Prepare barberry compote for the winter so that during the cold season you can replenish your reserves of useful vitamins and microelements. This drink with a sour taste is a rich source of vitamin C, carotenoids, citric and malic acid, and tannins. Use the recipes below to stock up on compote for future use.
Ingredients
Barberry
650 grams Sugar 500 grams- Number of servings: 4
- Cooking time: 1 minute
Barberry compote: recipe
Those with a sweet tooth will be able to appreciate the drink created according to this recipe. During the cold season, it’s so nice to treat yourself to a glass of aromatic barberry compote. To prepare you will need the following ingredients:
- 650 grams of fresh barberries;
- 475 ml purified boiled water;
- 500 grams of sugar.
The process of cooking compote is quite simple and takes very little time. To make your task as easy as possible, use the following step-by-step guide.
- Wash barberry berries thoroughly under running water. cold water. Make sure that spoiled fruits and stalks do not get into the compote.
- The jar in which the drink will be stored must be thoroughly sterilized or heated over a boiling kettle. This way you will kill all harmful microorganisms that can spoil the compote.
- In a separate container, mix sugar and water to make syrup. Place the pan on the stove and wait for the liquid to boil.
- Place clean berries in a sterilized jar and fill them with syrup up to the neck.
- Cover the compote with a lid and place it in a large saucepan of boiling water. In this way, we sterilize the compote for another 15 minutes.
This drink can be stored until spring. The amount of ingredients is calculated for a 1 liter jar. If desired, you can slightly increase or decrease the amount of sugar to make the syrup. If you like sour drinks, add a little citric acid to the compote.
Compote of barberries and apples
In autumn, not only barberries ripen, but also apples. Use these healthy and tasty products to prepare a vitamin compote. You will need the following ingredients:
- 1 kg apples;
- 250 grams of barberry;
- 1 liter of water;
- 350 grams of sugar.
Wash the apples and cut them into small slices, place them in prepared sterilized jars. Sprinkle barberries on top and pour boiling syrup (sugar mixed with water). Cover the jar with a lid and sterilize for 10-15 minutes.
Barberry compote is not only tasty, but also a very healthy drink. It helps normalize digestion and has an antipyretic effect. In its pure form, barberry is too sour, but in sweet syrup it is an unsurpassed delicacy.
If you have fresh barberry available, be sure to make a compote from it. This drink will be not only very tasty, but also healthy. By the way, you won’t need to add lemon juice or citric acid, to neutralize the sweetness, because barberry berries already taste sour. Cut them off carefully, as sharp thorns grow on the branches of this shrub. Sugar in the recipe can be replaced with honey to taste, but remember that honey is added not to a hot drink, but to a warm drink no higher than 35 C. Also, barberry berries can be frozen in the freezer for further preparation of aromatic compote.
Ingredients
For 1.5 liters of drink you will need:
- 400 g barberry berries
- 120 g granulated sugar
Preparation
1. Carefully separate the berries from the branches, removing even the cuttings on them. Pour them into a deep bowl or bowl, add warm water and leave for 5-10 minutes so that the dusty coating on the berries swells. Then, with slight pressure, rinse the berries together in several waters to completely remove dust.
2. Pour the berries into a saucepan and pour hot water. Place the pan on the stove, turning on maximum heat, and boil for 20 minutes.
3. Add granulated sugar and place it carefully. At this stage, you can also add vanilla sugar to the drink. Boil the compote for another 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
4. If you plan to add honey instead of granulated sugar, then do not cover the pan with the drink, but let it cool faster by placing it in the cold. Don’t forget to taste the drink; you may need to add a little sweetness, because barberry is a sour berry.
