How to Prepare Blackberries for Winter Eating – The Best Options

After harvesting blackberries, many gardeners face problems storing them. To prevent the berries from spoiling, it's acceptable to preserve them for the winter. There are many recipes available that will delight you during the winter. They are simple yet delicious.

Preparatory activities

Recipes for blackberry preserves are simple, but you might encounter some difficulties at first due to your lack of experience. To complete the task as quickly as possible, pay attention to a few points: properly prepare your utensils and ingredients.

Berry selection

Blackberry preserves are delicious when using high-quality raw materials. In recipes, use only clean berries that are not bruised, rotted, or damaged by disease or pests.

Preparation rules before use

Follow these recommendations before you begin harvesting. Experienced gardeners recommend preparing in advance:

• Harvest with care, as blackberries have thin skin that can be easily damaged by gentle pressure.
• Pick only ripe fruits, as blackberries do not ripen after picking.
• Before harvesting, sort the berries, remove leaves and debris, and pick out any insects. Avoid soft, overripe, or rotten berries.
• Remove stems from blackberries by twisting them.
• After washing the berries, dry them on a cloth towel or paper napkins.
• When handling blackberries, wear gloves beforehand, as the berries can stain your skin.
• Blackberries have hard seeds, to remove them, pass them through a sieve.
• When cooking jam with whole berries, stir the liquid carefully to prevent the berries from falling apart during cooking.
• Avoid using very ripe berries for jam, as there's a risk of the jam fermenting. Choose fruits of similar size and ripeness.
• Cook the jam in a wide bowl with low sides so that you can easily stir it without damaging the berries, and the liquid will also evaporate faster.
• For a thicker jam, cook it longer, but this will lose some of its nutrients. For a thicker jam, use gelatin or pectin.
• Be sure to sterilize jars for preserving berries, and store jam only in dry containers.
• After jarring the preserves, be sure to wrap them in a warm blanket and wait until they cool completely. This will ensure a longer shelf life.
• Store frozen fruits for up to 8 months – this will preserve all their beneficial properties.

For freezing berries, we recommend using the "blast freeze" mode. The faster the fruit freezes, the better the quality of the product.

Preparing the dishes

The success of winter preserves depends on proper preparation of the jars. To do this, use jars that have been pre-washed with baking soda and rinsed several times under warm running water.

Sterilize the containers: scald them with boiling water or bake in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius for at least 15 minutes. Be sure to prep the lids by boiling them for 3-4 minutes.

Natural blackberry juice

There are several ways to make delicious blackberry juice. Making it without sugar is especially beneficial. For the first option, you can use a pressure cooker: a special pot with three levels (the bottom one is for simmering, the middle one is for juice, and the top one is for the fruit).

Place the blackberries in the top rack of the pressure cooker and pack them tightly. As they boil, steam rises and softens the fruit. The juice flows into the middle rack and from there, it flows through a tube into a container underneath. This juice does not need to be pasteurized. Seal the container with a lid when filling.

You can also use the second option: fill the jars with clean berries, pour boiling water up to the shoulders, and cover with lids. Sterilize in gently simmering water for 15 minutes for two-liter jars or 25 minutes for three-liter jars. The shelf life of this preparation is 1 year.

Compote

Making berry compote isn't always quick. But you'll find recipes that will save you time and effort. There are several options for making blackberry compote. Stored in a cool place, blackberry compote can be stored for up to 1 year.

Without sterilization for a 3-liter jar

To prepare a delicious drink, you will need a few ingredients that you may have at home.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 350 g.
• Citric acid – 5 g.

Preparation:

1. Fill 3-liter jars with blackberries and pour boiling water over them to the shoulders. Cover with lids and let steep for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the water into the pan through a lid with holes.
3. Boil the infusion with sugar and citric acid, pour it over the berries.

The blackberries are ready, all that's left is to close them tightly with lids.

Without cooking

You can use a convenient method for making compote without cooking. To do this, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1.5 kg.
• Citric acid – 2-3 g.
• Sugar – 420 g.
• Water – 1 l.

Preparation:

1. Place clean fruits in a sterilized 3-liter jar.
2. Mix water and sugar in a saucepan, add citric acid and bring to a boil.
3. Pour boiling syrup over the berries, pouring it in a thin stream.

Close the jar with a pre-boiled lid. Cover the jar with a blanket until it cools completely.

Blackberry, lemon and mint

A compote made from several ingredients combined with sweet berries turns out very tasty and unusual.

Ingredients for a 1.5 liter jar:

• Blackberries – 400 g.
• Water – 1.5 l.
• Sugar – 200 g.
• Mint - a sprig.
• Lemon - slice.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the berries, cut a small wedge of lemon and remove the seeds. You can substitute lime or orange.
2. Place berries, lemon and mint in a jar and add sugar.
3. Pour boiling water in a thin stream up to the shoulders and cover with a lid.

