How to store cranberries at home: fresh without freezing

If you ask any housewife, “Do you know how to store cranberries?”, you will receive an unequivocal answer, “I know.” But it’s not enough to boil it, freeze it, or use another method; it’s important to know all the subtleties so that the berry can be stored for a long time and it will retain all the reserves of useful substances that Mother Nature has endowed it with. Let's look at all the possible ways to store cranberries for a long time at home.

Useful qualities of cranberries

Cranberries strengthen the body's immune system and increase resistance to disease. Fruit drinks, jams, juices, and syrups are made from it, which are then used to treat flu and colds. In order for the berries to retain their positive qualities and vitamins to the maximum, they must be stored correctly. It is not necessary to freeze the fruits; there are other ways to enjoy cranberries in winter.

Many women make masks with cranberry juice. They have a rejuvenating effect. After a course of use, the number of wrinkles is significantly reduced and their depth is filled. Thanks to the procedure, the skin is nourished with vitamins and moisture. As a result, a woman becomes the owner of firm, smooth, elastic skin.

Berries are great for cleansing the skin. It is enough to scrub your face and décolleté with several fruits. The procedure will achieve softness and smoothness. With regular use, the effect will be no worse than from salon procedures.

Cranberries act as a strong natural disinfectant. Due to their high acid concentration, they quickly and effectively remove limescale from surfaces. Cranberry juice is used to wipe door handles, faucets, and locks. The effect is like after using an expensive cleaning product.

Juice squeezed from fresh cranberries is an excellent hair conditioner. After washing your hair, rub in a small amount of juice. Leave for a few minutes and then rinse. In a couple of procedures, the hair becomes smooth and silky. In addition, the juice will help get rid of dandruff. With regular use of the juice, hair will begin to grow faster.

Preparing cranberries for long-term storage

If the fruits were picked in September, they are not yet ripe. In order for the berries to ripen, they are placed in a basket or cardboard box with holes for ventilation. Cover the container with fabric in advance. The packaging is placed in a dry and warm place. After 2 weeks, check for readiness.

If it is necessary for the berries to ripen faster, place a tomato or apple in the basket. They release ethylene, which speeds up the process.

The picked berries are cleaned of particles of dirt, debris, and leaves. It is better to remove the crumpled specimens and make a puree with sugar from them or use them for preservation - confiture, compotes. The berries need to be sorted carefully.

Whole, ripe cranberries can be stored at home. They will last for several months. In an apartment or house, the product is placed in a dark place. It should be well ventilated. If there is poor ventilation, cranberries will begin to deteriorate over time. This occurs due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

Soaking in water

When considering ways to store cranberries, it is worth mentioning soaking in water. With this method, the berries will not lose their vitamins and rich taste. To preserve the product, you need to use glass containers or enamel containers.

Spring, filtered, and settled water is used as filling. First of all, it is boiled and cooled. The berries are sorted and packaged in prepared containers. The mass is filled with water so that it is completely immersed. All that remains is to close the lids. In this form, the fruits will be stored for up to 2 years if they are taken out to a cool place.

Instead of water, the berries can be filled with sugar syrup. To give it additional taste, add cinnamon and cloves.

Soaked berries are great for meat delicacies. Since the distant past, they have been prepared with fried and baked meat and poultry.

Cranberries in liquid form must be kept in a cool room - a basement, barn, refrigerator or balcony.

Advice from experienced housewives

There are several recommendations that should be followed by anyone who wants to preserve cranberries for as long as possible.

The ideal degree of maturity suitable for storage is easy to determine. The cranberry will bounce like a well-inflated rubber ball when dropped on the floor.
It is better to soak in water collected from a well. Of course, today you won’t find a well in a city. Therefore, tap water will do. But such a liquid requires preliminary boiling or settling.
Some of the berries soaked for storage should be saved until the canning season. They can be added to cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes in a twist. And the classic version is sauerkraut with cranberries. The berry can enrich the taste of neighbors and make them aesthetically pleasing.
Fruits that were collected for storage early in spring, under the snow, are ideal for preparing original sauces. Sauces for meat and poultry are very popular.

