Blueberries are one of the most useful berries, which helps to preserve youth, fight many diseases, and cleanse the body of harmful toxins. It is especially useful to use it in the fall and winter, when the body acutely feels a lack of vitamins and loses immunity to diseases. Making blueberry jam will allow you to preserve these wonderful berries for a long time and will be a wonderful treat for adults and children.
Selection and preparation of ingredients
The main ingredient in the jam are blueberries. When buying, consider them well - quality fruits should be resilient, without any smell, sweet in taste. If you find pink berries, then they were picked too soon.
Many housewives prefer to experiment, including other berries, in addition to blueberries, in the jam. Mixes with raspberries, wild strawberries have a special taste and aroma, which many seem more original. Since strawberries are quite expensive on the market, not everyone can afford the pleasure of including berries in jam. Basically, such recipes are used by someone who himself grows or collects these wonderful fruits in the forest, and, of course, will not take bad ones.
As for raspberries, when buying it, you should pay attention to the appearance of the berries - they must be dry, without signs of mold and traces of pests. In stores now you can find imported raspberries, which are distinguished by a special aesthetic appeal. However, it is not recommended to take it, as there is a danger that the berries may be crammed with chemicals that prolong the fruit's shelf life. Such a product can be harmful.Important! Blueberries easily absorb harmful substances, so the berries should be collected in places remote from roads, industrial plants and other contaminated sites.
If you are not going to start preparing preparations for the winter immediately after purchase, please note that fresh berries can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 5-6 days. To do this, they are laid out in a low capacity with a thin layer. Before making jam, the berries are peeled of the stalks, washed and laid out in a sieve or on paper so that the excess liquid is gone.Blueberry Jam Recipes for the Winter
People have known about the benefits of blueberries since ancient times - berries can strengthen the immune system, have a therapeutic effect in various ailments, including colds, viral diseases and diseases of individual organs. Therefore, it is not surprising that today you can find many simple recipes for boiling berries, allowing you to save the product for a long period.
Classic Simple Blueberry Jam Recipe
5.5 l 1 hour
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Pour blueberries into a wide enameled pan, pour evenly sugar.
- Place the container on a small fire and, gently stirring the blueberry-sugar mass, wait until the sugar has completely melted.
- Increase the heat and bring the mass to a boil.
- Fasten the fire again and, constantly stirring and removing the foam, cook for another 20 minutes.
- Put the jam in sterilized jars and roll it up, put the lid down, wrap it with a blanket.
Video recipe
Did you know? A feature of blueberries is that the predominant part of the beneficial substances contained in it is preserved during heat treatment.
Blueberry and Strawberry Jam
1.5 L 1 hour
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Pour water into an enameled pan, heat.
- Add sugar, mix and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Gently lay the berries in boiling syrup, trying not to damage, tighten the fire and cook for 10 minutes.
- After the set time, with the help of a slotted spoon, collect the berries in a separate container, and prepare the syrup for another 20 minutes, continuously stirring and collecting foam.
- Put the berries back into the pan with syrup, bring to a boil.
- Arrange the jam in prepared jars, roll up, put upside down and wrap with a towel. When the cans are completely cooled, they can be moved to a permanent place of storage.
Did you know? Strawberries contain a set of nutrients that are close in composition to aspirin, and therefore helps with headaches.
Blueberry Jam with Raspberries
1.2 L2 h. 30 min.
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Put the berries in a bowl, pour sugar evenly on top and leave in the room for 1.5–2 hours.
- After the set time, the berry mix will start the juice. Now the container must be put on a small fire and, constantly stirring, bring to a boil.
- Set the fire to a minimum and continue cooking for another 20 minutes, stirring and removing the foam.
- Pack the cooked mass in banks and roll up.
Mint and Lime Blueberry Jam
1 L 50 min.
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Wash the lime fruits, grate the zest, and squeeze the juice out of the pulp.
- Pour berries, sugar, zest and lime juice into a saucepan.
- Put the container with the ingredients on the fire, bring to a boil. It is necessary to constantly stir the mass so that it does not burn.
- Extract whole sprigs of mint and cook for another 30–40 minutes until thickened.
- After the allotted time, you need to remove the mint, and scatter the jam over the banks and roll up.
Features of storage of blanks
Blueberry jam, prepared and corked in compliance with all the rules, is not very picky in storage. It can be stored in a cellar or indoors, but preferably in a darkened place. When storing in an apartment, try to choose a cooler place where the air temperature does not exceed + 20 ° С.
Important! If the cans are clogged with metal lids, make sure that the room has moderately dry air that does not cause corrosion.
Do not leave rolled up jars in the cold, as the jam in them is quickly sugared. Avoid sudden changes in temperature - this can lead to the formation of condensation inside the jars, which will cause mold. If you find among your winter stocks signs of mold in blueberry jam, do not rush to throw away the product - you must carefully remove the mold and digest the rest of the contents, add more sugar and re-roll. Jars of blueberry jam can stand for several years.
Blueberry jam is a tasty and healthy product, the preparation of which allows the inclusion of a wide variety of ingredients. In addition to the recipes presented in the article, there are many others, for example, with the addition of honey, orange and even lavender. In any case, jam will become not only a delicious addition to tea drinking, but also a good wellness complex.
