Cranberries are rightfully considered the healthiest of the berries that grow in northern latitudes. It contains a large amount of vitamin C and other substances that have a tonic and therapeutic effect. Therefore, among the methods of harvesting cranberries for the winter, options are especially appreciated that allow you to preserve the natural properties of this berry.
Useful properties of cranberries
In cranberry fruits, in addition to sugars (mainly glucose and fructose), pectin substances and vitamins, there are various organic acids (citric, oleic, ursolic, malic and a number of others), so the fruits themselves have the qualities of a preservative. Therefore, harvesting cranberries for the winter is somewhat different from the methods applied to other berries. For example, soaked cranberries retain their qualities perfectly even in plain water.
In terms of the content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), cranberries are comparable to citrus fruits. Berries also contain other vitamins:
- thiamine (B1),
- riboflavin (B2),
- niacin (B3),
- pyridoxine (B6),
- folacin (B9),
- tocopherol (vitamin E),
- Vitamin K.
In addition, it contains betaine and various bioflavonoids, as well as macro- and microelements.
Cranberries have long been used as a powerful tonic for colds, sore throat and even rheumatism. The leaves are used in folk medicine for inflammatory processes and diseases of the genitourinary system.
How easy it is to prepare cranberries for the winter
There are many options for harvesting this healing berry for the winter, you just need to choose the most suitable method. It is believed that the maximum amount of vitamins and valuable substances allows you to keep freezing and drying.
Cranberries:
- frozen fresh
- dried,
- rubbed with sugar,
- keep in water (soaked cranberries),
- prepare syrups and sauces.
In addition, cranberry leaves are dried, which also have valuable properties - they have been used in folk medicine for a long time.
Which berries are best for harvesting for the winter
The ability of berries to stay fresh and not spoil depends on the content of organic acids: the higher their level (the more acidic the cranberries), the longer the shelf life may be. Unripe cranberries have a rather dense consistency, they are not wrinkled, they do not give juice, therefore they are easy to process. You just need to let the berries ripen. To do this, they can be laid on the bottom of a wicker basket or cardboard box, sprinkled on a clean, dry cloth.
At room temperature, cranberries usually take one to two weeks to reach their normal state. A little trick will speed up the ripening process: put a ripe apple or tomato next to the berries. The point is that they release ethylene, which will have a stimulating effect on cranberries.
However, unripe cranberries, darkening to a burgundy hue, may never acquire a deep taste. Therefore, it is better, despite the need for additional manipulations, to take a dark red or even purple berry. Such cranberries are usually harvested in late autumn, they are softer and can be easily damaged during transportation, and require more processing effort. However, these berries taste much more pleasant, they have no bitterness. Moreover, it is in the cranberries, which are harvested fully ripe, that the maximum amount of vitamins is contained.
Freezing cranberries for the winter
Cranberries cannot withstand repeated freezing, so it is better to spend a little more time on thorough preparation. With proper freezing of ripe berries, it is possible to almost completely preserve vitamins and valuable substances.
The preparation of berries is universal for all types. Before freezing (drying, wiping, soaking, etc.), the cranberries must be sorted out and rinsed well. Spoiled and crumpled berries must be carefully removed. You should not throw them away - they are suitable for making delicious fruit drinks, but they should not get to the berries intended for storage.
It is important that there is no water on the berries before they are placed in the freezer. Otherwise, they stick together in a lump. A similar thing can happen if you freeze a slightly "flowing berry". This can be avoided by freezing the cranberries scattered in a thin layer, for example, on a pallet or polyethylene, and several "floors" can be formed. Only when the berries "grab" and become firm enough, they should be poured into bags.
In cases where berries are immediately frozen in containers or bags, over time they can turn into a lump. It will be difficult to separate a spoon or two from the total mass, so you will have to use the entire serving.
Fresh frozen cranberries can retain their flavor for many months. Berries require a spacious freezer, but in winter they allow you to cook delicious fruit drinks, sauces and just decorate the dish in a few minutes.
In winter, such berries are useful for delicious jelly and fruit drinks; you can make sauces for meat from them, as well as add to the filling for baking. Cranberries will decorate and enrich the taste of pickled or sauerkraut, add zest to cream for cake or pastries. Frozen cranberries are also indispensable in the diet of a person who has a cold - at the first signs of illness, doctors recommend an abundant warm drink, and fruit drink can be very useful.
Harvesting dried cranberries for the winter
In the past, before the invention of ovens and electric dryers, cranberries harvested in September-October were sprinkled in a thin layer in a dry place, protected from direct sunlight. In the old days, unripe (pale pink, with a "white barrel") berries were also used - they reached the condition on their own, and then gradually dried in the air, turning into a blank, unique in its nutritional value.
You can dry only ripe berries, in which the shell is not broken. Given the flavor of the berries (acid level), you can add some sugar to them. To do this, they are pre-blanched in syrup.
