Preserving birch sap at home. How to collect and store birch sap? Useful tips and recipes

The extraction of such a valuable product as birch sap is carried out in April-May (depending on the region) and lasts no more than two weeks. So, in a sense, birch sap is a delicacy, and you should not miss the opportunity to collect and prepare it. It is known that the vitamins contained in the juice are preserved for a long time after collection, but only if it is properly preserved.

Without any processing, fresh juice is stored for no more than two days, and in the cold: in a warm room or in the sun it quickly sours. But this is not the only problem, because the longer the juice “stands idle”, the less useful substances remain in it. So you need to start processing freshly collected juice as soon as possible.

Storage of birch sap: preservation, freezing, sterilization

Conservation- This is the most popular and, according to many housewives, convenient way to preserve birch sap. So, for this you need:

1. Fill an enamel or steel pan with fresh juice, add the required (to your taste) amount of sugar and lemon.
2. Boil the juice and wait until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Pour the juice into jars, close them with lids and sterilize for at least 15 minutes in water heated to 90°C.

There is an alternative method of preparation: preservation with pine shoots or fresh mint.

1. Collect young pine shoots (mint), rinse thoroughly and pour boiling water over them.
2. Heat the juice to 80°C, strain, and then pour pine needles (mint) over it and leave for 5-7 hours.
3. Drain the juice, add sugar and citric acid.
4. Pour the juice into jars, seal them with lids, and pasteurize for 25 minutes at 90-95°C.

Birch sap can be frozen, and preferably quickly. An ordinary household freezer is suitable for this, which will preserve the unique properties of the juice “in its original form.” Frozen juice will keep for many months. Even after the New Year it will be as tasty as fresh.

The juice can be sterilized. Here's how it's done: it's heated to 80°C and then poured into clean glass jars. The jars are rolled up and kept in water heated to 85°C for 15 minutes. They should then cool down at normal (room) temperature.

Drinks with added birch sap: kvass, fruit drink, compote

Agree, the taste of birch sap is weak. For this reason, some people find this product uninteresting and tasteless. If you have excess juice that you do not plan to consume in its pure form, you can prepare unusual mixes based on it. True, such drinks are not as healthy as real, undiluted juices, but they will help diversify the range of your winter supplies.

Recipe for delicious kvass made from birch sap

1. Take a glass container (bottle, jar) and fill it with birch sap.
2. Add a handful of raisins and sugar (at the rate of 2 tsp/1 l), as well as lemon or orange peels (or grated zest), dried fruits (optional).
3. Mix all the ingredients well (shake the jar) and put it in a cool place away from light.
4. After 2-3 days, the drink can be tasted and evaluated. It retains its freshness for several months (again, when stored in the cold).

Fruit/vegetable juice

The easiest way to prepare fruit juice is to simply mix birch sap with any homemade juice (for example, apple or carrot) in arbitrary proportions.

Lingonberry-birch compote

You will need 150 g of lingonberries and 1 liter of birch sap. The drink can be prepared from both fresh and canned juice. The same applies to berries.

1. Squeeze the juice from the berries.
2. Place the lingonberry “cake” into a saucepan; pour in birch sap.
3. Keep the pan with the drink in a water bath for 5 minutes.
4. Add lingonberry juice, squeezed earlier, and flavor the drink with honey or sugar.
5. Cool and consume!

As it turns out, birch sap is not “seasonal entertainment.” It is only important to have time to collect it before buds begin to appear on the trees, and then prepare it as quickly as possible. Use several methods and then compare the results, since now you know how to preserve birch sap. In winter, a homemade healing drink will help replenish the lack of vitamins, and in summer it will invigorate and quench your thirst.

How to preserve birch sap at home for a long time? This question probably worries lovers of the healing drink, who would like to enjoy its taste all year round. There are several ways to store this gift of nature. But first, let's find out how long birch sap is stored after collection and how long it retains its beneficial properties.

It should be noted that birch bark is a fairly quickly perishable product, so storing it fresh for a long time, even in the refrigerator, is hardly possible. The fact is that juice contains many microorganisms and bacteria, the vital activity of which causes such a short shelf life. After being in the refrigerator for only a few days, the birch sap begins to deteriorate.

Therefore, it is necessary to be able to recognize the signs by which you can determine whether the juice stored in the refrigerator or in the cellar has spoiled. Among them:

• Presence of sediment: if the sediment is at the bottom of the container, and the liquid itself remains clear and light, then everything is in order: the product has retained its freshness and can be consumed without fear. If the liquid becomes cloudy, the sediment is distributed throughout the jar or bottle - the juice has become unusable and will have to be poured out.
• The transparent state of the juice does not always mean that the product remains fresh. The liquid may become clear again when vinegar is produced during the fermentation process. The drink may look unspoiled, but it will be impossible to drink. This can only be determined by tasting the product.
• If you see that mold has formed on the surface of the drink, immediately get rid of the product, and do not ingest it under any circumstances, otherwise unpleasant health consequences may occur.

