The best ways to preserve honeysuckle for the winter in fresh and processed form
Sweet and sour honeysuckle berries are one of the first vitamin supplements to the diet in late spring - early summer. These berries have a bright taste with a hint of bitterness. In order to please children and adults with vitamin-rich fruits in winter, they are prepared dried and frozen, and jams, jams and jellies are made.
Detailed information on how to preserve honeysuckle for the winter is in our article.
Composition and benefits of honeysuckle
Blue berries are rich in natural sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) and essential acids for the body (succinic, oxalic, malic).
The berries contain vitamins B, A and C, microelements (calcium, iodine, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron), as well as fiber, tannins and pectin.
Due to its rich composition, honeysuckle is used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent.
Healthy berries are used in cosmetology. Berry pulp has exfoliating properties and is used in the treatment of skin diseases.
Fresh storage
Berries are among the foods that are difficult to keep fresh for a long time.
The most popular and affordable way to store fresh product is in a cold place. This could be a special compartment of the refrigerator, cellar or basement.
Attention! The slightest mechanical damage during preparation of berries leads to their rapid spoilage.Moreover, rot affects not only the damaged specimen, but also all neighboring ones.
The main factor affecting shelf life is temperature. Exceeding the recommended values by just a few degrees reduces shelf life.
The storage duration is also affected by the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air, the mass fraction of ethylene, and the humidity indicator.
Optimal conditions
Recommended conditions for storing fresh honeysuckle berries: air temperature +1...+2°C and air humidity 90-95%.
An optimal storage mode can only be created with the help of special equipment. In storage, the oxygen content in the air is reduced, which accelerates the process of ripening and withering of the product. This is done using factory-made refrigeration units. The carbon dioxide concentration is maintained within 0.5-5%.
Shelf life
How long does honeysuckle last in the refrigerator? In a regular household refrigerator or cold cellar, honeysuckle retains its freshness and taste for 2-3 days.
In specially equipped storage facilities with optimal temperature, humidity and the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide, berries remain fresh longer - up to 7-10 days.
Drying
Drying allows honeysuckle to be stored for several months. Before starting drying, the berries are sorted and damaged and spoiled are removed. After this, they are washed with running water.
The prepared fruits are laid out in one layer on a clean cloth to get rid of excess moisture, and then drying begins. Let's talk about different methods.
On air
Natural drying using the sun and wind is the most convenient and economical way.The prepared product is laid out on clean sheets of plywood with holes or fine-mesh grids.
The place for drying is chosen in partial shade or under a canopy, always with good ventilation. During the drying process, the berries are periodically turned over to dry evenly.
Advice. If the berries are large, it is convenient to dry them by threading them with a needle. The finished “beads” are hung in a ventilated area.
Drying in this way takes from one to two weeks, depending on the air temperature and the size of the berries.
In the oven
Drying in the oven is another convenient way of preparing. The baking sheets are covered with paper and the berries are laid out on them in one layer. Drying begins at a temperature of +40…+45°C. After the berries have dried and stopped releasing moisture, the paper is changed and dried at a temperature of +60...+70°C.
Need to know! A well-dried berry is a berry that does not release juice when pressed, but also does not crumble.
The door is kept ajar during the drying process. The berries are turned over from time to time.
In the Russian oven
You can dry berries, like fruits, in a Russian oven. They are laid out on grates or trays and placed in the oven at a temperature of +45...+50°C. During the drying process, the layers are periodically shaken and turned over.
To ensure ventilation in the oven, open the damper slightly. Preparation of the dried product takes on average 5-6 hours.
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In a convection oven
It is convenient to use an air fryer to prepare dried product. To prevent moist air from accumulating inside the appliance, a gap is left between the grill lid and the body.
At a temperature of +50...+65°C, honeysuckle reaches readiness in 2-3 hours.
In an electric dryer
For drying, a device specially designed for this purpose is used - an electric dryer. Dry the fruits according to the instructions.
Depending on the power of the dryer and the amount of product placed in it, drying takes from two to four hours.
Storage of dried product
The finished product is cooled and placed in storage containers. These can be tightly sealed glass jars, plastic containers or boxes.
The containers are placed in a dark, dry and cool place, away from strong-smelling spices and seasonings.
Freezing
Freezing allows you to prepare fresh berries for the whole winter. Thawed berries make delicious smoothies and compotes, sauces for meat and pancakes, fruit ice cream and cocktails.
The berries, sorted, washed and dried on a towel, are laid out on trays in one layer and sent to the freezer.
Advice. Select strong, healthy and ripe berries for freezing. Then after defrosting they will retain their attractive appearance.
