Basic methods of reproduction Most small-bulbous plants eventually grow into large nests, forming a large number of daughter bulbs. The most accessible way to propagate such plants is to dig a nest during the flowering period or at the end of the growing season,

Basic methods of budding Fruit and berry and ornamental seedlings are grown in specialized nurseries, as well as in their garden plots by specialist gardeners and amateurs. Fruit seedlings are grafted onto seed and

Basic methods of grafting There are several methods that gardeners must master not only theoretically, but practically. Let's look at the most commonly used methods of re-vaccination. Improved copulation1. An oblique cut on the scion cutting, the same oblique cut on

Recipes for preparing berries and fruits Uryuk Place halves of apricots with dryish pulp in a basin, cover with sugar, and leave overnight. In the morning, put on low heat and, stirring, bring to a boil, then let the juice drain, lay out on a baking sheet and dry in the oven over low heat.

If you have time. Preparations of berries and fruits Jams To prepare jams, you can use a wide variety of fruits and vegetables - cherries, cherries, apricots, peaches, strawberries, strawberries, figs, as well as carrots, green tomatoes, etc., sugar or syrup. Sugar is better

Canning fruits, vegetables and berries in the photo

When starting to preserve vegetables or fruits, you must, first of all, maintain impeccable cleanliness of both the raw materials themselves and the premises and necessary equipment.

Home canning technology must be strictly followed without any violations or concessions. This requirement is dictated primarily by safety considerations.

In addition, it would be a shame if some part of the product was simply damaged due to non-compliance with technology.

The use of certain spices, ratios of sugar and salt, etc. gives any housewife great scope for creativity - here each one relies on her own tastes and imagination.

The technology of canning fruits and vegetables includes such preparatory work as sorting raw materials, washing them, cleaning, slicing, blanching, etc. Moreover, all of them must be carried out efficiently, because many failures, such as bombing, occur precisely because of errors in preparatory work.

So, we can preserve vegetables, fruits and berries at home.

Preparing raw materials for canning: sorting

There is no doubt that to preserve vegetables and fruits for the winter, you need to take only high-quality fruits. It is impossible to make a good product from overripe, broken, rotten or frozen raw materials. Therefore, first of all, everything that you have collected or bought on the market needs to be sorted according to two indicators - quality and size.

In the first case, in preparation for canning, it is necessary to remove all vegetables or fruits that are unsuitable for processing. Please note that even a small amount of rotten fruit can greatly deteriorate the taste of the finished product. Size is important because when salting or pickling, the products are of higher quality if all the fruits are approximately the same. This also plays a role during drying, since the entire batch will be ready in one time without overdried or underdried fruits.

In addition, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that processing should begin as soon as possible after collection, since in hot weather biochemical and microbiological processes in plant products proceed quite quickly, and they are directly related to the loss of nutrients. Thus, the faster you process vegetables and fruits, the more nutrients they retain. This is especially true for berries, as they are more delicate. It is advisable that their storage time in the refrigerator does not exceed 1-2 days.

Washing fruits, vegetables and berries before preservation

Thorough washing is a necessary condition for high-quality preservation. On the outer shell of unwashed vegetables, fruits and berries there are a huge number of microorganisms, as well as sand, soil particles, etc., and such an “additive” is unlikely to benefit your preservation. In addition, plants may be repeatedly treated with pesticides as they grow.

When preparing raw materials for canning, it is better to wash plant products with running water. When washing root vegetables, especially those collected in rainy weather, sometimes it is necessary to first soak them for a while, and only then thoroughly clean them with a vegetable brush, and then be sure to rinse them with running water.

According to the canning rules, even tender raspberries or garden strawberries need to be washed, especially if they were purchased at the market. This is best done in a colander under the shower, watering the fruits for 1-2 minutes and shaking them slightly.

After finishing washing, let the water drain and dry the products.

Cleaning and chopping fruits and berries before canning

Processing of fruits and vegetables before canning includes mandatory cleaning. This process consists of freeing the fruit from inedible parts, such as stalks, seeds, etc. Since peeled vegetables evaporate moisture faster, this work must be done fairly quickly.

