How to store, dry, freeze and process viburnum at home?

Not everyone knows how to store viburnum at home, although this berry deserves the close attention of those who lead a healthy lifestyle. You can find viburnum if you walk through the autumn forest, you can grow it in your garden. It is sold in specialized health food stores and on the market, and its quality remains consistently excellent everywhere. The only pity is that it is not always possible to purchase this healing berry.

How is viburnum useful?

The traditions of its use in Russia for treatment, prevention of diseases and simply for the pleasure of experiencing its refreshing taste go back more than one century. The unique composition containing minerals, vitamins, organic acids and many other useful substances contributes to its wide use:

  • to maintain the tone of the heart muscle;
  • for the treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies;
  • for the treatment of skin diseases (lichen, acne);
  • for the prevention of atherosclerosis, colds;
  • as an additional remedy in the treatment of nervous system disorders.

Knowing how to preserve viburnum at home for the winter, you can use these healing fruits for a long time.

How to dry viburnum

Drying is the removal of liquid from berries by evaporation . There are many ways to dry viburnum at home. The specific method is chosen depending on the degree of ripeness of the berries, their density, the economy of the process, and the required state of the final product.

If weather conditions permit, the berries are dried outdoors in natural light. An electric dryer, microwave or oven facilitates and speeds up the preparation of raw materials by changing temperature, humidity, and pressure.

On air

Drying in the open air is the most affordable way to prepare berries. It does not require special devices or technically complex equipment and takes place in natural light, air temperature and humidity.

How to air dry viburnum:

  1. Rinse the prepared berries thoroughly until clear water, remove the stems, and place in a colander to drain the liquid.
  2. Spread the fruits in an even layer on a cotton towel to absorb moisture. Wet raw materials take longer to dry and are stored less.
  3. Place the viburnum in a shallow container and leave it in a well-ventilated place, avoiding direct sunlight.
  4. Turn the berries over with your hands every day to prevent them from scorching.
  5. At night, dry it indoors or under a canopy.

On average, the process takes 5–7 days depending on weather conditions. The optimal air temperature is +25…+30°C.

Viburnum is dried in the open air and in bunches. Small bunches are formed from the branches, tied with thread, tied down with berries in a well-ventilated place where there is no sunlight. To protect the fruits from dust, precipitation, and bacteria, the bunches are first placed in paper bags.

In the oven

The oven is ideal for preparing viburnum for the winter and allows drying at any convenient time, regardless of weather conditions.

How to dry fruits in the oven:

  1. Rinse the prepared berries and dry them on a cotton towel.
  2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, transfer the viburnum, and place in a preheated oven to +60...+80°C.
  3. Dry the viburnum with the door ajar, periodically stirring the berries with your hands.

In an electric dryer

An electric dryer significantly speeds up the preparation of berries, shortens the production cycle to several hours, while natural drying takes at least 5 days. This technology for processing raw materials makes it possible to fully preserve the organoleptic properties of fruits (taste, color, aroma).

A significant drawback of the method is that when high temperatures are used, the chemical composition of the product changes and the amount of elements beneficial to the body decreases.

How to dry viburnum in an electric dryer:

  1. Pre-prepare the berries, remove spoiled and soft ones, rinse several times until the water is clear. Remove any remaining moisture with a paper towel or place the raw material on a cotton cloth folded in several layers and allow to dry naturally.
  2. Place the fruits evenly on trays, set the appropriate temperature (optimally +60…+80°C). Due to the thick skin, slow drying is possible. The preparation is accelerated by pre-blanching the berries in boiling water for 10–20 seconds.

How to dry viburnum in an electric dryer?

How to properly collect viburnum?

The best time to collect it for preparations for the winter is late autumn, the time after the first frost. It is then that the fruits lose their inherent bitterness and become sweeter. The berries are not picked one at a time, otherwise they will lose their juice. The best way to collect is to cut off the clusters using pruning shears. Brushes can be transported in a fairly thick layer in any container to the recycling site. The skin of the berries is strong enough, and you don’t have to worry about them bursting.

How to dry viburnum at home

Viburnum is a beautiful and useful plant. Viburnum ripens very late, so harvesting viburnum berries is best done after the first frost. And although viburnum berries turn red long before they ripen, even birds do not eat them until the first frost. Unripe viburnum is hard, bitter and tasteless, but ripe berries are soft and almost transparent.