Place the jars in a sterilizing container for 25 minutes. Seal with a lid and wrap in a blanket until completely cool.

Blackberry and apple compote

A delicious compote made with apples. You can use any other fruit instead.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1 kg.
• Apples – 3 pcs.
• Dried apricots – 5-7 pcs.
• Sugar – 200 g.
• Water – 2.5 l.

Preparation:

1. Wash the apples thoroughly, core them, and cut them into small slices. Peel them if desired. Place the apples in a deep saucepan.
2. Finely chop the dried apricots and add to the apples.
3. Sort the blackberries, removing any damaged ones. Rinse them under cold running water and let them drain, then transfer them to a saucepan.
4. Sprinkle all ingredients with sugar. Cane sugar can be used, but use less.
5. Pour in water and place the pan on the fire, bring to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Pour into a pre-sterilized jar and seal with a lid.

Blackberry preserves for quick consumption

You don't have to wait until winter to make blackberry preserves. Mors, kisel, and syrup are perfect for quick consumption. The advantage of these desserts is that you can use the pulp instead of whole berries. These drinks will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 7 days.

Morse

Making fruit drink requires minimal ingredients and little time. Here are the ingredients:

• Blackberries – 350 g.
• Water – 1 l.
• Sugar – 1 kg.

Preparation:

1. Squeeze the juice from the berries.
2. Pour water over the pulp and boil.
3. Strain through several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze.

Combine the hot broth with granulated sugar, then with the juice after it has cooled.

Kissel

To prepare delicious blackberry jelly, use readily available ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 500 g.
• Potato starch – 45 g.
• Sugar – 250 g.
• Lemon juice – 20-30 ml.
• Water – 900 ml.

Preparation:

1. Pour water over the berries and place over moderate heat; after boiling, cook for 10 minutes.
2. Strain through a sieve to remove the seeds from the berries.
3. Mix the resulting liquid with sugar and lemon juice.
4. Dissolve potato starch in 100 ml of cold water.
5. Combine the sweet juice with the starchy water and pour into the pan in a thin stream.

Syrup

Making blackberry syrup will take about an hour and a half. Prepare the following ingredients:

• Blackberries – 250 g.
• Sugar – 125 g.
• Lemon juice – 20 ml.
• Water – 125 ml.

 

Preparation:

1. Wash the blackberries under cold running water. Place them in a small bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Let them sit for 10-20 minutes.
2. Transfer the resulting mass into a saucepan and place over medium heat.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. To remove small seeds, pour the blackberry puree into a saucepan through a sieve, pressing it with the back of a spoon. Add lemon juice to the blackberry puree, pour in the water, and simmer for 5-10 minutes after boiling.

Pour the prepared syrup into a clean container, screw on the lid, and store. Adding a little pectin will make the blackberry syrup thicker.

Blackberry jam

There are many methods, so you can choose the one that suits you best. Blackberry jam has a shelf life of 1 year.

With whole berries

Blackberry jam with whole berries can be made two ways: with or without citric acid. In winter, this jam goes down instantly with a cup of tea or a bun. It's also used in flavorful baked goods.

First method:

1. Combine 1 kg of blackberries with 800 g of sugar.
2. Cover and leave for 7-8 hours to allow the berries to release their juice.
3. Place over high heat and cook for 20 minutes from the moment it boils.
4. Pour the jam into jars and roll them up tightly.

Second method:

1. You will need 1 kg of blackberries, 800 g of sugar and 1-2 g of citric acid.
2. Prepare the syrup: dissolve sugar in 100 ml of hot water, add citric acid and bring to a boil.
3. Add berries and cook until done.
4. Place into jars and roll up.

Sugar free

Many housewives try to cook dishes that won't affect their figure. Typically, they try to avoid sugar. Therefore, to make blackberry jam, you'll need only 1 kg of blackberries.

Preparation:

1. Carefully sort the blackberries, place them in a sieve, and rinse. Let them sit for a while to allow the excess liquid to drain.
2. Prepare the jars, sterilize them using your preferred method, and also boil the lids.
3. Place the prepared blackberries in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan, puree with a blender, and place over medium heat until boiling. Reduce the heat once the mixture reaches a boil and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, then remove immediately from the heat.
4. Pour the jam into jars and seal with lids. Turn the jars upside down and wrap them in a warm blanket.

After cooling, place the container with the dessert in a cool place.

Five-Minute

Homemade blackberry jam preserves a wealth of vitamins and a true summer aroma. Make it using the "five-minute" method.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 820 g.
• Citric acid – 3-4 g.

