9 Best Gooseberry and Orange Jam Recipes for the Winter

Jam Fresh gooseberry and orange preserves for the winter, which any housewife can handle. The berry is considered a vitamin bomb, as it contains a lot of vitamin C and various antioxidants. Therefore, gooseberry jam should be in any family's arsenal for the cold season.

The specifics of preparing assorted gooseberry and orange jam

The berry's vitamin content is undeniable. And enriched with oranges, lemons, bananas, and other fruits, the jam becomes a truly healing delicacy. Sweet yet tart, this ruby ​​or green jam will delight both adults and children.

The berries' beneficial properties (almost entirely preserved in the processed form) are worth noting. These include:

• diuretic effect;
• improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• improving kidney function;
• strengthening of blood vessels;
• improving blood circulation;
• strengthening the immune system, especially in winter;
• preventing the formation of stones in the kidneys and gall bladder;
• lowering cholesterol levels and much more.

Of course, to ensure the jam is as delicious as possible, you need to select the most suitable gooseberry varieties and choose ripe, but not overripe, oranges.

Selecting and preparing ingredients

The most suitable varieties for making jam are the Shchedry, Mashenka, or Malakhit gooseberries, and absolutely any orange will do. It's important to pick the gooseberries when they're ripe. Slightly underripe berries (picked about a week or two before) are good for making preserves. Unfortunately, overripe berries don't close completely; it's best to make jam or puree from them sooner rather than later.

Preparing gooseberries will be slightly different from that for jam. For jam, you want berries that are slightly soft, but still hold their shape.

The presence of seeds is not welcome, so it is recommended to cut each berry and carefully remove the seed pod from the middle.

If you're making jam with whole berries, it's best to puncture each berry with a thin, clean needle—that way, it will absorb the sugar and orange juice and make it very tasty. The piercing also serves a utilitarian function: the berry will not fall apart when cooked, even if its skin is thin.

Gooseberries come in a variety of colors. Red and pink produce a ruby ​​or coral-colored jam. Green, however, can produce an unattractive yellow hue. Therefore, it's recommended to add a couple of cherry leaves to each jar to preserve the rich, light green hue.

Oranges are also prepared in a specific way. To remove bitterness, they are placed in a saucepan of boiling water and boiled for 15 minutes. Afterward, they must be placed in cold water, even with ice, for 12 hours. This will completely remove the bitterness without softening the pulp into a puree. The seeds must be removed from the oranges during slicing, as they can cause the jars to bulge.

Sterilize the jars

Sterilization doesn't take much time, but it's essential for preserving jam or marmalade for the winter. Choose any convenient method: in the oven, in the microwave, or over the neck of a boiling kettle. Stirring takes approximately 10-12 minutes, but no less (the only exception is microwave cooking on high power). Jars for these recipes are suitable for capacities from half a liter to two liters.

Delicious recipes for aromatic jam for the winter

One of the proven recipes is taken as a basis.

Traditional recipe without cooking

The main advantage of this jam is that the berries retain their unique flavor and aroma, and their texture remains intact. Unfortunately, this jam cannot be sealed, as the ingredients are not heat-treated. You will need:

• 1 kilogram of gooseberries;
• 2 oranges;
• 1.5 kilograms of sugar.

Wash all the berries and fruits, remove the seeds, and puree them using your preferred method. Add granulated sugar and mix thoroughly. For added flavor, you can add cinnamon, vanilla, or ginger. Whip thoroughly after the first foam appears. Store this delicacy in the refrigerator on one of the lower shelves. The maximum shelf life of unheated jam is 7 days.

A healthy treat with ginger

This jam is a real vitamin bomb. It's delicious not only spread on toast or with your favorite cookies, but also added to tea. You'll need:

• 1 kilogram of red and green gooseberries;
• 2 large oranges;
• ginger root (about 70-80 grams);
• 1 kilogram of granulated sugar.

First, prepare the gooseberries—it's not necessary to remove the seeds, but you do need to puncture each berry so they stay whole and don't turn into an unappetizing puree.

Oranges, on the other hand, are turned into a puree (you can add a little zest). Add a glass of water to two oranges, place the mixture over low heat, and gradually whisk in granulated sugar. Stirring and skimming off any foam, bring the syrup to a boil. Pour the syrup over the berries and let it sit for 4 hours to infuse the flavor.

After this, grate the ginger root finely and add it to the mixture. Place it on the stove and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover immediately, without waiting for it to cool.

With lemon through a meat grinder

Making jam using a meat grinder is quite simple, as there's virtually no prep work required. Here's what you'll need:

• 1 kg gooseberries;
• 2 pieces of oranges and lemons;
• 1.3 kilograms of granulated sugar.

Put the entire mixture through a meat grinder (or, in a pinch, a blender will do). You can also add zest (but in this case, remove the bitterness from the fruit first by immersing it in boiling water and then in ice water). Then, place the mixture over low heat, gradually adding granulated sugar. The amount listed in the ingredients isn't always enough to make jam—you can add more at your discretion.

Let's prepare a delicacy in a multicooker

Making jam in a slow cooker follows the standard procedure. It shouldn't be difficult. Take the standard amount of ingredients and prepare the slow cooker bowl. Load the mixture into the bottom, add sugar, and set the cooker to "Jam" or "Stewing" mode for 1-1.5 hours. Check the readiness periodically and skim off any foam that forms.

Exotic preparation with bananas

This gooseberry and banana jam is quite delicate and delicious. You'll need:

• a kilo of berries and fruits;
• 1.3 kilograms of sugar.

The ingredients are mashed through a sieve or prepared in a regular blender. Sugar is added and the mixture is boiled down to a jam-like consistency.

With currants

You will need to take:

• 1 kg gooseberries;
• 1 kg red or black currants;
• 1.6 kilograms of granulated sugar.

The berries are covered with sugar and left for 4 hours. During this time, a fragrant juice should emerge. They are then minced or blended. Then, they are prepared using the standard method.

Delicate jam with gelatin

Jam prepared with gelatin takes significantly less time. You'll need slightly less sugar (0.6 kilograms), but the remaining ingredients are identical. The mixture is simmered with sugar until the berries soften. Gelatin is diluted according to the instructions and added to the mixture while it's already cooling. This jam is unsealed and consumed immediately.

Marmalade jam with gooseberry, orange, apple and cinnamon

You need to take:

• 1 kg gooseberries;
• 2 oranges;
• 2 green apples with a sour taste;
• 1 kg of sugar;
• a little cinnamon.

Cut the fruit into pieces, mix with the berries, and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit for an hour. Then boil and strain through a sieve. Cover while hot.

Jam with mint

The jam is sealed using the standard method. Mint (5 leaves per kilo) is added at the end.

Terms and conditions for storing winter preparations

The jam is stored in a cool, dark place. The maximum term is up to two years.