Freshly squeezed apple juice is a very tasty drink rich in vitamins. If you have a juicer, it’s easy to get it, but what if you don’t have one nearby? You can use available means: a grater, a blender, or squeeze it by hand. If you need to get 1-2 glasses of a healthy drink or preserve it for the winter, then these simple methods are for you.
Cooking features
To make juice, choose any juicy apples (hard, sweet or sour): Antonovka, Honey, Simirenko and others. But varieties with loose pulp are not suitable. Here are some more recommendations:
- Do not use aluminum cookware. Organic acids will immediately come into contact with the metal, and the drink will have an unpleasant aftertaste. It is better to take glass or plastic containers.
- When chopping apples, do not try to turn them into a mushy state. Then it will be very difficult to squeeze out the juice.
- For squeezing, you will need canvas, gauze or a press. As the latter, you can use a liter jar filled with water.
- Second-press juice is most often prepared from the remaining pulp. Fill the cake with water, heat over moderate heat and squeeze again. The strained broth can be used to cook jelly or compote.
To prepare 400-500 ml of juice you will need approximately 1 kg of apples. It all depends on the juiciness of the fruit and the method of pressing. When using a juicer, the liquid obtained is almost 100-150 ml more.
Delicious pumpkin and apple juice for the winter - a finger-licking recipe
Autumn is the time to stock up on vitamins for the winter. And I want to offer you a very interesting option for processing pumpkins along with apples. Namely, we will make juice from them. This is so yummy, you'll just lick your fingers!
And I’m generally silent about the benefits. Although, why be silent?! She needs to be shouted about! The beneficial substances included in such a product will help the body obtain a rich composition of vitamins, microelements and other “goodies”. A glass of this drink will not only lift your spirits, but also strengthen your immune system!
Be sure to stock up on this delicacy. Offer it to children instead of store-bought nectars and lemonades. After all, this is very valuable, especially for a growing organism.
We will need:
- Ripe pumpkin – 1 kg.
- Juicy sweet apples – half a kilo
- Water – 1-1.5 liters
- Granulated sugar – 150 gr.
- Lemon juice – 1.5 tbsp. (can be replaced with citric acid)
Weight of ingredients in purified form. I give the proportions for 1 kg. pumpkins. But you take more of everything, multiplying the amount of products accordingly.
Let's start cooking:
Take a ripe, sweet and always juicy pumpkin. We cut it into several parts, scrape out the seeds and the loose center. Peel off the peel.
Don't throw away the seeds! Dry them a little and then eat. They are very healthy and tasty!
Cut into small cubes. Place in one large pan or 2 smaller ones.
Pour about a glass of water into each five-liter saucepan. Place on the stove and bring to a boil under the lid. The pumpkin pieces will quickly soften and the contents will settle. This is what we need in order to add fruit.
And while everything is warming up, let's prepare the apples. We peel them, cut out the middle with the seeds. Cut the prepared fruit into pieces comparable to the size of a pumpkin. We send them to the composition when everything boils and settles.
Set the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the saucepans with lids. Simmer under these conditions until the apples soften. They should become very soft and puree-like. At the same time, all the ingredients released juice, so there was more liquid.
Now we arm ourselves with an immersion blender. We turn this entire composition into a homogeneous puree, without lumps or inclusions.
At the same time, set the required amount of clean water to boil.
Pour it into the puree. Next add granulated sugar. If you like it sweeter, you can increase the amount of sweetener to suit your taste. In order for the preparation to be stored for a long time, add lemon juice. In addition, citrus acid will add a light but quite noticeable taste contrast. If you like, you can add vanilla at the end of cooking, literally at the tip of a knife.
Be sure to remove the growing foam; it should not get into the jars.
Bring the mixture to a boil. From the moment of full boiling, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
During this time, we prepare the glass containers. You can use regular jars or bottles. You can do it even after drinking alcoholic drinks; you don’t even have to sterilize them. We heat clean containers in the oven or sterilize them in any convenient way.
Pour the hot drink into sterilized containers. Pour to the top, barely adding to the brim. Seal and place on a towel. And what didn’t fit – in cups. After cooling, enjoy your efforts.
Source -
https://youtu.be/f9KdPDaeY4Y
Cover the hot containers placed closely together with a warm towel. This way they will slowly cool down due to their close proximity and warm shelter. Thus, the workpiece will undergo additional sterilization and will be stored without problems.
We put the cooled jars in a cellar or cool pantry.
We use a regular grater
This method is more suitable when you need to squeeze out just a little juice.
- Wash the fruits, peel them, remove the core, cut into slices.
- Grate the pieces on a fine grater.
- Place the pureed apples in a canvas napkin or gauze, make a bag and squeeze with your hands.
- The juice is ready, just pour it into a glass.
If the number of apples is large, use a press. Place a colander over the saucepan and place a cloth napkin or gauze folded in several layers on its bottom. Lay out the grated apples and wrap the edges of the fabric. Place a flat, tight-fitting plate on top and set the press. Leave for 5-10 minutes.
