TOP 18 recipes for preparing lingonberry preserves without cooking for the winter

Lingonberries are prized for their excellent flavor and health benefits, so they are often used for preserves. There are several recipes for preparing lingonberries for the winter without cooking. These recipes vary in the ingredients and the specifics of the cooking process.

Benefits of harvesting berries for the winter

Many homemakers prefer to stock up on lingonberries for the winter due to a number of benefits, including:

1. The preserves have a long shelf life when stored in favorable conditions. This allows for the preparation of various recipes and the occasional opening of the preserves.
2. Berries pair well with other ingredients. Combining lingonberries with fruits and spices creates exquisite flavors.
3. Lingonberries can be harvested in any form. The fruits can be frozen, dried, or cooked fresh.
4. These treats are beneficial for those with diabetes and other illnesses. Furthermore, lingonberries are considered a powerful antioxidant and slow down the aging process in the body.

How to choose fresh lingonberries

Selecting fresh berries is crucial before cooking. To ensure the preserves retain their flavor, the berries should be firm, medium-sized, and free of visible defects and signs of rot.

It is also worth paying attention to the color of the berries - a uniform color indicates proper ripening.

Preparing the necessary ingredients and containers

When preparing the preserves, it's recommended to prepare all ingredients and containers in advance. You'll need several saucepans, a spoon for stirring the mixture, and sterilized jars with tight-fitting lids. The containers are sterilized by heating them in a single environment at 70-80 degrees Celsius. This high temperature eliminates bacteria and dust from the jars.

The berries selected for preparation are pre-washed in cold water, the stems are removed and they are left to dry naturally. If you have free time, you can leave the lingonberries in water for a couple of hours.

The best recipes for lingonberry preserves for the winter:

Ripe berries can be used to make a wide variety of treats. To choose the right recipe, it's recommended to familiarize yourself with popular options and choose one based on your own preferences and budget.

Classic jam

Pour boiling water over the berries and let steep for 2-3 minutes. Then drain the water and pour the lingonberries into a saucepan. In a separate container, make a syrup using 1 kg of berries, a glass of water, and 1.5 kg of sugar. Pour the boiling syrup over the berries and continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached. Optionally, add cloves, finely chopped apples or pears, and lemon zest and rind at the end of cooking.

Lingonberry jam

To preserve jam, you can use fresh or frozen berries. Wash the berries, place them in a saucepan, and blend with an immersion blender. Then add sugar and water and place the saucepan over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Since the berries are rich in pectin, the jam will thicken without the need for additional gelling agents.

Berry syrup

Ripe berries are suitable for syrup; they should be washed and placed in a glass jar beforehand. Berry syrup is prepared from the following ingredients:

• 1 kg lingonberries;
• 400 ml of water;
• 300 g sugar;
• a handful of lemon zest.

Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil over medium heat, strain, and let cool. Pour the finished syrup into a jar, cover with parchment paper, and store in a cool place.

Fragrant jam

The berry jam is moderately sweet and not cloying, with a slight tartness. The preparation process consists of the following steps:

1. Ripe berries are washed and allowed to dry, after which they are transferred to a saucepan.
2. Water is added to the fruits and they are heated over low heat until they become soft.
3. The resulting mass is rubbed through a sieve, mixed with sugar and cooked until ready.
4. When the mixture acquires the consistency of jam, the finished product can be preserved in sterilized jars.

Lingonberry in jelly for the winter

To preserve the jelly, place the berries in a saucepan and simmer in their own juice until the berries begin to split. Strain the simmered mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, add 2 cups of sugar or honey for sweetness, and continue simmering until done. The cooled jelly is poured into sterilized containers and sealed with lids.

Berry juice

Lingonberry juice is quick to prepare, refreshing, and thirst-quenching. To prepare, mash the berries to extract juice, place them in boiling water, and mix with sugar. Stir all ingredients together, bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Once the juice has cooled and steeped, strain it through a sieve and bottle. The drink can be canned or consumed immediately.

