to prepare:
- cucumbers – 1 kg;
- juice and zest of 2 lemons;
- sugar – 0.6 kg;
- mint leaves.
The mint is crushed, the cucumbers are peeled, cut in half and the seeds are removed. Next, put them in a saucepan with the addition of mint, lemon juice and zest, and sugar.
The ingredients are left to infuse for 2-2.5 hours.
Then you need to bring the contents of the pan to a boil and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. and roll into jars. The resulting jam has a caramel consistency, very tasty and tender.
Cucumber jam with lemon and orange
The hostesses advise adding ginger to the recipe below, which will make the jam even more healthy and nutritious.
Cucumber jam with lemon and orange is prepared from the following ingredients:
- cucumbers – 1 kg;
- lemon, orange - 1 pc.;
- sugar – 0.5 kg;
- citric acid – 1/4 tsp;
- cloves – 4 pcs.
Based on taste preferences, you can also add cinnamon, rosemary and vanilla sugar.
Cucumbers are peeled and cut into cubes. The zest is removed from the lemon and orange, the white skin is peeled off, and the seeds are removed. Lemon and orange are cut into small cubes, then sugar is added and the mixture is cooked for 20 minutes. over medium heat. Then you need to add cucumbers and spices. Cook for another 10 minutes, then pour into jars.
Cucumber jam with honey
To please your household with a delicacy of gherkins, you need to prepare:
- cucumbers – 1 kg;
- sugar – 400 g;
- honey – 150-200 g;
- lemon zest.
The fruits are peeled and cut into small cubes. Place in a deep container with the addition of zest and sugar. The ingredients are infused for 2-3 hours. Afterwards the pan is placed on the fire and the contents are cooked for 0.5 hours. When the consistency has become caramel-like, add honey and mix well with the rest of the ingredients. Everything is poured into sterilized jars.
Jam can also be made by completely replacing sugar with honey. In this case, the ingredient is added based on taste preferences and depending on how sweet the jam should be.
Cucumber jam with gooseberries
To prepare you will need 1 kg of cucumbers, 0.5 kg of gooseberries, 1 kg of sugar, 2 tbsp. l. nettle juice and a little lemon juice. The cucumbers are peeled, cut into bars and filled with cold water. Everything is left like this for 1.5-2 hours, then the water needs to be drained and the fruits sprinkled with sugar. Grind the gooseberries in a meat grinder, to which lemon and nettle juice are then added, everything is sent to the stove. After boiling, remove from heat and cool. Combine the cucumber mixture with gooseberries, put on fire and cook until the cucumbers become transparent. Then pour into jars and roll up.
Cucumber and redcurrant jam
You need to take 2 kg of cucumbers, rinse well and cut into small cubes. Place in a deep container, add 1 kg of sugar. Leave the juice to simmer for 5-7 hours, then add another 0.5 kg of sugar and put on fire. Cook for 15 minutes. Cool the contents, add 1 cup of red currants and bring to a boil. Place in pasteurized jars.
How and with what to serve?
Cucumber jam is served with pancakes, pancakes, tea, that is, with the same dishes as all other jams.
Based on the above, cucumber is an ideal ingredient for making dessert. The jam made from it is tasty and unusual; it will be an excellent addition to family tea parties and get-togethers with friends.