Packaged or freshly squeezed
The overwhelming majority of juice in packages is a secondary product, that is, it is made from raw materials remaining after direct pressing of fruit. The pulp is soaked in water, settled and squeezed several times, pasteurized and then poured into containers. At the same time, the quality of the fruit often leaves much to be desired.
To enhance the taste and long-term storage, dyes, stabilizers, flavors and other chemical additives are added to such a product. We should also mention a cheap analogue of sugar - glucose-fructose syrup, which is often added instead of sugar in order to save money. Regular consumption of this syrup, even in small quantities, provokes the development of obesity.
Conclusion: a packaged product can cause significant damage to health. As for truly natural 100% juices, they are not easy to find on sale; of all available products, they make up only 2% of the total mass.
Read also: Cortaderia: how to grow and care for the plant
Using a meat grinder
Using a meat grinder, you can get a larger amount of drink, for example, for canning.
- Prepare the fruit; you don’t need to peel the peel.
- Pass the apple slices through a meat grinder.
- Juice will immediately be released along with the puree; pour it into the prepared container.
- Squeeze out the resulting pulp under a press or by hand.
Strained first-press juice can be preserved. To do this, heat it to 85-90 degrees. At this temperature, boiling will not occur, but steam will rise from the pan. Then immediately pour the hot liquid into sterilized jars and roll up.
Note to the hostess
If you chop the apples heavily before squeezing, for example, in a blender, the juice may turn out cloudy. To clarify it, proceed as follows: pass the juice through a thick cloth, then heat it to 85° and immediately pour it into sterile glass containers and seal it hermetically.
Keep the rolled up jars of juice for 12 days at room temperature. Monitor the condition of the juice. If you notice that the juice has become cloudy or fermentation has begun, uncork the jars, pour the juice into a saucepan, and boil for 5 minutes. This juice should be used as quickly as possible, for example, for cooking compote or jelly. You can also make wine from this juice.
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Place those jars of juice that have passed the test period in a dark, cool place for 1-2 months. If you do not move them from place to place, then during this time the juice will lighten and it will become transparent.
From boiled fruits
If you need a lot of juice:
- Cut the peeled apples into slices and place in a saucepan.
- Pour in water until the slices are completely covered.
- Bring to a boil, remove from heat and leave to brew for several hours with the lid closed.
- Drain the liquid into a separate bowl.
- Place the fruit pieces in cheesecloth and squeeze. Add the resulting liquid to the previously strained broth.
If you want to prepare this juice for the winter, boil it for 3-5 minutes and roll it into sterile jars.
Apple juice in a blender
- Apples 5 kg
- Water 500 ml
Tip: To prevent the drink from darkening, add a little lemon juice or acid.
Useful tips
Pay special attention to the spin pace. It should not be too fast, as pieces of pulp begin to break through the fabric along with the juice. The drink becomes very cloudy and the spinning process becomes difficult. And further:
- Consume freshly squeezed juice immediately after preparation. Otherwise, it will quickly turn sour when exposed to air.
- Try mixtures of juice from apples and other vegetables, fruits and berries, which can also be obtained without using a juicer. An interesting and vitamin-rich treat can be made with carrots, pears, pumpkin, grapes or boiled beets.
- Do not rush to throw away the remaining fruit pulp even after the second spin. It contains a lot of pectin and fiber. It can be used in cooking to make desserts, such as marshmallows or casseroles. Apple “waste” can also be used in the field of cosmetology: all kinds of masks for hair and skin. Wine is even made from this pulp left after pressing.
Freshly squeezed apple juice always comes out with pulp. If you want to get a perfectly clear drink, there are different ways to clarify it.
photo: depositphotos.com/simply
Properties of apple juice
Apples are characterized by a rich chemical composition, which determines a wide range of their beneficial properties and beneficial effects on all systems of the human body. Thanks to the high concentration of ascorbic acid, apple juice makes it possible to increase the body's resistance to the harmful effects of external factors, supports the normal functioning of the immune system, and takes an active part in the formation of new cells.
The vitamins contained in the drink are necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems . Their deficiency can provoke nervous disorders, depression, fears and nervousness. Regular use of the product allows you to activate brain activity, relieve tension and stress, and increase learning ability.
A number of mineral components in the juice have a positive effect on the digestive tract, accelerate metabolic processes and metabolism, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and relieve constipation . Pectins support the normal functioning of the kidneys and liver, reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood, and promote safe weight loss.
- Experts recommend drinking this healthy drink for people of all ages:
- It helps children increase hemoglobin levels, improve sleep and gastrointestinal function;
- For older people, it helps prevent the development of atherosclerosis, normalizes blood pressure, and reduces the risk of developing senile insanity;
- For women, the juice allows them to maintain youth, prevent premature aging, and improve the condition of their skin and hair;
- For men, apple drink is useful because it reduces the risk of developing heart attacks and strokes, makes it possible to quickly restore strength after grueling physical and mental stress, and helps eliminate the consequences of a “stormy evening.”