Preparation:

1. Sort the berries, removing any spoiled fruit, twigs, and stems. Wash and dry.
2. Place the blackberries in a wide bowl, layering them and sprinkling them with sugar.
3. Leave for 5-6 hours to release the juice.
4. Boil for 5 minutes, and 1 minute before the end of cooking, add citric acid.

Place the jam in clean, dry jars and seal with plastic wrap. Store the blackberry jam in a cool place.

With plums, blackberries, raspberries and elderberries

Blackberries, along with other berries, can be used for winter preserves. We suggest trying this delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 450 g.
• Small plums – 450 g.
• Elderberry – 230 g.
• Lemon – 2 pcs.
• Raspberries – 230 g.
• Sugar – 1.3 kg.

Preparation:

1. Wash the lemons, cut them in half and remove the seeds.
2. Place raspberries, blackberries and plums in a colander, rinse under running water and dry.
3. Squeeze the lemons into a large saucepan, then add the pits, berries, and plums. Add enough water to cover the ingredients by a few centimeters.
4. Cover with a lid, place over medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for another 1 hour.
5. Increase the heat and soften the berries with a masher, then cool slightly.
6. Place a sieve, line it with several layers of cheesecloth, pour out the contents and leave overnight to allow the liquid to drain, leaving the pulp in the sieve.
7. Pour the strained juice into a clean saucepan, add the sugar, and place over low heat. Cook the syrup until the sugar dissolves, stirring with a spatula. Then increase the heat and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
8. Remove the prepared dessert from the stove and place it into sterilized jars, roll up the lids and cool.

Blackberry puree

To make blackberry puree, you'll need 1-1.5 kg of sugar per 1 kg of blackberry. The dessert is quite simple to prepare:

1. Pour the washed berries into a saucepan, add sugar and stir.
2. Crush with a wooden pestle.
3. Place the finished puree into sterilized jars and sprinkle the top layer with a small amount of sugar.

Seal the jars with pre-boiled lids. Store in a cool place. You can also store in the freezer, dividing it into containers or special freezer bags.

Blackberries in their own juice

This dish is very popular among many housewives. To prepare blackberries in their own juice, follow these instructions:

1. Sprinkle the berries with sugar in layers in jars (400 g per 1 kg).
2. Leave the container with the fruit in a cool place for 4-5 hours.
3. Using a special lid with holes, drain the juice into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
4. Pour back into the jars.

Be sure to sterilize the blackberries in their own juice for 15 minutes.

Blackberries with sugar

To prepare this recipe, you'll need blackberries and syrup. To make it, dissolve 1 kg of granulated sugar in 1 liter of water, then add the clean berries to the syrup and simmer for a few minutes.

Next, transfer the blackberries to sterilized jars and reduce the syrup until it thickens, then pour it over the berries. The jars require pasteurization: 30 minutes for 0.5 liter jars and 50 minutes for 1 liter jars. Then seal with boiled lids.

Blackberry jam for the winter

To prepare delicious blackberry jam you will need little time and a minimum of ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 1.2-1.4 kg.
• Water – 200 ml.

Preparation:

1. Place the washed berries in a saucepan and crush them. You can also run them through a meat grinder first.
2. Add water and bring to a boil, then simmer for another 10 minutes over low heat.
3. Add sugar.

Bring to a boil in one go. The jam is ready!

Jam

Blackberries can be used to make a delicious jam, which can be stored in a sealed container for 1-2 years. This dessert is perfect for baking or simply when you're craving something sweet with your tea.

Blackberry jam as marmalade

The preparation is very simple – the jam turns out airy and no less tasty than marmalade.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1-1.5 kg.
• Water – 40 ml.
• Sugar – 600 g.

Preparation:

1. Pour water over the pre-washed berries and bring to a boil.
2. Cool, then rub through a sieve to remove the seeds.
3. Mix with sugar, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.

Divide the mixture into jars. The jam is ready!

Blackberry jam with apples

Apple pulp makes the jam even more delicious and thick. It requires just a few ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1 kg.
• Apples – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 1 kg.
• Water – 200 ml.

Preparation:

1. Peel and core the apples.
2. Mix with washed berries and add water.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat until the apples become soft.
4. Rub through a sieve and mix with sugar.

Cook the mixture over moderate heat until it thickens. This takes about 40 minutes.

Blackberry jam in a slow cooker

You can make jam in a more convenient way if you don’t have time to mess around at the stove – use a multicooker.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1.5 kg.
• Sugar – 1.5 kg.

Preparation:

1. Sort the berries, place them in a sieve, and rinse under running water. Set aside to drain off excess liquid.
   
2. Place the blackberries in the multicooker bowl and set the cooker to "Stewing" mode for 10 minutes. Leave the lid on.
3. After the time has elapsed, add sugar, stir gently and select the same mode, but for 30 minutes.
   