The most delicious liqueur

To make the liqueur, lingonberries are crushed, covered with vodka, and left to steep for 12-14 days. The mixture is shaken periodically, and after steeping, it is mixed with boiled and cooled sugar syrup. After 70-90 minutes, the drink is filtered and bottled.

Juice

The easiest way to make juice is with a blender. Rinse the washed lingonberries, mix them with sugar, and dilute with water. Use a sieve to separate the juice from the rest of the juice. The finished product can be consumed immediately or boiled and stored in sterilized containers for long-term storage.

Pickling berries

The recipe for pickled lingonberries is considered one of the simplest. You can pickle the berries in the following way:

1. Boil the salt solution and let it cool.
2. The berries are poured into jars to the top and covered with syrup.
3. To taste, you can add a few slices of peeled apples to the jars.
4. Cover the jars with oppression and gauze on top, and after 20 days, put the marinated product in the refrigerator for storage.

Drying lingonberries

You can dry lingonberries quickly in an electric dehydrator. Wash the berries and spread them out in a single layer. Turn the dehydrator to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) and turn the berries over several times during the drying process to ensure even drying. Store the dried berries in an airtight glass container. Dried lingonberries can be used to make a variety of desserts and preserves.

Preparing pastila

Place the lingonberries in an enamel bowl and bake in the oven at 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit) until completely softened. Press the steamed berries through a sieve and mix the resulting mixture with sugar. Place the berry mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 40-60 degrees Celsius (104-140 degrees Fahrenheit) until dry. Add a new layer to the dried layer and continue drying. Once there are 3-5 layers, cut the pastila and store in a dry place.

An unusual pickling recipe

The original pickling method involves adding secondary ingredients. Lingonberries are mixed with chopped cabbage and carrots, then pickled according to the classic recipe. This preparation is suitable for use as a side dish for a main course.

Crushed lingonberries with sugar

By mashing the berries with a wooden spoon and mixing them with sugar, you can create a preserve that can be used as a dessert or as a sweet accompaniment to other dishes. The preserve is placed in glass containers and stored in the refrigerator.

Sauce and seasoning for meat

A sauce for meat dishes is made from softened lingonberries. The berries are blended and simmered, adding herbs, grated ginger root, starch, and cinnamon.

Fruit and berry treat

Due to its pleasantly tart flavor, lingonberries pair well with a variety of fruits. Most often, the berries are preserved with apple slices. Cinnamon and other spices are used as additional ingredients.

You can prepare this fruit and berry treat immediately before consumption, following the following recipe:

1. The lingonberries are washed and allowed to dry, after which they are placed in a container of suitable volume.
2. Add finely chopped apples, pears and other fruits to taste.
3. To reduce the acidity of the fruit, sprinkle the treat with sugar and mix thoroughly.

Sweet jam without cooking

Making jam without traditionally boiling berries allows you to save time. To make the sweet preserve, the berries are sorted and washed under cold running water. The washed berries are placed in a pre-sterilized glass jar.

In a separate container, prepare the syrup by dissolving sugar in cold water, adding lemon juice, and bringing to a boil over medium heat. Pour the prepared syrup over the lingonberries and seal the jars tightly with airtight lids. Turn the jars upside down, cover with a warm cloth, and let them cool, then store in a cool, dark place.

Freeze

Before freezing, lingonberries should be thoroughly washed and dried. For convenience, divide the lingonberries into several bags, place them in the freezer, and remove them as needed.

Lingonberries in powdered sugar

If you can't process the berries, simply wash them and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. This treat makes a simple dessert.

Lingonberry tincture with vodka

This strong tincture is perfect for drinking as an aperitif. To prepare the alcoholic drink, the berries are crushed, then mixed with sugar and vodka. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed, placed in a tightly sealed container, and stored in a cool place for a month. Shake the container periodically. After a month, strain the solution through cheesecloth and pour into a clean container. After a couple of days, the tincture will become clearer and can be bottled for permanent storage.

How and how long to store the preparations

You can store your preserves for more than a year in a cool, dark place. Ideal storage locations include a refrigerator, cellar, pantry, or cupboard.