Cranberries have a fairly thick and dense skin, so before drying, well-selected and washed raw materials should be doused with boiling water or even dipped in hot water for a minute. If desired, the berries can even be left for three to four hours in sugar syrup to make the preparation sweeter. Then the cranberries must be thrown into a colander, waiting for the water to drain completely. The berries are now ready to dry.
Cranberries can be dried in different ways:
- in the microwave;
- in the oven;
- in an electric dryer;
- on air.
When drying berries in a microwave oven, cover the dielectric grid with a clean, dry cotton cloth. On top of one layer, carefully spread the cranberries. After three minutes of drying, the berries must be mixed and the timer must be turned on again for the same time. These steps are repeated, depending on the size and degree of ripeness of the cranberries, several times - three-minute periods alternating with a minute's rest and stirring until the moisture has completely disappeared from the berries and they are suitable for winter storage.
Usually berries are spent in the microwave for no more than half an hour, including breaks. It is important to store the resulting blanks in a dark and dry place so that they do not lose their qualities for several months.
For drying in the oven, the berries are laid out in one layer on a baking sheet, which is placed in a chamber preheated to 45C. After the cranberries are in the oven, you need to carefully monitor the change in their appearance. At the first signs of withering berries, the temperature should be gradually brought to 70C. The total duration of the process can be several hours, the time depends on the power of the oven and the qualities of the berries.
It is important to open the oven door from time to time to allow air circulation during the drying process. At the same time, it is worth turning the baking sheet over so that the effect on the berry is even from all sides.
The way to dry cranberries using a special apparatus is the most convenient and ergonomic. In addition, the electric dryer will allow you to prepare them for the winter not only tasty and healthy, but also visually attractive. As a result, cranberries can be used not only for fruit drinks, desserts, sauces, etc., but also for decorating various dishes.
With this drying method, the selected and prepared berries are first laid out on a paper towel. It absorbs water that may have remained on the cranberries after blanching. Then the berries are evenly distributed on pallets, and the electric dryer is turned on in 55C mode. The total drying time can be forty hours. During this time, the pallets should be changed in places - the fruits at the bottom may be ready faster than those at the top.
Lovers of natural options can use the old way - air drying. Preparation for it is standard, it has already been described above. Selected, well washed and dried berries are laid out in one layer on specially made pallets made of wood or plywood, covered with foil or parchment. Lattice trays can also be used. The berries can be dried on the balcony or attic, remembering to mix the cranberries thoroughly every day so that air flows evenly to all the fruits.
It is quite possible to store dried cranberries harvested for the winter, depending on the result obtained, in bags or containers, as well as glass containers. Fabric bags made of natural fabrics, such as flax, are also suitable for storing berries. However, they can only be used in low humidity conditions, otherwise even high-quality dried cranberries (like other blanks of this type) may deteriorate.
It is usually sufficient to find a cool place where the sun's rays do not enter. However, if in doubt that the berries are completely dry and retain their qualities for several months, it is better to place them in the refrigerator or even freezer.
Cranberries with sugar
Jars with such a blank can be stored in the cold for a long time due to sugar, which at a certain concentration acquires the properties of a preservative, as well as similar qualities of cranberries. There are many ways to prepare such cranberries, however, two basic recipes can be distinguished at the basis.
In the first form, washed and well-dried berries are gradually poured into sterilized and dried glass jars. After they are layered with granulated sugar, the container must be tapped so that the contents mix evenly.
The second recipe provides for the preparation of mashed cranberries, chopped with a blender or in a meat grinder. One kilogram of berries requires one and a half kilograms of sugar. After mixing, the resulting mass is laid out in sterilized jars, which must be stored in the cold, or in plastic containers for subsequent freezing (in small portions).
Such blanks are especially good for creating desserts; they may well replace jam or tea. Considering that cranberries have not undergone heat treatment, a significant amount of nutrients is retained.
Soaked cranberries
Harvesting soaked cranberries for the winter also belongs to the old methods. In the past, the berries were stored in cellars or cold hallways, but now the banks can be placed in the refrigerator or on the balcony.
Cranberries are poured into glass jars on "shoulders", and then poured with cold water. You can take regular filtered or bottled water, although the best taste will be when using spring water. Considering that cranberries are an excellent preservative, only two ingredients are enough to prepare soaked berries. Jars closed with plastic lids are very resistant to cold storage. At the same time, the maximum amount of vitamins is preserved in the berries. Cranberries partly transfer valuable substances to water - it can be used for drinking, cooking or used for cosmetic purposes.
Cranberry leaves
Lovers of aromatic tea may like dried cranberry leaves, which are good to brew separately or together with berries, as well as combine with other mixtures (raspberry, currant, mint, lemon balm, oregano, St. John's wort, etc.). Infusion of cranberry leaves has long been used in folk medicine, considered a valuable drug for sore throats or problems with the genitourinary system. According to modern experts, this tea is especially useful after a bath, as it can effectively restore the body's water and electrolyte balance and have a positive effect on overall health.