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Rules for storing berries without freezing in the basement

To keep cranberries fresh in the basement or cellar, use different containers:

glass jars, bottles;
enamel containers;
wooden boxes;
packages.

They put already fully prepared berries, washed and dried. Be sure to leave it in the dark. Berries need to be checked sometimes and spoiled ones removed. In winter, the basement must be ventilated.

In the same way, cranberries are stored on the loggia. There they may darken, but will not lose their beneficial qualities. Storage duration is 3-4 months.

How to preserve cranberries with added honey

Information on the question of how to preserve cranberries in order to preserve and enhance their health properties, as well as improve their taste. A variety of berry preparation with the addition of honey is best suited.

It would be most suitable to use sweets with tea during an illness: infections in a mild form can be overcome without medications.

Components:

cranberries - one kilogram;
honey - one glass.

Procurement

The selection of berries must be crushed using any convenient method.

Mix the mixture with honey and place it in disinfected and dried jars.

Proper preservation of cranberries with honey can be guaranteed if you place the preparation in the refrigerator or basement.

Storing berries in sugar

The hostess can choose one of two ways:

Take any container. Pre-washed and dried berries are laid in layers, between which granulated sugar is poured. When packing, the berries are sometimes shaken so that they fit more tightly. The final layer is sugar.
Cranberries and sugar are taken in equal proportions, placed in a blender or passed through a meat grinder. The resulting mass is transferred to a jar, rolled up with a metal one or covered with a nylon lid. Store in a cool place.

Jars used for storage are sterilized in advance by any available method.

How to store pureed cranberries

Mashed berries are very tasty, do not require cooking and can replace jam. This delicacy is indispensable for colds or flu, so it must be prepared in case of illness.

So, the cranberries are washed, spoiled berries and branches are removed. Place in a colander on an old cloth. Next, it is placed in a large, clean container and mixed with sugar at a ratio of one to one. All contents are scrolled through a meat grinder or crushed in a blender. Place everything in small jars, cover with lids and put in the refrigerator for storage. From this raw jam you can make jelly, fruit juice, or prepare a filling for a pie or cupcake.

Preservation in own juice

This is another way to preserve cranberries. To do this, take ripe and slightly bruised fruits and pound them until pureed. Then the mass is heated a little and the juice is squeezed out.

Place whole berries in a saucepan and pour juice into it in a 2:1 ratio. The mass is heated, but not brought to a boil. Then they are poured into pre-sterilized jars. Next, the jars are covered with lids and sterilized. All that remains is to wrap the containers and, after completely cooling, take them to a cool place before winter sets in.

Drying berries

Dried products are used to prepare fillings and compotes. But it is worth knowing that in this state there are few vitamins and useful elements left in the berries. Nevertheless, the method of preserving fruits is common and is often used.

Drying cranberries is carried out in the oven, electric dryer or simply in the fresh air. The latter option is preferable. Place the berries in one layer on any hard surface in a dark place and leave until completely dry.

If drying takes place in an apartment, then the cranberries are taken out to the loggia and placed so that the sun's rays do not fall on them. The finished fruits are transferred to glass containers and sealed with lids to ensure tightness. Dried fruits can be stored for up to 3 years.

The berries have a dense, hard skin. It is recommended to blanch them in boiling water before drying them in the oven. This is done in a few minutes. After the skin bursts, transfer the berries to a colander and then onto a towel. Next, spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Turn on the oven and set the temperature to 95 degrees. After 10 minutes, the temperature is reduced to 65℃. Open the door slightly and dry it this way.

Cranberry jam

Since the fruits have a specific taste, not everyone will eat them fresh. Then you should think about making berry jam. The classic recipe looks like this.

Components:

fresh cranberries – 2 kg;
granulated sugar – 2 kg.

How to make vitamin jam step by step:

The fruits are crushed in any available way to a puree.
The resulting mass is transferred to a saucepan, and sugar is poured into it.
Allow the ingredients to stand without stirring them. You need to wait until the berries give juice and the sugar begins to melt. It will take about 3-5 hours.
Next, place the pan on the stove, turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
Next, reduce the fire. Boil the berry mixture for 20 minutes over low heat.

