Melon preparations for the winter: pickling, jam, compotes, drying, the best canning recipes

For the first months or even years after birth, the baby should be fed mother's milk. However, this does not always work out, and here baby food comes to the rescue, which includes products that are suitable in their properties for the age of the child. These are artificial mixtures, cow's milk, some types of cereals, vegetables and fruits. It is important to know at what age can a baby eat melon puree and how to prepare it correctly in order to stock up on a tasty delicacy for the winter.

Melon jam

Melon jam is an unusual and tasty delicacy that fans of melons and melons will especially enjoy.

Ingredients:

• one kilogram of melon;
• five glasses of sugar;
• two glasses of water;
• two teaspoons of lemon juice;
• a pinch of saffron.

The melon is cut, its seeds and peel are removed, and the pulp is cut into small cubes.

In the case of a ripe and soft melon, cold salted water will help preserve the color of the melon; in the case of a hard melon, you need to boil it, slightly salting the water so that the melon becomes soft.

Hot sugar syrup is poured over pieces of melon, so it sits for about eight hours. The syrup is drained, brought to a boil, poured in again and again left for eight hours. The procedure is repeated four times. The last time, put the entire container on the fire, add two tablespoons of lemon juice, sprinkle with saffron, and then boil. The state of readiness is checked by the breakdown of the “drop”.

Melon and banana jam

Ingredients for melon and banana jam:

• half a kilogram of peeled bananas;
• eight hundred grams of melon pulp;
• eight hundred grams of sugar;
• two lemons;
• alcohol (vodka or cognac).

The melon pulp is cut into small pieces, and an enamel pan is used for cooking, into which the resulting mass is placed. The melon is covered with sugar, covered with a cloth or towel and left overnight. Then the juice of one lemon is added, the whole mass is mixed and simmered over low heat for half an hour.

Wash the lemon thoroughly, cut into thin rings without removing the peel. The same operation is done with peeled bananas. Both are added to the melon mass; medium heat is required for cooking. It is kept until the fruit is pureed. Then the heat is increased and the whole mass is boiled until it thickens.

When jam is rolled into jars, a circle moistened with cognac or vodka is placed on top; this could be, for example, filtered paper.

Melon and apple jam

Not only sweet melons are suitable for this jam, but also watery, bruised, and even not very tasty ones. The result is a fragrant, sweet and tender jam. Apples complement this jam with notes of piquancy.

Ingredients:

• one kilogram of peeled melon;
• apples in the amount of three hundred to five hundred grams, firm and juicy;
• up to half a kilo of sugar (as you like);
• from half to one spoon of lemon zest.

The peel and seeds of the melon are removed. Then the melons are either chopped or crushed using a blender (a meat grinder will also work).

An enamel bowl is used, in which the mass is placed, it is covered with sugar and cooked over low heat until the consistency resembles young honey. If foam forms, it is often skimmed off.

Chopped small cubes of apples are poured into a container where the melon mixture is already being cooked. Everything is brought to boiling temperature, after which it is cooked for another five minutes. At the end, grated zest is added.

Melon jam with lemon

Ingredients for melon jam with lemon:

• one kilogram of melon pulp;
• one kilogram of sugar;
• one lemon.

Peeled melon pulp, cut into small pieces, in a container, preferably enameled, is covered with sugar and left for eight to ten hours.

The juice that has formed over time is collected and boiled. Then boiling syrup is poured over the melon and again left for a long time (eight to ten hours). A similar procedure is repeated two more times.

After pouring boiling water over the lemon, cut it into two parts and squeeze out the juice, which is added to the jam and cooked over low heat.

Unusual melon jam with white wine

Ingredients for melon jam with white wine.

• one kilogram of melon pulp;
• six hundred grams of sugar;
• one lemon;
• one hundred milliliters of dry white wine.

Melon cut into small pieces is placed in a container and covered with sugar, wine and lemon juice are poured into the mass. Bring the jam to a boil, then reduce the heat. The jam is simmered over low heat for an hour, making sure that it does not burn.

