Gooseberry Jam: 8 Recipes

Gooseberries are one of the most common berries. Requiring no special care or too much attention, the bushes of this plant give a large number of fruits, which are used not only as an independent food product, but can also become the basis for making homemade compote and even jam. In this case, the taste characteristics of jam, made from gooseberries, will surpass all expectations and will not leave indifferent even the most demanding gourmet.

Composition and Calories

Gooseberries are valued not only because of their unique taste, but also because of their useful composition. They are saturated with a large number of nutrients, which allows the use of gooseberries and their derivatives as a treatment and prevention of many diseases.

In 100 grams of fresh berries contains a lot of vitamins, including:

• 15 mcg of vitamin A (1.7% of daily intake).
• 6 micrograms of vitamin B9 (1.5% of daily intake).
• 0.4 mg of vitamin E (2.5% of daily intake).
• 0.1 mg of vitamin B6 (6.2% of the daily intake).
• 27.7 mg of ascorbic acid (30.8% of the daily intake).
• 0.3 mg of vitamin B5 (5.7% of the daily intake).
• 0.3 mg of vitamin B3 (1.9% of the daily intake rate).

In addition to vitamins, this berry also contains minerals. Per 100 g of gooseberries are:

• 25 mg of calcium (2.5% of the daily intake rate).
• 0.6 mcg of selenium (1.1% of the daily intake).
• 0.3 mg of iron (3.9% of the daily intake).
• 0.1 mg of manganese (6.3% of daily intake).
• 10 mg magnesium (2.5% of daily intake).
• 0.1 mg of copper (7.8% of daily intake).
• 27 mg of phosphorus (3.9% of daily intake).
• 0.1 mg zinc (1.1% of daily intake).
• 198 mg potassium (4.2% of daily intake).
• 1 mg of sodium (0.1% of the daily intake).

The peculiarities of cooking gooseberry jam allow it to preserve the maximum number of vitamins and other useful substances, which are present in the composition of fresh berries. That is why such jam is considered not only tasty, but also a useful treat, and is used not only for prevention, but also for the treatment of many serious diseases.

As for the caloric value of gooseberry jam - this figure is quite low. The delicacy contains only 205 calories in 100 grams, which allows it to be used as a food even during dieting, the purpose of which is to reduce weight.

What is useful for gooseberry jam

Thanks to its rich composition, gooseberry jam can be called one of the most useful products. The fact that it has a beneficial effect on the human body is said not only by experts in folk medicine, but also by qualified therapists. Both agree that with the regular use of this delicacy, a person can get rid of many problems:

1. Constipation. Gooseberry is an excellent laxative. It has a mild effect and is not able to irritate the intestines.
2. Bile stagnation. Gooseberry jam is often recommended to stimulate the excretion of bile.
3. Edema. The ability of berries to remove accumulations of excess fluid from the human body remains even after they are cooked. That is why gooseberry jam is able to get rid of minor edema.
4. Hypertension. Gooseberry jam will lower blood pressure, but with regular use will prevent a sharp increase.
5. Atherosclerosis. The substances that make up this delicacy can have a beneficial effect on the body of a person suffering from atherosclerosis. When it is regularly consumed, an improvement in general well-being and a halt in the development of the disease is noted.
6. Gastroenterocolitis. Medics advise including gooseberry jam in the diet of those patients who suffer from gastroenterocolitis. This delicacy will not only improve the overall well-being of the person, but also in combination with medication will accelerate the healing process.
7. Anemia. Iron, which is part of the composition of berries, will help increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood and prevent its decrease in the future.

However, this is not all of the useful properties of the delicacy. With the regular use of gooseberry jam:

• the risk of developing heart disease is reduced;
• Strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
• Reduces the risk of malignant tumors;
• Improves the overall condition of the body;
• diseases provoked by disorders of the central nervous system develop less frequently;
• The protective function of the body improves;
• Bone and joint tissues are strengthened;
• the risk of cavities, thinning of enamel and other dental problems is reduced;
• it improves metabolism;
• Reduces the risk of anemia;
• the body is saturated with many vitamins, which helps prevent the development of avitaminosis.

Based on the above facts, we can say that gooseberry jam has not only general restorative properties, but also:

• refreshing;
• anti-inflammatory;
• choleretic;
• diuretic, and many others.

