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Red currant juice for the winter is an excellent preparation option for those who want to maintain their health during the cold season. It is preserved in the summer from fresh ripened fruits.
The benefits and harms of red and white currant juice
Preparing preserved white and red currants for the winter allows you to preserve most of the beneficial substances contained in fresh fruits. Therefore, the canned drink is not only tasty, but also healthy. The berries of both white and red currants contain:
- complex of organic fatty acids;
- vitamins A, group B, C, E, H, PP;
- minerals, especially high percentages of calcium and iron.
The chemical composition of white and red currant berries is very similar; the main differences between these varieties are the color of the berries and taste characteristics: white produces yellowish fruits with a sweetish taste, and red produces a corresponding shade, but a more sour taste.
Thanks to its rich chemical composition, white, like red, currants are widely used in cooking and folk medicine. Red and white currant juice benefits:
- improving digestive processes;
- prevention of cardiovascular diseases;
- improving the functioning of the nervous system and brain;
- removing waste and toxins from the body;
- combating elevated body temperature.
However, currant juice can harm the body if you have stomach diseases - due to the high acid content, such a drink is highly not recommended for people with gastritis or stomach ulcers. In addition, it is better to exclude the product from your diet for those suffering from hemophilia, poor blood clotting, or hepatitis. Everyone else can safely drink a refreshing currant drink that brings health benefits.
How to make juice from red and white currants
You can get juice from red and white currants in different ways, the choice depends on the availability of one or another kitchen utensils and units. The oldest and most common method is rubbing through a sieve to separate the juice from the skins and seeds of the fruit. You can also strain the berries using gauze.
In addition to these “grandmother’s” methods, there are other, less labor-intensive ones.
Juice from white and red currants through a juicer
Juicers can be mechanical or electric, but the essence of their functioning is the same - the machines separate the juice from the pulp. The cooking principle is presented with step-by-step instructions.
- Place washed and dried white or red currants into the neck of the device and turn it on.If you use a mechanical model, you will have to turn the handle yourself.
- The pulp is separated into a special compartment of the juicer, which can still be useful - if it is too wet, it is passed through the device again.
- After the raw materials give up the maximum amount of liquid, the resulting product must be poured into a saucepan and boiled over low heat.
- As soon as the liquid boils, turn off the fire, remove the foam, and pour the finished product into containers for seaming.
Juice from white and red currants using a blender
If you don’t have special equipment for extracting juice from berries (juicer, juicer), you can use a blender, a colander and two saucepans.
- The berries, washed and separated from the branches, are crushed using a blender. The resulting mass is transferred to a colander.
- The process of extracting juice is based on heating the mass in a water bath. To do this, place a pan of water on the stove, cover it with a wire rack, then place an empty pan of smaller diameter on top, and a colander with chopped berries in it. The entire structure must be covered with natural fabric.
- After about 2 hours of heating in a water bath, all the juice will be released from the currants. It will be completely ready for packing for the winter - all that remains is to pour it into clean jars and sterilize for 15 minutes.
Juice from white and red currants in a juicer
A juicer is a wonderful device with which you can easily obtain juice from currants.
- You need to remove the berries from the branch, wash them and load them into a special compartment of the machine.
- The process of juice extraction is directly related to the addition of sugar - without this ingredient, the liquid from the berry raw material in the juicer is not released. For every 1 kg of raw material, approximately 100 g of sugar is added.
- Pour water into the water compartment and wait until it boils.
- Place the raw materials in the product compartment, sprinkle with sugar and close the juicer with a lid. Cooking time is about 1.5 hours.
- When the juice is ready, you need to place a container under the tap and open it. The resulting product is ready for rolling.
White and red currant juice recipes
There are many interesting recipes for making red and white currant juice for the winter, with or without the addition of additional ingredients that improve the taste of the drink. Below are the simplest but most delicious recipes.
Simple recipe
There is a very simple and quick way to prepare juice for the winter without adding additional ingredients. Here it is suggested to take:
- currants (red and/or white) – 2 kg;
- sugar – 0.3 kg;
- water – 1 l.
