Rules and methods for preserving blueberries at home for the winter

Blueberries are perishable berries and are not intended for long-term storage fresh. Canning and high cooking temperatures cause vitamin loss. The antioxidants and vitamin C found in blueberries are essential for the body during winter. There are various ways to preserve the beneficial properties of blueberries, from candied to winemaking.

Preparing berries

Picked blueberries are sorted, removing any spoiled berries, leaves, and stems. They must be washed before cooking or canning. For refrigerated storage, berries should not be washed after picking to prevent mold. Before freezing, they should be washed and dried.

Keeping the harvest fresh

To properly organize the storage space, you need to select the temperature and container.

Selecting containers

The harvested berries are placed in baskets, wooden boxes, and trays. Small quantities of berries are best stored in plastic containers. Metal containers impart a metallic flavor due to oxidation and are therefore not suitable.

Conditions for long-term storage of blueberries

Perishable berries are stored in cool, damp places.

Therefore, the only way to keep them fresh at home is in the refrigerator.

Temperature and humidity

The optimal storage for blueberries is in a refrigerator at 0-2 degrees and 90% humidity.

Illumination of the place

Perishable wild berries are stored without natural light.

The nuances of storing blueberries in the refrigerator

Fresh berries can be stored in the refrigerator without freezing for 3-4 days.

How to save them for 10 days:

• do not wash;
• choose a plastic container with holes;
• Place absorbent paper on the bottom of the container;
• Place containers on the bottom and middle shelves of the refrigerator.

This storage method will protect the product from mold and freezing.

Shelf life of fresh fruits

Unprocessed blueberries have a short shelf life at room temperature—12 hours. Refrigerated in a plastic container, they'll keep for a week, or 10-12 days.

Treatment with vinegar solution will keep it fresh for 30 days.

Preparations for the winter

To keep blueberries fresh for more than a month, heat or cold treatment is essential. Sugar-coated preserves have a longer shelf life. Dried and frozen berries have a longer shelf life.

In the freezer

How to store blueberries in the freezer:

• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface;
• distribute the berries a millimeter apart from each other;
• put in the freezer for 2-3 hours;
• Place the berries in a sealed bag.

Frozen preparations can be stored for 1 year.

Drying

Dried blueberries are prepared for the winter:

• rinse in a colander;
• leave to drain for an hour;
• dried in the shade for 6-10 days;
• In an electric dryer they are dried at 50 degrees, then finished drying at 70 degrees.

In paper or linen bags, dried fruits can be stored for 2 years.

Sugaring

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blueberries;
• 2 cups of sugar.

Method of preparation:

• Grind washed berries with sugar in a blender;
• place the mixture into sterilized jars;

Store in the refrigerator for 3 months.

Preservation in its own juice

Simple canning:

• Place washed and dried blueberries into 0.5 liter jars;
• add 1.5 tablespoons of sugar;
• shake the containers, close them, and boil for 20 minutes;
• turn over and let cool without wrapping.

Canned goods can be stored at room temperature for 2 years.

Heat treatment

Blueberries are evaporated:

• fill the jars 2/3 full with berries;
• put into boiling water;
• add more berries on top of the ones that have settled;
• remove the jars when they are filled with boiled berries.

Rolled up preserves are stored in a pantry or cellar.

Preparing the syrup

No-cook recipe to preserve vitamins:

• mix equal amounts of blueberries and sugar;
• mix and keep in the refrigerator for 20 hours;
• Heat the container with the mixture at a temperature of 70 degrees to dissolve the sugar;
• place the mass in a sieve lined with multi-layer gauze;
• The sieve is placed over a bowl and left to drain.

The syrup can be stored in a glass container in the refrigerator for 2 months.

Blueberry juice

To prepare, you will need a meat grinder, blender, and hand pestle:

• Chop the washed berries using any method;
• rub through a sieve, squeeze into cheesecloth;
• strain the juice, heat for 10 minutes without boiling;
• pour into jars and roll up.

Once the inverted and wrapped jars have cooled, they are placed in a cool cellar. The juice will keep for 24 months.