It is precisely this ripe viburnum that is collected in order to prepare it for the winter. Fruit drinks, juices, tinctures, marmalade, marshmallows, jam and marmalade are prepared from viburnum. One of the good ways to prepare viburnum for the winter is drying. You can dry viburnum in the oven or electric dryer.

Dry viburnum is stored in a dry, dark, cool place, in glass or tin jars. Dry viburnum can be stored for up to 4 years, using it to make tea, soups, or chewing it as a natural vitamin treat.

It is precisely this ripe viburnum that is collected in order to prepare it for the winter. Fruit drinks, juices, tinctures, marmalade, marshmallows, jam and marmalade are prepared from viburnum. One of the good ways to prepare viburnum for the winter is drying. You can dry viburnum in the oven or electric dryer.

Storing fresh viburnum

At home, you can store berries directly in clusters, placing them in a loosely closed container in the refrigerator or hanging them in any cool room. You don’t have to worry about the product deteriorating or losing its healing properties; this won’t happen for several months.

When storing bunches of berries in an apartment, the lifespan of the product is slightly reduced. If it is not possible to store the berries at low temperatures, it is advisable to process them.

Other drying methods

Despite the fact that tomatoes in an electric dryer turn out to be the most delicious and are stored for a long time, many housewives use other, more accessible methods for drying. So, tomatoes are often dried in the oven or simply in the sun. The first option is the most popular. However, it requires longer heat treatment than an electric dryer (about 7-8 hours).

As for drying in the sun, this requires exceptional weather conditions. In other words, the sun should be hot for several days, and the wind should be variable. It should also be noted that sun-dried tomatoes in an electric dryer retain all the beneficial properties of fresh tomatoes, which cannot be said about those that were dried in the sun in urban conditions.

After all, during the drying process such a product can quite easily absorb all those harmful substances that are in the atmosphere. In this regard, it is recommended to use this method only if you live in a suitable area where there is no highway nearby, as well as chemical and other enterprises.

The downside of this method is that it will take you about 3-5 days to dry vegetables. That is why most housewives are interested in the question of how to dry tomatoes in an electric dryer. After all, with the help of this device you can not only quickly dry tomatoes, but also carry out this process according to all the rules.

Freezing viburnum

Remaining on the tree, the berries survive the frosty winter quite calmly, if they do not become food for wintering birds. Even viburnum brushes hanging on the balcony can withstand prolonged frosts and retain their taste and beneficial properties after defrosting. In order to extend the life of medicinal berries, you can freeze them by separating them from the cluster along with the stalks.

Advice

There is no need to wash viburnum in order to store it in the freezer; this is done right before use.

Leaving the stalks on will prevent the juice from leaking out when storing the berries. The fruits are placed in bags or plastic containers. If the berries are dry, they will remain crumbly even after freezing. From frozen viburnum you can prepare fruit drinks, compotes, jelly, and medicinal infusions.

We recommend: How to properly store an open package of coffee beans?

How to dry fruits and berries correctly

How to properly dry fruits and berries at home in the oven and in the sun: rules for preparation and drying

Every modern housewife should know how to dry fruits. These wonderful preparations will allow you to prepare delicious and healthy compotes, make jam, bake pies and make dumplings in the winter. Today we offer you to learn how to dry berries, including stone fruits, various fruits and cut them using a regular household oven. those. To prepare food, you do not need to buy a special electric dryer. Although this household appliance is very inexpensive, so if possible, be sure to purchase it. It pays for itself quickly.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to remove glue from glass after sticking

Properly preparing fruits and berries for the drying procedure is the key to success. Well, no less attention should be paid to such a process as storage. Aging in the oven, of course, ensures the safety of the product. But you also need to know the storage rules.

Drying viburnum

You can prepare these berries for the winter by drying them in the oven. The brushes are laid out on a baking sheet, the regulator is set at 50–60 ⁰С. The oven door should be slightly open to prevent viburnum juice from leaking out of the bursting berries. The stalks can be removed after drying the berries. Dried viburnum should be stored in dry glass jars, closed with lids.

Advice

Drying is considered complete when the berries become wrinkled.

You can dry berries for the winter in a less intensive way, but simply by laying them out in the open air in the shade. The fruits are laid out on clean white paper, covered with gauze or a thin cloth on top. This drying method requires time and patience; the berries need to be carefully stirred from time to time.

