How to store feijoa at home

In Russia, feijoa grows only in the southern part, located in a subtropical climate, so residents of other regions have to see this berry only in season and only on the shelves of shops or markets. You can buy this "storehouse of vitamins" throughout October and November and say goodbye to it until next autumn, but it is better to know how to store it. This can be done in several ways: fresh or ground with sugar as a jam. Moreover, the jam can be "live" or thermally processed. From the chosen method of storage directly depends on how much it will remain fresh and suitable for food.

How to choose

What method of storing feijoa has not been preferred, it is important to choose the right berries. Because in this case the degree of maturity directly affects not only the taste, but also the utility. So, choosing a berry, pay attention to the following points:

1. The color is outside: dark green, without bright green spots( sign of underdevelopment), with a matte, wrinkled surface of the peel( gloss and lack of wrinkles gives an unripe fruit).
2. Color inside: transparent. White flesh color means that the fruit is not ripe, brown - that overripe. Unripe berries can mature at home, while overripe berries are already unsuitable for food.
3. No stem. If it is, it means that the berry was cut unripe, while it is right to harvest the feijoa from the ground when they are ripe and fall down themselves.
4. No dark spots. Their presence indicates that the fruit has been lying for a long time and is already beginning to deteriorate.

Tip: The large size of feijoa does not always indicate its maturity. The size depends on the variety.

The average storage period of the feijoa after harvesting is 10 days. Subtract from it the time of transportation, packing and it turns out that fresh berries can lie in the refrigerator for not more than a week. Therefore, it is recommended to use them immediately after purchase, as they say, without putting it off. And when they run out, buy new ones.

But, as you know, vitamins and trace elements can not be reserved for future use, and there are a lot of them in feijoa. These are vitamins of group B, vitamin C, PP, and also iodine, calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, sodium. To keep all this splendor at home for longer than a week, you should use sugar - a natural preservative. The result is a very tasty jam, the recipe of which will be described below.

"Live" jam

The best way to prolong the time of storing feijoa at home with minimal vitamin losses is to make a "live" jam, the recipe of which is incredibly simple. In other words, it's just berries ground with sugar. The recipe is classic, the same as for other berries. It will be required:

• 1 kg feijoa;
• 1 kg of sugar.

The amount of sugar can vary from 700 g to 1.5 kg. Everything depends on personal taste preferences. The more sprinkle the berry with sugar, the longer it will be stored. However, from the jam the specific taste "with sourness", which is so loved by gourmets, will disappear.

Preparation:

1. Wash the feijoa and remove the stems and tails.
2. Grind the berries with a blender or meat grinder.
3. Transfer to enameled dishes and fill with sugar. Stir.
4. Mix "live" jam from time to time. Do this as many times as necessary, so that the sugar crystals will melt.
5. Thoroughly rinse jars and lids with baking soda, pour them with boiling water and transfer into them ready-made "live" jam.
6. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 months.

The recipe of "live" jam, prepared not with sugar, but with honey is interesting. Honey is also a natural preservative. It is used in "live" delicacy, and not in "cooked", because when cooking, honey loses all its useful properties. In addition to honey, the taste of feijoa can be supplemented with any nuts, except peanuts.

Tip: the shelf life depends on the method. Fresh feijoa, brought from the south and bought in the store, are stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, "live" jam is kept in a cold dark place( refrigerator) for up to 3 months, the heat-treated jam is stored in a dark place for up to 1 year.

"Cooked" jam

Strawberries, kiwi, bananas and even gooseberries - that's how many people try to explain in words what the taste of feijoa looks like. It is for him that they like exotic berries and try to keep this delicacy, as long as possible. If the question rests on the shelf life, then to increase it correctly, it is necessary to use thermal treatment. Of course, many useful substances will be lost when exposed to high temperatures, but the shelf life will increase to 12 months.

Below is a classic recipe that allows you to cook the most common "boiled" jam that preserves the true taste of feijoa. In addition to the classical, there is more than one recipe containing various additives in the ingredients. The taste is quite interesting. As an addition,

• lemon juice;
• orange with peel;
• root of ginger;
• pear;
• cranberries.

So, the classic recipe for jam from feijoa. It will be required:

• 1 kg feijoa;
• 1 kg of sugar;
• 1 glass of water.

Preparation:

1. Wash the feijoa and remove the stems and tails.
2. Grind the berries with a blender or meat grinder.
3. In the enameled dishes pour water and put on a plate, let it boil.
4. Dissolve sugar in water.
5. Transfer the berry puree into a saucepan with water and sugar dissolved in it. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
6. Give a mixture of berries and sugar to boil, wait 7-10 minutes and turn off the stove. During the cooking, foam will form on the surface. It should be removed.
7. While the jam will be brewed, you can prepare the banks. They should be thoroughly rinsed with baking soda and sterilized.
8. Once the jam is ready, it needs to be poured into cans and rolled up.
9. Store the "boiled" jam in a cool, darkened place, up to 12 months.

Feijoa is a tasty and healthy product that you want to eat not only during the season, but also during the winter. So you should learn how to store it correctly. The recipe of preservation by cooking with sugar will allow to prepare aromatic jam, and the recipe of "live" delicacy - to keep for a long time useful properties.