5 Best Recipes for Red Currant and Mint Compote for the Winter

Compote is usually made from fruits or berries, but some recipes call for unusual ingredients. For example, compote made from red currants and mint. The drink has a unique and refreshing taste.

Mint-currant compote: secrets and cooking tricks

Making compote with mint is easy. Before cooking, prepare all the necessary ingredients and a container for the drink. The compote takes 30-40 minutes to prepare.

Selecting and preparing ingredients

Any kind of juice is suitable for making mint-currant compote. red currant varieties. The most important thing is that the berries are good and ripe. First, thoroughly wash and dry the berries. There's no need to remove the stems.

Fresh mint is also washed. Insects or larvae are often found on the leaves, so inspect them carefully. Lay the washed sprigs on a towel to dry. You can add whole sprigs to the compote, or use just the leaves.

To enhance the mint flavor, use as much of the herb as possible. Before cooking, you can crush the lemon balm with your hands to release the juice.

Preparing the container

The finished compote is poured into clean glass jars. First, the jars are washed with baking soda and dish soap. Then, wait until the jars are dry before sterilizing.

There are two ways to sterilize containers. The first method involves using steam. Pour a small amount of water into a kettle. Bring the water to a boil. Place the jar upside down in the lid opening. Sterilizing one jar takes about 15 minutes. After sterilization, pour the prepared compote into the container immediately.

The second method is using a saucepan. Place a towel in the bottom of a large saucepan. Fill it halfway with water. Bring it to a boil, then add the prepared jars. Sterilize for about 15 minutes. Sterilization will maximize the shelf life of your preserves.

The best recipes and step-by-step preparation of a fragrant drink for the winter

The best and easiest recipes for mint-currant compote for the winter. You'll need just a few ingredients and a little cooking time.

A classic recipe for a 3-liter jar with lemon balm and black currants

What products will you need:

• black currant;
• a few sprigs of fresh lemon balm;
• granulated sugar;
• boiled filtered water.

How to make a mint-currant drink for the winter:

1. Sort the berries, remove any bad fruit and leaves, and wash them thoroughly.
2. Melissa can be chopped or the sprigs can be left whole.
3. Place the berries and lemon balm in a saucepan, add water and granulated sugar.
4. Place the container with the preparation on the fire.
5. Once boiling, simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. If needed, add more sweetener.
6. Once the drink is ready, it's immediately poured into jars. It's recommended to open the jars no sooner than after 1 month. The longer they sit, the more delicious the compote will be.

Let's make a red currant drink with mint and lemon.

What products will you need:

• red currant;
• large lemon;
• a bunch of fresh mint;
• granulated sugar;
• filtered water.

How to prepare a preparation for the winter:

1. Wash the berries under running water. Leave the stems on.
2. Cut the peel off the lemons and remove the white film from the pulp to prevent the drink from becoming bitter.
3. Lemons can be cut into cubes or left in whole wedges.
4. Place all ingredients in a saucepan, add water and granulated sugar.
5. Stir the mixture, then place it on the stove.
6. The compote takes 30-35 minutes to cook after boiling.

An unusual recipe with red currant, mint, and lemon balm for the winter

What products will you need:

• red currant;
• a bunch of lemon balm and mint;
• sweetener;
• filtered water.

How to prepare a drink for the winter:

1. Wash the berries, leaving the stems.
2. Trim the lemons. To avoid a bitter taste in the drink, remove the white membrane next to the peel.
3. Cut the lemon pulp into cubes or leave in wedges.
4. Rinse the mint.
5. Place all ingredients in a saucepan, add water and sweetener.
6. Place the pan on the fire and bring the drink to a boil.
7. Cook for 30 minutes after boiling.
8. Pour the finished drink into jars. For a more intense flavor, it's recommended to open the compote no sooner than 1-2 months after opening.

A fragrant preparation of black currant with mint and star anise

What products will you need:

• black currant;
• a bunch of fresh lemon balm;
• star anise;
• granulated sugar;
• boiled water.

How to cook:

1. Place currants and lemon balm in a saucepan.
2. Pour water into a saucepan, add sweetener and star anise.
3. Boil the syrup for 20 minutes. Then remove the star anise.
4. Place berries and mint into the syrup, add more sugar (if necessary).
5. Place the mixture on the stove. Once boiling, cook for 30 minutes.
6. Pour the finished compote into jars.

To enhance the star anise's flavor, you can leave it in the compote and simmer it together. It's recommended to open the compote prepared according to this recipe no sooner than after 1-1.5 months. This will result in a more intense flavor.

Recipe with sterilization

What products will you need:

• black and red currants;
• a bunch of lemon balm;
• granulated sugar;
• filtered water.

How to make a drink for the winter:

1. Sort the fruit, removing leaves and any bad berries. Then rinse them and transfer them to a large saucepan.
2. The fruits can be covered with sugar for several hours so that they release juice and the compote will have a richer taste.
3. Chop the lemon balm. Mix all ingredients together, add water and sugar.
4. Place the saucepan over high heat. Once boiling, simmer for about 30 minutes. If the drink is too tart, add more granulated sugar.
5. Pour the finished compote into sterilized jars and seal immediately. Once the jars have cooled to room temperature, store them in the cellar.

Duration and storage conditions

The optimal storage conditions for the preserves are a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Exposure to sunlight will cause the drink to spoil quickly. It's recommended to store the preserves at temperatures between 4 and 7 degrees Celsius. It's best to store them in a basement or cellar. They can also be stored on a balcony or in the refrigerator.

The shelf life depends on whether the jars were sterilized. If they were, the shelf life is about 2 years. Jars that weren't sterilized last about 6-8 months. However, it's best to drink the compote as soon as possible.