Simple and tasty ways to close a watermelon for the winter in jars

Watermelon It is traditionally considered a summer berry, which is most often consumed during its ripening season - in late July and early August. To be able to enjoy this tasty and healthy product at any time of the year, it can be pickled.

There are a huge number of ways and recipes for such preservation for the winter in jars, which allows you to choose the ideal version of the original watermelon marinade for every taste. We will tell you how to close a watermelon for the winter to make a very tasty treat.

Selection and preparation of watermelons for closing for the winter

To prepare the blank, it is important to pay attention to the appearance, since not every watermelon is suitable for conservation.

Product selection:

1. For pickling, it is recommended to use a berry weighing 5 to 7 kg. Fruit that is too large may not ripen, and too small may not be very sweet.
2. Before canning, make sure that the tail has a yellowish color, which indicates the ripeness of the product. Fruits with a green tail are usually unripe.
3. When tapped on the surface, a ripe watermelon makes a booming sound.
4. The berry should not have cracks or breaks, and the pattern on the peel should be bright and distinct.
5. The surface of a good fruit is shiny, without matte areas.

When cutting the berries, attention is paid to the absence of light, white or yellowish streaks in the pulp, which indicate that it was most likely treated with chemicals. Such a berry is usually not subject to long-term storage, including canned form.

Preparing the product for pickling:

1. The berries are thoroughly washed under running water, and then cut into pieces of any size. The main thing is that they pass freely into the neck of the preservation jar.
2. Seeds are removed from the pulp. Too thick peel is cut off, and the thin one is left.

Not only the pulp is subject to pickling, but also the watermelon peel, which is separated from the pulp for preparation of the blank and cut into small cubes.

Important! It is undesirable to purchase berries without tails, as well as sliced.

The best recipes for watermelon blanks

You can preserve summer berries in various ways: with and without crusts, with the addition of acetic acid, aspirin, honey, mustard, garlic or sugar.

This blank will decorate a festive and everyday table, and any gourmet will like an unusual rich taste.

Reference. Canned watermelon can be combined with meat, fish, vegetable dishes.

Pickled without crust

This preparation has a delicate sweet taste with a slight sourness. Suitable as an unusual dessert.

Ingredients:

• medium-sized watermelon;
• sugar - 1.5 cups;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l .;
• citric acid - 1 tsp;
• water - 2.5-3 liters, depending on the size of the container.

Cooking method:

1. Washed up berry cut into small portions, cut off the crusts, remove the seeds.
2. Place the pieces in a glass bottle and pour boiling water over.
3. After 15 minutes, drain the water into a saucepan, add sugar and salt. Put on fire, bring to a boil.
4. Add citric acid to the jar and immediately pour boiling liquid.
5. Roll up the lid.

For a small family, you can use liter cans, and for a large feast, it is advisable to make blanks in three-liter containers.

Marinated with vinegar

This piece with acetic acid will appeal to lovers of savory dishes with a light spice.

Required Ingredients:

• 1 medium watermelon;
• water - 2 l;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l .;
• granulated sugar - 2.5 tbsp. l .;
• table vinegar 9% - 4-5 tbsp. l .;
• black peppercorns - 0.5 tsp;
• currant leaves - 7-10 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Rinse the berries and cut into pieces. Do not cut off the skin.
2. At the bottom of the glass container, fold the currant leaves, then the melon culture.
3. Pour boiling water into the container and cover with a nylon soft lid.
4. After 15 minutes, drain the water into a saucepan, add sugar, salt and hot pepper. Put on fire, wait for a boil. Boil the mixture for about 3 minutes.
5. Pour vinegar into the jar, then gently add the boiling mixture.
6. Roll up the jar and leave to cool.

It is recommended to pour the boiling marinade in two steps so as not to burn yourself.

Marinated with honey

Harvesting with honey is distinguished not only by its rich taste, but also by a positive effect on the body - such a snack will help support immunity in the autumn-winter period.

Required products:

• a watermelon weighing about 5 kg;
• water - 2.5-3 liters;
• honey - 8-9 tbsp. l .;
• vinegar 9% - 2-3 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 5-6 tbsp. l .;
• garlic - 10-12 cloves.

How to cook:

1. Cut the washed berries in portions. The pieces should be about 1.5-2 cm thick.
2. Peel the garlic. Large teeth can be cut in half.
3. Put melons and garlic in a container. Pour boiling water over, cover and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Pour water from a can into a deep bowl, add salt and honey. Turn on the fire and wait for it to boil.
5. Pour boiling marinade into a jar, pour acetic acid on top and roll up.

It is advisable to make such a blank in a three-liter jar.

With mustard

Mustard will give the preparation an unusual taste, making it an excellent addition to potato or meat dishes.

What you need:

• 1 small watermelon;
• boiling water - 1 liter;
• granulated sugar - 5 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• mustard powder - 1 tsp;
• citric acid - 1 tsp.

How to cook:

1. Dry the washed berries with a towel and chop.
2. Arrange the pieces into jars.
3. Pour boiling water into containers and cover with lids.
4. After 7-10 minutes, pour the water from the jars and put on the fire, adding sugar and salt to the liquid.
5. Pour mustard and citric acid into jars. Pour boiling marinade over.
6. Roll up containers and allow to cool.

The boiling brine should cover all the watermelon pieces completely.

Sweet, canned with aspirin

Such a preparation with aspirin instead of vinegar will appeal to children, as well as to all sweet lovers.

What you need:

• watermelon weighing 5-6 kg;
• water - 2.5 l;
• aspirin - 1 tablet;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• granulated sugar - 2 tsp;
• garlic - 1-2 cloves;
• greens to taste: parsley, basil, oregano - 1 sprig.