How to dry viburnum at home

Not everyone likes the bitter taste of viburnum, but you cannot deny the beauty of the plant. The beneficial properties of berries are undeniable, helping to fight colds, get rid of headaches, high blood pressure and insomnia.

Taste defects in fruits can be easily corrected with the help of sugar.

Information on how to preserve viburnum for longer will help you use the healing properties of the berry for months after harvest or purchase.

Viburnum is an unpretentious plant and does not require special care. It takes root well after planting and is pleased with the harvest next year. Therefore, if possible, it must be placed on your site.

Collecting and preserving the harvest - these processes depend only on hard work, since they are also simple.

Full ripening of viburnum occurs in late autumn. The indicator is the first frost. Once it has passed, you can immediately begin collecting. Cold causes the berries to lose most of their bitterness and become much sweeter.

Viburnum is collected in whole bunches. It is best to cut them with pruning shears and place them in a wooden or cardboard container. You cannot pick off one berry at a time: they will be damaged and turn into mush.

Viburnum brushes can be placed in containers in several layers. The skin of untouched berries is dense and should not burst.

When it is not possible to wait for the first frost, viburnum can be collected earlier (in August or September). But in this case, the berries must be sent to the freezer. There they will reach the desired condition. The berries can be left frozen or stored in another way.

Those who have their own home are in an advantageous position. Then the viburnum can be stored by hanging the bunches in a cellar, basement or shed. You need to make a small bouquet (bundle) of them, carefully tie them and place them with the berries down. For convenience, you can stretch a string and hang your brushes on it. The berries will remain in perfect condition until the next harvest.

You can place viburnum brushes on the balcony or in the refrigerator. In the first case, the bunch should be hung with the berries down, in the second - put in spacious containers (in a pan, jar) and not completely covered. In such conditions, viburnum will calmly survive the winter, all its healing qualities will remain inside the berries.

If it is not possible to store viburnum brushes at low temperatures, it is advisable to process, dry or freeze the fruits.

If the berries are not completely collected, left on the tree, they will easily overwinter. Unless some of them are pecked by birds. Viburnum is an amazing plant: not only are the berries not afraid of prolonged twenty-degree frost, but they become tastier from the cold.

This means that the fruits can be stored frozen. For this:

  • We separate the berries along with the stalks from the cluster.
  • We remove damaged fruits.
  • We put the viburnum into bags or containers and put them in the freezer. If you freeze dry berries, they will remain crumbly and will not stick together.

There is no need to wash viburnum before freezing. This procedure must be done immediately before eating the berries.

You should not freeze a large amount of viburnum in one container. There should be enough of it to be enough for one use without leaving any residue. If not all of the berries are used, you cannot freeze them again: you will end up with a useless product. You need to throw the remaining viburnum into tea or cover it with sugar.

Viburnum, pureed with sugar, is a “live” jam prepared without heat treatment. It is stored for at least a year. All beneficial properties of viburnum are preserved in full.

Sequence of preparation of berries pureed with sugar:

  • Rinse the viburnum brushes under a small stream of water.
  • Place on paper towels and dry.
  • Separate the berries from the stalks.
  • Place the viburnum in a large container and add sugar or honey in a 1:1 ratio.
  • Stir. Mash the berries together with sugar, turning them into puree. There is no need to remove the grains, since they also contain useful elements.
  • Leave the viburnum mixture for about an hour. Mix again.
  • Pack the pureed berries into a clean glass container and cover with plastic lids.

Viburnum should be stored in a cool, semi-dark room. Both the pantry and the refrigerator are quite suitable.

If the storage room is not cool enough, you can play it safe and sterilize the pureed berries in hot water. Half-liter jars filled with viburnum should be kept in boiling water for ten minutes, liter jars - twenty. When using sterilization, it is allowed to reduce the amount of sweet sand from one kg to 700 grams (per kg of viburnum).

You don’t have to wipe the berries, but pour them alternately with sugar into a glass jar. There should be a layer of sweet ingredient at the top. Viburnum prepared in this form should be stored in the refrigerator. The jars are tightly closed with plastic lids.

After a week, viburnum can be consumed. It will keep well until autumn.

One way to store viburnum is by drying the berries. This operation can be done in the oven. But first, it is advisable to slightly dry the berries.

To dry, the viburnum brushes should be laid out in one layer on a baking sheet. Then place the berries in the oven, preheated to 50–60 degrees. The door must remain slightly open.

When the berries shrivel, it means it's time to dry them.

