We are all waiting for the arrival of summer to enjoy the taste of fresh berries. In order not to forget it, in winter we make blanks. Strawberry jam is one of any goodies that hostesses try to cook for the future, since almost everyone eats it with pleasure during tea drinking and in desserts. There are a great many recipes, and we will try to make out the most popular ones.
Benefit
It's no secret that strawberry jam is rich in iodine, which our body needs. This microelement helps to normalize the nervous and brain systems, which is very necessary for the elderly.
Also, this delicacy strengthens weakened immunity in winter, increases the body's resistance, which protects the effects of harmful external factors. For example, tea with this jam helps if you get the flu or ARI.
High calcium levels help bones recover and prevent osteoporosis. This berry is an excellent diuretic, normalizes the functioning of the kidneys and liver. Zinc enhances libido (sexual desire). It contains vitamins A, E, C, and in 100 g of the product, the norm necessary for the day.
These berries are useful for people with a disease such as diabetes, because they are able, if not abused, to lower blood sugar. Homemade strawberry jam is recommended for anemia, atherosclerosis.
Eat a couple of spoons in the evening - and a good, serene sleep is guaranteed to you.
You can use it:
- over a cup of tea;
- along with pancakes, pancakes and cheesecakes;
- make it a filling for cakes, pies, pastries or just use as a decoration.
Choose your option. All ways are good.
Harm
Along with the positive properties, there are contraindications. For example, people suffering from allergic reactions and small children are better off giving it up altogether.
High sugar can add to tooth enamel problems. Excessive eating, due to the fruit acids, which are quite numerous, can cause problems with the stomach, as well as with the intestines.
The calorie content of strawberry jam is 285 kcal per 100 g. It can vary, since the berry variety and the amount of sugar added to it strongly influence this factor. Therefore, people suffering from varying degrees of obesity, it is better not to use the delicacy in large quantities or completely excluded from their diet.
Selection and preparation of berries
The process always begins with the selection of fruits. It is better to take berries of the same size, but this is not important.
Make sure that the fruits are not overripe or overripe. Damaged ones should also be discarded so that the workpiece does not ferment in winter. First of all, strawberries are washed very carefully. There should be no specks, sand and various insects.
Next, you need to put everything in a colander so that the excess water in the glass and spread out on some fabric for drying. After we begin to remove anthrax. Large fruits for strawberry jam can be cut into several parts.
Now we begin to manufacture. Dishes should be taken only enameled. In no case should you cook in an aluminum pan or bowl, as this metal is oxidized.
Like grandma
Our older generation cooks strawberry jam according to their recipe, which they treat us when we visit them. What is the magic secret of their goodies? Let's figure it out.
We used to rush and do everything in a hurry. They are responsible for any process responsibly.
- Pour each layer of pure berry sugar.
- The ratio should be 1 kg of berries: 600 g of sugar: 1/8 tsp. citric acid.
- Let us brew to get enough juice. We spread the strawberries and set to boil the syrup. A foam will form which must be removed with a spoon.
- After 5-6 minutes after boiling, pour the fruits there and, gently stirring, bring to a boil. We send a bowl of jam to infuse for 5 hours. Then we heat it again over high heat so that the mixture begins to boil.
- This can be done several times to make the jam thick. Citric acid is added so that it is not sugared during storage.
- We lay out in sterilized jars, cool.
Quick cooking
This option is suitable if you will store the finished product at low temperatures.
1st method. For 2 kg of washed and dried berries we buy 1.4 kg of granulated sugar. Pour strawberries and leave for a couple of hours to stand out juice. Sometimes it is worth stirring with a wooden spatula.
To process the jars, you need to hold them over the steam or boil for 10-15 minutes.
How to cook strawberry jam? We put a bowl on a very hot plate. We wait until it boils, stirring constantly. As soon as the foam begins to appear, it is necessary to remove it with a spoon in a separate bowl.
Leave it on the fire for about 5 minutes, then pour it hot into sterilized jars and roll it with special lids for the workpieces. Turn over and cool. We put in a cool place.
2nd method, but without cooking the berries. Although strawberries in this case are completely chopped, they retain all trace elements and vitamins, which can decrease at high temperature.
We take garden “Victoria” and sugar in the same ratio and put it in a blender (you can use a mixer). After the mass acquires the consistency of mashed potatoes, leave it to infuse until all the sweetener has dissolved.