After 2-4 hours, the frozen berries are removed, placed in containers or plastic bags and sent back to the freezer. Frozen berries are stored for up to a year, until the next harvest.
Thaw the product immediately before use. The day before, move the container into the refrigerator: gradually thawing, the honeysuckle will retain its shape and appearance.
Honeysuckle preparations for the winter
We offer several recipes for healthy and delicious honeysuckle desserts.
Jam
The berries are sorted, washed and sorted. Strong and dense ones are set aside for cooking whole-fruit jam, and soft and slightly overripe ones - for five minutes.
Whole fruit
To prevent the berries from losing their shape during cooking, they are dipped into the prepared hot syrup. The syrup is made from 1 kg of sugar and 200 ml of water. Pour 1 kg of berries into the boiling mass and lightly shake the mixing container.
Cook the jam for 10 minutes after boiling. Shake the container periodically - this way the mass will not burn and the berries will remain intact. Then the jam is removed from the heat and left for 6-7 hours. Then bring it to a boil again and pour it into jars.
Five minutes
Take 1 kg of honeysuckle and add 1 kg of sugar. Leave for an hour so that the berries give juice, then stir and leave again for an hour.
Bring the jam to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 5 minutes. The tasty and healthy dessert is ready - all you have to do is put it in jars.
With apples
To prepare a delicacy according to this recipe, take 1 kg of apples (cut into slices and peeled from seeds) and 1 kg of honeysuckle. Boil syrup from 2.5 kg of granulated sugar and 300 ml of water and pour apples into the boiling mass. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Add honeysuckle and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
After 7-8 hours, bring the mixture to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring. The finished treat is poured into jars.
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With strawberries or wild strawberries
Housewives supplement honeysuckle jam with wild strawberries. Ratio – 1:1. First, the berries are sprinkled with sugar (2.5 kg per 2 kg of berries) and left for several hours. After the sugar is saturated with the released juice, place the container on the fire, bring the mass to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the container from the heat and leave for 7-8 hours. After this, cook for another 5 minutes and put into jars.
No cooking
The fastest way to prepare a healthy treat is to grind fresh honeysuckle with sugar. The berries are mixed with sand in equal proportions and ground by hand or using a blender.
The ground berries are placed in containers and stored in a cool place for no more than 2 months.
Advice. If you want to preserve fruits ground with sugar for a long time, put the jam in small containers and put them in the freezer.
Candied berries
Another option for keeping berries fresh is to sprinkle them with sugar, being careful not to crush them. For 1 kg of honeysuckle take 1.5 kg of sugar. The candied berries are placed in jars and sugar is also sprinkled on top. Store the product in the refrigerator for no more than 2 months.
Jelly
Add sugar (800 g per 400 ml) to honeysuckle juice and cook, stirring, until thickened. The hot mass is poured into jars and rolled up.
Confiture
For 1 kg of berries take 1 kg of sugar. The washed honeysuckle is crushed, mixed with sugar and brought to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and put into jars. The confiture will turn out jelly-like.
Juice
This preparation option is suitable for those who cannot have desserts with sugar. Fresh honeysuckle is sorted and washed. The prepared berries are immersed in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and cooled in cold water for the same amount of time. Then the juice is squeezed out, brought to a boil, poured into jars and rolled up.
Honeysuckle marshmallow
The cake remaining after squeezing the juice can also be used. For example, make pastille. To do this, the cake is mixed with sugar in a 1:1 ratio and left for 3-5 hours. To dissolve the sugar, heat the mixture slightly and mix thoroughly.
The resulting mass is rolled out into a thin layer on parchment paper or a silicone mat, transferred to a wire rack and placed in the oven.Dry the marshmallow at a temperature of +80...+90°C until ready (about 2-3 hours).
Important! The finished pastille does not leave marks on your hands and is easy and soft to cut.
The dried layer is removed from the oven and cooled. Then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into pieces.
Compote
For a three-liter jar, take about 300 g of sugar and a third of a jar of honeysuckle. Place berries in washed and scalded jars and pour boiling water over them.
After 10 minutes, pour the water into a saucepan, add sugar, stir and bring to a boil. The prepared syrup is poured over the berries and the jars are sealed.
Conclusion
By planting several bushes of early honeysuckle on your plot, you will provide yourself and your family with a harvest of vitamin-rich berries as early as May. And by spending a little time and preparing them for the winter, you will get tasty and healthy delicacies.
When dried, frozen and short-term heat treated, honeysuckle retains not only its taste, but also its medicinal properties and helps cope with colds during the cold season.