The viburnum should cool down. Next you need to separate the berries from the stalks as much as possible. If this is difficult to do, let them stay.

Dried viburnum is stored under a closed lid in a dry glass container. You can also use cotton bags.

When dry weather persists for at least a week in the fall, the berries can be air dried. They should be laid out on clean paper, covered with gauze or a thin towel. The berries need to be stirred periodically.

Viburnum helps maintain health by filling the body with vitamins on dark and cold winter days. This inexpensive and accessible product can replace many medications. You just need to store viburnum so that all its beneficial properties remain inside the berries.

Rub with sugar

To preserve the healing properties of viburnum, this method of preparing it for the winter, such as rubbing the berries with sugar, is perfect. To do this, you need to sort out the berries, separate those that are not of good quality, rinse the fruits in cool water, and dry them.

The following methods are used for grinding:

  • rubbing through a sieve;
  • blender grinding;
  • grinding the mass using a meat grinder.

Advice

There is no need to separate the seeds from the berries, otherwise you will lose the healthy juice. Crushed seeds will not interfere with the use of pureed viburnum.

The crushed mass must be mixed with sugar in a 2:1 ratio, that is, there should be twice as much sugar as berries. It is laid out in sterile jars and stored in the refrigerator or in a cool basement. During long-term storage, juice may separate and fall down the container, but this does not affect the quality of the original product. This method of preparing berries for the winter allows you to preserve all the vitamins in them.

You can store pureed berries by sterilizing in boiling water. Half-liter jars filled with crushed berries and sugar need to be sterilized for 10 minutes, and liter jars - twice as long. The amount of sugar during canning can be reduced by half compared to the previous recipe. After sterilization, the pureed berries are rolled up and stored in a cool place.

Differences between dried viburnum and fresh

When fully ripe, red berries are characterized by a bitter taste and specific aroma; they are used for making compotes, fruit drinks, jam, tea, homemade wine and cosmetic masks. Infusions from the fruit relieve spasms, have a calming effect, improve blood composition, and strengthen the immune system.

Decoctions of dried berries are drunk to lower blood pressure and temperature, and as an expectorant for pulmonary and bronchial diseases.

Important! Fresh and dry fruits of the medicinal plant differ in chemical composition and calorie content, which must be taken into account when introducing viburnum into the diet.

Benefit

The beneficial properties of dried viburnum are due to the rich chemical composition of the fruit. Red berries with a bitter taste contain a large amount of vitamins and nutrients necessary for the smooth and proper functioning of the body.

The rich vitamin composition and low calorie content of fresh viburnum allows the vitamin product to be used during strict diets.

  1. Organic acids are responsible for metabolic processes, cleansing the body of harmful accumulations and the uninterrupted functioning of the digestive organs.
  2. Ascorbic acid strengthens the immune system, protects the body from harmful environmental influences, and reduces the risk of developing tumors.
  3. Nicotinic acid has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels and slows down the aging of the body.
  4. Vitamin A has a strengthening and restorative effect, is responsible for the health of the visual organs, and strengthens the structure of hair and nails.
  5. Vitamin E takes part in almost all metabolic processes of the human body.
  6. Tannins, dietary fiber and essential oils stabilize the gastrointestinal tract and cleanse the body of waste and toxins.

Viburnum contains many macro and microelements that ensure the smooth functioning of internal organs.

Due to their low calorie content, only 26 energy units per 100 grams of fresh product, berries can be included in the diet menu when losing weight.

Important! Dried fruits are characterized by a high calorie content. Per 100 grams of product there are up to 155 energy units, a complete absence of proteins, fats and a high concentration of carbohydrates.

Harm

In addition to its beneficial properties, dried viburnum also has some contraindications. The high content of vitamin C in fruits in some cases causes an allergic reaction. It is also not recommended to use the medicinal product if you have an individual intolerance to the substances that make up the berries.

Also, the vitamin product is prohibited from being consumed in the following cases:

  • hypotension or low blood pressure;
  • rapid blood clotting;
  • gout;
  • chronic joint diseases;
  • urolithiasis disease;
  • peptic ulcer, gastritis with high acidity.

Medicinal fruits are used with great caution during breastfeeding and breastfeeding.

To achieve maximum results from the beneficial properties of vitamin fruits, you must comply with contraindications and the daily intake of the product. It is permissible to drink no more than 3 cups of viburnum drink per day.

Interesting! In ancient times, viburnum was considered a tree with magical properties. Women shared their troubles and problems with the tree, which were resolved better over time.