All root vegetables, cabbage, onions and garlic must be cleaned. When cleaning cabbage, the green leaves and part of the stalk protruding above the head are removed.

Then it is cut in half and the remaining part of the stalk is removed. It is very important to make sure that the cabbage is not infested with caterpillars, which mostly hide under the outer leaves, so be careful.

When canning stone fruits (cherries, plums, apricots) at home, it is better to remove the seeds, as this will extend the shelf life of the finished product.

Apples, pears and quinces, which begin to oxidize when peeled in air, should be immediately immersed in salted (10-20 g of table salt per 1 liter) or acidified (5-10 g of citric acid per 1 liter) water.

The degree of its grinding depends on how the processed products will be used. So, for example, when preparing dried vegetables for seasoning soups, they need to be chopped into shavings. Apples or pears for compotes are cut into equal slices, and to obtain puree they are rubbed through a sieve.

You can wipe both cold foods, such as berries for cold jams, and pre-cooked ones (pumpkin puree). In the first case, oxidation of the raw material occurs due to its interaction with air, which is why it is so important, firstly, to carry out this work quickly, and secondly, to add sugar, which acts as a preservative.

Preserving vegetables, fruits and berries: blanching

Before canning vegetables and fruits, it is recommended to blanch. This very important operation allows, firstly, to preserve the natural color of vegetables and fruits, secondly, to place them more tightly in jars, and thirdly, it contributes to better preservation of the canned products. The fact is that short-term heat treatment displaces air from the fruit, which is completely unnecessary in the jar, since, collecting under its lid, it puts pressure on it, which can lead to bombing.

In addition, during blanching, the activity of enzymes is suppressed, which significantly blocks biochemical processes that reduce the quality of preservation, as well as the activity of microorganisms found on vegetables and fruits.

Of course, this procedure leads to some loss of soluble nutrients, but to avoid this, you need to blanch the food by steam or in the microwave. So, for steam blanching you need a large saucepan into which you can insert another one that has a mesh bottom and a tight-fitting lid. Steamed products are kept for 2-3 minutes longer than in water.

To blanch in a microwave oven, place 500 g of vegetables in a container, add 0.5 cups of water, cover with a lid and keep at maximum temperature for 7 minutes, removing halfway through to mix the contents.

The blanching process for proper canning involves heat treatment, which can be either short-term cooking or scalding with boiling water. Usually, harder vegetables (carrots, beets) are cooked, but you can simply pour boiling water over spinach or chard. Before canning vegetables and fruits for the winter, the heat treatment time depends not only on the density of the product, but also on its size. Please note that the blanching time is counted from the beginning of boiling of the water with the product dipped into it.

For convenience, the main indicators of vegetable blanching time are given in the table below.

Blanching time before home canning vegetables:

It is more convenient to blanch vegetables in a wire basket, which is immersed in a pan of boiling water. Since the water temperature decreases at this moment, the degree of heating must be increased. You can also use gauze and sew a bag out of it.

Before canning fruits and vegetables at home, it is better to blanch them in small portions, no more than 0.5 kg. This way the product will warm up faster and will not lose its attractive appearance. Moreover, you need to take 10 times more water than the volume of the product, and add it as it evaporates.

To prevent blanched foods from changing color, immediately after scalding or boiling they need to be immersed in very cold water, so at the same time prepare 1 more pan with water to which ice cubes have been added. Cold water will stop the cooking process.

Then the still warm product is taken out and dried on a clean linen napkin, which will absorb excess moisture.

To prevent light-colored vegetables, such as cauliflower, from darkening during blanching, add citric acid to the water.

Proper canning: frying, sautéing and stewing

These types of processing are used to prepare various canned snack foods and vegetable preparations.

Frying in oil thickens the product because it evaporates moisture from it, stops the activity of microorganisms and enzymes, and also gives it a pleasant taste and aroma. This process must be carried out at a high enough oil temperature so that the resulting destruction of carbohydrates, the so-called caramelization, forms a golden crust on the fruit. Usually onions, carrots, eggplants and zucchini are fried. Roasting time depends both on the size of the pieces and on the hardness of the fruit itself and usually lasts from about 3 to 20 minutes.

