Blueberry Jam: 10 Recipes

Sometimes the folk names are surprisingly accurate descriptions of the plant. For example, blueberries are called "rejuvenating berries" for their unique properties. For a long time it is used in cooking and folk medicine, is part of some medicines and dietary supplements, is used in cosmetology. Many tasty treats are prepared from berries, among which the leading ornate and very useful jam.

A bush with a secret

A low shrub of the heath family, it looks a bit like a dwarf version of the myrtle. Appreciated berries, leaves and young shoots. The plant got its name for the property of the sap to stain the mouth and hands in a dark purple, almost black color. In some areas the plant is called chernishniki, nigella, or bilberry.

It grows in northern areas near bogs and backwaters, and is found in pine forests. The bush seldom grows taller than half a meter; in tundra it only rises 5-10 cm above the ground. It propagates by seeds and vegetatively. The branches pressed to the ground take root and form a new bush. The small elongated leaves are spirally arranged, with a smooth, leathery surface. The upper one is often colored in green tones, the lower one is lighter in color. The rhizome quickly grows wide, producing many new shoots.

It is impossible to confuse the plant by its appearance with other species, especially during flowering. In May the twigs are covered with greenish-white solitary flowers. The calyx is tilted downward, which does not interfere with pollination by bees and bumblebees. They harvest in July; the timing varies from region to region by 7-10 days.

The useful and tasty berries were first harvested only in natural conditions. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, garden varieties, larger and more resistant to natural conditions, were bred. The most famous among foreign species were Bluecrop, Herbert, Chanticleer. Of the domestic varieties, Pearl of the forest, Garden, Zorky eye, Elizabeth are popular.

Sometimes inexperienced berry pickers can confuse blueberries and blueberries. Belonging to the same family, the berries have quite striking differences, if you know what to pay attention to. First of all, the blueberry bushes are taller, the berries are gathered in bunches, do not have a characteristic waxy coating, the color is much lighter than blueberries. The main check is carried out by biting the fruit. Blueberries are more unleavened and do not stain your fingers a dark color if you drop a drop of juice on your skin.

Composition and calories

Berries have a unique composition, rich in micro- and macronutrients. They contain:

• vitamins C, E, D, PP, part of the B group;
• biotin;
• lutein;
• lycopene;
• choline;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• silicon;
• potassium;
• sodium;
• phosphorus;
• sulfur;
• iron;
• cobalt;
• manganese;
• molybdenum;
• zinc;
• tannins;
• amino acids;
• fruit sugars;
• flavonoids;
• sterols.

The average weight of 1 berry is 0.4 g, the caloric value of 100 g does not exceed 55 kcal. The product belongs to the dietary.

What are the benefits of fresh blueberries?

One berry contains a whole first-aid kit of natural remedies to maintain immunity, stabilize the work of internal organs. Antioxidant properties slow down the development of malignant tumors. Blueberries are natural antibiotics, which allows you to use decoctions and juice of fresh berries to shorten the treatment of seasonal colds, diseases of the mouth and throat. The same property is used for disorders of the urogenital system, diseases of the joints, liver dysfunction.

Very interesting is the peculiarity of berries to stop the process of putrefaction in the intestines in case of digestive disorders. Blueberries gently cleans all parts of the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates the removal of toxins, restores the balance of microflora. However, in different states of berries have exactly the opposite effect. So fresh ones are laxative, and dried ones are fortifying.

Fruits are recommended for maintaining sugar levels in diabetes, reducing complications after heart attacks and strokes. Juice and fresh berries are able to neutralize typhoid and dysentery pathogens.

Contrary to advertising assurances, blueberries are not able to restore vision. But regular consumption of a small handful a day will speed up regeneration, strengthen the retina and sharpen night vision.

For women

Plant components in the diet are useful for ladies of all ages. When such fruits can slow down aging and improve the appearance, they are welcomed. Blueberries are important for those who strive to stay awake and active until the evening. The treat will lift your mood, keep inflammatory processes away, and help keep your eyes attractive and healthy.

Important: Blueberry-based remedies can stabilize the monthly cycle and relieve the acuteness of the main symptoms of menopause.

During pregnancy, berries will be an additional source of vitamins and minerals, normalize the intestinal function and help to remove edema. Berry dessert stabilizes the emotional sphere and keeps hemoglobin levels at the right level.