Squeezing the juice

By separating the juice from the berries, you can stock up on a healthy product for the winter. The selected fruits are washed, sorted and sent to the juicer. Add sugar to the juice obtained after squeezing and mix. It is mixed in a 1:1 ratio and poured into sterilized containers (jars, bottles). Viburnum juice should only be stored in the refrigerator.

You can replace some of the sugar with honey or use the following recipe to store juice for the winter:

  • viburnum berries – 1 kg;
  • water – 200 ml;
  • honey - to taste.

We recommend: Where and how best to store cauliflower at home - 8 ways and tips

After squeezing the juice from the viburnum, all ingredients must be mixed, boiled for 10 minutes and stored in a cool place. This preparation can be used to prepare viburnum marshmallow or jam, marmalade, fruit drink, compote.

Dried viburnum application

Dried vitamin fruits are used in cooking, folk medicine and for preparing cosmetics at home.

ethnoscience

A medicinal collection of dry berries is used during colds, nervous system disorders, to strengthen the immune system and stabilize the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

To prepare a drink that strengthens the cardiovascular system, you will need:

  • a tablespoon of dried fruits;
  • 2 cups boiled cooled water;
  • a tablespoon of honey.

The berries are poured with water and left to infuse for 6-8 hours. Honey is added to the prepared viburnum infusion and consumed ¼ cup 3-4 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals.

To relieve stress and eliminate depression, pour 2 tablespoons of dried fruits into two glasses of boiling water. Next, the drink is infused for 2-3 hours, after which half a glass is taken 3 times a day.

For a severe cough, mix viburnum decoction with honey and take ¼ cup 30-40 minutes before meals.

During the cold season, the body requires additional immune protection. To reduce the risk of developing colds, brew vitamin tea from dried berries. To do this, pour 2 teaspoons of fruits with a glass of boiling water and leave for 1.5-2 hours. You can drink this tea several times a day. If necessary, add honey or sugar to the drink. Contraindications for the vitamin drink are low blood pressure and gastritis with high acidity.

Cosmetology

In cosmetology, viburnum is used to make masks, infusions and balms to rejuvenate koi and improve hair structure.

  1. The juice from the fruit whitens the skin, helps get rid of pigmentation and freckles.
  2. A mask of berries mixed with sour cream or cream has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps get rid of acne and pimples.
  3. For a nourishing mask, crushed fruits are mixed with vegetable oil. The finished mask is applied to the face or hair and left for 15-20 minutes, after which it is washed off with warm water.

Advice! A decoction of the medicinal plant is used as a lotion for skin rashes and exacerbation of eczema.

Making the liqueur

A medicinal liqueur can be prepared from these healthy berries, preserving their healing properties for the winter. It includes:

  • viburnum juice – 100 ml;
  • water – 100 ml;
  • sugar – 100 g;
  • vodka – 500 ml.

All components of this recipe need to be moved and kept at room temperature for two days, then seal the liqueur and bottle it. This drink can be stored at any temperature, even room temperature.

Preparing viburnum for the winter

Despite the wide choice, the most popular cooking method is heat treatment. You can prepare a great variety of beautiful and useful preparations from viburnum. Below are classic recipes. You can vary them as desired or adapt them to your taste. For example, add other fruits, spices or berries.

For a 1 liter glass jar you will need approximately 250 g of sugar and as many berries as will fit. The cooking process is extremely simple. Pour a 2 cm layer of berries, then 1 cm of sugar. And so on to the top. Shake the jar periodically and add sugar in a thin stream.

That's it, now you can cover it with a plastic lid and put it in the refrigerator. After some time, the jar will contain a delicious syrup with whole berries. By the way, this preparation can be stored for up to 2 years.

Advice. Do not store raw jam in a cellar or basement, it may ferment.

For 1 kg of berries you will need 250 ml of clean water and 1 kg of granulated sugar. The viburnum is freed from the brushes, then washed with cold water and dried. At the same time, syrup is prepared from sugar and water. As soon as it boils, turn it off and pour in the berries. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or spatula. Allow to cool for about 6 hours.

Then put it on a small fire and boil until the desired thickness. As a rule, 32-34 minutes is enough. Don't forget to remove the foam! Then it is poured hot into sterilized jars and sealed with metal lids.

We suggest you read How to filter water from chlorine

This jam can be perfectly stored in a basement, cellar or cool pantry for more than a year.