Step-by-step recipe for canning sweet melon without sterilization

If you have little time and no desire to boil the preparation, then use the following recipe. You only need a few minutes to prepare a sweet snack for the winter.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of ripe melon;
• 2 pinches of citric acid;
• 250 g granulated sugar.

Preparation

First you need to prepare the fruits. To do this, cut them in half and remove all the seeds from the middle. Then we cut it into pieces, cut off the rind, and then chop the pulp into small cubes so that they fit tightly in the jars.

Place the pieces tightly in sterile jars. Fill them with boiling water to the very top and leave for ten minutes.

At the next stage, pour the liquid into a saucepan, add citric acid and granulated sugar. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a boil. Pour the prepared syrup over the pieces.

After ten minutes, drain the syrup and boil again. Fill the mixture and close the lids. Leave the jars upside down in a warm place so that they cool completely naturally.

Ingredients for making apple and pumpkin puree for the winter

1. Fresh apples 5 pieces
2. Pumpkin (pulp only) 3 cups
3. Water 1 glass
4. Lemon juice 1/4 cup
5. Ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon
6. Vanilla 1 tablespoon

1prepare apples and pumpkin.

The first step, of course, is to prepare the main ingredients from which we will make puree. The pumpkin needs to be thoroughly washed. Many people consider this unimportant, they say, so we will peel it later, but in fact, during the cutting process, you transfer some of the microbes from the peel to the pulp with the blade of a knife. But after washing the pumpkin you need to cut it into several parts. Then use a spoon to remove the seeds along with the membranes and peel the skin. All that will remain in front of you is the pulp, take the amount you need (you can first make a little for testing, and only then make countless jars using the whole pumpkin) and cut into small cubes. Let's get to the apples. The first thing you need to do is wash them thoroughly, then remove the skin from them, remove the twig and core with seeds. Cut the peeled fruit pulp into slices of any size.

2prepare apple-pumpkin puree.

Place the prepared apple pulp in a saucepan, pour in lemon juice, season with ground cinnamon and stir. Pour clean water into the apples, place everything over high heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the apples boil, reduce the heat and continue to cook the fruit for 45 minutes, stirring all the time. As a result of cooking, the apples will become much softer. Remove the pan from the heat, add the pumpkin pulp, cut into pieces, and then turn the whole mixture into puree using a blender.

Grind the apples and pumpkin until they turn into a smooth puree. Add vanilla as you go. And be careful, the apples have just been cooked and are still hot, so you don’t get burned.

3we prepare apple and pumpkin puree for the winter.

After you prepare the apple-pumpkin puree, you can eat it right away, but we want to prepare it for the winter. Therefore, pour the mixture into warm sterilized jars, screw the lids on tightly and leave at room temperature until completely cooled. Hide the cooled apple and pumpkin puree in jars in a dark and cool place, such as a pantry, cellar or refrigerator.

4serve apple and pumpkin puree.

It is best to eat apple and pumpkin puree for breakfast, along with porridge, for example, or make yourself a light and nutritious afternoon snack. Of course, those with a sweet tooth can add a little sugar to the puree, but this will not be so healthy, so it is better to refrain. I believe that if the apples and pumpkin were of good quality, then there is no need to additionally sweeten the puree from them. Bon appetit!

Tips for the recipe

– If you are preparing apple and pumpkin puree for very young children, of course, you cannot add spices to it. They give the product a pronounced aroma and enhance the taste, but are of no use to children.

– Even in a regular, non-sterile glass jar, applesauce and pumpkin puree will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.

– It is not necessary to use the spices indicated in the recipe; you can use those whose flavor you like best.

– Many people recommend baking it in the oven before mixing pumpkin with apples.

Terms and conditions of storage

Unlike a watermelon, it is difficult to select a melon by knocking; you need to look at its tail. It should be dry and thick. And at the opposite end - the crust is soft and sagging; the softer it is, the sweeter the melon. Also, there should be no spots on the skin of the fruit, this indicates that the melon is ripe and not overripe.

