How to store feijoa

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 during the season and only on the shelves of shops or markets. You can buy this "storehouse of vitamins" during October-November and say goodbye to it until next fall, but it is better to know how to store it. This can be done in several ways: fresh or grated with sugar as jam. Moreover, the jam can be "live" or past heat treatment. The storage method directly depends on how much it remains fresh and suitable for food.

How to choose

Whatever method of storage of feijoa is preferred, it is important to choose the right berry. Because in this case, the degree of maturity directly affects not only the taste, but also the usefulness. So, choosing a berry, pay attention to the following points:

1. Color on the outside: dark green, without bright green spots (a sign of ripeness), with a matte, wrinkled surface of the peel (gloss and lack of wrinkles gives an unripe fruit).
2. Color inside: transparent. The white color of the pulp means that the fruit is not ripe, brown means that it is overripe. Unripe berries can ripen at home, while overripe berries are no longer suitable for food.
3. Lack of a stalk. If it is, it means that the berry was cut unripe, while it is right to collect feijoa from the ground when they ripen and fall off themselves.
4. The lack of dark spots. Their presence indicates that the fetus lies for a long time and is already starting to deteriorate.

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

The average storage period of feijoa after collection is 10 days. Subtract the time of transportation, packing from it and it turns out that fresh berries can lie in the refrigerator for no more than a week. Therefore, it is recommended to use them immediately after purchase, as they say, without putting them off in the long box. And when they run out, buy new ones.

But, as you know, you can’t stock up on vitamins and minerals for the future, and there are many of them in feijoa. These are B vitamins, vitamin C, PP, as well as iodine, calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, sodium. To preserve 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 extend the storage time of feijoa at home with minimal vitamin losses is to make “live” jam, the recipe of which is incredibly simple. In other words, these are just berries that are ground with sugar. The recipe is classic, the same as for other berries. Required:

• 1 kg of feijoa;
• 1 kg of sugar.

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

Cooking:

1. Wash feijoa and remove stalks and ponytails.
2. Grind the berries with a blender or meat grinder.
3. Put in an enameled bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Stir.
4. Stir the "live" jam from time to time. This should be done as many times as necessary so that the sugar crystals melt.
5. Thoroughly rinse the jars and lids with baking soda, pour boiling water over them and transfer the prepared “live” jam into them.
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months.

An interesting recipe for “live” jam, prepared not with sugar, but with honey. Honey is also a natural preservative.It is used precisely in the “live” delicacy, and not in the “cooked” one, because when cooking honey loses all its useful properties. In addition to honey, you can supplement the taste of feijoa 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 cool dark place (refrigerator) for up to 3 months, the heat-treated jam is stored in a dark place for up to 1 year.

Boiled Jam

Strawberries, kiwis, bananas and even gooseberries - this is how many try to explain in words what feijoa tastes like. It is for him that they love an exotic berry and try to keep this delicacy as long as possible. If the question rests on the shelf life, then to increase it correctly, you should use heat treatment. Of course, many nutrients 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 ordinary "boiled" jam, preserving the true taste of feijoa. In addition to the classic, there is more than one recipe containing various additives in the composition of the ingredients. The taste is quite interesting. In addition, the following can be performed:

• lemon juice;
• peeled orange;
• ginger root;
• pear;
• cranberry.

So, the classic feijoa jam recipe. Required:

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

Cooking:

1. Wash feijoa and remove stalks and ponytails.
2. Grind the berries with a blender or meat grinder.
3. Pour water into an enameled dish and place on a stove, let it boil.
4. Dissolve sugar in water.
5. Transfer the berry puree to a pot of water with sugar dissolved in it. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
6. Let the mixture of berries and sugar boil, wait 7-10 minutes and turn off the stove. During cooking, foam will form on the surface. It should be removed.
7. While the jam is cooking, you can prepare the jars. They should be thoroughly washed with baking soda and sterilized.
8. Once the jam is ready, it needs to be poured into banks and rolled up.
9. Store “boiled” jam in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.

Feijoa is a tasty and healthy product that you want to eat not only in season, but also during the winter. Therefore, it is worth learning to store it correctly. The recipe for preservation by cooking with sugar will make it possible to prepare aromatic jam, and the recipe for “live” goodies will preserve useful properties for a long time.