Advice. Instead of the usual tin lids with a rubber band, you can use “twist” screw caps. They perfectly maintain tightness without additional rubber bands.

For 1 kg of berries you need to take 250 ml of clean water and 200 g of sugar. Viburnum is pre-frozen, so it will release more juice. Then the raw materials are poured into an enamel saucepan, water is poured in and boiled for 6-8 minutes.

Now you need to rub the resulting mass through a hair sieve and add granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Then they are poured into clean, dry bottles or jars and hermetically sealed.

Viburnum juice is well stored in a cool place in winter. This could be a refrigerator, a basement, an underground floor, or an insulated balcony.

Advice. Granulated sugar can be replaced with natural honey. The calculation is simple: 100 g of sugar is replaced by 2 tbsp. l. liquid honey. Such a replacement does not affect the quality and shelf life at all.

You will need 500 g of clean washed dry berries, 10 g of potato starch and 150 g of powdered sugar. The viburnum is carefully mixed with sugar and starch, then laid out on a wide baking sheet. It is first covered with baking paper. It’s better to take siliconized one; practically nothing sticks to it. The layer of berries should be no more than 1.2 cm.

The baking sheet is placed in the oven. Drying takes approximately 11-13 hours at a temperature of 55-65°C and always with the door ajar. After this, the candied fruits should cool. Then they are poured into glass jars with a ground-in lid.

This viburnum stores well at room temperature. The main thing is to try to protect the jars from sudden temperature changes. Otherwise, condensation will form and the candied fruits will turn into an unappetizing sticky mass.

Advice. Instead of an oven, you can use an electric dryer. Just be sure to install a mesh for marshmallows. Without it, powdered sugar will fall on the fan inside the dryer. Temperature 70°C, time 7-7.5 hours.

2 kg of viburnum, 0.5 liters of clean water, 2 kg of sugar. The berries are frozen, then boiled in water until soft (about 12-14 minutes). The resulting mass is rubbed through a hair sieve or squeezed through two layers of gauze. Then add sugar and boil over low heat. When the mass becomes similar in consistency to thick jelly, turn off the fire.

Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the mixture in a layer of no more than 6 mm. The pastille dries in the oven, just like candied fruits. The time and temperature are the same. In an electric dryer, marshmallows are poured onto a special mesh.

After preparation, viburnum pastille is stored in cardboard boxes or paper bags. It can be rolled, cut into diamonds or squares.

Advice. Sprinkle both sides of the marshmallow with a thin layer of powdered sugar. This will give the product a finished look and extend its shelf life. By the way, it lasts for 8 months, subject to temperature conditions and optimal air humidity.

Cooking jam, jelly, pastille

You can prepare a lot of sweet viburnum delicacies for the winter. To make jelly, just take a kilogram of berries and sugar and two glasses of water. First, the berries are boiled with water for half an hour. Then sugar is added to this mass and the jelly is cooked for another 45 minutes. All that remains is to put it in jars and roll it up.

To make jam, you need to take 300 ml of water and 1.3 kg of sugar per kilogram of berries. To evenly soak the fruits, they need to stand in hot syrup for 10-12 hours. Then the jam is cooked, removing the foam, and packaged.

A tasty and healthy delicacy - viburnum marshmallow - is made from a kilogram of berries, boiled until soft in a glass of water. The mass, rubbed through a sieve, is mixed with sugar and boiled again until the consistency of a soft dough. This mass should be spread on wooden baking sheets and dried in the oven.

How long and how can you store viburnum at home?

Viburnum berries are unique in many respects, and only if they are stored correctly can you count on the product to fully reveal its potential. Particular attention should be paid to winter preparations for those people who care about their health.

Whole fruits, juice squeezed from them, cooked jam or jelly are sources of vitamins, microelements and organic acids. Their consumption helps strengthen the heart muscle, normalize the functioning of the digestive system, restore immunity and reduce cholesterol levels. Finally, viburnum simply has a pleasant, refreshing taste, making it unlike other berries and fruits.

If you pick viburnum at the wrong time, its taste will have a bitterness that cannot be covered even by sugar. The optimal time for collecting fruits intended for consumption or making preparations for the winter is late autumn. It is best to wait until the first frost and start harvesting immediately after. For this purpose, pruning shears are used to cut the bunches of the product. The component will lose juice if you collect it one berry at a time.