Of course, we can not say that only gooseberry jam, which has been prepared correctly, can have a beneficial effect on the human body. Therefore, before you start cooking this delicacy, you should familiarize yourself with all the nuances and characteristics, ignorance of which can negatively affect not only the taste, but also the useful properties of the finished product.

How to choose gooseberries for jam

Before proceeding to the preparation of jam, it is important to pay attention to the fact that not all gooseberry berries for this will be suitable. So that the taste of the finished delicacy will not disappoint the housemates, choose only ripe, dense berries. Unripe gooseberries will spoil the taste characteristics of the finished jam, and overripe ones will lose their shape during cooking, which will negatively affect the appearance of the finished product.

When buying berries pay attention to their quality. Gooseberries with traces of mold, signs of spoilage or parasites are not suitable for jam! Such berries are considered unfit for consumption and can provoke the occurrence of serious food poisoning.

How to cook gooseberry jam: recipes

After the berries are bought and picked, the question arises - how to cook jam from gooseberries. There are many recipes for cooking this delicacy. However, the most popular are the following:

Classic gooseberry jam.

Although this recipe is familiar to many experienced housewives, you can not leave it without attention. Despite the simplicity of preparation and the lack of additional ingredients, its taste will please every member of the family, and the useful composition will saturate the body with vitamins, which is especially relevant in the cold winter period.

To make a classic gooseberry jam, you will need only three ingredients:

• 500 g of ripe gooseberries.
• 500 grams of sugar.
• Purified water.

The preparation of this delicacy does not require special culinary skills and consists of the following steps:

1. Before you proceed directly to the preparation of the jam, you should prepare the berries. Pour all gooseberries into any container (a basin, a pot or a bowl), pour cold water over them and wash thoroughly, taking care not to damage the integrity of the berries.
2. Rinse and peel the berries, removing unripe or spoiled gooseberries. Afterwards cut off the stems and wash the berries again.
3. When the gooseberries are washed, you can proceed to the next stage of cooking. Pour them into a deep pan and pour so much water that it covers all the berries. Put the pot on a gentle fire, bring it to a boil, and stir the berries with a wooden spoon. This will help prevent the billet from sticking to the bottom of the pan, which in turn will negatively affect the taste of the finished product.
4. After boiling, pour the specified amount of sugar into the pot with gooseberries and bring the jam to a boil again, remembering to stir constantly and remove the foam.
5. After boiling, remove the jam from the heat and pour it into pre-prepared glass jars. Jars for jam should not only be thoroughly washed, but also sterilized. This will help to keep the delicacy fresh for several years.

When the jam is poured into jars, seal it with lids and leave it until it cools completely.

Once you have tried the jam made according to this recipe, you won't be able to refuse it anymore. The rich flavor and mouthwatering aroma will conquer every member of the family and will please every tea party throughout the winter.

Gooseberry jam without cooking

Those housewives who don't like to stand at the stove for too long will definitely appreciate this recipe. Choosing it, you will not have to cook the jam for too long and make sure that the delicacy does not stick to the bottom of the pan. In this case, the main advantage of this recipe is the preservation of the maximum amount of vitamins, macro-and micronutrients, which are contained in gooseberries. This will help to get the most useful product, without spending too much effort and time.

Before you start cooking, prepare the following ingredients:

• 1 kg of ripe gooseberries.
• 1.3 kg of granulated sugar.
• 3 medium oranges.

Stages of preparation:

1. Start by preparing the gooseberries. Remove berries on which there are traces of mold, rot or parasite infestation, clean them of debris, tails and wash them thoroughly in cold, running water. Make sure that no green berries get into the jam. The presence of a large number of unripe fruits will lead to a deterioration in the taste of the finished dish.
2. Spread the gooseberries out on a clean towel and let them dry out a bit. While the gooseberries are drying, prepare the citrus fruits. Wash them thoroughly under running water, removing all impurities, and cut them into slices.
3. Pay attention to the fact that when preparing the oranges the peel is not removed from them. It will give an unusual, pleasant flavor to the finished jam and make it really unique.
4. Having prepared gooseberries and oranges, proceed to chop them. Do this with a meat grinder or a household blender. The result should be a puree.
5. Do not mix oranges and gooseberries at the chopping stage.
6. Mix the fruit and berry puree in a container that is the right size, and fill it with the specified amount of sugar. Stir the resulting mixture with a wooden spoon and leave to infuse for 2-3 hours.
7. After the specified period of time the jam can be considered ready. Spread it into clean jars, cover with tight lids and store in a dark, cool place.