4. Wash and sterilize the jars, boil the lids.
5. When the beep sounds, leave the jam for 4-5 hours.

Once cooled, pour the dessert into containers and seal with lids. Store in a cool, dark place.

A recipe for delicious jelly with gelatin

The easiest option is to make blackberry jelly with gelatin. This is a very simple recipe that takes no more than half an hour.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1.2 kg.
• Sugar – 600 g.
• Gelatin – 2 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

1. Place the berries in a saucepan and press down to release the juice.
2. Place on low heat, simmer for 5 minutes, then rub through a sieve to remove the seeds.
3. Mix the puree with sugar, then put it back on the heat for 15 minutes.
4. Prepare the jars, put 1 tablespoon of loose gelatin in each.
5. Pour blackberry puree into the container.
6. Roll up the lids.

Homemade marmalade

The preparation of marmalade is similar to the recipe for jam, but in this case no water is required.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 1 kg.

Preparation:

1. Place the berries in a saucepan, add 50 g of sugar, stir and leave for 6 hours to release the juice.
2. Place over moderate heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Rub the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds.
4. Combine the blackberry puree with the remaining sugar and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes.
5. Prepare the jars and lids in advance – sterilize them using a convenient method.

Transfer the finished mixture into a container. After the marmalade cools, it will thicken even more.

Alcoholic drinks

The beauty of homemade alcoholic beverages is that they're made from natural ingredients. Blackberries can be used to make a sweet dessert wine or a thick, rich liqueur.

Wine

Blackberry wine is a delicious and aromatic drink that will delight you and your guests.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 2 kg.
• Sugar – 1 kg.
• Raisins – 45 g.
• Water – 1 l.

Preparation:

1. Pick the berries without washing them. Transfer them to a 5-liter jar.
2. Add raisins and 400 g of granulated sugar. Add water and stir.
3. Cover with a cloth and place in a cool place for 3-4 days.
4. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth, squeeze out the remaining pulp and add 300 g of sugar to the drink, mix thoroughly.
5. Place a water seal on the jar and keep it at a temperature of +25 degrees.
6. After 96 hours, add the remaining sugar, stir, and put the airlock back on.
7. After 1-1.5 months, fermentation will cease. Strain the young wine through a straw. Do not shake.

Liquor

Making liqueur is a labor-intensive but entertaining process that will yield rewards in the future.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 1.5 kg.
• Vodka – 1 l.
• Water – 400 ml.
• Sugar – 450 g.
• Zest of 1 lemon.

Preparation:

1. Pour boiling water over the lemon and cut off the zest.
2. Mix with blackberries in a jar, pour in vodka, and seal with a lid. Store at room temperature for 14 days. Shake the container every two days.
3. Pour the mixture through cheesecloth into a clean jar and squeeze out the pulp.
4. Prepare the syrup: mix sugar with hot water.
5. Combine with berry juice, stir, cover with a lid.

Place the drink in a cool place for 4 days, then filter the liqueur through cotton wool and store in bottles.

How to properly freeze blackberries for the winter?

Freezing blackberries is an art form, but they can be preserved beautifully.

Follow the instructions:

• Rinse the berries in water and place them on a towel to dry.
• Place the dry berries on a baking sheet pre-wrapped in cling film so that they do not touch each other.
• Place in the freezer to freeze, then transfer to a bag or container.

Store the berries in the freezer. The shelf life is 12 months.

Drying berries and leaves

Dry blackberry berries and leaves in an oven or using a special electric dehydrator. A temperature of 50-60 degrees Celsius is recommended.

If you're drying outdoors, protect the leaves and berries from direct sunlight. These ingredients can be used to brew a delicious tea in winter.

How to make blackberry pie?

Blackberry pie is a unique recipe that will delight your family and guests.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries – 200 g
• Butter – 180 g.
• Eggs – 3 pcs.
• Baking powder – 1 tsp.
• Vanilla sugar – 1 pinch.
• Sugar – 150 g.
• Flour – 20 g.
• Salt – 1 pinch.

Preparation:

1. Beat softened butter with sugar until smooth.
2. Add 1 tbsp flour and continue whisking.
3. Beat the eggs until smooth.
4. Add baking powder, vanilla sugar and salt, mix.
5. Add the remaining flour little by little and blend until smooth. The dough should be airy.
6. Grease a baking dish with oil, pour in the batter and spread it over the entire surface.
7. Place the berries around the entire perimeter, pressing them lightly into the dough.
8. Place the pie in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

You can also watch the video recipe:

There are many ways to preserve berries for the winter: making jam, compote, fruit drink, or simply preserving the berries whole. From the suggested winter preserves recipes using blackberries, you can choose the most suitable option.

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