The frying process occurs as follows: a frying pan with oil is heated over medium heat until it becomes hot. The appearance of white smoke with a distinct smell of vegetable oil will tell you this. The prepared foods are loaded into the frying pan and the heat is turned high as the temperature of the oil drops. Frying is carried out with constant stirring, avoiding burning, otherwise the product will be spoiled.

Sauteing is a heat treatment during which the product is heated in a frying pan with a small amount of fat. Usually carrots, beets, onions, etc. are sautéed. To heat evenly, vegetables are cut into pieces and kept over low heat, stirring occasionally. Essential oils from the product turn into oil and give the preservation a pleasant aroma.

Stewing is a process of preparing food for preservation, in which fats are not used, but prepared vegetables are heated in their own juice over low heat. Why place them in 1 layer, tightly close the pan with a lid, after adding a small amount of water so that they do not burn. As a rule, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, eggplants, etc. are stewed.

How to preserve fruits and vegetables for the winter: pasteurization and hot filling

Fruits, berries or vegetables prepared for canning are placed in sterile jars and filled with syrup, marinade or brine so that at least 1.5 cm remains to the top of the neck. The fruits should be placed as tightly as possible, taking care not to damage them in any way.

In the process of canning vegetables or fruits or berries, heat treatment can be carried out in several ways.

Pasteurization. This is how vegetables or fruits with a high content of organic acids are preserved. The temperature of the water in which pasteurization is carried out must be in the range from 70 to 95 ° C.

The process of pasteurization during canning occurs as follows: jars filled with products are hermetically sealed and placed in a pan of warm water on a wooden grid. Having brought the water temperature to the required level, time is noted and the heat is reduced so that it does not boil, but only remains within the required limits. Pasteurization continues from 10 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the volume of the jar.

Hot filling. When canning fruits and berries for the production of juices, sauces, purees and caviar, the hot filling method is used. The prepared products, while still boiling, are poured into jars and sealed. Then they are turned upside down and left to cool completely. To prevent jars from bursting when pouring a boiling product, they must be heated.

Sometimes whole vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes or cucumbers, as well as fruit and berry compotes, are canned in this way. In the process of canning fruits or vegetables, a 3-fold filling is used, i.e. filled jars are filled twice with boiling water, which is kept for 5-7 minutes and drained. The third time, boiling syrup or marinade is poured into the jars and hermetically sealed. Then they are placed upside down and covered with something warm so that the canned food takes longer to cool, while undergoing additional sterilization.

If you did everything correctly when canning, then during the long winter the reward for your efforts will be delicious preparations and the gratitude of loved ones; True, it happens differently. All flaws in work appear, as a rule, in the first week. First, chains of gas bubbles appear, the lid swells, and then breaks off the jar.

Sterilization of vegetables and fruits when canning at home for the winter (with photo)

The sterilization process during preservation at home takes place at a temperature of 100 °C and above. Sterilization is usually carried out in a large saucepan, pouring water so that it covers the hangers of the jars approximately 1.5-2 cm below the neck. A wooden grate must be placed at the bottom of the pan, which will protect the jars from breakage. For the same reasons, jars filled with hot foods should not be placed in a pan with cold water, and vice versa, i.e. the temperature difference between the water in the pan and the contents of the jar should not exceed 10-20 °C.

Sometimes housewives, not having a wooden grate, put various rags on the bottom of the pan. This is incorrect, since in this case it will be difficult to determine the beginning of boiling of water, but the sterilization time is counted from this moment; if you do not heat the product long enough, it may spoil.

Please note that heating the water in the pan before it begins to boil must occur quickly so that the canned product does not overcook and turn into porridge. So, to reduce this time to a minimum, fulfill 2 conditions:

• cover the pan with jars with a lid;
• The temperature of the canned products must initially be high.

Moreover, during the time allotted for sterilization, the boiling should not be violent.

The duration of the sterilization process is usually indicated in the recipe and depends mainly on the acidity and thickness of the canned mass. So, on average, liquid products are sterilized within 10-15 minutes, thick ones - up to 2 or more hours, more acidic products require less time than non-acidic ones, since bacteria do not develop in an acidic environment. This time also depends on the volume of the cans: naturally, the larger the volume, the longer the sterilization time.