If after purchase it turns out that the fruit is unripe, it cannot be used as food for babies yet. The melon should be placed somewhere on a shelf or hung in a room with relatively high humidity and a temperature of at least 0 degrees. Ripe fruit, even if it has not been cut, must be stored in the refrigerator. In warm weather, a ripe melon begins to ripen very quickly and in a short time (3-4 days) can become overripe, begin to rot, and deteriorate.

The cut melon must be kept in the refrigerator in a special container. If you leave it at room temperature, it will spoil within a day. In proper conditions it can last up to 7 days. It is best to cut the melon into pieces and freeze it, this way it will last the longest, until the new season.

In winter, all you have to do is carefully remove it from the freezer compartment and let it slowly thaw in the refrigerator. Then mash with a fork or grind with a blender, and the puree is ready. It can be added to porridges, mixed with other fruit or berries, or made into melon soup.

Rules for introducing a new product

Fruit puree is administered to bottle-fed children as early as 4 months, and to breast-fed children after six months of age. They begin to give it only after the child has mastered vegetable puree.

Experts say it's best to start with vegetables. They are rich in mineral and vitamin composition, and also contain more plant fiber. In addition, vegetable puree is low allergenic. After vegetables, the body will be ready to accept fruits.

For the first feeding, a dish with one component is suitable. This will help you determine whether you are allergic to the product or not. If, for example, a child was offered pear puree and a rash appeared, then it can easily be replaced with something else. After the monocomponent puree has been successfully mastered, you can give the child a puree of several fruits or together with berries.

Complementary foods are introduced gradually.

1. A new product should be given once a week.
2. It should be given in the first half of the day, before the main feeding with milk or formula.
3. The serving should be equal to half a teaspoon.
4. If the puree is too thick or concentrated, you can dilute it with water.

There is no need to introduce other foods during the week. You should carefully monitor the baby's behavior and condition. In the event that vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash appears, you need to stop feeding.

Features of cooking

The process of preparing chicken puree is completely simple, which is why novice cooks quite often choose this dish as a lunch or dinner option for the family. Success depends on having a couple of potatoes, onions, as well as a small amount of carrots and chicken meat in your everyday life. Moreover, you can use any chicken - either baked in the oven or fried in a frying pan, as well as chicken legs, chicken breast or liver.

Experienced housewives advise, when preparing mashed potatoes, to drain the liquid in which the vegetables were boiled and replace it with broth (chicken) or milk. This can significantly enrich the taste of the dish.

A tasty and satisfying puree is also prepared from chicken meat - for this, it is boiled and then crushed in a blender.

In this article we will try to tell you how to deliciously and correctly prepare mashed potatoes with chicken. You can borrow the recipe from the article at your discretion.

Dried melon

The easiest way to prepare melon for the winter is to dry it.
The process does not use sugar or other additives, so the dish is perfect for those who adhere to a healthy lifestyle. This low-calorie dessert can be taken with you as a snack or combined with other dishes. This winter melon recipe requires only this berry. It is more convenient to cook it dry, but you can simply spread it out at room temperature under the sun.

Store the finished dried melon in a dry, dark place. You can also pack it in vacuum bags.

The benefits of apricots in baby food

Apricots have a beautiful orange color, which means they are rich in beta-carotene, which a child's body converts into vitamin A. But that's not all - apricots provide a lot of vitamin C, as well as plenty of minerals, including iron and potassium.

The high level of antioxidants in apricots helps protect the body from various types of cancer and heart disease, and its high fiber content makes apricot very effective against constipation. Fiber stimulates intestinal function, causing a mild laxative effect.

Apricot fruits have a beneficial effect on digestion, help in the fight against flatulence and the treatment of dysbiosis. Also, these fruits have the best effect on the nervous system. Apricots have a beneficial vitamin composition:

• calcium forms and strengthens bones;
• magnesium normalizes metabolic processes;
• potassium normalizes heart function;
• iron enriches the blood with oxygen, and also increases the level of hemoglobin, participates in the process of blood formation;
• phosphorus restores cells, activates brain function;
• ascorbic acid helps strengthen the immune system;
• carotene improves the appearance of hair, nails and skin;
• B vitamins help absorb iron.

