Bird cherry jam

Bird cherry is a unique plant, the healing properties of which have been known to people since ancient times. The taste of fresh berries is not quite ordinary, sweetish, slightly tart. But in many winter preparations it looks much more attractive. The variety of bird cherry recipes for the winter makes it possible to choose something most suitable to your taste. And all year round enjoy the healing properties of a tasty and at the same time very healthy berry.

What can you cook from bird cherry for the winter?

Those who, from childhood, are not accustomed to enjoying bird cherry and preparations made from it, sometimes cannot even imagine how much tasty and healthy can be made from this berry.

The easiest way is to cook compote from the fruits. Moreover, you can do this from bird cherry alone, or you can use additives in the form of various berries: sea buckthorn, viburnum, currants, raspberries, rowan.

There are a variety of recipes and techniques for making bird cherry jam for the winter. After all, it can be cooked with or without seeds, with whole or pureed berries. Or you can even make bird cherry jam without cooking.

You can also make jam and delicious jelly from the berries. An interesting recipe for preserving bird cherry in the form of juice. After all, in winter you can prepare a variety of drinks from it and use it in the form of gravy.

The benefits and harms of bird cherry jam

Bird cherry jam is considered not to be a culinary dish, but rather a medicinal remedy. At the very least, bird cherry preparations containing seeds should not be consumed in unlimited quantities. Because they contain a certain amount of a substance that, upon long-term storage, begins to release hydrocyanic acid. And this acid will not bring any benefit to the human body.

And otherwise, bird cherry berries contain too many biologically active substances, which determines their healing properties. Therefore, like any medicine, it is advisable to consume bird cherry jam in moderation.

So, the benefits of bird cherry jam are that it:

• Contains a lot of tannins - tannins and pectin, which can provide significant assistance with diarrhea and intestinal infections.
• Thanks to a large number of antioxidants, it can normalize digestion and establish other life support functions in the body.
• It has a diuretic effect, which means it can alleviate the condition of kidney or liver diseases.
• Helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels due to the content of rutin.
• Jam will help reduce fever and alleviate the general condition of any inflammatory conditions and infectious diseases.
• It is an antidepressant and aphrodisiac due to the endorphins contained in the berries.

But jam and other desserts made from bird cherry also have significant contraindications for consumption. They are strictly not recommended for use by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 6 years of age. Also, given the property of bird cherry to fix stool, you should not get carried away with this jam if you are constipated.

How to make bird cherry jam

The ripest bird cherry fruits are suitable for jam; they have minimal astringency. They can be purchased at markets or collected in nature or from your friends’ plots. The fruits of wild varieties of bird cherry are not so large, but they are more saturated with useful substances.

To prepare bird cherry for the winter, it is usually collected together with twigs. Therefore, the first step is to carefully sort the berries, removing all leaves, cuttings and other plant debris. Brushed, damaged, wrinkled and sickly-looking fruits should also be discarded. Healthy berries should be shiny, fairly large, and intensely black in color.

Then the fruits are washed. It is best to do this in a deep container of a suitable size, changing the water to clean water several times. You can place the bird cherry in a colander and rinse it by dipping it several times in a bucket of water.

The washed fruits must be thoroughly dried. This is usually done by placing them in a single layer on a paper or cloth towel. The less moisture remains on them, the better the finished jam will be stored. Good drying is especially important for a recipe for jam made from whole bird cherry berries.

To prepare bird cherry jam for the winter, it is best to use stainless steel utensils.Enameled is also suitable, but bird cherry contains highly coloring pigments that can leave dark marks on the inside surface of the pan. But you should avoid aluminum and copper utensils, since these metals can come into contact with substances contained in the berries. And the result will be completely unhealthy.

Jam made using traditional methods usually does not need additional sterilization. But the jars and lids themselves must be boiled before use.

Classic recipe for bird cherry jam for the winter

According to the classic recipe, the jam is made from whole bird cherry berries, and at first it may seem runny, but over time it will definitely thicken.

You will need:

• 1 kg black bird cherry;
• 1.25 kg granulated sugar;
• 0.75 liters of water.

From the described amount of ingredients you get about 2.5 liters of finished jam.

