Content
Strawberry jam, closed for the winter, is not only a delicious treat reminiscent of summer days, but also a great source of healthy vitamins and minerals. Over the years, our grandmothers and mothers made strawberry jam like a regular five-minute. But there are many more recipes for this delicacy. This article will tell you about them and the intricacies of their preparation.
The subtleties of making strawberry jam
The main condition for making tasty and healthy strawberry jam is high-quality berries. They can be either fresh or frozen.
For fresh berries, the following criteria exist:
- She must be mature and strong. It is these berries that will be able to retain their shape during the jam preparation process. Crumpled and overripe berry will not spoil the taste of the treat, but it will soften during cooking and give a lot of juice, making the consistency of the jam very liquid;
- Small size of berries. Of course, you shouldn't measure every berry before defining it in a jam. You just need to try to choose berries of a similar size. Only then will they be able to cook evenly.
When choosing frozen strawberries, you must be guided by the following criteria:
- The color of the berries should be red or burgundy. Berries that have a bluish or purple hue are not worth taking;
- All berries should be separate from each other. If they are packed in an opaque bag, then you just need to shake it or feel it with your hands;
- Do not take berries that are covered with water glaze. When defrosting, they will soften and will not be able to keep their shape.
By following these simple berry selection criteria, you don't have to worry that strawberry jam won't work.
Strawberry five minutes
There is nothing easier than making strawberry jam for the winter using this recipe. This recipe has earned its popularity due to its simplicity and speed of obtaining a ready-made delicacy.
To make strawberry jam you need:
- a kilogram of strawberries;
- 1.5 kilograms of granulated sugar;
- glass of water;
- a pinch of citric acid.
Before you start cooking the jam, the prepared strawberries must be rinsed under a weak pressure of water and allowed to dry. If the strawberry is taken fresh, then all the tails and leaves must be removed from it. The frozen berry is sold already peeled, so it does not need this procedure.
The next step is to prepare the syrup. For this, all the prepared granulated sugar is poured into a deep enamel basin or pan. It should be poured with a glass of water and mixed well. Turning on the stove on high heat, the future syrup must be brought to a boil.
When the strawberry syrup has boiled for 5 minutes, put all the prepared berries in it. In this case, they must be very carefully mixed. Cook strawberries without reducing the heat for 5 minutes. That is why the recipe was called "five-minute".
When 5 minutes are coming to an end, citric acid should be added to the almost finished strawberry jam. This is done so that the jam does not sour after closing in the jars. After that, the stove turns off, and the strawberry jam is sent to rise and cool. In order for the berries to be better saturated with syrup, and excess moisture has left the jam, it must cool slowly.Therefore, the basin or pan must be covered with a lid and wrapped in several layers of a towel or blanket.
Strawberry jam for the winter can be closed in jars only when it has completely cooled down. In this case, the banks must be sterilized in advance. You can learn how to simply and quickly sterilize cans from the video:
Classic recipe
The jam cooked according to this recipe will noticeably differ in taste from the usual five-minute. Despite the similar ingredients, classic strawberry jam is richer in taste and more aromatic. In order to make a strawberry treat according to this recipe you will need:
- a kilogram of strawberries;
- 1.2 kilograms of granulated sugar;
- 1.2 liters of water.
Before you start cooking, you need to prepare everything, namely:
- Prepare the berries - first of all, they need to be washed well. After the water is drained from them, they should dry for another 10-15 minutes. Only then can all the tails and leaves be removed from the berries;
- Prepare the syrup - for this, water with granulated sugar added to it must be brought to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. The syrup should be boiled until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Now you can proceed directly to the actual cooking of strawberry jam. Its duration should not exceed 40 minutes. All prepared berries must be transferred to a deep bowl and covered with hot sugar syrup. Initially, the berries should be cooked over medium heat for about 10 minutes. When abundant foam begins to appear on the surface, reduce the heat and continue cooking. The resulting foam must be removed with a slotted spoon or spatula throughout the entire cooking.
During the cooking process, it is very important not to miss the moment when the strawberry delicacy is ready. When the strawberry jam starts to boil more slowly, and the foam stops forming, two small tests should be carried out to ensure its readiness:
- With a tablespoon, scoop up a small amount of hot syrup and slowly pour it back. If the syrup stretches slowly and does not flow quickly, then the jam is ready.
- Again, you need to scoop up a little hot syrup, but do not pour it back, but cool it a little. Cold syrup should be dripped onto a saucer or plate. If the drop does not spread, then the jam is ready.
After both tests have shown the readiness of the strawberry jam, the stove must be turned off. Hot jam should be poured into sterile jars and closed with lids. At the same time, pouring to the end of the neck is not worth it, you need to leave at least a little free space.
Strawberry jam
Strawberry jam, unlike previous jam recipes, does not contain whole strawberries and has a more uniform consistency. To prepare it you will need:
- a kilogram of strawberries;
- 1.2 kilograms of granulated sugar;
- a pinch of citric acid.
Despite the fact that there will not be whole berries in strawberry jam, they should still be sorted out. Of course, one spoiled berry will not greatly affect the taste of the finished jam, but it can reduce the shelf life of a closed jar.
Selected strawberries must be washed and peeled from the tails. After that, they should be crushed in any available way, for example, with a crush or blender. When the berries turn into mashed potatoes, they must be covered with granulated sugar and gently mixed.
Before you start making strawberry jam, you need to sterilize the jars and lids from them. At the bottom of each jar, you need to put a little citric acid. When all the preparations are made, you can start cooking the jam. To do this, put strawberry puree with sugar in an enamel cooking pan. It must be brought to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. When the mashed potatoes boil, reduce the heat, continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes.
Ready hot jam can be poured into jars, which must immediately be wrapped until they cool completely.
Strawberry jam
Strawberry confiture is slightly different from regular jam and jam in its jelly-like consistency. Supplements in the form of gelatin or zhelfix help to achieve it.
To prepare this winter blank you will need:
- 3 kilograms of strawberries;
- 3 kilograms of granulated sugar;
- 6 tablespoons of gelatin or gelatin.
Ripe and well-washed strawberries must be peeled from the tails and cut into several pieces.
Chopped strawberries should be placed in an enamel bowl and covered with sugar so that they give juice. In this form, the strawberries should be left for a period of 3 to 6 hours, depending on how well the berries will give juice.
After the juice is released, the strawberry mass can be boiled. To do this, it must be brought to a boil over medium heat. After boiling, the heat must be reduced and cooked for another 30 minutes. While the strawberry mass is boiling, prepare the gelatin. It should be poured with a quarter glass of cold boiled water and left to swell for 30 minutes.
When the strawberries are boiled, they must be removed from the heat and the gelatin added. After that, everything should be mixed well and slightly darkened over low heat.
For optimal consistency, it is enough to roast it for 2-5 minutes over low heat.
Ready-made confiture can be poured into clean, sterilized jars. After closing, the jar should be wrapped in a blanket or blanket until it cools completely.
When closing strawberry jam for the winter according to any of the above recipes, it is worth remembering that it must be stored and consumed within 6 months. But given the taste and aroma of such a delicacy, you don't have to be afraid that it will deteriorate.