The maximum shelf life of birch sap in the refrigerator without boiling is 5-7 days. It should be stored on the top shelf in glass containers that have the ability to provide the liquid with a stable temperature and do not have any effect on the composition of the product.

How to store birch sap in plastic bottles? The shelf life of fresh juice in this case will be much shorter than when stored in glass containers and will only be up to two days. And this is the case if the container is stored in the refrigerator in close proximity to the source of cold. In any case, when determining the freshness of birch sap, focus on the factors outlined above.

Please note that early sap collected from trees during the period of bud swelling can be stored in the refrigerator a little longer than product collected when green leaves appear on the tree. This is explained by the fact that in the early period, liquid oozes from the tree from the flow ascending to the buds, so the tree provides the buds with the necessary substances for blooming birch leaves.

And when the birch tree begins to turn green, a liquid containing organic substances (glucose, vitamins and others) produced in the already green leaves comes out of it.

How to preserve birch sap at home

There are several options for storing birch products for a long time. The most common of them are the following:

• Preparation of various drinks based on birch sap (kvass, balsams and others);
• product preservation;
• deep freezing.

Of course, in this case, the composition of the drink, and as a result, it, changes slightly for the worse. But, unfortunately, there are no ways to keep the drink fresh for a long time.

Storing birch sap for a long time by freezing

To preserve the product in this way, it is advisable to have not a conventional freezer, but equipment with fast freezing capabilities. In this case, the valuable composition of the liquid remains almost unchanged and retains all its beneficial properties.

The product should be frozen in small portions (300 to maximum 500 milliliters). Why? Firstly, this way the liquid will quickly turn into ice and thus retain its properties as much as possible. Secondly, in this case it will be more convenient for you to defrost it for consumption. Thirdly, the shelf life of a thawed product is much shorter than a fresh one (no more than 2 days), so it is more profitable to store it in the freezer in small quantities.

To freeze the product, plastic bags can be used, but they must be tight. But it is best to do this in special food containers.

Product preservation

To prepare birch sap for the winter, they use a method of canning it.

First, the liquid is heated strongly (up to 80 degrees), then poured into pre-sterilized glass containers and covered with metal lids. After this, the product is pasteurized in a water bath at a temperature of about 90 degrees for 20-30 minutes and rolled up with lids.

The jars of juice are cooled and placed in a cold place (cellar or refrigerator) for storage. In this way, the product can be stored for six months, or even longer.

Drinks: how to store birch sap without boiling

There are a wide variety of recipes for making drinks from birch sap. Here are some of them:

Kvass

There are many recipes for making kvass from juice, both with and without yeast.

The simplest recipe:

1. 1. For a couple of liters of juice, take 4 teaspoons of granulated sugar and a small handful of raisins.
   2. You can add citrus zest, a few dried berries or fruit slices to a glass container with liquid.
   3. Then the product is removed for 3 days in a warm place for fermentation.
   4. After this, filter and consume.

This drink should be stored in the refrigerator.

Balsam as one of the ways to store juice

This drink contains alcohol and should only be consumed by adults. It consists of the following ingredients:

• birch sap – 5 liters;
• red wine (preferably homemade) – 1 liter;
• sugar – 1.5 kg;
• lemon with peel (crushed) - a couple of medium-sized pieces.

All ingredients are mixed in a convenient container. The top of the dish is covered with a piece of gauze and the drink is sent to a cold place for a couple of months.

The mixture is then filtered and bottled into jars or bottles. The drink is allowed to brew for another 3 weeks. That's it, the balm is ready. It can be stored for several years.

Birch sap is a unique drink that cannot be classified as either a fruit or vegetable extract, since it is extracted directly from the tree and not from the fruit. Our parents were much more familiar with its taste than we were with orange or apple, but today it is much less common to find real birch sap on sale. If today's concerns knew the benefits of birch sap, they would pay more attention to this sales market, because the healing properties of the drink are combined with excellent taste.

Characteristic

Birch sap is a clear, colorless liquid with a pleasant odor, a good thirst quencher, and has a rare composition. Birch produces a truly unique nectar that combines a lot of active substances that are important for our health.

Compound.