Useful properties of melon puree

Melon is very useful for a growing child's body. It contains a lot of useful nutrients that help the child become healthy, cheerful and active. Among them are:

• ascorbic acid – strengthens the body’s immune forces, fights colds, viruses, pathogenic microorganisms;
• B vitamins – help form a strong nervous system;
• folic acid – prevents the development of anemia, promotes the absorption of iron;
• Vitamin A – strengthens vision, necessary for the full growth and development of the child;
• nicotinic acid (vitamin PP) – increases the efficiency of metabolic processes;
• phosphorus and calcium – necessary for the growth of bones and teeth;
• iodine – supports the functionality of the endocrine system;
• zinc – ensures healthy hair and nail plates;
• iron – participates in hematopoietic function, the formation of red cells;
• copper – ensures the transfer of oxygen to internal organs;
• cobalt – participates in the formation of the musculoskeletal system, cell renewal, and hematopoiesis.

Melon, like corn, contains gold in a form that is absorbed by the body. The element has a positive effect on the immune system and helps the body fight viruses and bacteria. The rich composition makes melon no less useful than watermelon, and in some respects it is significantly superior to it. The properties of the fruit are also valuable and varied:

• contains a high concentration of natural sugars, which are very quickly absorbed and saturate the body with energy;
• magnesium helps strengthen the nervous system of excitable and restless children prone to hysterics and whims;
• the high content of pectins helps free the body from accumulated waste and toxins coming from food, air, and water;
• potassium strengthens the heart and serves as a mild diuretic;
• melon seeds can be used as a child-safe dewormer;
• A decoction of the seeds will make your child's hair soft and silky.

Fiber, which is abundant in melon, has a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive tract, helps cleanse the intestines, and improve the child’s well-being. Its rich vitamin composition allows it to be used in therapeutic diets for certain diseases, for example, tuberculosis and rheumatism.

Important! Melon can be given to a child only during the ripening season and must be fully ripe. Such fruits contain less nitrates, which, when entering the body, bind to hemoglobin and complicate the transfer of oxygen to tissues

At what months can a baby be given complementary foods?

Before switching from breastfeeding, we advise you to discuss your first complementary feeding with your pediatrician. The doctor will help you choose a menu that will not cause an allergic reaction and will have a beneficial effect on the child’s digestion.

Most doctors advise introducing soups into the diet of infants with great caution. It is better to include a minimum amount of vegetables in your first soups.

In this case, it is better to grind the dish using a blender so that it acquires a delicate consistency without large pieces or lumps.

Giving soups is allowed from about six months. Include broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower. There are almost never allergies to these vegetables, so they can be called ideal foods for babies. But with a large number of potatoes you should be careful. The starch contained in tubers can cause indigestion and bloating, causing a lot of discomfort to the child.

Despite the fact that vegetable soups can be safely included in the baby’s menu, the intake of meat dishes will have to be postponed a little. The fact is that meat is a little heavy for the stomach of a small child, so it can only be added to the diet from eight months.

Try to choose the leanest varieties: rabbit, turkey, chicken or beef. It is from these types of meat that healthy and nutritious broths are obtained, which have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and perfectly satisfy hunger.

Please note that products intended for children must not contain gluten. This substance in most cases has a bad effect on the functioning of the body of adults, but in a child it will cause intestinal blockage, severe pain and bloating.

Also among the prohibited foods are mushrooms and legumes, since the child’s body is simply not able to digest them.

Do not forget that seasonings in children's dishes are extremely undesirable. This also applies to salt. The less it is, the better. Only after eight months can you add small amounts of parsley, dill, celery or basil to the soup.

At what age are applesauce given to infants?

Pediatricians, depending on the type of feeding, recommend introducing complementary foods to infants from 5-6 months. Formula-fed babies need additional micronutrients from 5 months; breastfed babies can go longer without complementary foods. Before preparing applesauce for your baby, you first need to introduce your baby to vegetable puree and porridge. This is explained by the fact that after eating sweetish apple puree, the baby may simply refuse less tasty food.

