Surely everyone heard about the benefits of blueberries. These small berries are able to enhance immunity, improve eyesight and just raise the mood of a person. While the summer season is on, people think little about the approach of winter, but by autumn they are already beginning to wonder how to keep blueberries fresh. There are several ways to store berries, it is worth considering each of them.
Method one
You will need granulated sugar and fresh berries in a ratio of two to one, as well as a regular blender.
How to save blueberries for the winter with sugar? Very simple. Rinse the berries thoroughly under running water, but be careful. In order not to damage their shell, put the crop in a colander. After that, let the blueberries dry thoroughly on a towel or other dry surface. Place the berries in a blender or meat grinder and add sugar. Beat for five minutes. Done!
Now you can put the resulting mass into a jar, close the lid and store in the refrigerator or in another cool place. In this case, sugar acts as a preservative, which is why all the beneficial properties and vitamins of the berry are preserved.
Second way
Many people wonder how to keep vitamins in blueberries to the maximum. In order for beneficial substances not to leave the berry, it is necessary to preserve its structure.
In this case, the crop must be frozen. Rinse the blueberries and carefully sort them. Throw away all available leaves and twigs, you should have only whole beautiful berries. Put them on a towel and let them dry well. After this, place the blueberries on a flat surface. It can be a regular dish with a flat bottom.
Place a bowl of berries in the freezer for three hours. Usually during this time the crop manages to freeze, but if in doubt, you can increase the time. The berries must be completely frozen. How to save blueberries for the winter? Next, pour the resulting mass into a bag for freezing. Harvested by this method can be stored for a very long time and not lose its beneficial properties.
Another option
Another method for keeping blueberries for the winter is to dry the berries. Nowadays, a variety of machines and devices for drying crops can be purchased in household appliance stores. But if you do not have such a technique, you can use the old grandmother's recipe.
Put the blueberries on a flat, dry surface, after washing and drying each berry. Place the container with the crop so that it is exposed to sunlight. This procedure is best done in the summer, when the sun warms especially strongly.
If you did not have time to stock up on dried blueberries in the summer, an ordinary oven will help you. Lay the berries on a baking sheet and set the drying mode. This function is present on almost all modern devices.
After the berries have dried, they must be transferred to a glass container and stored at room temperature. It is worth saying that poorly dried blueberries can begin to deteriorate and become moldy, which is why it is necessary to cook it correctly.
Recommendations
The question of how to save blueberries for the winter is quite simple. It all depends on the further use of the resulting berries. You may want to use all the methods and make various preparations to always have the right kind of blueberry on hand.
The benefits of blueberries are undeniable, its fruits contain a large amount of vitamin C, which is so necessary for a person in the cold season. Follow the simple rules, and then you can enjoy healthy berries all year round.