The liquid contains a large amount of fruit sugar, organic acids, tannins, biostimulants, vitamins and microelements. The benefits and harms of birch sap are explained by its active composition.

• Vitamins: C, group B (there are others, but in small proportions).
• Microelements: potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron.
• Calorie content: about 24 kcal per 100 grams of drink.

Due to its low calorie content and rare composition, birch extract is indicated for improving the condition of many diseases and for the purpose of losing weight and further maintaining weight. This is a natural substitute for artificial stimulants and energy drinks. Almost a panacea, which with regular use will bring enormous benefits. To dubious thoughts about whether birch sap is useful, the answer is clear: it is useful.

Medicinal properties for human health

A tasty birch drink will effectively cleanse the body of harmful waste, remove salts, and relieve inflammatory processes. It is an active antiseptic and antioxidant, will improve the condition of the skin with various dermatitis and even psoriasis, and the microelements it contains will improve the functioning of the cardiac system. Effective healing properties have made birch “blood” indispensable for adults and children with various pathologies and conditions.

For the liver.

Acts as an amplifier, not only helping the liver better cleanse the blood of waste and toxins, but also cleanses the liver itself of decay products, removing them naturally. Increases bile production; in case of liver pathologies, drinking juice will complement the effect of medications and minimize their inevitable negative impact.

For diabetes mellitus.

For diabetics, it becomes an indispensable vitamin cocktail that helps fight the disease. It normalizes metabolic processes and the balance of substances, cleanses the kidneys and liver overloaded with drugs. And the sweet taste, practically inaccessible to patients, makes this natural activator even more desirable. It is used both in pure form and in combination with other plant extracts.

For pancreatitis.

When the pancreas is inflamed, there are serious restrictions on foods consumed that can cause harm. Birch sap, with its cleansing, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, will be a real help in the fight against the disease. To enhance the effect, it is mixed with the most beneficial potato juice for pancreatitis, so that the beneficial substances complement each other.

For gout.

The excretory properties of birch sap are very useful for gout, which is characterized by increased deposition of salts in the joints. Daily use of the extract will normalize weakened metabolic processes and enhance the removal of deposits.

For gastritis.

Natural birch sap is also useful for gastritis, it will restore appetite, reduce pain, and in case of erosion it will promote accelerated healing. Being neutral, it does not increase the acidity of the stomach, supplying the body with active substances.

For the kidneys.

Inflammatory processes in the kidneys can be treated more easily and quickly while taking birch sap. Being a strong antiseptic and diuretic, nectar will suppress inflammation, relieve swelling, and cleanse the excretory system of waste.

For colds.

Sore throat, runny nose, cough - birch sap will have an antimicrobial effect, relieve inflammation of the mucous membranes, speed up recovery, and help the immune system fight acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections.

With mental overstrain.

Fructose and other sugars in the composition will nourish the brain during mental overload, during exams, relieve headaches and stress, and normalize blood pressure. A few glasses a day and your studies will go easier, your mood will improve, and your memory will increase.

Beneficial features

In addition to the therapeutic effect, which is necessary when the disease has already arrived and you have to fight it, it is also useful for completely healthy people so that they remain so.

For weight loss.

A minimum of calories and active substances have made birch sap an important element of the diet; it enhances metabolism, cleanses the body, removes excess fluid and prevents fat deposition. They are used to enhance various diets and replace afternoon snacks and snacks; fructose satisfies hunger without adding calories. And the tonic properties of the liquid will make it easier to endure the voluntary refusal of large meals.

During pregnancy.

Does not contain allergens and will not harm the expectant mother and baby, but is guaranteed to help. In addition to saturating the body with essential vitamins and microelements, it normalizes stool and relieves swelling, which plagues many pregnant women. It will help kidneys that are overloaded, control weight, and increase immunity. And in case of toxicosis, it will simply be a relief from the misfortune; it can replace almost the entire daily fluid intake. Pomegranate juice is also useful during pregnancy, but you should drink it with caution.

When breastfeeding.

When breastfeeding, it will not only make milk as healthy as possible, but also increase its production. This is a time-tested remedy that increases lactation naturally.

For children.

Starting from the age of one year, the product should be introduced into the diet of babies. It will protect them from colds, improve the functioning of their tummies, and provide them with energy. But it should not be purchased, but natural birch sap, without the addition of preservatives and citric acid.

For men.

And for the stronger sex, birch will provide all possible assistance; its sap perfectly fights inflammation that accompanies prostate problems, and it can significantly increase male strength. Unlike artificial stimulants, this is a natural potency enhancer that does not harm the heart.

In cosmetology.

The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of birch liquid are actively used to combat imperfections and improve the condition of facial skin and hair.