In some regions, it is a common occurrence in many areas; even green hedges are grown from them. Desserts from the fruits of this plant are prepared according to the same principle as from any berries, that is, they must be sorted so that they are not spoiled, tear off the stalks and remove the garbage. Barberries should be washed in running cold water and, if possible, not for long, since ripe fruits are very soft and quickly release juice. Place clean berries in a colander on a deep plate so as not to lose juice while they dry. If the fruits are slightly unripe (be careful, green ones are poisonous), it will be easy to remove the seeds from them, but we cook the ripe ones as is.
barberry bush
For jam, you will need from 1.5 to 2 kilos of sugar for every kilogram of barberry, since the berries contain very high content vitamin C (within 500 milligrams). In other words, barberry pulp is quite sour, and also tart, since tannins are also in excess - 0.6–0.8% in ripened fruits. First, prepare the syrup by separating 600 grams of sugar and pouring a glass of water over it. When it’s ready, cool it and pour it into a saucepan with a kilogram of berries poured into it (about large quantity count sugar and water for syrup). Cover with a lid and set aside in a cool, dry place for a day.
Berry jam
After 24 hours, drain the syrup along with the juice that has fallen into it and boil again, cool, then pour in the berries again and leave to simmer under the lid for a day. After some time, we take out the pan and put it on gas with all the contents, adding another 1.4 kilos of sugar per kilogram of barberry. Cook until the fruits become transparent, then pour into pre-sterilized jars and screw on the lids, boiled for several minutes. We turn the container with barberry preparations upside down and cover them with a blanket until they cool, after which we put them away in the pantry or cellar for the winter.
Jam is undoubtedly a very tasty product, but sometimes you want something unusual, for example, homemade marmalade. In this form, barberry can be prepared for the winter only from very ripe berries, so that they have more pulp and at least a little sweetness. We take sugar in a 1:1 ratio. First, place the fruits in a saucepan, pour a little water into it to completely cover the berries, and cook for 5 minutes. Then pour the liquid from the pan; the resulting broth can be used to cook jelly or compote.
Delicious fruit marmalade
Grind the berries that have become soft through a sieve, simultaneously separating them from the seeds. If you want to preserve the substances that are in the peel in the product, it is better to then use a blender, scrolling the mass in it until it is completely crushed. Add sugar to the resulting mass and place in a saucepan over low heat. Next, just cook until you get a very thick consistency. Now we take thick paper and saturate it vegetable oil and spread the resulting still hot marmalade in a layer of up to 2 centimeters. When it hardens, cut it into pieces and place them in jars in layers, pouring powdered sugar. It is best to store such barberry preparations in the refrigerator.
Despite the abundance of vitamins, barberry has a number of contraindications and should be used with caution, for example, by hypotensive patients, due to the fact that these berries quickly and significantly reduce blood pressure. It was already mentioned above that green barberry is poisonous. A certain small percentage of toxic substances remains in ripe fruits. That is why, when compote is prepared almost without cooking, it is customary to combine barberry with various sweet fruits, of which there is much more than berries. Thanks to barberry, the compote will acquire a pleasant sweet and sour taste that will appeal to both adults and children. In winter, such a compote will become a healthy and tasty dessert on your table.
Sweet and sour berries
So, we make a compote from a kilogram of apples or pears, and only 200 grams of ripe ones. For this amount of berries and fruits, take a liter of water and from 300 to 500 grams of sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples, and cook the syrup, stirring constantly so as not to burn. We cut the apples into pieces, cutting out the core, and place them in sterilized jars, alternating with layers of barberry fruits. Then pour boiling syrup into the containers, after which we place the container in a large wide pan with hot water on a wooden grate or towel placed on the bottom. Bring to a boil and blanch our compote: a half-liter jar for 15 minutes, a liter jar for 25.
When blanching, with each increase in container volume by 0.5 liters, the boiling time of the product increases by 10 minutes.
If you don’t want to bother, we offer you a recipe on how to quickly cook barberry compote and wrap it up for the winter. To do this, cook syrup from 700 grams of sugar and a liter of water, and while it boils, wash the berries and remove the stems. Then we place the fruits in layers in jars and fill them with syrup. All that remains is to place the containers in a pan and sterilize for half an hour, maintaining the water temperature at least 85 degrees. Next, cover the compote with boiled lids, cool and put it in a cool cellar.