Making wine

Ingredients for a classic drink:

• 2 kilograms of blueberries;
• 1 liter of water;
• 500 grams of sugar;
• 50 milliliters of wine starter or 2 grams of wine yeast;
• clean glass bottle.

Preparation:

• Heat clean fresh berries in a double boiler;
• grind in a blender or meat grinder;
• squeeze the juice out of the mixture through cheesecloth;
• dilute the juice with water at a temperature of 25 degrees;
• pour 300 grams of sugar into the liquid, add sourdough or yeast;
• pour the juice into a bottle, put on a gas seal, let it sit for 7 days;
• drain half a glass of liquid, mix with 200 grams of sugar and pour back into the bottle;
• leave the drink to ferment at 20-25 degrees for 1.5 months;
• if the wine continues to bubble, it should be poured into another bottle;
• when fermentation is complete, the liquid is filtered, poured into a clean bottle and left to stand at 16-20 degrees;
• To clarify the wine, it is filtered every 45 days.

The drink is left to stand for 3 months to 1 year and can be stored for 3 years.

Blueberry jelly

Compound:

• 2 kilograms of blueberries;
• 4 glasses of water;
• 5 cups of sugar;
• 50 grams of pectin.

How to cook:

• pour water into a saucepan, add berries;
• bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat;
• squeeze the resulting mixture into cheesecloth;
• add pectin and bring to a boil;
• add sugar and let it boil for a minute.

Roll the jelly into jars, turn over and wrap.

Jam recipe

To prepare 1.5 liters of product you will need:

• 800 grams of blueberries;
• 1 cup of sugar;
• 2 glasses of water.

How to cook:

• boil water;
• add sugar;
• pour in washed berries;
• when the mixture boils, reduce heat and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes;
• Pour the hot jam into jars and roll up.

The berries in blueberry jam remain whole, and the consistency is similar to jelly.

Jam

To prepare thick jam you will need:

• a kilogram of blueberries;
• 600 grams of sugar;
• a glass of water.

Recipe:

• Pour clean berries into a saucepan, add sugar, and stir;
• keep on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 8-10 hours;
• remove the pan, put it on the fire, cook, stirring, until boiling;
• add water, cook for 30 minutes until the jam thickens.

Pour the finished product into jars, close and keep upside down until cool.

Compote

First, you should prepare sugar syrup: melt 3 tablespoons of sugar in 1 liter of water and bring to a boil.

Preparing compote:

• fill jars 3/4 full with blueberries;
• pour hot syrup to the top;
• boil the jars for 15 minutes;
• roll up the lids.

Let the jars cool upside down under a towel.

Blueberries for the winter without cooking with honey

You will need:

• 1 kilogram of blueberries;
• 1 kilogram of honey.

Preparation:

• distribute crushed berries into jars;
• pour in honey.

Close the jars with lids and store in the cellar.

Original options

An alternative to traditional compotes and jams is preserves with gelatin, honey and nuts.

With gelatin

Compound:

• 600 grams of blueberries;
• 700 milliliters of water;
• 3 tablespoons each of gin and gelatin;
• 300 grams of sugar.

Recipe:

• chop the berries;
• add 350 grams of sugar and leave for half an hour;
• dissolve gelatin in warm water;
• pour in gin, add sugar, berry mixture and stir;
• Keep the mixture in the refrigerator until it sets.

Gin can be replaced with vermouth or cognac.

With honey and nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 cups blueberries;
• 3 tablespoons of honey;
• 100 milliliters of water;
• 0.5 cups of walnut kernels and sugar.

Method of preparation:

• mash the berries in a blender;
• fry the nuts in a dry frying pan;
• Heat the honey in a double boiler, but do not boil;
• dissolve sugar in hot water, add honey, blueberries and nuts;
• stir, leave for 1.5-2 hours.

Place the mixture into jars and roll up.

Which method preserves more vitamins?

Products with minimal heat treatment that retain more nutrients:

• drying;
• freezing;
• sugaring;
• canning without cooking.

Sugaring preserves vitamin C. Freezing kills only harmful microorganisms. The nutritional value of frozen blueberries is equal to that of fresh ones.

Dried berries lose moisture, but not vitamins, and are stored longer than fresh ones.