Manufacturing:

1. The bird cherry is washed and dried.
2. Water is heated to boiling and 500 g of sugar is dissolved in it.
3. The fruits are transferred to a colander and immersed in boiling syrup for 3-5 minutes.
4. Then the colander is removed and left over the pan for a while so that the syrup can drain as much as possible from the berries.
5. The bird cherry is transferred to a separate container and temporarily set aside.
6. And gradually add all the remaining sugar to the syrup and boil until it is completely dissolved.
7. Boiling syrup is poured over the fruits and set aside for several hours to soak them.
8. Then move the future jam to a very low heat.
9. After boiling, remove the foam and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring periodically and making sure that the jam does not stick to the bottom.
10. Place bird cherry jam in sterile jars and cover with metal or plastic lids.

A very simple recipe for bird cherry jam through a meat grinder

The simplest recipe for making bird cherry jam for the winter does not even require heat treatment of the product. At the same time, the jam retains unchanged all the beneficial properties of the berry. It is only important that the bird cherry is in a fully ripened state.

You will need:

• 500 g of sorted and washed ripe berries;
• 1000 g granulated sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. Prepared bird cherry berries are twisted through a meat grinder two to three times. Each time the mixture becomes more and more homogeneous.
   
   Attention! It is not recommended to use a blender to grind bird cherry berries - you can damage the device.
2. Weigh the resulting berry puree.
3. Gradually add 1 kg of granulated sugar for every 500 g. Mix thoroughly after each addition of sugar.
4. They wait about half an hour. If the sugar crystals do not dissolve, let the mixture stand in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
5. Then the jam is packaged in sterilized jars and stored in the refrigerator.

The resulting delicacy is used primarily for medicinal purposes. As an immunomodulator, you can eat 2 teaspoons at the beginning of the day. Also, bird cherry jam prepared according to this recipe will serve as a good cough medicine.

But it is advisable to use it within the first 6 months.

Bird cherry jam with seeds

Jam according to the following recipe is prepared in a similar way, but it must be heat treated. Thanks to this, it can be stored in a regular pantry or in a closed kitchen cabinet.

You will need:

• 1 kg bird cherry;
• 1 kg granulated sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. The collected bird cherry is sorted, washed thoroughly and dried on a towel to remove excess moisture.
2. Pass the berries through a meat grinder several times.
3. Transfer the resulting berry mass to a cooking vessel, add sugar, mix and heat it for moderate heating.
4. After boiling, the jam is heated for another 3-5 minutes, removed from the heat and allowed to cool to room temperature.
5. After which they put it on heating again.
6. A similar procedure is repeated 2-3 times.
7. Finally, the bird cherry is boiled for the last time for about 10 minutes, distributed into jars and, wrapped, left to cool.

Recipe for tender red bird cherry jam

The same technology can be used to make red cherry jam. Few people know about the existence of another bird cherry - red, or, as botanists call it, Virginia. It came to Russia from North America and for a long time was used exclusively as an ornamental shrub. Its berries are slightly larger and, when unripe, bright red. When ripe, they darken and their color becomes dark red, almost brown. They are somewhat more pleasant to taste than ordinary black cherry berries, since they have less astringency. Red bird cherry jam also has beneficial properties, although its composition is not as rich as that of its chokeberry sister.

You will need:

• 1500 g red bird cherry;
• 1500 g granulated sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. Ripe red bird cherry berries are also thoroughly washed and lightly dried on a towel.
2. Then twist it through a meat grinder three times. If you want to get a particularly delicate jam consistency, you can turn the berry mass 4 or 5 times.
3. Next, proceed according to the same scheme as with black fruits, boil the jam for 4-5 minutes with pauses between cooking periods.
4. It is enough to do this procedure 2-3 times and spread the jam in sterile containers.

How to make bird cherry jam with lemon juice

The sweetness of bird cherry will be favorably offset by the acidity of lemon juice, and the resulting jam will amaze not only with its taste, but also with its amazing aroma.

You will need:

• 1500 g bird cherry;
• 50-60 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons);
• 1.5 kg granulated sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. The fruits are carefully washed so as not to damage their integrity and dried.
2. In a wide saucepan with low sides, sprinkle them with sugar and pour in freshly squeezed lemon juice.
3. Leave the bird cherry in a cool place for 10-12 hours (overnight).
4. The next day, the resulting juice is poured into a separate small container and boiled for at least 5 minutes so that the sugar can completely dissolve.
5. The fruits are again poured with boiling syrup and left for several hours to soak.
6. Then place the jam on low heat and boil for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. The finished jam is poured into sterile jars and sealed tightly.

How to cook bird cherry with cinnamon

According to this simple recipe, bird cherry jam is no less fragrant, although its smell is more spicy, cinnamon.

