In most parts of our country, apples give a rich harvest. The fruits growing on them are among the most accessible. Someone they get completely for nothing, others have the opportunity to purchase them for a pittance. Not all varieties of apples are stored for a long time, and not every family is able to create the conditions for this. Thrifty housewives seek to process the harvest, closing the jam, jam, apple juice for the winter. The latter product is especially useful, since its preparation requires minimal heat treatment and almost all the vitamins and trace elements contained in fruits are preserved. The hostesses learned to preserve and drink from several types of fruit at once, which greatly improves its taste and beneficial properties. There are even options for juice from apples and vegetables. The technology of preparation of the drink is about the same, regardless of which recipe is chosen.
Cooking Features
There are several ways of harvesting apple juice for the winter, but they are based on common principles. Knowing them, you can make a delicious drink that will remain useful and will stand well, according to a traditional or author's recipe.
- Any fruit can be used to make apple juice, but it is recommended to give preference to sour autumn varieties. They are more juicy and contain more tannins. So, they make more drink and it is better worth it.
- Not all vitamins contained in apples are able to withstand high temperatures, so the juice from these fruits is not recommended to be boiled. It is heated to a temperature of about 90 degrees, when small bubbles begin to appear on the surface, diminish the heat and hold on the stove for 5 minutes. Additionally, the juice can be pasteurized already in banks. The time of pasteurization depends on the volume of the container, it takes 15 minutes per liter jar.
- Apple juice is well worth it, even if sugar is not added to it, but more often it is sweetened: not so much for preservation, as for improving taste. The amount of sugar specified in the recipe, you can adjust, focusing on your own taste.
- The maximum juice yield when processing apples is achieved using a juicer. Imported samples allow to obtain pure juice, which does not require additional filtering, but this technique is not intended for processing large quantities of fruit. It is better to use the domestic unit, designed for the processing of a rich harvest. After receiving such juice, it is desirable to filter it, passing through gauze or thin fabric folded in several layers, then squeeze the flesh.
- Whether to remove seed boxes from apples, everyone decides for himself. It is believed that when processing fruits with seeds, the juice has a richer taste. On the other hand, they contribute to the rapid clogging of the grille of the unit and it must often be cleaned.
- You can make apple juice without a juicer. Will help in this mincing machine. Before you pass fruit through it, you must cut the core out of them. Skinning is not required. Crumbled apple pulp through a meat grinder will have to be squeezed through cheesecloth, otherwise you will get applesauce instead of juice.
- Sokovarka also allows you to get apple juice without much hassle. The sliced fruit is placed in a specially designated compartment, water is poured into another compartment. When heated, the juice from the apples gets into the juice collector, from which it is discharged through a special tube. It is necessary to temporarily cut off or substitute a prepared jar for collecting the drink. Juice obtained by means of the juice cooker does not need additional pasteurization, but you will not be able to process a large amount of fruit in this way.
- When making juice in a juice cooker, various spices are often put in the apple compartment, which improve the taste and aroma of the finished drink.
- Adding citrus juice to apple juice makes it brighter.
- Apple juice, prepared according to traditional technology, without boiling, can only be stored in a cool room. If you cannot create such storage conditions, the drink will have to be boiled for 10-15 minutes. It will then stand at room temperature, but there will be less vitamins in it.
Apple juice is tasty without any additives. But it is often blended with other juices, which allows you to get even more tasty and healthy drinks. In this case, the conservation technology may not change significantly.
The classic recipe for apple juice (using a juicer or meat grinder)
Composition (3 liters):
- apples - 5 kg;
- sugar - 0, 25 kg.
Method of preparation:
- Wash the apples well, using a special tool, cut the core from the fruit.
- Cut the apples into large lobules. When using a juicer for large quantities of fruit, this is not necessary.
- Grind apple slices in a meat grinder or skip through a juicer.
- Strain the resulting drink through a thin cloth, squeeze the pulp.
- Pour the drink into a saucepan with a thick bottom, add sugar, stir.
