TOP 10 recipes for red, black, and white currant sauce and ketchup for the winter, and how to store your preparations

Many housewives don't realize that delicious sauces can be made not only from vegetables, but also from fruits and berries. These seasonings are especially suitable for meat dishes—the sweet and sour flavor harmoniously complements the main course.

This article discusses the specifics of preparing red currant sauce for winter preservation, using various options for preparing these preparations.

Features of making currant sauce

To prepare redcurrant sauce, you need to take into account some nuances:

• Due to the high concentration of fermentation-causing bacteria on the berry skins, they cannot be stored for long periods of time. Processing must begin immediately after harvesting.
• The sauce's shelf life will be significantly extended by adding natural preservatives such as vinegar, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. If the product is to be consumed within a week of preparation, it is recommended to limit the use of these preservatives to achieve a more mellow flavor.
• For preparation, do not use aluminum containers, which oxidize when in contact with berries;

• It is recommended to use a sieve to chop the berries, but for larger volumes of processing, it is permissible to use a blender to speed up the process;
• Long-term heat treatment allows you to increase the shelf life of the product, but it also reduces the content of nutrients, so you should not boil the seasoning if you plan to use it soon after preparation;
• For preservation, use hermetically sealed, sterilized glass containers; after opening, the product can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Please note: Only carefully sorted and washed berries are suitable for use as raw materials.

Selecting and preparing berries

Before processing, the berries are sorted, stems are removed, the raw materials are thoroughly washed under running water, and dried. If a berry is damaged or crushed, it should not be discarded—only rotten or unripe ones are removed.

It is imperative to remove debris and insects.

The prepared raw materials are subject to further processing.

How to make currant sauce at home?

There are countless recipes for currant sauces suitable for home cooking. Below are the most popular.

Classic Redcurrant Sauce Recipe

To prepare a classic currant sauce recipe, you will need to prepare the following ingredients:

• red currants – two kilograms;
• sugar - one glass;
• salt - one teaspoon;
• lemon juice – two tablespoons;
• cloves – five pieces;
• pepper mixture – half a teaspoon;
• ground cinnamon - one teaspoon.

Preparation:

• the prepared berries are ground through a sieve, the remaining pulp is heated and pressed to a dry residue into the ground juice;
• clove buds are crushed and mixed with the remaining ingredients;
• the juice is poured into a saucepan and placed on the fire, brought to a boil, after which the heat is reduced to a minimum;

• Stirring constantly, add sugar and salt in small portions, stirring until completely dissolved, then add the spices. Avoid lumps by stirring vigorously. If they do form, strain the mixture through cheesecloth, then continue cooking.
• cooking time is twenty minutes, subject to constant stirring;
• The lemon is juiced and the seeds are removed. The juice is added to the sauce at the end of cooking, and the mixture is then simmered for another two minutes;
• The finished sauce is poured into sterilized jars and sealed. After cooling, it is stored in the cellar.

With citrus

Adding citrus zest will add a special flavor to the sauce. For easier grating, it's recommended to freeze it first. For every kilogram of currants, you'll need the zest of four oranges. Add it at the beginning of cooking. If using fresh zest, add a little water to achieve the desired consistency.

With mint

A redcurrant and mint sauce will create a sophisticated bouquet and unique flavor in a meat dish. Twelve to fifteen leaves are needed per kilogram of mint. They are added along with other spices, after being finely chopped.

With tomato paste

This seasoning, made with tomato paste, is prepared without heat treatment. Since tomato paste is an excellent preservative, this allows the finished product to be stored for quite a long period – up to three weeks.

However, if you need to prepare the seasoning in the winter, you need to freeze the processed berries in advance.

For one cup of pureed currants, you'll need 140 grams of tomato paste. Blend the currants with hot pepper, garlic, herbs, spices, and salt and mix thoroughly. Add the tomato paste to the mixture, and refrigerate the finished product. The dish is ready to eat in a couple of hours.

Redcurrant ketchup

This ketchup is a very unusual and delicious condiment, adding originality and sophistication to any table at any time of year. To make it, you'll need:

• two kilograms of berries;
• one kilogram of sugar;
• two hundred grams of nine percent vinegar;
• twenty five grams of ground cinnamon;
• forty grams of ground cloves;
• ten grams of ground black pepper.

Place the berries in a container, cover with granulated sugar, and place over the stove. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, for fifteen minutes. Add the spices and simmer for another ten minutes. Add the vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil, pour into prepared sterilized jars, and seal.

From white currant

A relish made from this variety of berries is served primarily with poultry. A piquant flavor is added by the addition of chopped walnuts and semi-sweet white wine. The dish is prepared in the same way as red currant, but without the addition of vinegar, it can be stored for no more than three weeks in the refrigerator. For 250 grams of berries, you'll need 70 walnuts, 50 wine, 100 water, and 50 granulated sugar.

Hot blackcurrant sauce

This seasoning is prepared for winter or for everyday use. Like the previous one, it is best suited for poultry or game. The preparation method is also identical to the previous recipe.

For one and a half kilograms of raw materials you will need one teaspoon of ground coriander, one and a half cups of sugar, a bunch of parsley and dill, half a teaspoon of fresh dill seeds or a couple of umbrellas, a teaspoon of salt, two hot peppers, two heads of garlic.

Redcurrant adjika

Some of the main ingredients for redcurrant adjika are bell peppers and hot peppers. Adding basil to the dish adds a wonderful flavor and unique aroma. Blend the ingredients, add salt and sugar, and refrigerate. The seasoning will retain its flavor for two weeks. If you want to preserve the sauce for the winter, simmer the mixture over low heat for fifteen minutes.

The composition includes:

• two hundred and fifty grams of currants;
• two pieces of bell pepper and two pieces of hot pepper;
• one and a half heads of garlic;
• a few sprigs of dill and basil;
• half a glass of sugar;
• one teaspoon of salt.

Blackcurrant tkemali sauce

Blackcurrants make a wonderful tkemali sauce. It's just as good as the traditional Georgian plum sauce.

To do this you need to:

• a kilogram of berries;
• cilantro, dill, parsley, garlic - fifty grams each;
• a third of a pod of hot red pepper;
• salt, sugar – to taste.

Boil the berries, drain in a sieve, and strain. Add salt and sugar to the resulting puree and simmer for one hour until the juice has completely evaporated. The volume of the mixture should reduce by a third.

Please note: Stir the mixture constantly to prevent burning.

Add the chopped herbs, garlic, and hot pepper to the boiled mixture. Simmer for about ten more minutes and pour into a glass container. Frozen berries can also be used as the filling.

Blackcurrant ketchup

Blackcurrants have tender flesh and a small seed, making them ideal for ketchup. Unlike sauce, this dish requires a good simmer. For a more piquant flavor, the peppers are not ground but cut into small pieces. Simmer the condiment for about an hour, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

At the beginning of cooking, add one-third of the total volume of water to the mixture. Garlic, paprika, or tomatoes are added, depending on the desired flavor.

How long can the sauce be stored?

Natural sauces, without added preservatives, will keep in the refrigerator for two to three weeks. Canned sauces will keep for up to eighteen months.

As the material presented demonstrates, red and black currants are excellent ingredients for making exquisite sauces, ketchups, and other condiments that add variety to any table. Canning allows you to preserve these products throughout the winter, until the next season.