Note to housewives: how should freshly squeezed apple juice be stored?

Freshly squeezed juice carries the benefits of the fruits from which it is made. Each glass contains vitamins, microelements and fiber that the body needs.

The only drawback of the drinks is their short shelf life.

Read the article about how to properly store freshly squeezed apple juice in the refrigerator and without it in order to benefit from it all year round.

How can?

Apple nectar spoils very quickly. It begins to lose its beneficial properties within 15 minutes after its preparation, so it is better to drink it immediately.

During storage, the juice changes color, becoming darker. A similar reaction can be observed if you cut an ordinary apple. The longer the drink sits, the less nutrients remain in it.

Rules for storing apple nectar

To extend the shelf life of the drink, you can resort to special storage methods. It will stay fresh longer if you refrigerate, freeze, or can it, but each of these methods has certain pros and cons.

In a refrigerator

The drink can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 4 hours, after which there will be almost no useful vitamins left in it. To extend the shelf life of the product, you can add lemon juice and sugar to it.

If immediately after preparation such Put the drink in the refrigerator and cover it with a lid, then it will last up to 12 hours and will not spoil. However, you will not be able to get the initial benefit from it.

Low temperature will only slow down the fermentation processes, but will not be able to stop the process of destruction of vitamins and microelements.

The juice must be sealed. It is best to pour it into glass containers. In a vacuum container it stays fresh for 24 hours.

At room temperature, without boiling

It is not recommended to drink freshly squeezed juice that has been left in the room for more than 2 hours. The warmer the room, the higher the risk of food poisoning.

If you cannot consume the entire portion at once and there is no way to put the drink in the refrigerator, proceed as follows:

1. Pour the drink into a glass container.
2. Add lemon juice to it. For 1 glass of drink, 1/2 tsp is enough. lemon squeeze. This is done so that it does not darken.
3. Cover the container with a lid. This way, contact with oxygen will be less active, and the nectar will remain fresh longer.

The undoubted advantage of this storage method is that the drink does not lose its beneficial properties. However, its significant disadvantage is the rapid deterioration of the product.

Preservation for the winter

You can preserve the drink for the winter in order to saturate your body with vitamins and microelements during the cold season. If you carry out the procedure according to the rules, it will be stored for six months or more.

Apple juice extracted using a juicer or meat grinder preserved as follows:

1. Add citric acid and sugar to the nectar. For 1 liter of drink you will need 1 tbsp. l.lemons and 2 tbsp. l. Sahara.
2. Jars and lids are thoroughly sterilized.
3. The strained drink is poured into an enamel container.
4. Bring the drink to 90 degrees. Any foam that appears is removed with a slotted spoon. When the juice starts to boil, turn off the fire.
5. Filter the drink through cheesecloth and heat it again to 85 degrees.
6. Roll the juice into jars.

After 10 days they can be removed to a place of permanent storage. Aluminum containers cannot be used for cooking.

Using a juicer makes it easier to preserve drinks. It is enough to cut the apples without peeling them or removing the seeds.

Disadvantages of the method:

• When the drink is heated, some of the beneficial substances are destroyed;
• the method requires time;
• Sugar should be used as a preservative.

Pros:

• the taste becomes softer;
• it is possible to prepare a lot of juice at one time;
• under the influence of high temperatures all microbes will be destroyed;
• The shelf life increases by several months.

The juice turns out delicious if you add pears or pumpkin pulp to it.

Frozen

To preserve maximum benefits in the drink, it can be placed in the freezer.

Procedure:

1. Pour the nectar into plastic containers or bottles with a screw cap.
2. When filling the container, you need to leave some space. When freezing, liquid molecules increase in size, so a full bottle can burst.
3. Place the container in the freezer.

The juice is not boiled before freezing, so it retains maximum benefits. To enjoy the drink, remove it from the freezer in advance and wait until it thaws at room temperature.You can speed up this process by immersing the container in warm water.

• preservation of all beneficial properties;
• speed of preparation;
• ease of storage;
• extension of shelf life to 12 months.

It is better to freeze juice in containers that are equal in volume to a single serving. Repeated freezing is unacceptable.

What varieties are suitable for making a drink?

To prepare the drink, you need to use juicy apples, which have a pleasant taste and rich aroma. Such fruits crunch when bitten, but they may look inconspicuous.

The best varieties:

1. Antonovka.
2. Grushovka.
3. Golden.
4. Fuji.
5. Honey Crisp.
6. Mac.
7. Arlet.

Winter varieties Not suitable for making a drink. The fruits produce little juice, so it is better to send them to the cellar unchanged.

Helpful information

To keep apple juice for a long time, The following tips should be taken into account:

1. Do not use rotten or crushed fruits for cooking. They will lead to rapid spoilage of the drink and worsen its taste.
2. If the apples are very sour, you can add a little sugar to the juice. It is always used when seaming.
3. You can slightly improve the drink by adding currants or elderberries to it. Citric acid is used to brighten the color.
4. If a person suffers from stomach problems, then the drink should be diluted with water, honey or sugar should be added to it. This will reduce the acidity level.

All the most important information about storing apples can be found in this section.

Conclusion

Freshly squeezed apple juice can be stored at room temperature for about 2 hours. You can increase its shelf life by freezing or preserving it. Each method has both pros and cons that need to be taken into account when making preparations.