Preparation:

1. Put garlic and herbs in a jar.
2. Cut the melons and put them in a container.
3. Crush an aspirin tablet. Pour the resulting powder into a jar.
4. Boil water with sugar and salt diluted in it.
5. Pour boiling water into a container and roll up.

After seaming, the jar is shaken several times so that all components are evenly distributed.

Watermelon compote in jars

This original delicacy will remind you of the warm summer even on the most severe winter days. This blank is prepared easily, with a minimum amount of ingredients.

Required products:

• watermelon pulp - about 2 kg;
• water - 2 l;
• granulated sugar - 2 cups.

How to cook:

1. Boil water and sugar.
2. Pre-cut, peeled and peeled watermelon in boiling liquid.
3. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let it brew.
4. After half an hour, transfer the pieces to the jar. It is more convenient to do this with a slotted spoon.
5. Boil the sweet syrup again and pour into the container to the watermelon pieces.
6. Roll up the lid and cool.

It is recommended to pre-filter the water for this preparation with any home filter.

Watermelon jam

Summer berry jam can be made using rind or pulp.The most delicate taste is obtained when making jam from watermelon pulp.

Required products:

• watermelon pulp - 400-500 g;
• granulated sugar - 500 g;
• 1 small lemon;
• water - 1.5 cups.

Preparation:

1. Wash the melons, cut them, remove seeds and separate the peel.
2. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon, and get the zest from the peel.
3. Transfer the chopped berries to a saucepan, add water and boil.
4. When the water boils, reduce the heat and continue to cook the mixture for about half an hour.
5. After half an hour, add 200-250 g of sugar.
6. Mix the rest of the sugar with lemon juice and a glass of water.
7. Pour lemon zest into a saucepan with watermelon slices, then pour in sugar syrup mixed with lemon juice.
8. Cook the mixture until thickened over medium heat.
9. After 30-40 minutes, the jam should be ready. It must be transferred to a jar and closed with a lid.

Too glossy and shiny lemon peel is a sign of wax treatment. It is better not to use the zest of such a fruit.

Canned watermelon in sugar syrup

This dish is a great addition to pancakes, pancakes and crispy toasts.

Required products:

• watermelon pulp (without peel) - 0.5 kg;
• granulated sugar - 500 g;
• half a lemon.

How to cook:

1. Peel the cut pieces of watermelon from seeds and put on fire.
2. Wait until it boils. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the slices to a deep plate and cool.
4. Add sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the watermelon pulp. Mix.
5. Let it brew for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. After a few hours, put the pulp on the fire again, wait for it to boil and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Pour the resulting mass into a glass container and roll up.
8. Cool such a blank upside down, covering the jar with a towel.

Such a blank can be impregnated with biscuit cakes of cakes and rolls.

With honey

The honey stock can be made both sweet and savory using the right spices and seasonings.

Ingredients:

• a watermelon weighing about 6 kg;
• water - 2.5 l;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l .;
• acetic acid 9% - 3 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l .;
• garlic - 5-7 cloves;
• horseradish leaves - 3-5 pcs.;
• dill umbrellas - 7-10 pcs.;
• honey - 1-2 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

1. Wash and clean all ingredients. Cut the watermelon into small pieces, do not cut off the skin.
2. Smear the sterilized jar from the inside with honey.
3. Fold the watermelon pulp into a container, then the horseradish leaves and dill.
4. Cut the garlic into thin slices and add to the jar.
5. In a separate bowl, combine water, vinegar, honey, salt and sugar. Boil.
6. Pour the hot marinade over the watermelon, close the lid and leave for 3 days.
7. After 3 days, drain the brine and boil again.
8. Pour boiling marinade into a jar and roll up.

In this preservation, you can add a few peas of hot pepper, as well as currant, cherry or oak leaves.

With garlic

Preservation with garlic turns out to be spicy. It goes well with fish, chicken and vegetable dishes.

Required products:

• watermelon without crusts - 2 kg;
• garlic - 2-5 cloves;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 4 tbsp. l .;
• acetic acid 9% - 5 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

1. Peel the pulp of the watermelon from the seeds and place in a glass container.
2. Add garlic and pour boiling water over everything.
3. Drain the water, add sugar, salt. Boil. Add vinegar.
4. Pour the marinade over the watermelon and roll up.

Terms and conditions of storage

Store the workpieces in a cool dark place, making sure that they do not overheat or freeze over. Storage duration should not exceed 10-11 months.

Storage features:

1. The first day the seaming is kept at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. In order for the lids to tighten better, the container is placed upside down.
2. After 24 hours, when the workpiece has completely cooled down, it is moved to a suitable storage location - a cellar, a cool pantry or a corridor without heating.
3. An open workpiece is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days.

After opening the jar, it is important to ensure that each piece of watermelon is completely immersed in marinade in order to avoid damage.

Tips of experienced housewives

To simplify the preparation of blanks and keep them as long as possible, it is recommended to pay attention to some features:

• seaming caps must be free of rust;
• it is better to sterilize the container in the oven - this method allows you to prepare several cans at once;
• any acetic acid can be added - table, tartaric, malic;
• when washing a watermelon before canning, it is convenient to use a stiff sponge or a vegetable brush;
• it is most convenient to cut the berry into portioned pieces of rectangular or triangular shape;
• it is recommended to use regular coarse salt.

Sterilize the sealing lids with boiling water by dipping them into it for a few minutes.

Conclusion

Marinating sweet summer berries is not much different from preparing a classic vegetable preparation, so even a novice housewife can cope with this task.

Of great importance is the choice of a ripe, but not overripe melons and gourds, as well as the use of suitable spices, herbs and additional components that will make the preparation sweetish, spicy-piquant or tender, with a slight pleasant sourness.