How to cook a delicious and healthy watermelon compote: the best recipes for a refreshing drink and preparations for the winter

Sun Sea Beach, watermelon, soft drinks - such a chain of associations builds up in many when thinking about summer. The sweet and juicy watermelon pulp perfectly refreshes and quenches thirst. So much so that you want to stretch the pleasure for a long time. But you won't be able to save this berry until winter. What to do?

Recipes for watermelon compote will come to the rescue. We have prepared for you interesting options for making refreshing drinks with mint, berries and fruits. They are suitable for both daily use and preservation.

How to cook watermelon compote

Making compote from watermelon pulp will not be difficult, even for those who have never done this. The brewing principle is the same for all soft summer drinks.

The pulp is cut into arbitrary pieces, if there is no task to surprise the guests by putting it in glasses, or by neat identical cubes or sticks for serving.

There are many recipes for making compotes for every taste, so there will be no difficulties in choosing. Experiment with additional ingredients such as sugar and citric acid. If you want a healthier drink, replace granulated sugar with natural honey. Just remember that this product loses its beneficial properties when heated. Therefore, put honey in a drink at room temperature and stir until completely dissolved.

Classic recipe

This recipe is considered the most popular, easiest and fastest.

Ingredients:

• ripe watermelon pulp - 400 g;
• sugar - 2 cups;
• water –2 l.

Preparation:

1. We put a spacious saucepan on the stove, pour distilled water and bring to a boil.
2. Add granulated sugar and wait for the crystals to dissolve.
3. Reduce the boiling point and boil the syrup in half.
4. Peel the watermelon pulp and cut it into small pieces.
5. Add to the sugar syrup and bring to a boil again.
6. Turn off the heat and set to cool.
7. Serve with ice cubes and mint.

Council. To speed up the process, place the pot in a large container of ice water.

Unusual recipes for watermelon compote

During heat treatment, watermelon loses a little its wonderful taste and aroma. Therefore, to enrich the taste, melon, apples, pears, plums, grapes, lemon, mint leaves or spices are added to the drink.

With melon

This recipe combines two melons and gourds, each has a unique taste and aroma. The result is an incredibly delicious thirst-quenching soft drink.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp and melons - 300 g;
• cane sugar - 100 g;
• clean water - 700 ml;
• lemon juice - 15 ml.

Preparation:

1. Peel the melon and watermelon, cut the pulp into arbitrary pieces.
2. We put a pot of water on the stove, add sugar and cook the syrup.
3. When the liquid boils, transfer the fruit pulp and bring to a boil.
4. Pour in lemon juice and turn it off.
5. Set to cool and serve over ice.

With mint

Mint will add freshness and piquant taste to the drink.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp - 1.5 kg;
• sugar - 70 g;
• water - 1 l;
• citric acid - 10 g;
• mint - 0.5 bunch.

Preparation:

1. Cut the watermelon pulp into small pieces.
2. Prepare syrup with sugar and citric acid and add watermelon to the boiling liquid.
3. Cook for 10 minutes, add mint leaves at the end.
4. Remove from heat, cover and leave to infuse.
5. Serve chilled.

With apples

The watermelon and apple compote is very useful: the ingredients in its composition have a diuretic and choleretic effect. And of course, it perfectly quenches thirst and tones up.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp - 600 g;
• sweet and sour apples - 2 pcs.;
• distilled water - 3 liters;
• sugar - 80 g.

Preparation:

1. Cook the syrup from water and sugar and add the watermelon pulp cut into pieces.
2. Remove the center from apples and cut into slices. Add to compote and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Turn off the stove and set it to cool.

With berries

The drink according to this recipe will turn out to be very aromatic and rich.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp - 700 g;
• raspberries - 110 g;
• blueberries - 130 g;
• strawberries - 120 g;
• cane sugar - 75 g;
• fresh mint - 1 sprig;
• water - 3 l.

Preparation:

1. Wash the berries and put them on a sieve. Cut the watermelon pulp into pieces. Peel and cut the strawberries into halves.
2. Cook the sugar syrup and at the same time lay out the watermelon with berries.
3. Cook for 20 minutes, turn off the heat, add mint leaves and cover the pan with a lid.
4. We are waiting for the compote to infuse, and serve with ice.

With lemon

The drink turns out to be very tasty, with subtle notes of vanilla. Lemon helps regulate the sweetness of the watermelon.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp - 800 g;
• sugar - 70 g;
• purified water - 2 l;
• vanilla;
• lemon - 0.5 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Cut the watermelon into slices and dip in boiling sugar syrup.
2. Cut the lemon into thin slices and add to the pan along with the vanilla.
3. Cook for 15 minutes and turn off the heat.

Council. Use natural vanilla in the pods for a delicate flavor and aroma.

