Content
Cherry is an early ripening crop; fruiting does not last long; in a short period it is necessary to process as many berries as possible for the winter. The fruits are suitable for jam, wine, compote, but all methods involve long-term heat treatment, during which some of the beneficial substances are lost. Cherries with sugar without cooking are the best option to preserve the beneficial properties and taste of fresh fruits.
Berries in syrup retain their shape and flavor well
Features of cooking cherries in sugar
Only ripe berries are used for harvesting. The fruits are rich in vitamins; their chemical composition includes many substances necessary for the body. Without cooking, the product completely retains its nutritional properties, so fruits of biological ripeness are chosen. Overripe, but good quality cherries with no signs of rotting can be used in pureed form for preparation without cooking.
The harvest is processed immediately after harvesting; the shelf life of cherries is no more than 10 hours, since they lose juice and are prone to fermentation. The fruits are sorted, if the quality is in doubt, it is better to use them in other recipes, for example for making wine, and not in preparation without cooking.
Cans for preservation are taken of the same volume, most often they use 500 or 750 ml, but there is no strict limitation.
Before storing, jars are inspected for cracks and chips on the threads. Clean with baking soda, because the alkaline composition of the substance neutralizes the acidic environment that causes fermentation, so the shelf life of the product will increase. Then the containers are washed with hot water and sterilized. The product is placed in prepared jars. The lids are also processed and boiled for several minutes.
Rules for preparing cherries in sugar for the winter
For processing without cooking, sugared cherries can be used whole or ground. There are recipes where the berries are taken with seeds. The disadvantage of this method is the short shelf life. After a year, the seeds release hydrocyanic acid into the product, a toxin dangerous to humans. If you decide to use whole fruits, place the cherries in a solution of salt and citric acid for 15 minutes. There may be worms in the pulp; their presence is difficult to determine visually, but in the solution they will float out. Then the cherries are washed under running water.
When removing seeds, it is necessary to damage the fruits as little as possible and try to preserve the juice if they are sprinkled with sugar and they will be intact. To remove the stone, use a special separator device or improvised means: a cocktail tube, a pin.
Fruits for winter harvesting must be large, ripe and always fresh.
Only clean berries without moisture on the surface are processed. After washing, they are laid out on a table covered with a kitchen towel and left until the water is absorbed into the fabric and evaporates.
In all recipes without cooking, regardless of the consistency of the final product, cherries and sugar are taken in the same quantities.
Recipe for cherries with sugar for the winter without cooking
There are several options for processing fruits without cooking; the simplest, which does not require material costs and uses fast technology, is whole fruits with pit removal and sterilization. The second way to prepare for the winter is pureed cherries with sugar. It will take a little more time to prepare the raw materials. If there is no time limit, you can use the recipe without cooking and sterilization.
Technology for harvesting cherries without cooking with additional heat treatment:
- The seeds are removed from the washed dry berries, and the fruits are placed in a wide container.
- Take jars of the same volume, fill them with cherry mass, sprinkling each layer with sugar.
- The bottom of a wide container is covered with a cloth and the blanks are placed, covered with lids.
- Fill with water until it narrows on the jars.
- To ensure that the lids fit tightly to the neck and water does not get into the cherries when boiling, install a weight. Place a round cutting board; you can place a small pan of water on it.
- Sterilize cherries in sugar for 25 minutes.
If the berries have sagged too much so as not to roll up the half-empty jars, fill the rest from one to the top and seal with lids.
Another method without cooking using whole berries:
- The pits are removed from the cherries, the berries are weighed, and an equal amount of sugar is measured.
- Dishes for recycling are taken taking into account that they fit in the refrigerator (a mandatory condition).
- The cherries are covered with sugar and mixed thoroughly.
- Cover the pan and leave it in the kitchen for 10 hours.
- The cherries are stirred every 3-4 hours.
- Place in the refrigerator overnight with the lid closed so that the mixture does not absorb foreign food odors.
- The sugar dissolves within 24 hours; the mixture is kept stirring systematically so that the fruits are well saturated with syrup for 4 days.
The berries are transferred to jars, filled to the top with syrup so that there is no air cushion left, and closed.
Recipe for mashed cherries with sugar without cooking:
- The seeds are removed from the cherries, only clean and dry raw materials are processed, the amount of sugar should be equal to the weight of the berries.
- If the number of berries is large, they are ground in portions with sugar using a blender or food processor in a cocktail bowl.
- You can add lemon juice, it will add a citrus scent and act as a preservative, but this ingredient is not necessary.
- Place the workpiece in jars.
The taste of jam without heat treatment compares favorably with that which has been boiled for a long time
If it is possible to store the jars in a cool place, cover them with lids and put them away. When stored in a room at room temperature, it is better to sterilize a product prepared without cooking for 10 minutes. If the volume of processed berries for this recipe is small, the jars can be placed in the refrigerator without additional hot processing.
Terms and conditions of storage
The shelf life of a product processed with seeds without cooking is no more than 12 months. This blank is used first. In other cases, the period is doubled, provided that the room is not lit and the temperature does not exceed +5 0C. Opened cherry blanks are stored in the refrigerator.
In winter, the jars are periodically reviewed; if there are signs of fermentation, the container is opened to preserve the berries, and the product is boiled. It is quite suitable for further use. If the indoor humidity is high, the metal covers may rust and must be replaced with new ones. A film of mold may appear on the surface; it is better not to use such a product; its quality and nutritional value deteriorate.
Conclusion
Cherries with sugar without cooking are a delicious dessert that does not lose beneficial elements; sterilization only slightly changes the chemical composition of the berry. The product is stored in a cool room for a long time. The preparation is used as a dessert, for filling pies, decorating and soaking cakes, and the syrup is added to cocktails.
