Raspberries provide tremendous benefits to our body. But the question always arises: how best to preserve it for the winter? Raspberries are one of the only berry crops that retains all useful components and substances even after heat treatment. Therefore, these berries can be used to prepare various compotes, preserves and jams for the winter.
Raspberry compote for the winter
Well-ripened bright red berries are ideal for making compote. For this harvest, it is better to choose varieties with a minimum seed content and excellent aroma.
Be sure to sterilize the jars before preparing the compote.
After picking, the berries are thoroughly washed and cleaned of sepals. Then the water is boiled. Place the berries in jars, about 0.5 kg per 3-liter jar. Pour in hot water and leave to brew a little. Then they drain the water without berries, add sugar to it (a glass per liter) and boil again. After boiling again, the resulting syrup is poured into jars of berries and tightened with lids for further storage. The compote is ready, only it remains to turn the cans upside down and cover with a warm blanket. After one day, the jars can be placed in the basement or cellar for use in the winter.
Raspberry jam for the winter
Almost all varieties of this berry crop are suitable for making raspberry jam for the winter. Raspberry berries are washed, only clean and undamaged berries are selected, then they are poured into a container in which the jam will be cooked (an aluminum bowl is ideal). The berries are pre-weighed and the same amount of sugar is added. The container is covered and left for 12 hours to release the juice. Then boil over medium heat until the jam begins to gurgle or, as the popular language may put it, “slap”. He is given some time to cool down and laid out in jars, previously sterilized. Raspberry preserves are best preserved in screw-top jars.
How to make raspberry jam
Whole berries are boiled in sugar syrup (sugar is added to exactly half the weight of the berries) until a jelly-like mass is formed. Berry juice should be added to raspberries, because they contain few pectin substances. Boil raspberries once until the required thickness. To determine readiness, a spoon is lowered and taken out in the jam. If the syrup trickles out of it, the raspberry jam is ready to be poured. It is placed in jars only hot so that it does not freeze in the cooking utensils.
There are also several other ways to prepare raspberries for the winter: canned juice, jam, and others. Or you can simply freeze the berries without sugar in the freezer of the refrigerator. To do this, select pure raspberries and put them in food cellophane bags. In winter, you can make tasty and healthy jelly from frozen berries or use them to make pies and cakes.
