Harvesting blueberries for the winter - how to make stocks of healthy berries
Replenishing vitamin reserves in summer is not a problem, because you can always go to the forest or to the market for berries. But towards the end of the season, harvesting blueberries for the winter becomes relevant. Home supplies will not only provide you with natural products, but also help you save a lot. During the off-season, any fruits and berries are much more expensive. It is much more profitable to prepare them in advance. So how do you preserve blueberries?
This can be done in several ways:
- to freeze;
- roll up;
- dry.
Whichever method you use, prepare the blueberries first. Go through the collected or purchased berries, rinse and let the excess liquid drain.
Freezing berries
Pour clean and dried berries into blender and beat them until smooth. You can grind in any way, even a meat grinder or a wooden crush will do. Now add sugar, mix well. For storage in the freezer, pour the mixture into trays. If the blueberries will sit on a shelf in the refrigerator, glass jars with a screw top will do.
For storage in the refrigerator for 1 kg of blueberries, 2 kg of sugar are needed. The berries that will be in the freezer can be mixed in a 1: 1 ratio.
There is also an easier way to prepare blueberries for the winter. Sprinkle the berries on a tray and place them in the freezer. Sprinkle the frozen blueberries into bags and return to storage in the freezer.
Harvesting blueberries for the winter by preservation
Blueberries can be used to make a drink, jam, syrup, jelly, and even wine if desired. Most recipes involve adding sugar.
Blueberry drink
Fill the jars about 1/3 full of washed berries. Cook syrup at the rate of 300 g of sugar per 1 liter of water. Pour the berries over them, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the syrup, let it boil again and pour it straight into the jars. Roll up.
Blueberry jam "Pyatiminutka"
Pour berries and sugar in a 1: 1 ratio. Bring to a boil over medium heat, remove the foam. Boil for 5 minutes, pour into jars and roll up. Such jam can be stored even without a refrigerator, in a basement or cellar.
How to dry blueberries at home
Select only whole, undamaged berries for drying. Sprinkle them on paper and leave them in the sun. Shake gently from time to time to dry the blueberries evenly. It is very convenient and faster to dry any berries in a special electric dryer. Store such stocks in a glass container under a lid.