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Harvesting fruits and berries allows a person to get the necessary portion of vitamins in the cold season. Blackcurrant juice for the winter is a real storehouse of nutrients and trace elements. A large number of various cooking recipes will allow you to choose the perfect drink that will be appreciated by all family members.
The benefits and harms of blackcurrant juice
A drink made from this berry is an excellent tonic. It has long helped to restore strength after a working day, and also acted as a general tonic during beriberi. Juice helps to remove harmful toxins from the body, cleanses the kidneys and urinary tract.
According to folk recipes, blackcurrant juice effectively fights stomach and duodenal ulcers. It also helps with gastritis with low acidity. The drink is used as an additional drug in the treatment of diseases of the liver and digestive system.
Vitamin C, present in large quantities in berries, has an excellent effect on the body with colds. It helps relieve flu and cold symptoms such as headaches and nasal congestion. The most destructive juice for such strains of the virus as A2 and B.
Despite all the usefulness, there are several limitations in the use of this berry drink. In the first place in terms of contraindications is individual intolerance to the components of the product, as well as a person’s tendency to allergic reactions. Carbohydrates contained in berries in large quantities are contraindicated for people who are overweight and have diabetes. It is not recommended to use blackcurrant juice for people who have recently experienced a stroke or heart attack.
How to make blackcurrant juice
To prepare a quality drink, it is necessary to approach the process of preparing the main ingredient with special responsibility. Freshly picked berries must be carefully sorted out – remove leaves, insects and various foreign objects. From each berry, the tail and the remainder of the flower are removed.
For several centuries, blackcurrant preparations have learned to extract juice from it in several ways. Traditionally, all these methods are divided into 2 large groups – with and without a juicer.
Blackcurrant juice through a juicer
Using a juicer to get the most delicious drink is the easiest option. Making blackcurrant juice through a juicer for the winter greatly facilitates the entire canning process for housewives. Berries are placed in the juicer bowl, the device is turned on, after which the finished drink is poured through a special hole. The cake remaining from the berries is thrown away.
There are 2 types of juicers – auger and centrifuge. To obtain liquid from blackcurrant, it is not recommended to use more expensive screw models. Although they are able to extract all the juice to the last drop, a simple centrifugal juicer will do it much faster.
Blackcurrant juice without juicer
In order to make a drink without using a juicer, you will have to spend a little more time and effort. Among all the methods, there are 3 most popular:
- With a meat grinder. The berries are placed in a meat grinder bowl and scrolled on the smallest grate.
- Using a blender. From the fruits make a homogeneous puree. You can use both an immersion blender and a stationary one.
- With the help of a pusher. The berries are crushed to get the juice inside them.
Despite various adaptations, the common point of all methods is the preparation of berry gruel. To get pure juice, it should be filtered. A fine sieve or gauze rolled up in several layers is best suited for this.
Blackcurrant juice recipes for the winter
The resulting blackcurrant concentrate is rarely used as a finished drink. While there are people who prefer the pure product, most supplement it with all sorts of additives. The first place among such additions is confidently occupied by sugar – in addition to sweetness, it is also an excellent preservative that can extend the shelf life for a long time. Many people replace sugar with honey – this complements the taste and aroma of the drink.
Among the additions to the drink, you can use other varieties of currants, as well as a variety of fruit and berry crops. Blackcurrant goes well with red berries. Drink recipes with the addition of apples and raspberries are very popular.
Easy Blackcurrant Juice Recipe
Since blackcurrant in concentrated form has a rather strong taste, experts advise adding a small amount of pure water when cooking. For the recipe you will need:
- 3 kg of blackcurrant;
- 250 grams of sugar;
- 300 ml water.
The fruits are kneaded with a crush, mixed with liquid and put on fire. After the mixture boils, the fire is reduced and the berries are boiled for half an hour. The liquid is cooled and filtered from berry skins.
Pure juice is mixed with sugar and put back on the stove. The liquid is boiled over medium heat for 15 minutes. The finished drink is cooled and poured into prepared sterilized jars.