All you have to do is pour the jam into pre-sterilized jars with a ladle and close the lids.

How to select and prepare fruits for storage

The cranberry harvest occurs in several stages. You can start harvesting berries as early as September, but they are usually fully ripened by November. But even after winter frosts, cranberries remain fresh, so you can enjoy them even in the spring. However, such a product will no longer be suitable for long-term storage.

Unripe fruits are dense, light red or pink in color, sometimes with a white side. They taste sour, with a tart aftertaste. They are suitable for long-term fresh storage, as well as for drying and freezing. These cranberries are harvested in September.
Ripe berries are soft, filled with juice, have a sweet and sour taste and a rich red color. Sometimes their color is dark red or purple. At this stage of ripening, the juice and pulp contain the most useful substances, so these cranberries are best consumed fresh. Such berries are not very suitable for drying and freezing due to their high humidity and softness, but grinding them with sugar is quite appropriate. The picking period for ripe berries is November.

The collected cranberries must be washed in running water, dried on a towel, and then carefully sorted. Some of the debris will be eliminated during the washing process.

Leaves, twigs and remaining plant debris can be removed in this way:

Place dry fruits in a saucepan or bowl. Prepare a second container of similar size.
Prepare an inclined board covered with a terry towel. Place the empty pan under the bottom edge of the board.
In small portions, slowly pour the berries over the board so that they roll down into the empty container. Small plant debris will linger on the terry towel, and individual spoiled berries can be easily selected.

Cranberry marmalade

To prepare a tasty and healthy dish you need to take:

cranberries - 1 kg;
granulated sugar - 1 tbsp;
gelatin - 40 g.

Method for preparing dessert:

The fruits are combined with a glass of sand and left for a while so that the skin bursts, the berries release juice and melt the sugar.
Place the pan on low heat and wait until the mixture boils.
Then add a mixture of gelatin and water.

The marmalade is poured into molds, allowed to cool and placed in the kitchen cabinet.

Tips and tricks for hostesses

It’s worth checking out some advice from experienced people:

When choosing an enameled container, you must first make sure that it does not have chips or cracks. If there are even the slightest cracks, flaws or scratches, dangerous metal will be visible on the surface. When combined with an acidic environment, it will cause severe food poisoning. Then the person faces intoxication, subsequently gastric lavage.
It is recommended to immediately sort the berries into storage areas, as they will spoil faster. Overripe, bruised fruits should be processed. And elastic berries are suitable for long-term storage.
If the housewife wants to preserve the fruits for a long time, then it is better to take cranberries that were harvested in September-October. Spring berries are sweeter, but they are not suitable for long-term storage. They also contain fewer vitamins and lose zinc and iron.
If the berries are a little frozen, they are still better in the freezer. This way their beneficial qualities will be preserved.

Cranberries contain benzoic acid. It increases the body's resistance to harmful and pathogenic microorganisms. For this reason, the berries do not spoil for a long time without prior heat treatment, the use of sugar or preservatives.

Note to the housewife: lingonberries have similar qualities. It is also stored outside the refrigerator.

Some housewives put other berries in cranberries - viburnum, red currants. But it’s better not to do this, because with this combination the products will quickly deteriorate. When you combine the berries, you get a delicious vitamin juice or fruit drink, but in this case you need to prepare it right away. Or the berries are dried separately.

How to store fresh cranberries without freezing

Alternatively, it can be placed in glass jars and stored in the refrigerator. This method provides two options: with and without sugar. In both cases, the berries will not spoil.

You can send a container of cranberries to the balcony, however, if it is not glass. In severe frosts, glass may crack, so it is better to choose a plastic or enamel bucket. Pots made of aluminum and similar metals are completely unsuitable, since when interacting with acid they can serve as a source of severe poisoning.

A cellar or underground is also an option if you have a private house. In this case, in any case, the vitamin complex of the berry will not be affected, thanks to the benzoic acid it contains.