A simple step-by-step recipe for making sour apple jam for the winter

Apple jam is a popular winter preserve. Sour fruits contain the most nutritional benefits. They contain a high concentration of pectin, which gives the preserve its jelly-like consistency. It's worth learning how to make delicious jam from tart apples in advance.

Can you use sour apples for jam?

Not everyone enjoys sour fruits. Many cooks prefer to use them for sauces, compotes, juices, and jams. Jam made with sour fruits best captures the characteristic aroma and sweet-and-sour flavor. Green apple filling makes a wonderful addition to pies, cakes, and pancakes.

Subtleties of cooking

To obtain beautiful, aromatic jam with a long shelf life, you must follow these rules:

• Cooking utensils must be enameled or made of stainless steel, otherwise the product will darken;
• The amber color of the product can be preserved by boiling it several times for 15-20 minutes;
• It is recommended to use equally ripe fruits;
• It is important to prevent the dessert from overcooking and darkening.

When preparing jam for the winter, you can use additional ingredients such as spices and herbs.

It's important to keep in mind that very sour fruits require a lot of granulated sugar. If you don't add enough, the fruit will turn sour.

Selecting and preparing ingredients

To ensure the syrup is clear and the fruit remains whole, it's recommended to make jam from green, sour apples. Not only should the fruit be plucked from the branches, but recently fallen ones should also be used.

Before cooking, they are sorted and inspected for rot, spots, dirt, and cracks. Damaged specimens are discarded. The fruit is washed, core and peeled, and sliced.

We sterilize containers

Store preserved food in sterilized containers. Glass jars without cracks, chips, or dirt are suitable. Wash the bottles in soapy water, rinse, and air-dry.

Sterilization is carried out in the following ways:

• using a steamer/multicooker;
• in the oven;
• in the microwave;
• in a water bath.

Once the jars are filled with fruit, they should be sterilized in a large bowl of water. The lids should also be sterilized.

Cooking process

To cook jam you need to:

• sour apples 2 kg;
• sugar 2 kg;
• 2 tsp baking soda;
• 1 l of water

Baking soda is used to neutralize excess acidity. It doesn't alter the flavor of the product, preserves its original structure, and prevents apples from crumbling during cooking.

Cooking technology:

1. The fruits are sorted, thoroughly washed, and dried. The stems, skins, and cores are removed.
2. The apples are cut into medium-sized slices and blanched for 5-10 minutes in boiling water (1 liter). They are then transferred to an enamel bowl. The metal container will darken the apples.
3. The water in which the fruit was blanched is mixed with sugar and stirred until completely dissolved. Place the container on the stove and bring to a boil.
4. The syrup is removed from the stove and cooled to 75 ^OC. Add apples to the liquid, cover with a lid, and leave for 3-4 hours.
5. To obtain clear jam in slices, place the apples on the stove and bring to a boil. Repeat this process 2-3 times, then simmer over low heat until the apples are translucent.

The hot liquid is poured into prepared bottles and sealed. You can vary the recipe by adding oranges, lemons, mint, pears, or grapes.

Terms and conditions of preservation of canned goods

The storage place for canned goods should be dark, cool, with a moderate level of humidity. The shelf life of jam with sour apples is 1 year. During this time, the jam will not crystallize. An opened bottle of jam is placed in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2-2.5 weeks.