After sterilization is completed, the jars are carefully removed from the pan and immediately sealed, checking the quality of the sealing.

The process of preserving vegetables and fruits for the winter is shown in the photo below:

STEP #1
STEP #2

STEP #3
STEP #4

STEP #5
STEP #6

STEP #7
STEP #8

STEP #9
STEP #10

What you need for canning fruits and vegetables at home

The use of spices gives the preservation flavor and aroma, and all of them can be divided into 2 categories. The former are used for preservation (salt, sugar, pepper, vinegar or citric acid, but in no case acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin), and the latter are used for flavoring (cloves, cinnamon, herbs). However, the main requirement for both the 1st and 2nd groups is the same - spices should be in moderation.

Salt is perhaps the most ancient of spices. For canning, it is better to use medium-ground rock salt. It is not advisable to use iodized or sea salt, since, firstly, they are more expensive, and secondly, they somewhat change the taste of the product.

Another indispensable ingredient for canning is vinegar - a product obtained either by the natural souring of grape wines, or by the artificial fermentation of alcohols and carbohydrates using acetic acid bacteria. Thus, vinegar can be made from any product containing carbohydrates, i.e. fruits, berries, grains and even wood.

Citric acid is often used in fruit and berry preparations. It consists of small white crystals, which are obtained both from lemon juice and synthetically.

Pepper is also an ancient and very common spice. Mostly in homemade preparations, allspice is used, which gives a pleasant aroma, but is less hot than black and red varieties.

For canning, aromatic additives are used from various parts of spicy plants - leaves, bark, pods, flowers and even flower stigmas.

Bay leaf gives canned food a specific smell, but it cannot be added in large quantities, as the finished product can become bitter.

Many herbs (dill, parsley, basil, mint, etc.) can be taken both fresh and dried. Often, spicy vegetables are used for preparations: garlic, horseradish, celery, onions, etc. In addition, to flavor the brines, housewives often add leaves of local plants - cherry, currant, raspberry, and sometimes add oak bark to strengthen the vegetables.

What is needed for canning fruits and berries? In fruit and berry preservation, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanillin, as well as herbs such as mint or lemon balm are often used. Although many spices can be used for both sweet and vegetable preparations. Such universal seasonings are cloves, ginger, anise, etc.

Fumigation when drying vegetables and fruits

This process is mainly used for drying vegetables and fruits. Thanks to fumigation with sulfur, or rather, sulfur dioxide, the fruits do not darken and, even when dried, retain the color of the natural product. Usually whole fruits with hard pulp are fumigated: apples, pears, apricots, plums, etc.

Since sulfur dioxide is very poisonous, fumigation is carried out in separate non-residential premises. The fruits intended for this purpose are laid out on sieves or sieves, on which they will subsequently be dried.

Sulfur consumption depends on the volume of production, and the following ratio is used: per 100 kg of product - 200 g of sulfur. It is placed on braziers with charcoal, which are installed indoors, observing fire safety rules, and set on fire. You need to wear a gas mask when working. In addition to sulfur, you can also use liquid sulfur dioxide in cylinders.

The aging time of fruits in a gas environment depends primarily on their density and size. For example, it is recommended to process apples, pears and quinces for at least 16-18 hours, cherries and plums - about 15-16 hours, but more delicate berries - apricots or garden strawberries - only 5-10 hours.

Dried fruits are absolutely harmless to humans, since they contain a negligible amount of sulfur dioxide.

Home canning has always been popular in our country. And it’s not just about the need to preserve fruits and vegetables for the winter in order to provide food for the family.

For many people, home canning is a hobby that allows them to prepare delicious food that also has a long shelf life.

You can preserve almost any food, but the most commonly used are vegetables, fruits, and berries.

You can prepare food for future use in various ways - it all depends on your imagination, capabilities and desire to spend some time on it.

The main types of canning of fresh food: drying, salting, pickling, pickling, canning with sugar and freezing.

Each method has its own advantages, and the finished product, depending on the type of canning, has its own specific taste.

