Content
Regardless of the variety and ripening period, thorns pickled for the winter have a pleasant tart taste and retain most of their chemical composition for a long time. Fruits are processed with or without seeds, the number of components and their dosage are added or reduced to taste. Fully ripe, good quality berries are used for harvesting.
Features of preparing pickled thorns
Fresh sloe berries are rarely consumed due to the inherent bitterness, astringency and acidity of the fruit.
There is a small amount of sugar in fruits, but the vitamin composition and concentration of chemical elements are high. For conservation, any variety of sloe is used, including hybrid forms of the crop.
Garden shrubs produce larger berries, and the seeds of ripe fruits are better separated than those of wild thorns. All varieties are the same in taste, shape and amount of nutrients. Processing them for the winter is also no different.
The crop is mostly late-ripening; in colder regions, the berries barely have time to ripen before the first frost.
How to select and prepare the turn
Only ripe blackthorn is harvested for the winter; it is dark blue in color with an inky tint and a slight bluish tint. The peel is elastic, smooth, elastic.
The unripe one may not differ much in color, but it is hard, difficult to separate into two parts, and the seed is firmly attached. The taste has a pronounced bitterness and acidity, which cannot be removed by heat treatment. Pickled preparations for the winter will be of poor quality.
Overripe fruits have a peel that is not elastic, may be wrinkled, and the structure is soft. Wormy or with signs of fermentation are often found, although it is difficult to determine this process by appearance. When pickled, most of the fruits do not retain their shape; they fall apart.
The surface of high-quality fruits should be evenly colored without dark, rough, compacted areas
They try to prepare raw materials of the same size. Before pickling, it is processed:
- Cut off the stalks with scissors.
- They review the berries and remove them of poor quality.
- Pour cold water over the sloe so that leftover leaves and possible insects float to the surface.
- The liquid with small debris is drained.
- Wash under running water in small batches.
- Lay the thorns on a cloth to evaporate the moisture.
Preparing containers
Sloes are preserved for the winter in small jars (700,500,300 ml).There should be no chips or cracks on the surface of the container and the neck. The glass may crack from the hot marinade, and the lid will not seal the product tightly.
Use pre-prepared containers:
- Wash jars for pickled sloe with warm water and dish soap.
- Treat the inside with baking soda.
- Remove the remains with hot water and pour over boiling water.
Containers are sterilized in the oven at a temperature of 180 0C 25-30 min.
Can be disinfected over boiling water. Liquid is poured into the pan, a wire rack is placed on top, the jars are turned upside down and steamed until they become dry.
Boil the lids for at least 10 minutes in a saucepan until they are completely covered with water. Leave them in the hot liquid until ready to use.
How to pickle sloe for the winter
There are quite a lot of recipes for canning sloe. It is made with herbs, spicy seasonings, and garlic. If the seeds are difficult to separate, the fruits are processed with them. But it is advisable to remove them. Below are several simple and most common options for pickled blackthorn preparations for the winter.
Recipe for homemade sloe olives
Ingredients for 1.5 kg of sloe:
- salt – 30 g;
- vinegar - 3 tbsp. l.;
- sugar – 90-100 g;
- water – 1.5 l;
- allspice, black pepper, cloves – 6-8 pcs.;
- bay leaf – 2 pcs.
How to make winter olives from thorns:
- Make punctures with a fork on each berry that has been treated to remove debris.
- Combine all ingredients (except vinegar) in water and place on the stove.
- Cook the marinade for 5-8 minutes until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Sterilized jars are filled to the top with berries.
- Pour in the boiling mixture, cover with lids and leave for 15 minutes.
- The liquid is poured into a saucepan. Boil again for 2-3 minutes, add vinegar at the end of the process.
Pour boiling brine over the turn and roll it up. Turn over onto lids and insulate for gradual cooling.
Tarragon leaves can be added to seedless sloes if desired.
Sloes marinated with herbs and garlic
Components for one 0.5 l container:
- turn - how much will go into the jar to the edge;
- cilantro, tarragon, parsley, basil - 2-3 sprigs of greenery;
- garlic – 2 cloves;
- sugar – 10 g;
- salt – ½ tbsp. l;
- wine vinegar - 1 tbsp. l;
- mixture of peppers - to taste.
How to pickle thorns for the winter:
- The berries are cut into two parts and the pit is removed. If the variety does not allow this, the fruits are pierced in several places.
- Place a bay leaf, a few peppercorns, and a layer of thorns at the bottom of the jar.
- Cut the garlic into slices, chop the greens, and mix everything. Cover the surface of the berries, alternating and filling the jar.
- Sugar and salt are poured on top.
- Boil water and pour boiling water into the containers, cover with lids. Allow the berries to warm up and the crystals to dissolve for about 15 minutes.
- Drain the liquid and add vinegar. Let it boil and return the marinade to the sloe.
They roll it up and wrap it up.
The dosage of the recipe components is recommended, it can be adjusted as desired.
Sloes with pits in spicy marinade
Ingredients for two 0.5 liter jars:
- thorn – 600 g;
- cinnamon – 1-2 pcs.;
- allspice – 5 peas;
- sugar – 80 g;
- cloves – 3-5 pcs.;
- vinegar - 1.5 tbsp. l.;
- salt – 1 tbsp. l.
Sequence of preparation of pickled product for the winter:
- Fill the containers with sloe to the top.
- Pour boiling water over the jars so that the berries are covered with liquid.
- Cover with lids and leave for 15 minutes to warm up the workpiece.
- The water is poured into a cooking container, salt and sugar are added and boiled for 5 minutes. Add vinegar.
- Spices are placed in jars and filled with marinade.
- Sterilize the sloe for 10 minutes (after the liquid boils in the container).
Sealed and placed on lids. There is no need to insulate the jars for this recipe.
The preparation for the winter has a piquant, spicy-tart taste and a rich burgundy color of the marinade.
Terms and conditions of storage
Blackthorn pickled for the winter undergoes heat treatment (repeatedly in some recipes). The composition of the berries is characterized by a minimal amount of sugars, so they are not prone to fermentation. The pickled product retains its nutritional value for up to five years.
The preparation for the winter is stored in a storage room if it is not lit and the temperature does not rise above +30 0C. The best option is a basement with low air humidity. To prevent corrosion from damaging tin lids, they are covered with a cloth or the surface is treated with paraffin.
After the container is depressurized, the remaining product is placed on the refrigerator shelf. In this form, it is suitable for consumption for no more than seven days.
Conclusion
Sloes, pickled for the winter, are one of the ways to process berries. The culture is universal in use. Desserts and sauces are made from the fruits. Preservation in a marinade allows you to preserve all the beneficial substances of the chemical composition almost completely. The preparation is used as an independent dish or as an addition to a meat side dish.
Reviews of pickled sloe
