To enjoy strawberries all year round, freezing is the modern method of preservation. Traditionally, housewives extend the shelf life of fruits using sugar, vinegar and alcohol. How to do it right.
How to preserve strawberries?
Strawberries can be preserved by freezing, preserving with sugar, vinegar or alcohol. Traditional methods include using sugar, vinegar and alcohol, while freezing is a modern preservation method. It is important to use fresh, high-quality fruits.
Classic and reliable – preserving strawberries with sugar
Sugar has been established for generations as the perfect preservative without using any chemicals. Here microbes have no chance of settling in the strawberries for months. The central premise for successful success is the use of fruits of the best quality, washed and cleaned. We have put together the most popular methods for you:
- Quarter 500 grams of strawberries and put them in a pot
- Sprinkle 400 grams of sugar over it
- mix well with a spoon and place on the stove
- boil over medium heat for 1 minute
- Place the mixture in a sterilized mason jar with a screw cap
- Close the glass, turn it upside down for 2 minutes and turn it over
Alternatively, puree half of the strawberries and cut the rest into small slices. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and the juice of a lime, mix everything together. Filled into a screw-top jar, preserve the compote for 60 minutes at 80-100 degrees in a water bath. Wrapped with newspaper, the glass cannot break.
Preserve wonderful strawberry flavor in vinegar
An exciting preservation variant is created when sweet strawberries meet sour vinegar. Put 300 grams of strained and sepal-free strawberries together with 500 milliliters of white wine vinegar in a glass container. This is tightly closed, placed in a bright place for 6 weeks and shaken once a day. Last but not least, the strawberries are crushed and the strawberry vinegar is strained through a cheesecloth.
How alcohol preserves strawberry enjoyment
On the same level as sugar, high-proof alcohol has been one of the best preservatives since time immemorial. Strawberries are one of the most popular ingredients here because they go away so quickly when fresh from the garden. This is how it works:
- puree 1 kilogram of strawberries in a container
- Add 350 milliliters of water, 300 milliliters of lemon juice and 200 grams of sugar
- Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes
- Pull the pot off the heat to stir in 850 milliliters of 40 percent alcohol
- strained through a fine sieve, pour the still hot liquid into a sterilized bottle
Tips & Tricks
High-speed preservation is possible using the microwave. Mix 500 grams of strawberries with 400 grams of sugar and add 1 vanilla pod. Place covered in the microwave at 750 watts. Stir every 3 minutes for the next 14 minutes and the naturally preserved strawberry jam is ready.