In cosmetology, the restorative and anti-inflammatory properties of berries are used. Extracts and extracts are included in face and body skin care products.

For men

The list of minerals directly indicates that the berry is vital for the representatives of the stronger sex who experience increased physical and mental stress. The fruit is recommended for strenuous work with digital media. In the intimate sphere, berries will also bring tangible benefits, increasing sexual desire and stamina. Juice reduces the risk of heart attack and Alzheimer's disease, cleanses blood vessels, supports heart function, reduces the likelihood of prostate disease.

For children.

Blueberries are of medium allergenicity level. They should not be given to babies under six months of age. For the first time offer just 1 berry and carefully observe the reaction of the body. If all is well, then the amount gradually increased. Blueberries strengthen the child's immune system, strengthens the nervous system and disinfect the oral mucosa, preventing stomatitis.

In folk medicine, fruits and leaves are used. On their basis are prepared decoctions and infusions, which are used for therapeutic and preventive purposes.

The benefits of blueberry jam

During heat treatment, some vitamins, as representatives of the B group, are partially broken down. The main part of the substances remains almost unchanged, as well as the properties of blueberries.

Important: In jam or compote, the level of allergenicity is reduced several times.

The delicacy can be served with tea, spread flavored jam on a piece of bun, or simply enjoy the taste by holding it in your mouth to reveal all the nuances. Such an addition to breakfast or dinner will improve your mood, speed up regeneration and strengthen immunity, giving you the strength to successfully resist the seasonal colds. In boiled form, the fortifying properties of the berry are significantly reduced. But those who suffer from chronic constipation should treat the dessert carefully, being content with 3-5 teaspoons per day.

Jam, like fresh berries, contains anthocyanins that stop the development of cancer cells. An anticoagulant or vitamin K reduces blood viscosity, which is important for preventing heart attacks and the development of thrombosis. Tannins and organic acids in jam remain unchanged. They strengthen the walls of blood vessels, preserving their elasticity. This is especially important for the capillaries of the eyes and brain.

Almost all types of jam are made with the skin. It contains polyphenols that normalize blood cholesterol levels.

Limitations
The benefits of jam are undoubted, but there are a number of conditions under which this delicacy should not be consumed at all or eat no more than 1-2 spoonfuls per day. Contraindications include individual intolerance, exacerbation of pancreatitis, high stomach acidity, oxalate nephropathy. With caution will have to eat the dessert during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

How and when to collect blueberries for jam

If you had the opportunity to travel to blueberry places and participate in the harvesting yourself, then such an event can be considered a gift of fate. In this case, it is seen that the place of collection meets environmental standards, there are no major roads and businesses nearby.

It should be taken into account: Blueberry fruits quickly accumulate harmful substances and salts of heavy metals. They are not suitable for food.

Ripe berries are very tender and juicy. In order not to damage them, collect only by hand. Choose whole, fully ripe specimens. It's better to spend a little more time picking the wrong fruit right away than to crumple it up later when sorting it at home.

The timing of the berry harvest varies slightly depending on the region and the weather in the current year. Approximately mass ripening is in July.

On a quiet hunt for blueberries, it is best to take glass enamelware or a container made of food-grade plastic. Metal buckets are not suitable, since organic acids will cause a reaction with the walls of the container.

Criteria for choosing berries when buying them

If the independent collection is not available, and you want to save useful berries for the winter, it is better to go to the farmers' market. In large stores they sell imported blueberries, passed a special treatment, which will not benefit the body. There is almost no flavor and aroma left after such manipulations. The second option is a frozen product. It is also better to leave it for a last resort, giving preference to a fresh seasonal crop.

It is better to buy berries in bulk, by weight, in order to see the quality of the goods. But do not spend money on unripe fruits, believing that they will ripen. Sweetness and half of their useful substances will not be in them either. Choose ripe, undamaged large berries of about the same size. In this case, in the garden species, it is not necessary to find out the name of the variety. All have about the same content of vitamins and minerals. It is better to be guided simply by an attractive appearance and make sure that the fruits are dry, without sticky juice on the sides and the bottom of the container.

For the record: it is recommended to process the berries on the day of purchase. They are stored for a short time and quickly lose their marketable appearance.

How to boil blueberry jam: recipes

Culinary books of different countries contain many ways to prepare a delicious and useful treat. If you look closely at the basic principles, they can be divided into 3 parts:

• no boiling;
• with short boiling in several steps;
• with a long one-step boiling.