You will need:

• 1 kg of bird cherry fruits;
• 0.75 l of water;
• 5 g cinnamon;
• 1 kg sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. The fruits are washed, then placed in a colander in boiling water for 5 minutes.
2. Take them out and dry them on a paper towel.
3. Pour 750 ml of water from the water where the bird cherry fruits were blanched.
4. Heat water to a boil, add sugar and cinnamon and cook for about 10 minutes until smooth.
5. Then the bird cherry is placed in the syrup, heated until it boils and, reducing the heat, simmer with occasional stirring for about half an hour.Be sure to remove the foam when doing this.
6. When hot, the jam is packaged in jars and sealed.

Pitless bird cherry jelly

Preparing seedless bird cherry jam is more labor-intensive, but the result is worth the effort. Since such a product can be stored for a much longer period. But, most importantly, by getting rid of the seeds, you can significantly reduce the possibility of food poisoning caused by hydrocyanic acid, which begins to form in the seeds during long-term storage. And it’s much more pleasant to feast on such a dessert - nothing squeaks or gets stuck on your teeth.

So, you will need:

• approximately 1.3 kg of bird cherry;
• 1 kg granulated sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. The bird cherry fruits are sorted as usual, thoroughly washed in a colander and slightly dried.
2. Place the prepared bird cherry in a suitable sized pan and fill it with water so that the berries are completely hidden in it.
3. Heat everything to a boil and cook for about 12-15 minutes.
4. Then drain the water from the berries using a colander.
5. The bottom of a metal sieve is covered with gauze and boiled bird cherry fruits are poured into it in small portions.
6. Using a wooden masher, grind each portion through a sieve, finally squeezing out the accumulated cake with seeds through cheesecloth.
7. There should be a fairly thick berry mass left in the pan.
8. Sugar is added to it, mixed and allowed to stand for half an hour at room temperature for impregnation.
9. Then place it on the fire and boil for at least 5-10 minutes.
10. You can transfer the resulting puree into sterile jars already in this form and, tightly screwing it, store it in a cool place.
11. Or you can add 50 g of gelatin, pre-soaked for 40 minutes in a small amount of cool water.In this case, the jelly will acquire a very thick consistency and will resemble marmalade.
12. However, in any case, it is advisable to store it in a cool place with a temperature not exceeding + 18 °C.

How to make jam from bird cherry

You can make bird cherry jam at home using a similar technology, but do not drain the water after cooking.

You will need:

• 500 g bird cherry;
• 500 g sugar;
• about 500 ml of water.

Manufacturing:

1. The prepared bird cherry is filled with water so that it completely covers the berries by 1-2 cm.
2. Boil for 10 minutes.
3. A colander is covered with gauze, placed over another container and the entire contents of the pan are gradually poured into it. It is better to do this in small portions so that you have time to grind the boiled berries each time and remove the squeezed cake with seeds.
4. The resulting puree is weighed and the same weight of granulated sugar is added to it.
5. Place the jam on low heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6. When hot, bird cherry jam is placed in sterile jars, sealed tightly and, after cooling, put away for storage.

Recipe for bird cherry juice for the winter

The principle of making bird cherry juice is very similar to that described in previous recipes. Only more liquid is used.

You will need:

• 500 g prepared bird cherry;
• 1000 ml of purified water;
• 500 g sugar.

Manufacturing:

1. The bird cherry is poured with purified cold water and heated to boiling point, while crushing the berries with a wooden spoon or masher.
   Advice! It is not recommended to use metal and plastic spoons.
2. After the water with the berries boils, pour everything into a colander, the bottom of which is covered with gauze.
3. The berries are lightly ground and the juice is left to drain in this form for about an hour.
4. The result is a cloudy liquid with a lot of sediment.
5. It is left to stand for another hour, after which the relatively transparent part is carefully drained, trying not to touch the sediment at the bottom.
6. Sugar is added to the resulting juice, heated to a boil and cooked for just a few minutes.
7. The finished juice is poured into boiled bottles and sealed for the winter.

How to store bird cherry jam

Any bird cherry jam prepared according to a recipe with seeds should be consumed within 6 months from the date of production. Further accumulation of hydrocyanic acid is possible in it.

Jam and other desserts made from bird cherry, prepared with the seeds removed, can be stored in a cool place without light for a year.

Conclusion

Bird cherry recipes for the winter can be especially useful for those who prefer to take care of their health using natural remedies. After all, preparations made from these berries help to cope with many ailments and leave a pleasant memory of the treatment process.

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