- On a small fire, bring to the appearance of the first bubbles. While the juice is heating, foam will appear on its surface, it must be removed.
- Reduce heat, hold the juice on the stove for a few more minutes, not more than five.
- Pour the drink into prepared cans.
- At the bottom of a roomy pot, lay a cloth, put jars of juice in it, having previously covered them with lids, but not twisting them.
- Pour water into the pan so that it reaches the hangers of the cans. So that they do not crack, it is desirable to use warm water.
- Place the saucepan with the jars on a low heat, bring the water in the saucepan to a boil, but do not boil, and reduce the intensity of the flame. Sterilize cans for 15-30 minutes depending on their volume (15-minute liter is enough, three-liter need at least half an hour).
- Remove the jars from the pan, roll them up.
- Turn it over, cover it with a blanket and let it cool in that condition.
If you want to get a lighter drink, squeeze the juice from one lemon into it before pouring it into cans, mix and hold on the fire for a couple more minutes.
It is recommended to keep the juice made of apples according to the classical technology in a cool room (cellar, unheated storeroom) or in the refrigerator.
Apple juice with pulp (obtained by juicer)
Composition (4 liters):
- apples - 5 kg;
- sugar - 0, 4 kg.
Method of preparation:
- Prepare the apples and recycle them using a juicer.
- Pour the juice into the pan. Bring it to a boil.
- Add sugar.
- Cook over low heat, avoiding a strong boil for 15 minutes. Remove foam from the surface with a skimmer.
- Pour the juice through the sterilized jars, seal them. Turn and wrap is not necessary.
After cooling down, apple juice with pulp can be removed to the room where your home holds billets for the winter. This drink is well worth it at room temperature.
Spiced apple juice for the winter (cooked with a juice cooker)
Composition (1 l):
- apples - 1, 2 kg;
- orange (optional) - 0, 2 kg;
- sugar - 60-80 g;
- cinnamon - 1 stick.
Method of preparation:
- Wash fruits and dry.
- Cut oranges into circles, apples into small slices.
- Put the apples in the special compartment of the juice cooker, sprinkle them with sugar for better separation of the juice. Put orange circles and cinnamon sticks on them.
- Fill the lower container with water, place the device on the stove. Do not forget to block the juice discharge hose.
- Juice will boil for about an hour or even an hour and a half. During this time, prepare the jars, washing them with soda, sterilizing by steaming, in an oven or microwave.
- Fill the jars with juice.
- Tightly close, turn over, cover with a blanket.
- In a day, put in a cool place.
The juice in this recipe is especially fragrant. In addition, this method of cooking allows you to save the benefits of fruit. The disadvantage of it is the duration of cooking and the inability to load a large amount of fruit into the juicer.
Apple-carrot juice for the winter
The composition (1, 5 l):
- apples - 1, 5 kg;
- carrots - 1 kg;
- sugar - to taste.
Method of preparation:
- Peel the carrots, cut into medium-sized bars.
- Cut out seed boxes from clean and napkin-dried apples. Apples cut into several pieces.
- Separately, first pass apples through a juicer, then carrots. Squeeze the juice, collecting it in a large pot.
- Bring the juice to a boil and, removing the foam, boil for 3 minutes.
- If desired, add sugar, stir and cook over low heat for a few more minutes.
- Twist the jars filled with juice with metal lids, turn them over and cover with a blanket. After cooling, remove for the winter to a place of permanent storage of household blanks.
Apple-carrot juice has a bright color, a pleasant aroma and it turns out very tasty. This drink is useful for strengthening the immune system and the prevention of vitamin deficiency. By the same principle, you can make apple-pear juice or any other.
It makes sense to prepare apple juice for the winter even if you can afford to buy similar drinks in the store all year round. After all, homemade canned food is made without the use of dyes, flavors, preservatives and is guaranteed to be useful. The very process of harvesting juice from apples for the winter is not very complex, this task is on the shoulder even to an inexperienced hostess.
