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It is difficult to find a garden in which this useful, unpretentious berry does not grow. Most often, red, white or black currants are grown in central Russia. From one bush, depending on the variety and age, you can collect up to 7 kg of berries. They are eaten fresh, ground with sugar, and made into jam, jelly, jelly and compotes. The berries can be frozen or dried for later use and remain great all winter long. Currants in their own juice are popular among housewives: this way the berry retains all the beneficial substances and vitamins without the use of preservatives.
Beneficial properties of currants in their own juice
Nutritionists recommend harvesting currants without cooking so that the vitamins in them are not destroyed. When berries are prepared in this way, the juice retains important minerals for the body: potassium, zinc, iron and magnesium, as well as vitamins B, C and K. Studies have shown that the plant contains more vitamin C than citrus fruits, and the content of antioxidants is higher than in blueberries. Due to the presence of such an abundance of useful substances in the juice, it is used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetic procedures.
Currant juice is good for various colds, anemia, and inflammatory processes. Providing a diuretic effect, the drink helps remove from the body not only excess fluid, but also harmful toxins: mercury, cobalt, lead and other heavy metals.
Features of preparing currants in their own juice
It’s easy to prepare several liters of healthy treats. You definitely need to sort the berries, get rid of specks and dented specimens. Only selected raw materials go into the jar. After cleaning, the currants must be washed and dried, spreading the berries in a thin layer over a clean cloth. The raw material must dry completely: to do this, it can be left on the canvas overnight. Now you can start harvesting currants in your own juice.
Recipes for currants in their own juice for the winter
Each housewife has her own recipe for preparing currants in their own juice, but experts distinguish between three types, which are described below. With this treatment, you can achieve a high concentration of vitamins and beneficial acids in the jar, reducing losses to a minimum.
With sugar
The ingredients must be taken in equal parts: for 1 kg of raw materials - 1 kg of sugar. Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the bottom of the container, then add a layer of currants and so on until the jar is full. It is best to finish the rotation with sugar.This is necessary to fix the layers so that the berries do not move freely around the jar, but settle evenly during sterilization and the release of their own juice.
Once the preparation is complete, you need to place the jars in the pan, having previously covered the bottom with a cloth. The containers should not touch each other, so they need to be wrapped in a kitchen towel and covered with lids. Next, fill the bottom of the pan with water, about 3/4 of the way up the jars, and heat over medium heat. When the water begins to boil, it means that sterilization has begun. For containers up to 1 liter the process lasts 10 - 15 minutes. When the contents have decreased in volume, you can add your own currant juice from another jar and roll up the contents.
Another method of preparing canned food in its own juice with sugar is faster, since it does not involve drying the raw materials.
The washed berries are covered with sugar, mixed and placed in jars of the required capacity. Next, cover the workpieces with lids and leave overnight. After 10 - 12 hours, the jars will have enough of their own juice, while the volume of the berries will decrease. You need to add raw berries pre-mixed with sugar to the jars and leave again for 10 hours. Once the process is complete, the jars are pasteurized at 80 degrees. Time depends on volume:
- 0.5 l – 20 minutes;
- 1 l – 30 minutes;
- 2 l – 40 minutes.
Sugarless
The technology for preparing currants in their own juice without sugar is similar to that in the first recipe. Place a cloth on the bottom of the pan, pour water about halfway and bring the resulting mixture to a boil.You need to pour currant berries into dry, sterilized jars, place them in boiling water and reduce the heat slightly so that the water does not boil, but remains hot. Under the influence of temperature, currants release their own juice and settle to the bottom, thus boiling. It is necessary to gradually add raw materials to the jar until the required volume is reached. As soon as the container is filled, the blanks should be rolled up.
With added juice
For this method, you need to divide the raw materials into two parts. Blend half the berries in a blender and strain. Pour the resulting juice over the second part of the currants and boil in a saucepan with water according to the same principle as in the first two recipes. This method of preparation allows you to avoid prolonged heating, and therefore preserve the greatest amount of vitamin C.
Calorie content
The number of calories in currants in their own juice depends on the amount of sugar added when preparing the berries. Without sugar, red currants contain 42 kcal per 100 g. Black currants contain about 40 kcal per 100 g.
Terms and conditions of storage
Canned currants in their own juice under an iron lid can be stored from 12 months to three years, subject to proper conditions: in a dark, cool and dry room. With high humidity, the lids can become rusty and spoil the workpieces in their own juice. The optimal storage temperature is from 0 to 5 degrees Celsius.
Conclusion
Currants in their own juice are a very tasty and healthy preparation for the winter, which even an inexperienced housewife can prepare. It is important to adhere to the basic rules for any preparations:
- Have separate kitchen utensils: containers for sterilization, seaming machine, new lids, clean cloth, colanders or sieve, jars, new lids, spatulas and stirring spoons;
- Always check the integrity of the cans. Containers for preservation must be free of chips, chips and cracks;
- Carefully sort the fruits, especially before preparing canned food in its own juice. Such preparations are not brought to a boil, which means that pathogenic bacteria from damaged fruits can ruin the entire jar;
- Not only jars, but also lids are subject to washing and sterilization before storing products;
- Before starting work, you need to check the covers: their rubber gasket must be intact, without damage, cracks or dark spots. If the gum is damaged, it will easily allow oxygen, along with germs, into the finished product.
By following these simple rules, using the above recipes you can provide yourself and your family with a vitamin dessert for the whole winter.
