How to cook wild strawberries for the winter: 4 rules of assembly and a lot of recipes

Harvesting wild strawberries for the winter is troublesome, requiring compliance with the rules from the moment of assembly

The aroma of forest strawberries is unforgettable and so want to save it for the winter. Today I propose to talk about what can be made from strawberries and how to save wild strawberries for the winter.

Putting it right: 4 tips

To save strawberries for the longest possible time, you need to properly collect it:

A photo	Recommendations
	Tip 1 Come to the "hunt" only in dry weather. If the weather conditions on the day of collection are not lucky, and the berries are soaked, after coming home, immediately take up the processing. Wet strawberries are not stored for a long time.
	Tip 2 Strawberries are fragile berries, so try not to expose them to multiple pouring from one container to another.
	Tip 3 Before harvesting strawberries for the winter, be sure to wash it. To do this, use a basin with plenty of cold water.
	Tip 4 Even if your goal is to fully preserve the taste of the berries, be sure to add a small amount of citric acid. It does not really affect the taste, but it will not allow jam to quickly become sweet.

Recipes for every taste

With whole berries

For this recipe I strongly recommend using small jars (half liter).

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Fragrant jam with whole berries

Cooking Instructions: For every ½ kg of berries, take a glass of sugar. Apply the berries in layers, sprinkling each with sugar. Try to do it carefully, but as tightly as possible. In the process of sterilization, the strawberries will settle and make a lot of space in the bank. Place the filled containers into the pan with water (put a cloth on the bottom that prevents the jars from breaking) and sterilize for 20 minutes. Roll up.

This method allows you to preserve the shape and integrity of the berries, you can safely use them to decorate baking or as an addition to casseroles and cheesecakes.

Jam

This method of harvesting is suitable even for wild strawberries, which have lost their shape (overripe, long lay).

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Wild strawberry jam

Cooking: For every kilogram of berries - 1 kg of sugar. Pure berries I fall asleep with sugar and leave for 2–3 hours. The resulting juice is poured into a separate container and sent to the fire before boiling. I add strawberries and boil for a quarter of an hour. From this point on, you have two paths of action: You can boil the jam until it has a thick, uniform consistency. Or... Catch the berries, rub them through a colander or a blender and re-immerse them in the syrup. The resulting jam is poured into the jars and twisted.

Wild strawberry jam can be a little bitter. To avoid this, when cooking, add black currants or whole peeled carrots, which must be removed before rolling.

We freeze

If frozen strawberries will be used for compote, immediately make harvesting with other berries

Tasty jam is fine, but heat treatment, to one degree or another, deprives useful components. What to do? To freeze!

Option 1. Prepared berries (washed and dried), spread on a small silicone baking sheet and send in the freezer. Lay out the blanks in bags or containers and store them in the freezer.

Option 2. Crush the berries in a puree blender, spread on the molds and freeze. If desired, in the strawberry puree, you can immediately add sugar.

Strawberry smoothie ice cream with sugar. Delicious!

We dry!

Dried strawberries can be used as a treat or as an aromatic additive to tea.

Straw billets can be dry. Drying is carried out on a sunny day, the berries are laid out in the shade on thin paper (parchment, tracing paper) in one layer. When choosing this method, remember that the berries must be systematically turned over and hidden from the rain.

You can quickly dry the berries with your own hands in the oven at 50–55 ° С. The berries are laid out in one layer, dried and taken out. The procedure is repeated several times until complete loss of moisture.

Recipe "for the lazy"

If your goal is to keep a maximum of vitamins, choose a recipe without cooking:

• Per kilogram of berries, take 0.5 kg of sugar, explain the strawberries and add another 0.5 kg of sugar.
• Within 2-3 hours candied strawberries should be mixed.
• Put the prepared mass in cans and send to the refrigerator. Such jam can be stored until spring.

Strawberries in sugar persists until spring

Where's the compote ?!

If strawberries with sugar must be kept in the refrigerator, then for compote you can make room on the shelf with preservation.

If you like the idea of ​​compote, choose a whole, slightly immature strawberry. In this case, the berries will retain their integrity and appearance.

Sterilize the dishes for preservation. Pour the berries into the jar (1/3 volume), add 1½ cups of sugar and a little citric acid to preserve the color of the berries, pour boiling water and roll up.

Compotes should be stored in a dark place.

Five minutes

As you understand, there are many recipes for preparing strawberries for the winter, and it's time to share with you my beloved, which will take only 5 minutes:

• For 3 kg of berries, take 1.5 kg of sugar and pour it in layers.
• After 5 hours, candied strawberries should be sent to the stove and bring to a boil.
• Boil the berries in their own juice for 5 minutes and arrange in sterilized jars.

Strawberry "five minutes", and the jam for the winter is ready!

Summing up

The low price, the ability to grow berries in their own area, the minimum amount of ingredients and a storehouse of vitamins, all this makes strawberry jam an honored guest on the table.

I traditionally offer you an interesting culinary video in this article and invite you to strawberry discussion in the comments. Share your favorite berry recipe with our readers.