How to keep blackcurrants fresh: rules and deadlines

In winter, when viruses are activated, and vitamins become scarce, the body needs additional nourishment. For this, housewives have been harvesting fruits, herbs and berries since the summer. However, in order for the fees to retain their beneficial properties and aroma longer, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the storage conditions in advance. Many housewives, for example, are interested in how best to keep blackcurrants fresh.

Black, white and red currants. How to save vitamins in berries?

Currant of any kind is he althy and has a bright taste. Therefore, every housewife tries to stock up for the winter for the future. However, heat treatment kills a large amount of vitamins, and cannot fully preserve the medicinal properties of the product.

To preserve all the useful properties, it is recommended to leave the berries fresh. This can be done in several ways, but the main condition is to take whole berries that are not damaged by the fungus. For this currant is carefully selected.

Preparing berries for storage

Preparation begins with the collection or purchase of currants. It is required to make sure that the berries are fully ripe. However, it is not recommended to collect overripe elements, as the risk of fermentation of the workpiece increases.

At home, currants need to be washed well under running water, get rid of unsuitable berries and stalks. Then they need to be dried well, it is recommended to additionally throw the collection on a dry towel to absorb excess moisture. And only after all the procedures are allowed to proceed with the design of the blank.

Methods of harvesting harvested currants

There are three main ways to keep currants fresh until winter:

• drying;
• freeze;
• grinding with sugar.

Important! Each of the methods requires certain storage conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to prepare the place and container in advance. Saving blanks for a small family will not be difficult, but it is recommended to plan for storing larger volumes in advance.

Keep fresh

If currant jam does not require certain storage conditions, then it is recommended to keep a fresh collection subject to temperature and air humidity:

1. Frozen berries require a low temperature, and it is recommended to keep them in the freezer. The best option is large spacious refrigerators that can hold up to three kilograms.
2. Frayed harvest also requires a cool room. The common compartment of the refrigerator is best.
3. Dried berries are recommended to be stored in a warm, but most importantly, dry place.

Important! If there are frequent power outages in the region and the refrigerator does not perform its full function, it is recommended to abandon freezing and resort to another storage method.

Can currants be stored in the refrigerator?

The answer to this question is obvious: yes, you can. The refrigerator is the most suitable place for storage, especially in apartment conditions. Modern appliances have a temperature control function, which has a positive effect on how much blackcurrant is stored in the refrigerator.

Choose the best packaging

The optimal container for fresh harvest for the winter also differs in the harvesting method. For example, for dried berries, it is recommended to use wicker baskets or rag bags. It is required to store the collection away from other, more fragrant, collections, otherwise an exchange of odors is possible.

Grated currants are recommended to be closed in small glass jars. There is no need to roll them up with lids, just wrap them on top with a cloth and fasten around the circumference. When freezing, plastic containers, baskets or ordinary plastic bags are used. Packages allow you to keep the collection in portions, in small doses.

Duration and storage conditions for berries

Depending on storage conditions and “packaging” methods, the shelf life of currants changes:

• fresh, not processed, berries are stored in the common compartment of the refrigerator for up to a month;
• complete collection in the freezer lasts up to 8 months;
• dried berries are stored for 10 months-year;
• grated currants with sugar, in optimal conditions, will stand until next year.

Fruit freezing

Regardless of the variety (red, white, black), the berries are frozen identically. To begin with, it is recommended to sort out the collection and get rid of excess garbage, since after defrosting it will no longer be possible to do this. It is also required to dry the collection well so that the berries do not stick together at low temperatures (only suitable for whole freezing).

Further, the preparatory stage depends on the desire of the hostess. After all, you can freeze berries:

• in the form of a whole currant;
• grinded with sugar;
• simply ground, no additives;
• and as a puree.

Dry berries for the winter

At home, drying currants for the winter is recommended in the oven. This requires processing the collection as described above. Spread dry whole berries in a thin layer on a baking sheet and dry, observing the temperature regime.Optimally, the oven requires no more than 60 degrees. It is recommended to leave the cabinet door slightly open to evaporate excess moisture. How? The process will take two to four hours.

The procedure is completed when the berries no longer stick when squeezed. It is important not to overdry the collection, otherwise both beneficial properties and the aroma itself will be lost.

Method of grinding with sugar

Grinding with sugar requires strict observance of proportions. The optimal ratio, according to the traditional recipe, is two parts of sugar to one part of currants. Grinding is recommended in a way convenient for the hostess.

However, jars for storage necessarily require sterilization. Some of the microbes remain in the untreated, in general, they are not harmful, but often cause fermentation of the collection.

How to store better?

How to store currants - each housewife decides for herself. Much depends on the purpose of use in the winter. To add when cooking, it is recommended to freeze whole or ground, but without additives. As an addition to drinks, both dried berries and grated collection with sugar are suitable.

Also, the choice of storage method depends on the existing conditions of detention and the time for harvesting.

Currant expiration date

The shelf life of currants depends entirely on the storage method and varies from a month to a year.

Recommended