The choice depends on the goals of stocking up for the winter and personal preferences.

The classic way

There are only berries and sugar in equal proportions. The fruits are thoroughly washed. It is more convenient to pick damaged or pecked by birds in a bowl of water. Some of them float up and you can remove them without crushing the main mass. To remove excess water, the fruits are poured into a colander and left for 10-20 minutes. Then they are transferred to a saucepan with a thick bottom, pour sugar and stir. You don't have to be especially careful, because berries won't remain whole if boiled by the classic method. In 3-4 hours you can put the container on the stove, the juice will already be enough. Do not add water, otherwise the syrup will be too liquid.

The mixture is boiled in 1 time, the cooking time is 20 minutes with regular stirring. The most responsible moment is boiling. In the process, you need to make sure that the mass does not stick and the resulting foam does not settle, it will have to poke around and remove immediately. The readiness is checked by a drop on a plate. When it holds its shape, then the delicacy is removed from the stove and immediately placed in small shaped jars. It is important to remember that the mass thickens as it cools.

Five-Minute .

Prepared according to the generally accepted variant. The peculiarity of cooking is a brief heating, which maximally preserves the useful properties of blueberries. Proportion 1:1, after the appearance of juice mass put on the stove and cook for no more than 5 minutes after boiling. Then cool completely and again put on medium heat. Bring to readiness at the third boil. You do not need to boil for a long time, the same 5 minutes will be enough. The boiling mass is packed into jars and sealed immediately. Jam turns out very tasty, retains all the useful properties, is an excellent way to maintain immunity in the off-season. Store the finished product more conveniently in the refrigerator, cellar or cold corridor, without freezing.

With raspberries

Blueberries go well with most berries. With raspberries you get a very beautiful mix, and the benefits are almost doubled. Special culinary skills for cooking are not required. Enough desire, patience and ripe berries of good quality. In terms of cooking time, they are about equal, so the ingredients are put in at once. For 1 kg of sugar take 500 grams each of raspberries and blueberries. To get the juice will be enough for 1-1.5 hours. The delicacy is boiled with a long boil in 1 step. It will take 20-25 minutes to be ready. To keep the jam longer, it is poured hot, sealed and placed on a shelf away from the attention of the householders. If they come across it, there will be no chance of preserving it.

With strawberries

Stunning treat looks smart, has a subtle taste, and is often used as a filling for baked goods. Small scarlet berries of strawberries advantageously shade the fruits of blueberries. In the finished form, the color variety is noticeable, but it becomes not so bright. You will need:

• blueberries - 1 kg;
• strawberries - 500 g;
• sugar - 1,3 kg;
• water - 300 ml.

If the strawberries are sweet, then the rate of sugar is reduced to one kilogram. To keep the shape of the berries, separate boiling is used. First boil the syrup, then pour the fruit in it. Mass kept on the fire for 10 minutes. Then the mixture is again divided. The syrup is poured into a separate pan and boiled to the desired thickness. Pour the berries into it and keep the mass on the fire for 8-10 minutes after boiling. The appearing foam is removed immediately, otherwise it will spoil the appearance of the finished product.

Since the cooking time is short, additional heating is required for stability in storage. The rolled jars are turned upside down and thoroughly covered with an old blanket. After a day, they are transferred to a permanent place of storage.

With strawberries

There are 3 possible preparations:

• With whole berries about the same size;
• just blueberries in a strawberry puree;
• jam.

The ratio of ingredients is the same:

• strawberries - 0.5 kg;
• blueberries - 1 kg;
• sugar - 1.5 kg.

At the end of cooking, add 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to stabilize the taste and increase the shelf life of the delicacy. To keep the berries whole use the method of pouring syrup, in other cases, the mixture is boiled in 1 reception for no longer than 20 minutes. To obtain a homogeneous consistency of jam berries are first crushed in a blender, then the mass is mixed with sugar and cooked in a thick-walled saucepan over low heat.

With lingonberries

To get a delicious dessert, you will have to make an effort, but the result is worth it. The ratio of berries and sugar is 1:1:1. For 1.5 kg of the total mass, you will need a glass of water, since lingonberries are dry. Both types of berries boiled in a separate pan for 3-5 minutes in a small amount of water, then ground in a blender or rubbed through a sieve to remove the seeds and rind. Only then combine in a bowl and boil with the addition of sugar until thickened.