Types of canning

Drying fresh vegetables, berries and fruits

Drying fresh vegetables, berries and fruits is one of the first known methods of food preparation. You can dry food in the air or in the oven.

To dry in air, the washed fruits are cut into thin slices or pieces and laid out in a thin layer on a horizontal surface covered with several layers of gauze. Periodically stir the pieces of fruit or berries so that the moisture leaves evenly. Drying is carried out in a well-ventilated place without drafts in the hot season. To dry in the oven, the chopped raw materials are poured onto baking sheets, the heat is turned on low, and the oven door is left ajar. The raw materials are stirred periodically, the released juice is removed from the baking sheet. Dried vegetables, fruits and berries can be stored for a long time. Well-known dried fruits, dried rose hips, and white roots are widely used in cooking.

Salting

Vegetables and melons are ideal for pickling. In addition to vegetables, you will need table salt and sugar. Salt prevents the development of bacteria that cause rotting and thus protects the product from spoilage. In addition, in the presence of table salt and sugar, fermentation occurs in a container with vegetables - lactic acid bacteria develop, producing a preservative - lactic acid. The content of table salt in pickled cucumbers is 3-5%, and acid content is 0.6-1.2%.

Pickling

Pickling also protects vegetables from rotting. For the preparation, the same preservatives are used as for pickling, but in different proportions: pickled vegetables contain less table salt, so more lactic acid bacteria and, accordingly, lactic acid are produced. For example, sauerkraut contains 1.5-2.5% table salt and 0.6-2% acid. However, one advantage of salted vegetables is that they last longer in an airtight container.

Pickling

Preserving fresh vegetables with the addition of acetic acid is called pickling. In this case, table salt, spices and sugar are also used in different proportions. Acetic acid is a preservative that prevents the development of bacteria in containers with fruits and spoilage of the product. It gives the finished product a spicy taste. Sometimes citric acid is used as a preservative instead of acetic acid. Pickled vegetables and fruits taste sweet and sour.

Canning with sugar

Sugar is used in many types of canning, including salting, pickling and pickling. But here we will talk about canning in high concentration sugar solutions - syrup or pure sugar.

In this way, various preserves, jams, marmalades, compotes, candied fruits, etc. are prepared. The sugar concentration in jam should be at least 65%; in candied fruits, sugar should be at least 75-80%. This is the only way fruit and berry raw materials can be stored for a long time. Foods preserved with large amounts of sugar have a sweet taste and are stored for a very long time.

When canning with sugar, certain rules must be followed. For example, it is better to prepare syrup with the water in which the products were blanched.

The finished syrup must be clean and transparent. For those suffering from diabetes mellitus, sweeteners (xylitol, sorbitol) are used in preservation.

In this case, it is also better to use unripe fruits, as they contain less sugar. To prepare the syrup, take 185 g of sorbitol or 250 g of xylitol per 1 liter of water.

To prepare ordinary syrup, the amount of sugar may vary (10% - 100 g per 1 930 ml of water, 25% - 280 g per 830 ml of water and 40% - 470 g per 700 ml of water, 65% - 860 g per 460 liters of water).

The readiness of jam can be determined in different ways. For example, the jam is ready when the intense formation of foam stops and a slow boil of the fruit mass begins with constant heat. If the jam is ready, then foam forms in the center of the boiling mass, and the berries in the syrup are evenly distributed. A drop of syrup from the finished jam does not spread on the saucer when it cools. If the jam is already ready, then the sugar syrup does not separate from the portion taken for testing.

To determine the readiness of the jam, you need to place a small portion on a saucer. If it doesn't spread, it's ready.

Freezing

Freezing is a special type of canning. It allows you to preserve all useful nutrients, including vitamins. Even the rapidly degrading vitamin C, which we so lack in winter, is preserved.

For freezing, vegetables and fruits are cut into 2 x 2 cm cubes or 0.5 cm thick slices and placed in plastic bags or plastic containers in small layers. In this case, excess air must be removed from the packages - then the raw materials will freeze evenly, less ice will form in the package, and it will be easier to defrost.

To defrost, the product can be poured with hot water or heated in the microwave. You can also defrost naturally - wait until the vegetables or fruits thaw.