Blackcurrant juice without sugar
A drink without sugar is considered the most useful – it will contain the maximum amount of nutrients and vitamins. This recipe will allow you to get concentrated blackcurrant juice. To prepare it, you need 2 kg of berries and 150 ml of boiled water.
The fruits are crushed in any convenient way, mixed with water and put on the stove. It is very important to stir the berry mixture periodically to avoid burning. Half an hour after the start of boiling, the pan is removed from the stove, the juice is filtered through cheesecloth folded in several layers. The finished drink is poured into jars, which are rolled up under the lids.
Black and red currant juice
The combination of red and black currants creates a unique berry taste. The drink will include all the beneficial properties of both varieties. You can sweeten it with a little sugar if you like. For cooking you will need:
- 1 kg of blackcurrant;
- 1 kg red currant;
- 500 ml of water;
- sugar to taste.
The berry mixture is crushed in a blender or in a meat grinder, water is added to it and sent to the fire. When the mixture boils, the fire is reduced to a minimum, with constant stirring it is boiled for half an hour. During this time, most of the water will boil away, leaving only a concentrated berry drink. After straining, the juice is tasted – if it is too sour, you can add 200-300 g of sugar. The finished product is bottled and sent for further storage.
With the addition of apples
Apples, like black currants, are an excellent source of vitamins. In addition to their incredible benefits, they can give the drink an excellent taste and delicate fruity aroma. If sweet and sour varieties are used to prepare the drink, then it is advisable to add a small amount of sugar to the finished product. For the recipe you will need:
- 1 kg of fresh apples;
- 1 kg of blackcurrant;
- 300 d Sahara.
First, the juices are prepared separately. Apples are peeled and core, after which they are sent to a juicer. Black currants are pressed in the same way. Then both drinks are mixed, sugar is added to them. The resulting mixture is put on the stove, brought to a boil, boiled for 10-15 minutes, then removed from heat. When the finished juice has cooled, it is poured into sterilized jars and sent for storage.
With honey and mint
Honey has always been considered one of the best folk remedies. In combination with blackcurrant, the drink can become a real vitamin bomb that can easily get rid of any cold. Mint, in turn, adds a unique flavor that will not leave anyone indifferent. To prepare such a drink you need:
- 2 kg of blackcurrant;
- 250 ml of water;
- 150 g of liquid honey;
- a small bunch of mint.
The berries are crushed with a crush, mixed with water and brought to a boil. With constant stirring, the mixture is boiled for 15-20 minutes, then cooled and squeezed to obtain a clear liquid. Honey is added to it, mixed and boiled together with whole mint leaves for 10 minutes. Used leaves are placed in jars along with the drink.
With raspberries
Raspberries, like honey, are an excellent remedy for colds. It has a bright taste, which, in combination with blackcurrant, makes for a great berry drink. Depending on the variety of berries, you can add a little sugar to taste. For the recipe you need:
- 1 kg of blackcurrant;
- 1 kg of raspberries;
- 300 ml of water;
- 200-300 g sugar.
The berries are mixed and passed through a meat grinder. Water is added to the berry mixture and it is sent to boil for 20 minutes. After the mixture has cooled, it is squeezed through a fine sieve or gauze folded in several layers. If the resulting juice is too sour, sugar is added to it, boiled for 5 minutes. Only after that they are poured into banks and sent for storage.
Terms and conditions of storage
Blackcurrant juice, with proper observance of the preparation technology, can be stored for up to 6-8 months. At the same time, adding sugar to the finished product increases its shelf life up to 12 months. Also, do not neglect sterilization – this action will help protect the juice from the development of harmful microorganisms.
In order for the shelf life of berry juice to be as long as possible, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to ensuring the right conditions. Dark places that are not exposed to direct sunlight are best suited. The ideal storage temperature is 4-8 degrees.
Conclusion
Blackcurrant juice for the winter allows you to save all the useful vitamins and minerals of fresh berries. In combination with other fruits and various additives, you can get a great product that can impress even the most demanding gourmet with its taste.