When to give applesauce to a baby:

• the child is already 6 months old;
• the first week of complementary feeding was successful;
• the baby has a tendency to anemia;
• Frequent bowel movements (constipation, diarrhea) are observed.

Table 1. Applesauce. Benefits and harms for babies

Making applesauce at home for babies is not difficult. The dish should not wait for the next feeding, so it is worth preparing 1 serving. At six months, a baby needs a serving of 60-65 g per day. In the future, the daily requirement of a baby for applesauce at different ages looks something like this:

• 6 months – 60-65 g;
• 7 months – 70-75 g;
• 8 months – 80-85 g;
• 9-12 months – 95-100 g.

Before you make applesauce for your baby, you need to decide on the preparation method. You can prepare food from raw fruit; another option is to bake or boil the apple. The second technology is optimal, since the baked product is easier for the stomach to digest and does not cause colic or bloating.

Boiled applesauce for babies. Recipe:

• Wash the apple thoroughly, peel and core;
• cut into small cubes;
• throw into 100-200 ml of boiling filtered water;
• cook the apple over low heat for 10 to 20 minutes;
• Grind the cooled cooked cubes in a blender.

You can bake an apple in the oven in 20-25 minutes. Peel the baked apple and pass the pulp through a sieve or beat in a blender.

Important!

Steam applesauce for babies in a slow cooker for 20 minutes. Baked apple has a laxative effect, so it is indicated for infants to stimulate digestive processes. The product whipped in a blender is given warm.

Recipe for applesauce for babies for the winter

It is important for parents to stock up on apple complementary foods for the winter. Canned food is quite easy to prepare

How to cook applesauce for babies for the winter? First, you need to peel 1 kg of sour apples from the peel, seeds and core, then chop them and grind them in a blender. Secondly, pour a homogeneous mass into the pan, add 1 tbsp. l. sugar and pour 0.5 liters of water. Cook over high heat until boiling, and after boiling for another 20 minutes over low heat.

It is necessary to seal applesauce for the winter in small, steam-sterilized jars. It is recommended to store products in a dark place.

Methods for harvesting melon

There are many time-tested ways to prepare delicious melon for the winter. The most popular types of preparation include canning, drying, freezing and pickling aromatic melons.

Conservation

Among melon preparations for the winter in jars, canned food is the leader. This storage method allows you to preserve a considerable part of the beneficial properties of the product and increase the shelf life of ripe pulp from a couple of weeks to several months.

In the classic version, canned melon for the winter is prepared from 4 components (pulp, water, sugar and citric acid). The latter plays the role of a natural preservative - it increases shelf life and gives a pleasant sourness to the product.

To diversify the taste, when canning melons, spices and herbs are often added. Vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and port highlight the notes of yellow pumpkin especially well. The main thing is not to overdo it with them, otherwise the flavor of the main component will be lost in the aromatic additives.

Drying

If you don’t want to bother with sterilizing dishes, or have nowhere to store jars, you should prepare dried melon preparations. At the same time, the product will retain almost all the beneficial substances and plant fibers that improve digestion. The only disadvantage of dried fruits from yellow pumpkin is the increased calorie content. Therefore, overweight people should not get carried away with them.

Dried melon for the winter is prepared in several ways:

• traditional method of drying in the open air;
• in an electric dryer;
• in the oven.

On a note! The first method is the most time-consuming. Rain and high air humidity can confuse all the cards and delay the preparation time. Therefore, it is better to use kitchen assistants that will help preserve melon for the winter in 4-6 hours.

Freezing

Whether it is possible to freeze melon for the winter largely depends on the functionality of the housewife’s freezer. If the preparation technology is violated, the product will remain watery after thawing and will deteriorate the taste. Improperly frozen melon for the winter is only suitable for making smoothies and cocktails. However, if you want to enjoy the full properties of the pulp in winter, it must be subjected to shock freezing.

For this melon:

• peel and cut into pieces;
• sprinkle with sugar or powder;
• shock freezing is carried out.