In the article we discuss barberry dishes. You will find out whether barberry berries can be eaten, how and when to collect them. By following our tips, you will learn how to prepare plant leaves and roots for the winter. We will tell you how to dry barberries at home, and consider recipes for making juice, jelly, marmalade, compote, jam and sauce for meat dishes based on the berry.
Barberry berries are harvested after the first frost - in October - November. At this time, the fruits contain the maximum amount of biologically active substances, beneficial for the body. Barberry is rich in vitamins, organic acids, resinous and essential substances. Thanks to their rich composition, berries strengthen the immune system and normalize the functioning of the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
Drinks, desserts and sauces for meat dishes are prepared from barberry.
Before picking berries, you need to make sure that the fruits are ripe. Unripe fruits are poisonous and hazardous to health. Overripe berries are too soft, so they are not suitable for harvesting.
Only firm, red or purple fruits should be collected.. Before picking berries, you must wear thick gloves, as the branches of the bush are thorny.
You learned when and how to collect fruits, and the benefits of barberry berries. Now we’ll tell you how to dry barberry at home.
How to dry barberry at home
Before drying barberries at home, the berries are sorted and washed under running water. In order to preserve the fruits for the winter, they are dried or frozen.
For drying, special dryers for vegetables and fruits are used. If you don't have one, you can use a regular oven. The berries are spread in a thin layer on parchment and dried at 40-50 degrees. The finished fruits are wrinkled and do not stick together when pressed.
Dried barberry is stored in a glass container or paper bags in a ventilated place at a temperature not exceeding 20 degrees. If it is not possible to dry the collected berries, then you can make desserts or drinks from them. Let's look at recipes for common berry dishes and tell you how to preserve barberry for the winter without drying.
What can be made from barberry
Barberry is widely used in cooking. Fresh berries are used to prepare drinks, desserts and sauces for meat dishes. If desired, they can be preserved and stored until winter. Let's look at the most common barberry recipes for the winter.
Barberry juice, jelly and marmalade
You can make homemade marmalade or jelly using barberry juice. First, we'll tell you how to use barberry berries to make juice.
You will need:
- fresh barberry berries - 300 gr.;
- water - 500 ml.
How to cook:
- Sort, wash the berries, remove leaves and twigs.
- Fill the barberry with water, put it on the fire and bring to a boil.
- Drain the water, pass the berries through a press and squeeze out the juice.
Calorie content:
Calorie content of 100 ml of barberry juice is 11 Kcal.
If you add sugar to mashed barberries and boil the mixture, you will get jelly. Let's consider detailed recipe dessert.
You will need:
- barberry berries - 1 kg;
- granulated sugar - 400 gr.;
- water - 200 ml.
How to cook:
- Rinse the berries, pass them through a meat grinder or chop them with a blender.
- Add sugar, add water and bring to a boil.
- Cook the berry puree over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool.
Calorie content:
Calorie content 100 gr. barberry jelly 118 kcal.
You can make homemade marmalade from concentrated barberry juice. To prepare it, a 1:1 proportion is followed, that is, one part of sugar is added to one part of the berries.
You will need:
- barberry berries - 1 kg;
- water - 500 ml;
- sugar - 1 kg.
How to cook:
- Sort and wash the berries, rub them through a sieve to obtain a paste.
- Add sugar, stir, add water and place the berry mixture on the stove.
- Cook the syrup over low heat for at least 15 minutes.
- Remove from the stove, cool.
Calorie content:
Calorie content 100 gr. barberry marmalade 171 kcal.
Barberry compote
Barberry compote increases the body's defenses and normalizes digestion. To preserve the barberry drink for the winter, it must be sterilized. Consider a recipe for barberry compote.
You will need:
- barberry berries - 500 gr.;
- sugar - 700 gr;
- water - 1 liter.
How to cook:
- Sort and wash the berries, remove the stems and pour the fruits into a jar.
