Delicious recipes for melon preparations for the winter - you'll lick your fingers!

Did you know that melon can be enjoyed not only in the summer? Recipes for winter preparations with it amaze with their variety. We can't wait to share with you and tell you how to make melon jam, ginger melon, candied melon, canned melon in your own juice and even melon honey!

Which melon is suitable for winter harvesting?

The best option is a melon of medium ripeness. The overripe one will be boiled, and the unripe one will not give aroma and taste. As for sweetness, for winter recipes it is not important. You can even eat the sweet center and use the part closest to the crust for the preparations.

Selection and preparation of fruits

Pay attention to the stalk - it should be juicy and healthy. If it is yellowed and dry, then such a melon is not suitable for winter harvesting. There should be no rotten spots or dry crust on the fruit.

Preparation includes the following steps:

1. Wash the melon and dry with a towel.
2. Cut into two parts.
3. Cut out the seeds.
4. Cut into large pieces.
5. Cut off the crust.
6. Cut the pulp into cubes.

Some recipes require blanching; it allows you to keep the melon pieces in an unchanged form.

The most delicious melon recipes for the winter

And now the fun part: 10 best recipes for every taste. The list of ingredients is minimal, most likely you already have them in your kitchen. Try a few recipes and see if your winter melon is to die for!

Melon jam

Ingredients:

• 1 kg melon pulp;
• 1.5 kg sugar;
• 1 whole lemon;
• 1 tsp. vanillin.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the melon in half, remove the seeds, cut off the rind.
2. Cut the pulp into large cubes.
3. Boil the water.
4. Place the melon pulp in boiling water for 5 minutes. This is called blanching.
5. Place the pieces in a colander. When the liquid has drained, transfer the pulp into a bowl.
6. Place 1.5 liters of water on the fire.
7. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon.
8. Add sugar, vanillin and lemon juice to boiling water.
9. Cook after boiling for 5 minutes.
10. Pour the syrup over the melon pulp and leave for 6 hours. Don't forget to cover with gauze to keep out insects.
11. After 6 hours, put the bowl of future jam on the fire.
12. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, skimming off the foam and stirring.
13. Remove from heat and cool completely. It is better to leave it overnight, covered with a cloth or paper towel.
14. Place the cooled jam into clean jars and close. Immediately remove to long-term storage.

Note. Instead of lemon juice, you can put 0.5 tsp. citric acid.

Melon peel jam

The crusts will take longer to cook than the flesh, but the taste will surprise you. To jam It turned out soft, take your time and don’t skip steps.

Required:

• 1 kg melon peels;
• 1.5 kg sugar;
• 1 tsp. citric acid;
• 1 tsp. vanillin.

Cooking method:

1. Thinly trim off the rough outer part of the crusts and cut into small cubes. If the melon is your own, then the rough peel does not need to be cut off.
2. Place the pieces into a bowl. Add sugar. Lightly shake the bowl from side to side so that the sugar is evenly distributed.
3. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
4. After 2 hours, place the candied crusts on the stove and bring to a boil.
5. After boiling, cook for 2 minutes. Cool for 8 hours.
6. After 8 hours, bring to a boil again.Foam should form, skim it off.
7. Cool again for 8 hours.
8. Boil the jam a third time, adding citric acid and vanillin.
9. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, but do not remove from the stove.
10. Sterilize clean jars.
11. Place the hot jam into jars and seal.
12. Let the jars cool for 5-6 hours, then put them away for winter storage.

Advice. Since the process of making jam is long, we recommend preparing a large volume at once. In this recipe, the ingredients are for 1 kg of crusts.

Candied melon for the winter “you'll lick your fingers”

Ingredients:

• 1 kg melon;
• 1.5 kg sugar;
• 125 ml of water for each boil.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the melon, cut in half, remove the seeds.
2. Cut the melon into large pieces.
3. Cut off the crust.
4. Cut the pulp into cubes.
5. Put water on fire, add sugar. Boil it.
6. Place the melon pieces into boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and cool, covered, for 8 hours.
8. Put it back on the fire. Add water if necessary; there is no need to add any more sugar.
9. Cool for 8 hours.
10. Boil future candied fruits again. If the pieces become transparent, then it’s enough. If not yet, then repeat the procedure.
11. After the final boil, drain the melon pulp in a colander. This will drain all excess liquid.
12. Turn the oven on to 70°C.
13. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
14. Place the melon pieces and place them in the oven for 4 hours. Open the door a little.