The taste of this delicacy will be considerably different from that of its classic variation. However, to say that the citrus will spoil the taste of the treat is impossible. Gooseberry and orange combine perfectly and create an amazing duet that will conquer even the most demanding gourmet.

Czar's Jam

Probably every other housewife has heard about the uniqueness of this recipe. The jam cooked according to it has an attractive appearance, thick consistency and an exquisite, rich taste. Try this jam at least once and you won't be able to refuse it anymore.

In spite of its loud name, ordinary ingredients are used in the preparation of the royal jam. For its preparation you will need:

• 1.5 kg of sugar.
• 1 kg of gooseberries.
• 3 sprigs of cherry tree.
• 500 ml of purified water.

Taking the specified number of ingredients, the hostess can make only 1.5 liters of jam. If you want, this amount can be increased. Take twice or three times more gooseberries, sugar, cherry twigs, water, and the amount of the finished product will increase.

When preparing the royal jam, it is necessary to follow this sequence of actions:

1. Prepare gooseberries by washing them in a basin with cold water and cutting off the tails. Do not forget to remove all spoiled berries, as their presence will spoil the taste of the jam.
2. When gooseberries are washed and slightly dry, remove the bones from each berry. Slice each berry and remove the seeds from it, using a clean pin or wire.
3. After removing the pips, rinse the gooseberries again, using cold, purified water, and transfer them to a container of the same volume as the number of pips.
4. Leave the berries for a while and start preparing the cherry leaves. Rip them off the branches and rinse them thoroughly under running water.
5. Put the gooseberries into a pot suitable for boiling. Put the cherry leaves on top and fill the billet with the specified amount of water.
6. Leave the billet to infuse overnight, covering it with a lid. This will help prevent dust and other debris from getting in.
7. In the morning, remove the cherry leaves, pour the water from the pot into a separate container, and make a sugar syrup from it. To do this, pour the specified amount of sugar into the liquid, stir it thoroughly and boil for 5-7 minutes after boiling.
8. Do not forget that during boiling the syrup must be constantly stirred.
9. When the syrup is ready, pour it over the gooseberries and leave it for 3 hours. During this time, the berries will be soaked and ready to be boiled.
10. After the specified time put the billet on the fire, boil for about 10-15 minutes and leave until it cools down.
11. Repeat the procedure 3 more times.
12. After the last boil, pour the hot jam into jars and seal.

Gooseberry Jam with Banana

To some people, the combination of gooseberries and banana may seem like too bold a decision. However, only those who have never tasted this unusual delicacy can think so. The delicate banana combined with gooseberries and spices creates an amazing, delicate and at the same time bright taste that will please both adults and children.

To make the jam you need the following ingredients:

• 1 kg of gooseberries.
• 1 kg of sugar (if desired, the amount of sugar can be reduced).
• 2 big bananas.
• 2 cinnamon sticks.
• 4 clove buds.

The preparation of the treat according to the proposed recipe consists of the following steps:

1. Prepare gooseberries by thoroughly washing them in a basin with clean water, not forgetting to throw out the spoiled berries. If after the first rinse, the water is too dirty, drain it and repeat the procedure.
2. After rinsing, cut off the stems and remove the unripe gooseberries.
3. Place the gooseberries in any container of suitable size and crush them with a wooden spoon.
4. Set gooseberry puree aside and proceed to prepare the banana. Peel the skin, then cut it into small circles with a sharp knife.
5. When the banana is cut, pour it to the gooseberries, add the sugar, the quantity of which is specified in the recipe, and mix the resulting mixture thoroughly.
6. Cover the preparation with gauze or a thin clean towel, and then leave it for 2-2.5 hours.
7. At the end of this time, add spices to the fruit-berry mixture, stir well and put on the stove.
8. When the jam boils well, boil it for another 5-7 minutes, then take out the cinnamon and cloves with a slotted spoon. During this time, the jam will acquire light, spicy notes, which will improve its flavor and aroma.
9. Remove the ready treat from the fire, pour it into jars and seal it with sterilized lids.

Such a treat can be used for making sweet sandwiches, and as a filling for sweet baked goods. In addition, it can complement the morning porridge, cottage cheese dessert and many other sweet dishes. In this case, its flavor characteristics and pleasant smell will improve the taste of familiar products and please every household member or guest.

Emerald Gooseberry Jam

This unusual jam is extremely popular, which is easily explained not only by its amazing taste characteristics, but also by its incredible emerald color. It is the appearance of emerald jam that encourages a desire to taste it.