Even fresh, viburnum can be stored for a long time. A cool room or refrigerator is best for this. We hang the bunches of berries or place them in a container, which we cover with a lid, leaving a gap for air circulation. At a temperature not higher than 5-8ºС, the workpiece can last the whole winter. In cases where the use of such low temperatures is not possible, the fruits should be processed.

In a city apartment, the easiest way to store frozen or dried viburnum. Regardless of the approach, the content of useful components in berries will remain at a high level. The preparations can later be consumed in their pure form, or used as a component for preparing a wide variety of dishes.

  • Freezing. The berries feel great in any frost and can stay on the tree all winter. Therefore, at home, the easiest way is to take the collected brushes to a cold balcony and hang them there (in extreme cases, put them in a suitable open container). Even if you use a refrigerator for freezing, you should not remove the stalks. This will preserve the juice in them, and, therefore, useful substances. The fruits are placed in plastic containers or thick bags.

Tip: If during the process of picking, transporting or storing the berry has released juice, it will have to be used for preparing preparations. Moreover, the faster, the better. Even drying and freezing the product is useless; it will have little taste or benefit.

  • Drying. Place the brushes on a baking sheet and dry at a temperature within 50-60ºС. At the same time, the oven door should not be closed, otherwise the fruits will burst and all the juice will flow out of them. The procedure continues until the fruits become dry and wrinkled. Only after completing the manipulation can the stalks be removed and the viburnum be placed in dry glass jars with ground-in lids.

Most often, frozen and dried products for the winter are further processed into compotes, jelly, infusions, decoctions and fruit drinks. Sometimes the berries are used to make jam, jelly or marshmallows.

The beneficial components in the berries are not destroyed even under the influence of sugar. Grinding ripe fruits with this component is one of the simplest and most common options for preparing a product for the winter. The procedure looks like this:

  • We remove the berries from the brushes, sort them, remove the poor quality ones and wash them in cool water. Dry the viburnum on paper towels until the moisture completely disappears.
  • Now the products need to be crushed, while collecting all the healing juice. For this purpose, we use a sieve, blender or meat grinder.
  • There is no need to try to remove the seeds during the chopping process. They will not reduce the quality of the composition, nor will they spoil the texture.
  • For one part of berries, take two parts of sugar and mix these components thoroughly.

The finished dish should be stored in sterile glass jars. Sterilization time should be at least 10 minutes. After this, close the twists and put them in a cool place. Do not worry if during storage the fruits release juice, which will sink to the bottom of the container. This does not affect the taste and composition of the mass.

The juice obtained from viburnum can be used not only fresh. It is collected and poured into suitable containers to be stored for several months. The procedure looks like this:

  • We sort the fruits, wash them, dry them and put them in a juicer. Using a sieve or masher is not very suitable here; the liquid will not be released as actively.
  • Mix the extracted juice with sugar in equal proportions and pour into sterile glass jars or bottles.
  • If desired, you can add water (a glass of liquid per 1 liter of juice) and a little honey. In this case, the mass should be boiled for 10 minutes. This product can be stored for 1-2 years, thanks to heat treatment.

Viburnum juice is used in the production of jam, fruit drinks, compote, marshmallows, and marmalade. And the fresh component is often used to prepare the liqueur. You just need to mix 100 ml of juice, water and sugar with 0.5 liters of vodka and keep the mixture at room temperature for two days. The finished liqueur is bottled and sealed for the winter. You can keep it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Viburnum desserts have a pleasant taste and unusual aroma. Housewives are also attracted by the simplicity of their preparation. Even the least experienced housewife can easily cope with the following recipes:

  • Jam. For 1 kg of berries, take a glass of water, 1 kg and a glass of sugar. We make syrup from water and sugar, into which we place the fruits. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10-12 hours, covered with gauze. After this, cook the mass until tender, skimming off the foam regularly.
  • Jelly. For 1 kg of berries we take 1 kg of sugar and 2 glasses of drinking water. Pour the fruits with water and boil for half an hour over low heat. Add sugar and cook the product after boiling for another 45 minutes. Place the finished jelly in sterile jars and seal it for the winter.

We recommend reading: How to Store Cabbage If You Don’t Have a Cellar

  • Paste. For 1 kg of berries, take a glass of water. Combine the ingredients and boil the viburnum until soft. After this, grind the mixture through a sieve and put it back on the stove to cook. This time you need to do this until the workpiece resembles the consistency of soft dough. Spread the resulting mixture in an even layer on a special baking sheet and dry it in the oven.