Unfortunately, this function is not provided in all freezers. It involves sharp cooling of the product to -40 degrees. The period of stay in such conditions is 10 days, after which the melon pieces can be removed for safe storage.

Pickling

An atypical method of preparation for melon is pickling in jars. The dish will not only allow you to look at the product in a new way. The natural fermentation that occurs during the pickling process will increase the beneficial properties originally inherent in the yellow pumpkin.

To pickle melon for the winter you will need:

• melon pulp;
• dill greens;
• currant leaves;
• brine (1 glass of salt per 10 liters of water).

The melon is placed in a capacious tub, layered with dill and leaves. Then they fill it with boiled brine that has had time to cool down and put it under pressure. After 2 weeks, you can try an unusual snack.

Melon poisoning

Unfortunately, melon poisoning is quite common. The fact is that when growing this melon crop, nitrates are often used, which, to put it mildly, do not have a very good effect on the human body. In addition, melon itself is a fairly heavy product for the digestive system.

Symptoms of melon poisoning are vomiting and nausea that do not stop for a long time, fever, general weakness, loss of strength and loss of appetite, sharp periodic abdominal pain.

In order to eliminate the problem of melon poisoning, you need to drink a lot of liquid, preferably boiled and as purified as possible. To remove nitrates from the body, activated carbon or other sorbents are used. Immediately after poisoning, it is good to cleanse the stomach with a deep enema.

The patient must remain in bed and be sure to call a doctor who will prescribe the most effective treatment methods.

Peach puree for a child without sterilization

You can make puree for kids from peaches. They are now sold all year round in our stores and are not in short supply. But this is a very tasty and healthy fruit.

Today I offer a recipe for peach puree. It can be used for soaking cakes and for baking. But, it seems to me, it will be very good to use as a treat for children of any age.

Preparation:

Wash the peaches and trim off any bruised areas. Remove the skin from the fruit. Use your hands to separate the pulp from the pit.

Using a blender, we chop the fruits, we get a homogeneous mass

Add vanillin

Pour in sugar

Stir everything thoroughly and put it on the stove to boil.

After boiling, cook for another 5-10 minutes. If foam appears, remove it

Let's prepare pre-sterilized jars. Place the prepared food in jars and immediately close with metal lids.

Store in a cool place. Let's treat ourselves and feed the kids

A simple recipe for melon puree for the winter

The delicacy is prepared exclusively from plant ingredients, without additional preservatives or food additives. Only sugar is added to the puree if it contains sour components. Otherwise, making a mixture of melon and other fruits and berries is very simple.

Important! To prepare, you will need a blender. You can also use a meat grinder or auger juicer.

Ingredients:

• melon pulp – 1 kg;
• apples (or other permitted fruits/berries of your choice) – 1 kg;
• sugar – 2-3 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the peeled melon into small cubes.
2. Chop apples or other fruits used in a similar way.
3. If the composition includes seedless berries, they can be added whole.
4. Place ingredients into blender bowl.
5. Grind.
6. Pour sugar into the resulting mass.
7. Blend again with a blender until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Melon puree stays fresh for three to four hours, so it is frozen immediately after preparation.
The dish must be placed in separate containers. The volume is calculated in such a way as to eat the entire portion at one time.

Can be used:

• small food containers;
• plastic cups;
• baby bottles;
• sticker bags for freezing berries.

The puree laid out in a container is sent to the freezer. The finished mixture is used as a stand-alone treat or added to other dishes.

Methods for preparing melon monopure:

Which is better: homemade or industrial food?

When a mother starts feeding her baby, she often hears about the dangers of canned food and the benefits of homemade purees. But homemade puree does not have many advantages compared to what is prepared at the factory.

Cooking takes a lot of time and effort, and you have to buy additional kitchen devices: a blender, a steamer, and others. It is financially profitable to prepare homemade puree only if you have your own plot of vegetables, but this is not suitable for spring and winter.

Advantages of homemade puree and factory-prepared puree:

Peaches - in a cool, dark place

Peaches and nectarines are suitable for puree.

