Lock summer in a jar. Recipes for delicious and simple preserves

Summer is the time for harvesting fruits and vegetables. How can you prepare preserves to enjoy the taste of summer longer?

What is worth remembering when preparing preserves?

Before you start preparing home-made preserves you should prepare yourself properly, that is equip your pantry with proper amount of jars. Both quantity and capacity of jars is important. If you do not want to buy new jars, it is worth asking your family or friends to collect jars beforehand. Clay pots are best for pickling cucumbers and cabbage.

Pickling calendar – when and what to prepare

All seasonal fruits can be closed in a jar in the form of: jam, preserve, tincture or juice. The harvest of fruits and vegetables falls in different summer months, so it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the gardener’s calendar to know what and when you can harvest.

In June there are harvests of strawberries, gooseberries, cherries and elderflowers. In July, you can pick blueberries, raspberries, cucumbers, cherries, red and black currants. In August there are harvests of tomatoes, pears, apricots, peaches and blackberries. In September you can make preserves of zucchini, plums, grapes, elderberries, rosehips. In October you can prepare preserves of pumpkin, beet, and cabbage.

How to prepare preserves

Home preserves can be made in several different ways, namely by:

• pasteurization – is one of the most popular methods of preparing preserves. Place jars in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil over low heat for about 20 minutes. After that time, set aside to cool and store in the pantry;
• marinating – this method is used to prepare preserves of cucumbers and forest mushrooms;
• freezing – to keep vegetables fresh longer, you can freeze them. This is a good way if you have a spare freezer at home;
• drying – dried fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and other nutritional value, so they are ideal for a tasty and healthy snack;
• pickling– pickled preserves are a great source of vitamins and nutritional value. The most popular vegetables for pickling are cucumbers and cabbage.

4 recipes for delicious and simple preserves

Strawberry jam – every child’s treat

The season for strawberries will soon begin, so you should already prepare to make preserves from these tasty and healthy fruits. To make jam from strawberries you will need:

• 1 kg of strawberries,
• 2 teaspoons of butter,
• 150 g sugar (if you prefer sweeter jam, you can give more sugar),
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice,
• grated lemon peel.

Method:

1. Remove the stalks. Wash and dry the strawberries – they shouldn’t be too wet or the jam might not come out.
2. Cut the strawberries into smaller pieces. Put them in a pot and put it on the heat.
3. When they release their juice, stir them with a wooden spoon.
4. When they start to boil, add the sugar and lemon zest and pour in the lemon juice. Bring to a boil again. Cook over low heat for about 6 hours, stirring from time to time.
5. When jam is thick, put into jars.

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Beets with horseradish

Beets with horseradish are a treat for many people. To make the beets you will need:

• 2 kg of beets,
• a small root of fresh horseradish,
• salt,
• sugar,
• pepper.

Method:

1. Wash the beets under running water. Put them into a pot. Pour water and put it on the fire. Bring to a boil.
2. Cook the beets until tender. When they are soft, remove them from the heat. Pour off the water. Leave them to cool down. In the meantime, peel the horseradish.
3. When the beets have cooled down, peel them and grate them finely. Finely grate the horseradish as well.
4. In a bowl combine beets with horseradish and spices. Put into jars. Put into a pot and pasteurize.

>> See also: Traditional Pickled Cucumbers – recipe

Compotes

Compotes are associated primarily with grandma’s pantry. Pears, apples, cherries and cherries are best for compote. Fruits should be washed and peeled (pears and apples). Put them in jars and pour the syrup (in 1 liter of warm water dissolve 0.5 kg of sugar). The jars should be capped and pasteurized

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Fruit juices

Juice can be made from any type of fruit. To make juice you need a juicer. When buying one, it is worth choosing a better quality one, so it will last longer. Fruits should always be washed before putting them into the juicer. Ready juice from the juicer should be boiled with sugar (for 1l 100g of sugar). The boiling juice should be poured into jars. When they cool down pasteurize.