With plums

Compote according to this recipe has a sour aroma and slightly tart taste: plums give a slight bitterness and are slightly "knitted".

Ingredients:

• watermelon - 600 g;
• peeled plums - 400 g;
• sugar - 80 g;
• distilled water - 2.5 liters.

Preparation:

1. Peel the watermelon, cut off the rind and cut the flesh into pieces. Wash the plums and remove the seeds.
2. Prepare the sugar syrup and put the ingredients in it.
3. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes and turn off.
4. Serve chilled.

With grapes

The taste of this amazing drink is fully revealed after infusion.

Ingredients:

• watermelon pulp - 1.5 kg;
• green grapes - 300 g;
• sugar - 300 g;
• purified water - 3 liters.

Preparation:

1. Wash a bunch of grapes and remove the berries from the branch. Cut the watermelon pulp into slices.
2. Cook the syrup in a large saucepan and dip the fruit in it.
3. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes and turn off.

How to prepare compote for the winter

Any of the above recipes for a watermelon drink can be adapted for preparations for the winter. To do this, hot compote is poured into a clean container and rolled up with metal lids. Let's give an example of a simple recipe without sterilization for a 3 liter can.

Recipe for a 3-liter can

Ingredients:

• watermelon - 800 g;
• distilled water - 2 liters;
• refined sugar - 400 g.

Preparation:

1. Cut the watermelon pulp into medium-sized pieces and put in a clean container.
2. Fill with boiling water and pour into a saucepan after 15 minutes.
3. Add sugar to it and boil for 5-7 minutes.
4. Pour the syrup into a jar and roll it up with a metal lid using a key.
5. Compote is best kept in a cool place.

Rolling instruction

In order for the canned compote to stand for a long time and not turn sour, follow the rules for preparing blanks:

1. Sterilize jars and lids before use without fail. Choose any of the methods: in an oven, microwave oven, in a water bath, or in a special sterilizer, if available.
2. The most convenient container for preparing compote is with a capacity of 2-3 liters.
3. Before slicing, wash the watermelon in warm water and remove the rind. Try to get all the bones out of the pulp.
4. Cut the product in such a way that the pieces fit easily into the container.
5. Pour boiling water over the pulp and leave for 15-20 minutes to infuse. Then prepare sugar syrup based on this liquid.
6. Wait for the sweet liquid to boil and pour into jars immediately.
7. Close with airtight lids and turn upside down to provide additional sterilization of the lids.
8. The principle of preparing compote with sterilization is the same, but the cans are placed in a water bath for 25-30 minutes and only then rolled up. This drink can be placed in a pantry or kitchen cabinet.

Helpful advice from experienced housewives

The thirst for experimentation in the kitchen encourages housewives to use new products for cooking, drinks and winter preparations. Through trial and error, they invent new recipes and share their recommendations.

To cook a delicious watermelon compote, take note of a few tips:

1. For brewing drinks, watermelons with dense pulp are suitable. The pieces will retain their shape and will not "creep away" during heat treatment.
2. The white part can not be thrown away immediately, but used while cooking the syrup. Delicious jam is made from the crusts.
3. Watermelon compote itself has a neutral taste. To make it more pronounced, add apples, plums, lemons, berries, or melon.
4. For a richer drink, add more sugar. Citric acid or citrus juice will help balance the taste.
5. Soak the melons in cold water before eating. The water will "draw out" nitrates, which are often used to treat fields.
6. Add additional flavor with mint, vanilla, cloves, star anise.

Reviews

Everyone who tried to cook watermelon compote was satisfied with the result and did not disappoint in the taste.

Veronica, Borisoglebsk: “Last year, at a family holiday with a friend, I first tasted watermelon compote with mint. The taste of the drink was breathtaking: fresh, aromatic, moderately sweet. The next day I cooked the same at home. The household members were satisfied. I added half a lemon to it to balance the sweetness. "

Olga, Zelenograd: “I have been rolling watermelon compote for the winter for three years in a row. Sometimes you come across not too sweet watermelons with dense pulp, and it's a pity to throw it away. I cook compotes with strawberries, currants, lemon and mint. There are no restrictions here, the product goes well with other fruits. "

Read also:

How to germinate watermelon seeds correctly and what to do next with the finished planting material.

How to prepare tasty and healthy watermelons in your own juice for the winter.

Simple and effective watermelon masks for face and hair at home.

Conclusion

If you have not tried to cook compote from watermelon pulp, be sure to do it in season. This drink tones, refreshes and quenches thirst perfectly. The neutral taste of watermelon in compote is combined with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, citruses, apples and mint. It can be drunk freshly prepared or preserved for the winter.

Cans of drinks will stand until spring, if you follow all the rules for rolling them.