Heat-treated viburnum products should be stored in a cool place. This will preserve their delicate and pure taste for as long as possible.

Few people know that viburnum can also be preserved in the form of products that are unique in their characteristics. The berries should be processed at least once in the following ways to assess the quality of the resulting preparations:

  • Oil. The cake that remains after extracting viburnum juice is ideal for preparing the composition. It should be crushed in a blender or passed through a meat grinder. Next, take 1 part of the cake and take 4 parts of vegetable oil and mix the ingredients. Infuse the resulting mass in a dark place for three weeks. Then we filter the product, squeeze out the cake and throw it away. Pour the collected oil into containers and close for the winter. We use the preparation to season various dishes.
  • Vinegar. Take a 3-liter jar, put 0.5 kg of berries and a glass of sugar into it. Fill the mixture with 2 liters of water and add a few blackcurrant leaves for flavor. We close the workpiece and put it in a dark place for 2 months. During the first week, the composition should be stirred daily. The vinegar is ready when it becomes clear.

Viburnum preparations for the winter have a pleasant taste and appetizing aroma, but you should not consume them uncontrollably. First of all, such products are therapeutic agents and should be used in doses and systematically. If, as a result of long-term storage, the taste, aroma, color or texture of these components changes, it is better to refuse their further use. This can negatively affect the condition of the body.

Why persistent dieting DOES NOT BRING visible results, but only leads to frustration and depression, and how to still lose weight in order to:

  • Get your husband's attention back or find a new man.
  • Feel the envious glances of friends and colleagues again.
  • Believe in yourself, feel slim and desired.
  • Don't be shy to go to the cinema or to a cafe with your friends.
  • They are not shy about posting photos from vacation or with children on social networks.

Burn fat specifically in problem areas, details HERE

  • Freezing. The berries feel great in any frost and can stay on the tree all winter. Therefore, at home, the easiest way is to take the collected brushes to a cold balcony and hang them there (in extreme cases, put them in a suitable open container). Even if you use a refrigerator for freezing, you should not remove the stalks. This will preserve the juice in them, and, therefore, useful substances. The fruits are placed in plastic containers or thick bags.

Viburnum oil

For this product, you can use the cake left over from making juice. It is passed through a meat grinder and filled with vegetable or olive oil in a ratio of 1:4 (four times more oil than cake). This remedy should be left in a dark place for three weeks to infuse. After squeezing the cake, it is poured into containers. The value of this undeservedly forgotten recipe is comparable to the benefits and healing properties of sea buckthorn oil.

Valuable advice

  • To make raw jam, it is not necessary to take sugar. Viburnum can be filled with honey. Proportions: 2 parts berries - 1 part bee gift.
  • When preparing viburnum for the winter, try to use only glass, wooden or enamel dishes. Copper, metal or aluminum can strongly oxidize vitamins. Then you’ll end up with just a sweet treat with virtually no benefit.
  • If you don’t dry the viburnum puree to turn it into a marshmallow, you can simply roll it into jars. In winter, all you have to do is take out such a preparation and enjoy the wonderful... marmalade!
  • How to prepare viburnum for the winter? After our advice, this question will no longer worry you. Just choose any suitable method and go ahead to prepare vitamins and nutrients.

Making vinegar

The benefits of such a natural product are comparable to the benefits of apple cider vinegar. For viburnum vinegar, you need to put half a kilogram of berries in a three-liter jar, a glass of sugar, and pour two liters of water. You can flavor vinegar with blackcurrant and cherry leaves. This jar should stand in a dark place at room temperature for about two months. During the first week, its contents are stirred periodically. Viburnum vinegar is ready when it becomes transparent.

The availability, ease of storage and preparation of these medicinal fruits make them one of the most common products for use as a health remedy.

Drying viburnum

A popular way to store viburnum for the winter. In dried form, it is used for medicinal purposes, preparing compotes and decoctions. The product is steamed in a thermos, like rose hips. You can dry it outside.

Pros of air drying viburnum:

  • no need to closely monitor;
  • natural process;
  • beneficial substances are preserved;
  • no electricity is wasted.
  • humid in autumn;
  • the process is long;
  • dust, debris, insects get in.
Rating
( 1 rating, average 4 out of 5 )
Did you like the article? Share with friends:
For any suggestions regarding the site: [email protected]
Для любых предложений по сайту: [email protected]