Now we put it in prepared containers, sprinkle a little sugar on top to better store it. If you choose a plastic container, you can put it in the freezer, because the jam in this form should not freeze, unless it is thickened. Such strawberry jam, prepared for the winter, will be the most useful and fragrant.
Winter option
Sometimes, all the sweet preparations unexpectedly end, and the frozen berry still remains in the refrigerator. Then you can make delicious jam in the winter.
Ingredients:
- frozen strawberries - 1.2 kg;
- juice of half a lemon;
- sugar - 0.8 kg.
We take the berry out of the freezer in the evening and pour it into the aluminum dishes together with sugar. We leave it overnight so that the fruits become room temperature and have time to give juice.
We put on a slow fire and, stirring, bring to a boil. Squeeze ½ lemon juice here and cook strawberry jam in the half hour area. Let cool slightly and repeat the procedure. A drop of goodies should not lose shape on a flat dish.
Sweet wild berry
Many do not like the process of collecting strawberries because of its small size. Fortunately, in the season you can buy it in the market. If you want to get jam with a wonderful taste and aromatic smell, then here you will have to make an effort, sorting and removing sepals from each berry.
So, the recipe for strawberry jam from forest fruits is not very different from the previous ones.
Prepare:
- prepared strawberries - 2000 g;
- 30 ml of lemon juice or 3 g of acid;
- granulated sugar - 3000 g.
Leave the mixed berry with sugar for several hours. After bring to a boil in a small flame and, removing the foam, cook for 20-25 minutes. After 30 minutes, add heat treatment and pour hot over the banks.
It is believed that it is forest strawberries that is a storehouse of vitamins.
Using a slow cooker
We began to get used to using gadgets for cooking any dishes. Learned how to cook strawberry jam in a slow cooker. Although it turns out to be a little liquidy, and the volume of the bowl does not allow to cook in large quantities, many families now lack multi-liter pots and basins. We have to do with what is.
Do not take more for one cooking:
- 1 kg of washed country strawberries;
- 1 kg of white sugar.
With more ingredients, the jam may try to escape or clog the valve if you decide to leave it in place.
So that in the process the treat does not run away, it is better to immediately pull the sly valve out of the lid or cook, constantly opening it. So that sugar does not stick to the bottom, first we pour berries on it. When the juice appears, mix the entire bowl, close and set the "Extinguishing" mode.
After a while, open the slow cooker to remove the foam. Cooking in this way is better for about an hour, so that the syrup becomes thick. Arrange hot in containers. They can be sterilized in a double boiler.
Baked Strawberry Jam
This option also has a right to exist. Moreover, the berries can then be used for pies and beautifully decorate cakes.
To prepare 1.5 kg of fresh dense berries, we take the following ingredients:
- 1.5 cups icing sugar;
- 1.5 kg of granulated sugar;
- 750 ml of water;
- cinnamon or vanillin according to your desire.
First cook the syrup. To do this, pour sugar into boiling water. Leave for a few minutes over low heat to dissolve, and pour out a clean and leafless berry. As soon as everything boils, turn off the stove and let cool.
So repeat up to 10 times. It should be noted that the larger the berry, the more times it is worth putting on fire. Do not be afraid. With this method of cooking, the fruits must retain their natural shape.
We take out the berries and put them on the rack for drying. We leave it there for 2 days, sometimes changing sides.
Now bake our strawberry jam in the oven on baking paper at low temperature (about 100 degrees) for a couple of hours.
When the berry has cooled, roll each in icing sugar with cinnamon or vanilla. Fold in processed glassware. We close it with plastic lids and store it in a dry, cool place.
Adding Other Ingredients
Gourmets and housewives try to diversify simple recipes. Therefore, various berries and fruits began to be added to strawberry jam for the winter, which not only change the color of the syrup, but give the treat a taste with a twist.
For example, it has become popular to cook this berry with banana, black and red currants, raspberries, orange, kiwi, tangerines, etc.
Also began to add various seasonings: cinnamon or star anise. Cognac or rum is poured for flavor. All this has a right to exist. Do not be afraid, experiment.
Only people who are overweight will have to calculate the calorie content of strawberry jam, cooked according to their own recipe on their own.