Place the washed peaches in a sieve and place in a pan of boiling water for one minute, then transfer to cold.

Remove the skin from the scalded peaches to prevent the puree from becoming bitter.

Remove the pit from the peaches and cut into slices.

Pour a 1 cm layer of water into a thick-bottomed pan, place the peaches in it and cook for 10 minutes.

Place the hot fruit in a fine sieve and mash it using a wooden spoon.

Return the puree back to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes.

Place the puree into sterilized jars, screw on the lids, let cool and store in a dark place.

Melon for the winter “Like fresh”

There is no need to sterilize the finished product, but you will have to pour the berries three times. Please note that each time you need to cool the boiling water a little. This method allows you to keep the pieces unchanged, and the taste of the melon will be fresh, like in summer.

Ingredients for 1 liter:

• 800 g melon pulp;
• 3 tbsp. l. heaped sugar;
• 0.5 tsp. citric acid;
• 1 aspirin tablet.

How to cook:

1. Cut a clean melon in half and remove the seeds.
2. Cut each half into slices, cut off the crust from each.
3. Cut the pulp into cubes.
4. Wash the jars and sterilize. Make sure there are no chips or scratches.
5. While the containers are being sterilized, grind the aspirin.
6. Place melon pulp in dry jars.
7. Put the water on fire.
8. Cool the boiling water for 4 minutes and pour into jars.
9. Cover with lids and leave for 15 minutes.
10. Drain the water back and boil again.
11. Cool the boiling water again for 3-4 minutes and pour into containers.
12. Cover with a lid and cool for 10 minutes.
13. Drain the water back into the pan again. Boil it.
14. Add aspirin to the jars.
15. Add sugar to almost boiling water and stir well.
16. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes.
17. After 5 minutes, add citric acid and remove from heat.
18. Cool the syrup for 3 minutes.
19. Pour carefully into jars.
20. Immediately seal, invert and cover for 72 hours.

A crushed aspirin tablet allows you to use less citric acid, which makes the melon taste fresher.

Preparing melon for the winter: recipes

It’s not always possible to preserve the tasty fruit even until the New Year’s table, but you can enjoy melon preparations throughout the long winter.

The most common preparation is jam. In its simplest version, only sugar and melon are required for preparation. To diversify the tastes, other fruits, even spices, are often added.

Dried melon

This preparation option is very versatile: dried melon can be offered for tea or served instead of dessert.
Cosmetic products are made from it, and people lose weight with it. Unlike the fresh product, the calorie content of dried melon is high - 341 kcal. The composition of nutrients is the same as that of the fresh fruit. The product is useful for constipation, decreased potency, and sagging skin. Dried melon is consumed for problems with the heart and blood vessels.

It's easy to prepare dried melon: thin strips of the fruit are laid out on a sheet and exposed to the sun. Can be dried in special installations or oven.

Melon pastille

Melon chopped with a blender is combined with a small amount of honey and poured into oiled trays.
The layer should not exceed 5 mm. The marshmallows are dried in special dryers according to the instructions supplied with them. The temperature in the oven is set to +60…+70ºС and the drying process takes place with the door open. This is approximately 12 hours. The finished pastille does not stick; While it is warm, it is rolled into a roll.

Natural marmalade

To make melon marmalade at home you will need sugar, cinnamon and vanillin.

Finely chopped melon is placed in a saucepan and filled with water level with the pieces. Cook until soft, then drain the water. The cooled pieces are crushed into puree. Add 1 kg of sugar to the drained water and make syrup. Next, combine the puree with syrup and boil by half.

The hot marmalade is placed in a prepared container and left to cool. Only after this they cover with lids.

How to freeze melon at home

Well, now a bonus. If for some reason you do not want to preserve fruits, then you can simply freeze them for the winter. This is not difficult to do. For detailed instructions, see the video:

If you have time, then use all the recipes. This way you can determine which preservation method your family members will like best. And next year, use the proven cooking option.

You can share in the comments your original methods for marinating melon snacks for the winter.