To prepare emerald gooseberry jam, prepare the following ingredients:

• 150 g of granulated sugar.
• 350 g of ripe gooseberries.
• 50 ml of purified water.
• 2 drops of citrus essence.
• A little food coloring.

Prepare the emerald jam by a special recipe:

1. Rinse the berries thoroughly under running water, removing dust and other impurities. While rinsing, discard spoiled or unripe fruits. These berries should not go into the jam.
2. After the gooseberries are washed, pour them into an enamel pan, the size of which will be slightly larger than the amount of gooseberries. Add granulated sugar and water to the berries, and then put on the fire.
3. Bring the jam to a boil over medium heat. When the jam has begun to boil well, simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. During boiling, some gooseberries may burst. Do not worry - this will not affect the taste characteristics of the jam.
5. After the specified time, add to the billet light green dye, mix thoroughly and boil the mass for 2-3 minutes more.
6. Pour the jam into jars without cooling it, and seal it with lids.

After cooling, store the jam in a dark place, observing the temperature regime. Exposure to high temperatures will cause spoilage of the preparation, and it will have to be simply thrown away.

Gooseberry and orange jam

This recipe for gooseberry jam with the addition of orange will please even the most fussy gourmets. The subtle, citrusy notes and pleasant aroma will make the delicacy exquisite and unusual, while a slight sourness will give a hint of freshness to the finished product. However, that is not all. The main secret of the popularity of this jam is the presence in its composition of walnuts. It is he who makes the delicacy spicy and gives a unique taste.

To make jam according to this recipe you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 kg of gooseberries.
• 1 kg of granulated sugar.
• 2 large oranges.
• 400 grams of walnuts.

The preparation of this gooseberry jam consists of the following steps:

1. Rinse gooseberries under running, cold water. Cut off the tail from each berry and wash them again.
2. Don't forget to carefully inspect gooseberries. Berries with signs of spoilage should be thrown out. Their presence will spoil the taste and quality of the finished treat.
3. Proceed to prepare the oranges. Wash them in clean water and separate the peel from each citrus.
4. Shred the citrus skin on a fine grater, and cut the pulp in any convenient way.
5. Shred the walnuts. You can use a rolling pin or a special pusher.
6. After you have prepared all the ingredients, mince them with a meat grinder and mix thoroughly.
7. The resulting mixture pour the specified amount of sugar, mix well and put over a medium heat. Bring the mass to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
8. After boiling, boil the billet for 2-3 minutes more, and then remove from the heat. During this time the gooseberries and oranges have time to let the juice flow, and the sugar has completely dissolved.

The jam is ready. Pour it into jars, prepared in advance, and close with lids.

Jam according to this recipe can be used as an independent treat or used as a filling for baked goods or cottage cheese desserts made at home.

Gooseberry jam with walnuts

Cooking jam according to this recipe can take a lot of time. However, having tasted it, every hostess will realize that the result was worth the effort.

Before proceeding to the preparation, prepare:

• 0.5 kg of gooseberries.
• 1 kg sugar.
• 300-350 g walnuts.
• 500 ml of purified water.
• A little bayonet.

Preparation:

1. Remove the stalks from each gooseberry, then rinse it thoroughly in a basin of cool water. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
2. Place the clean berries on a towel or a piece of cloth that absorbs moisture well, and let them dry out a little.
3. Once the gooseberries have dried, proceed to remove the seeds. Cut into each berry with a sharp knife and gently remove the seeds. You can do this with a normal pin or a small wire.
4. Set the gooseberries aside and proceed to process the walnuts. Peel the core from the shell and break the nuts into small pieces.
5. The next stage of preparation can be called the most difficult, but you can not skip it. Place one small piece of walnut in each of the gooseberries. Try to do it as carefully as possible not to break the integrity of the berries.
6. Once the nuts are inside the gooseberries, proceed to prepare the sugar syrup. The sugar and water should be mixed in the specified amounts, stir well and put the resulting mixture on the stove. Bring the syrup to a boil over a gentle heat, stirring it with a wooden spoon. When the syrup is boiling, and the sugar has completely dissolved, take it off the fire.
7. Put the gooseberries stuffed with walnuts into a container which is suitable for jamming, and pour the sugar syrup over them. Leave it for 12 hours in a dark and cool place. This can be a refrigerator or a cool pantry.
8. After a specified period of time, put a pot with jam on the stove, add the badjan and bring it to a boil on medium heat.
9. When the jam comes to a boil, remove the badians and simmer for another 10-12 minutes.
10. Gooseberry and walnut jam is ready. All that's left is to pour it into half-liter, sterilized jars and seal with lids.