- Pour sugar into water and bring to a boil.
- Boil the syrup until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved.
- Pour the hot syrup over the berries, close the lid and place the jar in a pan of boiling water.
- Sterilize the compote for half an hour.
- Remove from the stove, roll up the jar and leave to cool at room temperature. The compote must be stored in a cool, dark place.
Calorie content:
Calorie content 100 gr. barberry compote 133 kcal.
Barberry jam for the winter
By analogy with barberry jelly, you can make barberry jam. The beneficial properties of the dessert are used to strengthen the immune system, reduce fever and normalize blood pressure.
You will need:
- fresh barberry berries - 1 kg;
- granulated sugar - 1.5 kg;
- water - 1.5 liters.
How to cook:
- Sort and wash the berries, fill them with warm water for 8-10 hours so that the skin of the fruit softens.
- Add sugar and place the berry mixture on the stove.
- Bring to a boil and cook at low temperature for half an hour.
- Place the finished jam in sterile jars and seal.
Calorie content:
Calorie content 100 gr. barberry jam 157 kcal.
The readiness of the dessert is determined by a drop of syrup. If you drop it on a saucer, it should remain in the shape of a ball and not spread over the surface. Barberry preparations in the form of jam are stored for a year in a cool, dark place.
You will need:
- barberry berries - 500 gr.;
- granulated sugar - 1.5 kg;
- lemon - 1 pc.
How to cook:
- Wash the barberries and remove the seeds.
- Grind the fruits with a blender to a paste consistency.
- Wash the lemon, cut into pieces and pass them through a meat grinder.
- Add sugar and lemon to the berry mass, mix and place in jars. Store in the refrigerator.
Calorie content:
Calorie content 100 gr. barberry jam 288 kcal.
Sauce for meat dishes
Barberry sauce perfectly complements the taste of white meat
A sweet and sour sauce is made from barberry, which is combined with meat dishes. To make the dish more flavorful, spices and herbs are added to the sauce.
You will need:
- barberry berries - 500 gr.;
- granulated sugar - 125 gr.;
- water - 200 ml;
- cloves - 2-3 pcs.;
- ginger root - 3 g;
- ground black pepper - 1 pinch.
How to cook:
- Pour water over the berries, place on the stove and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the skin softens.
- Cool the barberry, rub the softened berries through a sieve.
- Add sugar, cloves, pepper and grated ginger root to the puree.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. The sauce should thicken.
Calorie content:
Calorie content 100 gr. barberry sauce 74 kcal.
You learned how to use barberry - options for harvesting barberry for the winter and methods for preparing sauce, drinks and desserts from the berry. Now we’ll tell you how to harvest the leaves and roots of the plant.
How to prepare barberry leaves and roots
Not only berries are harvested, but also barberry leaves and roots.
Barberry leaves are harvested during flowering - in May and June. The leaves are cut off along with the young shoots. Then they are washed from dirt and dust and dried under a canopy at a temperature not exceeding 50 degrees.
The roots of the plant are harvested twice a year: in April and October. It is important that the shrub is at rest when digging up the roots. Dig up no more than ⅓ of the entire root system so that the plant does not die. Roots are harvested from one bush no more than once every 10 years.
The collected roots are cleared of soil, cut into pieces 10-15 cm long and dried under a canopy at a temperature of 50 degrees. Store raw materials in a ventilated area in paper or fabric bags for 2 years.
What to remember
- Barberry berries are harvested after the first frost.
- To preserve the fruits for the winter, they are dried, frozen, or prepared into compotes, jams and sauces.
- Before drying barberries, the fruits are sorted and washed.
- For the winter, not only berries are prepared, but also leaves and roots of the plant, which are used in folk medicine for preparing infusions and decoctions.
In the East, the red berries of this unpretentious shrub are considered a symbol of endurance and longevity for a reason. Since ancient times, excellent thirst-quenching drinks have been prepared from them and added to various dishes as a spice. How to prepare barberry fruits so that they can be consumed in winter will be discussed in the article.
