A simple recipe for making watermelon juice for the winter at home
Watermelon is a juicy berry that helps to quench your thirst in the sultry summer heat. Fans of this dessert do not have time to enjoy its taste in a season of one and a half to two months. Fans of this berry have come up with salt for the winter. Not everyone likes the taste, because it is completely different from a cool fresh slice of watermelon. Therefore, through trial and error, we came up with the preparation of watermelon juice for the winter at home.
The subtleties of cooking
The preservation of this berry has some secrets. It is worth being careful about the choice of the watermelon itself, since the result of the work depends on it. In no case should he be lethargic or immature.
Which watermelon to choose for harvesting:
- no more than 7 kg;
- with a dry tail;
- with a light spot on the side;
- with a clear pattern;
- without damage;
- having a dull sound when tapped.
Banks must first be sterilized over steam, in an oven or microwave, filling a third of the volume with water. Metal lids need to be doused with boiling water.
In fact, this conservation is very capricious, and if you make even one mistake, it can deteriorate, or a can explode. Therefore, you should be extremely careful and try to adhere to all recommendations.
Preparing the watermelon
The first thing to do with the berry is to rinse it thoroughly with hot and cold water. If dirt remains on it, this will affect the quality of the finished product and its preservation. Then the watermelon should be peeled and peeled from the green rind (the latter can be used to make candied fruits). Then it is cut into small pieces, pulling out all the black and light bones.
Then the technique comes to the rescue. It is better to use a juicer, as a last resort, you can use a meat grinder. Then the whole mass must be filtered through a sieve, on which cheesecloth should be lined in two or three layers. The remaining cake can be squeezed out to the main raw material.
Cooking methods
There are a lot of options on how to make watermelon juice. It can be pure with no additives or with cranberry or apple juice. The difference between the finished product is the purpose of its preparation: for consumption immediately or for the winter.
A simple recipe for the winter
To prepare a classic recipe, all you need are all three ingredients:
- 7 kg of pulp of medium watermelon;
- 1 cup of sugar;
- 1 teaspoon citric acid.
The juice obtained after filtering through cheesecloth should be sent to a large container and put on fire. As it heats up, foam will appear, which it is advisable to constantly remove. When the liquid boils, you need to reduce the heat and add sugar and citric acid.
Then, stirring with a wooden spatula until the sugar is completely dissolved, bring to a boil and leave in this state for up to 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and pour into clean sterilized jars, close with lids. From this amount of ingredients, approximately 6 liters of juice are obtained.
Turn the jars over and leave them at room temperature for up to two weeks. If the juice remains in the same form, it is advisable to remove it in a dark cool cellar.
In a blender
A blender makes it easier for many housewives to work in the kitchen. Therefore, if you have such a technique, you can combine watermelon with other berries and fruits.
In a blender, you can make not only juices, but also fruit smoothies and mixes. To do this, add the following ingredients to the blender bowl:
- diced watermelon pulp;
- some honey or icing sugar;
- ice or water;
- pulp of other fruits.
This recipe is only suitable for those who are going to consume juice right away. If you still need to cook it for the winter, a blender will do an excellent job of chopping a watermelon. In this case, you can use both the hand blender and its bowl.
In a juicer
Housewives who have a juicer among their equipment and want to make watermelon juice at home can be called lucky, because this unit will perfectly cope with this kind of preparation.
The advantage of this technique is that the juice comes out of it pasteurized, so no additional manipulations are required. It is enough just to place it in sterilized jars for further storage.
For cooking in a juicer, you need to pour 3 liters of water into the lower tank, and add all the pulp of the watermelon into the upper one. As for sugar, it’s just a matter of taste. In a juicer, the juice is very concentrated at the outlet, so additional sweetness may not be needed.
Without sterilization
If you want to drink fresh watermelon juice, there are also several options for making it. The first and very beautiful form of serving is in the watermelon itself in the form of a small barrel. This is a great option for parties, as you can add juices of other fruits and berries or even alcohol to the liquid. For this method, of course, it is better to choose a large seedless berry.
The bottom, on which the watermelon will stand, needs to be cut off a little so that there is still a green crust. The top of the barrel should be cut off (the part where the dry tail was), and all the pulp should be pulled out of the watermelon using a regular spoon. Beat it and strain it through a sieve. Then, at the bottom of the barrel, you should drill a small hole, no more than 1 cm in diameter, and insert a tap into it (sold in any hardware stores). Pour all the liquid into the barrel and a great drink is ready for the party.
Without sterilization, watermelon juice can be stored for only a few days, because various microbes can multiply in the juice due to the contact of the berry with a knife and other materials.
How to store juice
Watermelon juice is best stored in dry, well-ventilated, dark and cold rooms. The best option is a cellar. If this is not possible, then a pantry or any other dark place in the apartment.
You can store it for a long time, but since this is a rather picky preservation, it is better to use it before winter.