Quick recipe

It is difficult to find such a housewife, who at least once did not want to maximally reduce the time for cooking a particular dish. If you are going to cook gooseberry jam and suddenly realized that you are experiencing a similar desire right now, then pay attention to this recipe. Deciding to cook gooseberry jam according to it, you will be able to minimize the cooking time. In this case, the result will exceed all expectations!

Proceeding to the preparation of gooseberry jam according to a quick recipe, take the following ingredients:

• 600 g gooseberries.
• 500 grams of sugar.
• 100 ml of purified water.

Preparation of jam-five-minute jam consists of several steps:

1. Prepare gooseberries by cleaning them from the stalks and rinsing them in clean, cool water. Use a deep colander to avoid crushing the berries.
2. Put the gooseberries in a bowl of suitable size and pour 250 grams of sugar over them.
3. Put the billet in the fridge for 2-3 hours and rest a bit. During this time, the gooseberries will let out juice, in which most of the sugar will dissolve.
4. After 2-3 hours pour the cauliflower berries into a container prepared for boiling, add to the berries the required amount of water, and place on low heat.
5. Bring the jam to a boil, without increasing the heat, and add the remaining amount of sugar. Stir the berries thoroughly, being careful not to damage them.
6. Boil the jam for 5 minutes and then remove it from the heat.

The gooseberry jam is ready. All that's left to do is to pour it into jars and close with lids.

Gooseberry jam can also be consumed immediately after cooking. It will be a wonderful treat during an evening or morning tea party and will please every family member with its exquisite taste and subtle flavor.

Rules for storing jam

Having cooked a large amount of gooseberry jam, you should understand how to store it correctly. To ensure that the taste and useful properties of the delicacy have not changed, follow a few simple rules:

1. Temperature regime. The temperature in the room in which the jam is stored, should not exceed the mark of 20 degrees Celsius. Failure to comply with this rule will lead to souring of the goodies. Pay attention to the fact that too low temperatures may also adversely affect the quality of jam. If the air temperature readings are kept below 5 degrees Celsius, the jam can get sugary. In this case, in some cases, not only the consistency of the finished product changes, but also its aroma and even taste, which indicates the unacceptability of its use.
2. Lack of light. Direct sunlight can cause deterioration of the goodies. That is why it is recommended to store jam in a cellar or pantry. In these places, light penetrates very rarely.
3. The right neighborhood. When storing open jam, you should limit its contact with pungent, unpleasant smells. For example, jam that has stood next to fish for several days will simply be impossible to eat.

Jam that has been stored by following all the recommendations is considered edible for 24 months. Remember, high temperatures or direct sunlight may several times shorten the shelf life of the dessert and lead to its rapid deterioration. If you notice an unpleasant smell, unusual taste or other signs of product deterioration, refuse to eat such jam. The consumption of such jam can cause intestinal poisoning, which will require outpatient treatment.

Interesting facts about gooseberries

Gooseberry is considered to be one of the most popular berries. Bushes of this plant are found if not on every, then on every second dacha and homestead plot. Even without special care, the plant gives a large number of berries annually, which in turn are widely used not only in cooking, but also in folk medicine. And while all experienced housewives know about the useful properties and uses of gooseberries, only a few are aware of such facts:

1. The English call gooseberry "gooseberry", the Belarusians - "agrest", and on the territory of modern Germany the name of this plant sounds like "Christ's thorn".
2. Gooseberry is closely related to currants.
3. In ancient times gooseberry was known only to inhabitants of European countries. It was on their territory that this plant grew wild and in great quantities.
4. The gooseberry was not cultivated until the 13th century. This was done by the French.
5. In France, gooseberries were used not only for sweet dishes. They were often seen in soups and sauces.
6. Holland and Germany learned about gooseberries only in the 17th century.
7. Gooseberries are the leader among berries in terms of calories. Its caloric value is 44 calories per 100 grams.
8. Unripe gooseberries can protect the human body from the effects of radiation.

If you have not yet had time to try gooseberry jam, then do not waste a minute. Choose one of the proposed recipes, proceed to cook the delicacy and enjoy its unforgettable taste. Believe me: once you have tasted it, you will never be able to refuse this unique product!