Properties of berries
Barberry is a medium-height shrub with small leaves and long spines on its shoots. In spring it is densely covered with small yellow flowers, and by the end of summer, oblong, sour-tasting fruits ripen in their place.
The benefits of barberry berries for the human body are due to the substances they contain. Pectins, fruit acids, mineral salts and vitamins were isolated from the fruits. Thanks to this composition, they are able to have an extremely positive effect. The fruits of the bush can be consumed by both adults and children. The only limitation is an allergic reaction.
Barberry berries
Harvesting barberry does not present any difficulties. In autumn, the fruits are collected and delicious marshmallows, marmalade and jam are prepared. They are also dried and used as a base for savory sauces, liqueurs and tinctures. Barberry is considered a mandatory seasoning for some traditional oriental meat dishes. For example, no housewife will cook pilaf without adding purple berries.
Advice. It is best to harvest fruits late in the fall, before frost. At this time they contain the maximum amount of useful substances.
How to make jam
Harvesting barberry this way takes time, but the result will not disappoint. The recipe for jam from these fruits is not very different from the methods for preparing delicacies from other fruits. To prepare you will need:
- barberry – 1 kg;
- sugar – 1.5 kg;
- water – 750 ml.
Advice. In order for the jam to be tasty and appetizing in appearance, you need to sort the berries well. You should not spare fruits that have defects or are slightly dried out. They must be removed from the total mass.
The preparation of barberry jam proceeds according to the following scheme:
To give the dessert a special flavor, you can add a little vanilla at the end of cooking. Checking the readiness of the jam is very simple. The syrup is dripped onto a saucer and if it does not spread, the mixture can be poured into jars and rolled up.
How to dry
Drying fruits is a popular preparation for barberry since ancient times. With this method, all beneficial features. It is performed outdoors, in the oven and in an electric fruit dryer. Before drying begins, the collected material is sorted out, discarding spoiled berries and foreign inclusions. Then it is washed well and laid out on cloth napkins to remove drops of water.
The prepared barberry is laid out in one layer on baking sheets, sieves or trays. They are placed under a canopy on the street or in special devices for drying.
During the process, some rules should be followed:
- If the procedure takes place in an oven or electric dryer, then until the barberry stops releasing juice, the temperature should not be increased above 50°C.
- During drying, the fruits must be stirred regularly to prevent them from sticking together.
- If the action takes place on the street, the barberry must be covered with gauze. This will protect the product from dust, insects and birds.
The end of drying is determined very simply: a handful of berries are squeezed tightly in the palm of your hand. If there are no traces of juice left on your hand and the barberry itself does not stick together, the product is ready.
Barberry harvesting in the form of dried berries is considered to be of high quality if it emits a pleasant aroma and the fruits have a smooth, glossy surface without darkening.
Attention! The shelf life of dried berries, placed in glass containers and tightly closed, is one year.
Preparing juice and marshmallows
Barberry juice can also be stored for the winter. It is used mainly as a concentrate for adding to compotes, jelly, sauces, etc. Prepare the juice as follows:
- The sorted and washed berries, adding a little water to them, are simmered over the fire.
- The softened barberry is ground through a sieve.
- The resulting juice and pulp are boiled (sugar can be added if desired) and rolled up.
A very tasty sweet and sour dessert - barberry pastila. Her recipe calls for the following ingredients:
- barberry juice – 300 g;
- sugar – 250 g.
The juice is mixed with sugar and boiled until thickened. The resulting mass is spread in a thin layer on parchment paper and dried in the oven. The frozen sweet and sour sheets are rolled, cut into pieces and rolled in powdered sugar.
Harvesting barberry is a fun and not very labor-intensive activity. Having spent very little time in the fall, during the cold season you will be able to pamper yourself and your loved ones with delicious desserts and maintain your health with the beneficial components of bright fruits.
Barberry drink: video