Cooking steps:
- Sort the berries, rinse, separate from the branches, and place in a saucepan.
- Pour water over the raw material and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. after boiling. It is not recommended to increase the heat treatment time.
- The resulting mass must be filtered through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve. Anything that remains in the sieve should be thrown away and continue working with the strained part.
- Add sugar in portions, stirring constantly. Place the entire mixture on low heat and wait until it boils.
- As soon as it boils, turn off the fire, and the resulting juice is immediately poured into a previously prepared container and rolled up.
With oranges
By adding orange juice to currant juice, you can get a wonderful, aromatic and healthy drink, which will definitely have to be diluted with water before drinking. To prepare it you need:
- currants (red and/or white) – 1.5 kg;
- large orange – 1 pc.;
- water – 0.5 l;
- sugar – 0.3 kg.
Cooking steps
- The orange is washed well with a brush, the thin peel is removed, and the zest is separated.
- Pour water into the pan, add sugar and orange zest and cook for 5 minutes.
- During this time, you can pass berries and orange slices through a juicer. The resulting juice is mixed with strained sugar syrup.
- Boil currant-orange juice for 1-2 minutes. and poured into jars.
With apples
To prepare a currant-apple drink, non-sour apples are used, because the second main ingredient has a pronounced sour taste. Juice is prepared from:
- currants (red and/or white) – 1 kg;
- apples – 1.5 kg;
- sugar – 0.3 kg;
- water – 0.3 l.
Cooking steps:
- Wash and cut apples into slices must be passed through a juicer, and the resulting juice should be poured into a saucepan, add sugar and water and put on low heat.
- While the mixture comes to a boil, extract the juice from the currants in a juicer and add it to the pan.
- Bring the whole mass to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Then, while still boiling, it is distributed into jars.
With raspberries
White currant juice does not have a beautifully expressed color and aroma. Raspberries go well with white berries – they give the drink a bright, expressive color and a pleasant aroma. This is why raspberries are often used to make juices.Here you need:
- white currants – 1 kg;
- raspberries – 700 g;
- sugar – 0.3 kg;
- water – 0.3 l.
Cooking steps:
- Mash raspberries and white currants until mushy, add water and cook for 15 minutes.
- The resulting mass is filtered and work continues with the released juice.
- Add sugar to it and cook for 3-5 minutes after boiling.
- The hot drink is poured into cans.
With honey
This recipe uses honey rather than sugar as a sweetener to improve the taste of the drink. For 2.5 kg of red and/or white currants, take the same amount of honey. You will also need:
- citric acid – 50 g;
- water – 1.5 l.
Cooking steps:
- White or red currants are placed in an enamel bowl, poured with a solution of citric acid and left for 24 hours under the lid. During the day, the contents of the pan are stirred several times.
- The mass is filtered through a thick cloth without crushing the berries.
- Honey is added to the resulting juice, the whole mixture is brought to a boil and immediately poured into jars.
With mint
Mint adds freshness to the taste of the drink. For 2 kg of white and/or red currants, it is enough to take only 2-3 mint leaves. In addition, you need:
- honey – 3-4 tbsp;
- water – 0.5 l.
Cooking steps:
- Add mint to white or red currant juice, obtained in any convenient way, and boil for 1 minute.
- After turning off the heat, add honey to the mixture.
- The drink is poured into cans and rolled up. Cool upside down.
Terms and conditions of storage
Heat treatment of white and red currant juice allows you to preserve it throughout the winter. For example, freshly squeezed berry juice should be used within 3 days of receipt and stored in the refrigerator.
Currant juice will be stored in jars all winter long if all conditions for picking berries, cooking, and preparing containers are met. After the hot jars have cooled at room conditions, they are transferred to a cellar or other cool place.
Conclusion
Red currant juice for the winter is one of the simplest winter preparations. A drink made from white varieties has a similar taste and properties. If you prepare the concentrate according to the above recipes, you can use it to make jelly and other dishes, or simply dilute it with water and drink it.