Important! The power of the oven is different for everyone, so check the readiness before turning it off. Try pressing on a piece; if moisture comes out of it, it means the candied fruit is not ready yet. But you shouldn’t overdry the fruits either.

Melon in vanilla syrup

Ingredients:

• Half a small melon;
• 1 tbsp. Sahara;
• 1 tsp. vanillin;
• zest of half a lemon.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the melon pulp into small pieces, removing the seeds and cutting off the skin.
2. Wash and sterilize the jars, pour boiling water over the lids.
3. Place the melon pieces into the jar carefully, without crushing them.
4. Pour boiling water over the lemon and grate the zest from half on a fine grater.
5. Boil water and pour boiling water over the melon pieces. Cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes.
6. After 10 minutes, drain the water back into the saucepan, add lemon zest, sugar and vanillin. Boil it.
7. Cook after boiling for 3-4 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and fill jars.
9. Using a seaming wrench, tighten the lids and turn the jars over.
10. After two days, put it in storage.

Pickled melon in honey sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 kg melon pulp;
• 1 tbsp. Sahara;
• 3 tbsp. l. honey;
• 0.5 tsp. citric acid.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the melon and cut it in half, this will make it easier to remove the seeds.
2. Cut into pieces as you would like to serve.
3. Cut off the crusts.
4. Cut the pulp into small cubes.
5. Sterilize the jars and pour boiling water over the lids.
6. Place the melon cubes into dry jars.
7. Boil water and pour boiling water over the melon.
8. Cover with a lid and leave for 7 minutes.
9. Boil the same water again, but with the addition of sugar, honey and citric acid.
10. After boiling, cook for 3 minutes.
11. Remove from heat and immediately fill containers with honey.
12. Cover with lids.
13. Sterilize for 10 minutes.
14. Seal with lids.
15. Turn the jars upside down and wrap them up.
16. After 24 hours, remove to a cellar or other cool and dark place.

Advice. Instead of citric acid, you can place seedless lemon slices at the bottom of the container.

Ginger Canned Melon

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg melon;
• 100 g sugar;
• 1 tsp. citric acid or juice of 1 lemon;
• ginger root.

Preservation method:

1. Remove the seeds from the melon. Cut off the crust.
2. Cut the pulp into pieces or wide short sticks.
3. Cut the ginger root into circles.
4. Sterilize the jars.
5. Boil the lids.
6. Place ginger at the bottom of the jar.
7. Place melon pieces on top.
8. Add sugar.
9. Add lemon juice or citric acid.
10. Boil the water.
11. Pour boiling water into the jars. Cover with lids.
12. Sterilize for 15 minutes.
13. Cover and turn over until completely cool.

Helpful information. Ginger root can be grated on a medium grater.

Melon compote with cinnamon and lemon

Ingredients for a 3-liter jar:

• 0.5 kg melon pulp;
• 1 lemon;
• 1 tsp. cinnamon;
• 2.5 tbsp. Sahara;
• 2 liters of water.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the jars with soda solution and sterilize.
2. Cut the lemon into large slices (about 6 pieces).
3. Free the melon from seeds and crusts.
4. Finely chop the pulp.
5. Place melon cubes at the bottom of the jar.
6. Place lemon slices on top.
7. Add cinnamon.
8. Put the water on fire.
9. Add sugar to boiling water. Dissolve, mix well.
10. 5 minutes after boiling, remove the pan from the heat.
11. Gradually pour the syrup into the jar.
12. Bury with a seaming key.
13. Turn the jars over and make sure they are sealed.
14. Wrap it up.
15. After 40 hours, take it to the cellar or pantry.