With lemon

A citrus hue adds a spicy flavor. It is prepared in the classic version, but with 10 g of pectin per 1 kg of sugar and 1 lemon. Grate the zest on a fine grater, squeeze the juice from the pulp. Ingredients are put in the mashed berries, pour sugar. You can boil it immediately, without infusion, the boiling time will be 15 minutes. Then in a small bowl, put about 100 grams of hot mass, stir vigorously with pectin, so that there are no lumps, and pour back into the main mixture. It cooks for another 3-5 minutes. The jam turns out jelly-like, very fragrant, suitable for stuffing pies.

Blueberry jelly

The difference from the classic recipe is only in the time of boiling the mass. To obtain a jelly-like state, you will have to keep the berries on the fire for 45 minutes. There are several author's interpretations of the recipe.

1. Only the juice is used, for which the berries are boiled for 2-3 minutes, then crushed and rubbed through a sieve. The resulting mass is squeezed through gauze or juicer.
2. The recipe includes gelatin or pectin. In this case, take only berry juice and sugar.
3. Blueberry jelly with lime and spicy herbs is very effective. You will need 600 g of berries, 200 g of sugar, 2 limes, 20 g of gelatin, 100 ml of water and 3 leaves of lemon basil and clove bud. Squeeze the juice from the lime and mix with the spices. Boil the berry juice with sugar for 15 minutes, add the lime mixture, once again bring it to a boil and add previously soaked gelatine. Immediately remove from the heat and spread in jars. The true taste and aroma of the jelly will acquire a day after storage in a closed container.

"Live jam".

This is the name of the mass, which is not subjected to heat treatment. In order for it to be stored for a long time, take double the rate of sugar. So, for 1 kg of blueberries you will need 2 kg of granulated sugar. Experienced hostesses recommend using only glass, ceramic or enamelware for preparing the mixture and not allowing it to come into contact with metal elements. The berries are rubbed with sugar with a wooden or ceramic pusher until a homogeneous mass is obtained. It is transferred to dry-sterilized jars, corked and stored in the refrigerator or a cool pantry. It is best to use immediately small jars, as disturbed with a spoon mass should be quickly eaten.

The treat preserves the entire vitamin set, and is used as a medicinal and preventive agent. In a prominent place is not left, as it disappears instantly, especially if there are children-sweet eaters in the house.

In the multicooker

The use of modern household appliances greatly facilitates the process of cooking many dishes and jam including. Berries with sugar are immediately put in a bowl and left in a warm place for 2 hours. Then the mass is stirred and cooked with the lid closed on the stew mode for 70 minutes. In some models you can immediately use the delayed start with the calculation of time to get juice.

Interesting facts about blueberries

1. There are wild and garden forms.
2. The plant is used in landscape design for the design of alpine slides.
3. The berries contain substances that help fight cancer.
4. The bush is able to bear fruit for 20 years.
5. There are more useful substances in the fruits from young bushes. You can distinguish them by their appearance. Old plants have grayish leaves, young ones are deep green.
6. With each year the berries on the plant become shallower.
7. Washed fruits should not be stored. They will have to be eaten immediately or used for cooking delicacies.
8. In Russia, the berry was considered rejuvenating.
9. Regular use of blueberries maintains sharpness of day vision, improves the quality of twilight and night vision, accelerates the regeneration of retinal cells, and normalizes blood circulation in small vessels.
10. Blueberry juice stains the mouth and hands in a dark color, does not wash off from the cloth.
11. The plant is used as a natural dye.
12. The seeds are not digested by birds and animals, but are transported over long distances and germinate there in favorable conditions.
13. The plant is propagated by seeds and by offshoots.
14. There are dwarf species of blueberries. Their height is 2-3 cm.
15. A tree-like form of the plant is known. It is found in the USA, it grows up to 9 m.
16. When heat treated, the berries retain most of their useful properties.
17. The plant's native land is unknown.
18. In English, the names blueberries and blueberries sound the same.
19. Juice and fresh berries remove salts from the body, relieving attacks of gout and rheumatism.
20. Anthocyanin in berries turns red in an acidic environment and turns blue in an alkaline one.

Blueberry jam will become a real treasure trove of useful substances, if it is prepared from organic berries with love and care for loved ones.

Photo of blueberry jam