Preserving Raspberries in Jam for the Winter: 3 Best Recipes That Will Preserve Color, Aroma, and Vitamins

July is coming to an end and this is the last time when it is in abundance, and the aroma of ripeness fills the markets and dachas of housewives. This berry is one of the most difficult to preserve and is a vitamin capsule if properly preserved for the winter. After all, this summer berry is a real “ambulance” in the season of winter colds due to the high content of natural salicylic acid and vitamin C.

However, raspberries are capricious: they quickly release juice, are prone to fermentation, and can lose their bright color if improperly cooked or even after some time has passed since they were picked. Therefore, the author of this article has found three golden recipes for preserving raspberry jam for the winter that will help you keep your raspberries perfect for the winter.

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1. The main dilemma: Do I need to wash raspberries before harvesting?

If you don’t wash it, there will be insects and dirt that gets into the middle of the berry with dust, but after washing the raspberries just fall apart in your hands. And that’s why this question splits the culinary internet into two camps every year. From the point of view of safety and culinary logic, the answer depends on the origin of the berry:

• Your own summer raspberries: If you picked them on a dry, sunny day away from roads, you don’t need to wash them . The raspberries will absorb water, become watery, and lose some of their fragrant juice.
• Bought at the market or in a store: It is necessary to wash even if it is from the hands of a grandmother or in the transition to a friendly seller who grows it herself at home in a greenhouse. However, the washing work should be done gently: pour the berries in portions into a colander and immerse it in a container with cold water, and do not put it under a direct stream from the tap – then all the raspberries will simply break into small balls. After that, spread the raspberries on paper towels so that they dry completely.

2. Recipe #1: The famous “Five-minute” raspberry jam

This recipe is known to all chefs and is the absolute leader in Google searches and on specialized culinary sites according to reviews from housewives. Why exactly this one? Because the minimum boiling time allows you to preserve the beautiful ruby ​​color of the berry and a maximum of nutrients. See the detailed recipe in the table below.

Raspberry jam recipe step by step:

1. Sprinkle the raspberries with sugar in a deep saucepan (preferably enameled or stainless steel, but not aluminum) and leave for 4–5 hours to let the berries release their juice.
2. Place the saucepan over low heat, stirring with a wooden or silicone spatula until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Increase the heat to medium, bring to a boil, and be sure to skim off any foam that forms (the foam collects small debris and air bubbles that can cause fermentation).
4. Pour in the lemon juice — it will balance the sweetness and prevent the jam from darkening.
5. Boil for exactly 5 minutes, keeping a clear time with a stopwatch, because deviation will cost you a spoiled product or loss of taste and vitamin properties.
6. Pour the hot jam into sterilized jars (pre-boiled or boiled with water), roll up the lids (roll up hermetically), turn over and wrap until completely cooled.

3. Recipe #2: Raspberries, mashed with sugar without cooking (raw jam)

The most vitamin-rich method of harvesting. Since the berry does not undergo heat treatment at 100 degrees or more, when some useful elements are still lost, the taste remains one hundred percent fresh, like raspberries just off the bush.

An important rule for raw jam: The proportion of sugar to berries should be strictly 1.5:1 (1 kg of raspberries – 1.5 kg of sugar). Sugar here acts as the only natural preservative. If you put less, the preparation will ferment. If you put more, the raspberry flavor will not be felt due to the too sweet aftertaste of sugar.

Recipe for making raw raspberry jam:

1. Pour the dried raspberries into a deep bowl and cover with sugar.
2. Mash the berries with a masher or blend them in a blender on low speed.
3. Leave the mixture at room temperature for 3–6 hours, stirring occasionally, so that the sugar grains completely dissolve in the raspberry juice.
4. Spread the “raw jam” into clean, sterile jars, leaving 1.5 cm to the top.
5. Lifehack “Sugar Stopper”: Pour a layer of pure sugar (about 1 cm) on top of the jam. It will harden and create a natural barrier to bacteria and air. Close with nylon or screw caps.
6. This jam should only be stored in the refrigerator or a cold cellar! In the event of a draft or direct sunlight, bacteria will immediately develop there and the jam will spoil.

4. Recipe #3: Freeze-dried raspberries (berry by berry)

If you don’t want to use sugar at all, dry and quick “shock” freezing is your choice. In order not to get a solid block of ice in winter as a mixture of water, starch and ice that is not suitable for consumption, you need to freeze raspberries using the correct “dry” method.

• Step 1: If you don’t have a dry blast freezer, take a flat baking sheet, cutting board, or tray that fits in your freezer. Line it with cling film.
• Step 2: Place the dried (!) raspberries in a single layer, a few millimeters apart. They should not touch, otherwise you will end up with a layer of ice.
• Step 3: Place in the freezer (preferably in the “Fast Freeze” mode at minus 24 degrees Celsius) for 3–4 hours.
• Step 4: Remove the hardened berries, quickly transfer them to a zip-top bag or plastic container for long-term storage, and return to the freezer. The berries will now remain crumbly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What to do if there are white worms in raspberries?

These are the larvae of the raspberry beetle. To get rid of them, before cooking, soak the berries in a slightly salty solution (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water) for 15 minutes. All the larvae will float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon or simply a sieve, and rinse the berries twice with clean water.

Read also: Khachapuri for the lazy – a quick recipe from homemade ingredients (very tasty)

Why did the raspberry jam become liquid?

Raspberries contain little natural pectin (a gelling agent). If you want a thick jam, like a confiture, use special natural thickeners based on pectin (“Zhelfix”, “Kvittin”, etc.) according to the instructions on the package. Often, for this purpose, a large mass of raspberries and sugar is added to one jar.

How long do frozen raspberries last?

In an airtight bag at a temperature of minus 18 degrees or below, raspberries perfectly retain their properties for up to 12 months (i.e. until the next harvest). You cannot refreeze berries that have already been taken out of the freezer, so divide them into reasonable portions, and do not put them all in one.

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