For face. Tannins and biostimulants in nectar are effective against acne. You can wipe your skin with pure juice; this will not only get rid of acne, but also moisturize and tone. To enhance the effect, combine juice and healing colored clay in masks, diluting the raw material to a creamy consistency and applying it to the face. After washing off the product, wipe the skin with the juice.

For hair. To make your hair grow faster, shine and avoid dandruff, you should replace the purchased conditioner with natural birch sap and rinse your hair with this healing composition. A nourishing and strengthening mask is prepared from burdock juice and oil, in a ratio of 3/1, the components are thoroughly mixed and rubbed into the scalp 20 minutes before washing. The head is covered with polyethylene and wrapped, then washed with neutral shampoo. It is enough to use the mask once a week, the results will not be long in coming.

For skin. Ice cubes made from birch sap will help tone, nourish and moisturize the skin. They wipe the face, neck, and décolleté area. You can combine nectar with green tea infusion or chamomile decoction.

How to collect

To preserve the beneficial properties of the liquid and minimize the harm caused to the tree during collection, it is necessary to collect the sap correctly.

1. The place is away from highways and railway lines, so that the product does not turn out to be enriched with the entire chemical table.
2. The period is from mid-March to April, when the active current has already begun and the leaves have not yet blossomed. When to collect maple sap is also an interesting question.
3. The tree is an adult birch, with a girth of at least 20 cm, from thin young birches the nectar is thinner, and the danger of ruining the drinker is higher.
4. The hole is a longitudinal cut or a recess drilled at an angle of small diameter, up to 5 cm deep. A plastic or iron hollow tube is inserted into the hole, the end is directed into a container.
5. The location of the hole is on the south side of the trunk, at a level of 20–40 cm from the ground.
6. Volume - although you can strain it all the way, the tree can give out about a liter of liquid without harm to itself. If you have a large, old birch tree, you can borrow a couple of liters by making several holes in the trunk.
7. Time – the current is stronger during the day, the optimal collection time is from 12 noon to 5 pm.
8. Preservation - to prevent the tree from bleeding after collection, the hole is covered with wax or plugged with a fresh piece of moss.

How to drink

The juice is neutral, therefore practically harmless even in large quantities, but three glasses a day are enough as a preventive measure or to keep the body in good shape. During treatment, this amount is doubled and drunk on an empty stomach. You can completely replace the water consumed per day with a product (only natural).

How to preserve birch sap at home

A large amount of sugar in the composition leads to rapid spoilage of freshly collected liquid; it must be strained and stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days. To stock up on nectar for future use, it is frozen or canned.

Preservation at home.

Unlike freezing, during canning a significant part of the nutrients is lost, but this is the only way to consume a completely natural product in the off-season. There are two most popular methods of harvesting for future use.

• Sterilization - the liquid is brought to a temperature of 80° over low heat, poured into sterilized glass containers, rolled up and pasteurized. Store in a dark, cool place. To improve the taste, you can add sugar (2 tablespoons per liter), orange or lemon slices, but then you will have to boil the composition, and it will lose even more active elements.
• Making a concentrate is the best option when there are problems with space. The juice is evaporated over low heat until a fourth of the volume remains, and before use it is diluted with water to the original amount.

Contraindications

Birch sap can only cause harm to allergy sufferers whose causative agent is birch pollen. And it should be used with caution for kidney and gallstones; it can cause movement of formations and blockage of blood vessels.

Recipes for making drinks based on birch sap

To increase shelf life and improve taste, tasty and healthy kvass has been made from birch sap since ancient times.

Kvass with raisins:

• Juice – 1 liter.
• Raisins - zhmenya.
• Sugar – 2 tablespoons.

1. Fresh juice is strained, poured into a glass container, and all ingredients are added. If the nectar is slightly warmed up in advance, fermentation will be more intense.
2. The composition is left for several days.
3. The fermented kvass is strained. If tightly sealed and kept in a cool place, it will keep for several months.

Kvass with dried fruits:

• Juice – 1 liter.
• Dried fruits – 200 grams.
• Raisins – 50 grams.

1. The liquid is filtered, the raisins and dried fruits are thoroughly washed, discarded to drain, and added to the container with juice.
2. The container is left in a room at room temperature for several days, shaken periodically.
3. Fermented kvass is strained and stored in a closed container.

Those who like it sweeter can add sugar or honey to taste, but fermentation will proceed without a sweetener.

With citric acid:

• Juice – 1 liter.
• Sugar – 2 tablespoons.
• Lemon - on the tip of the knife.

The ingredients are mixed in a glass container and left to ferment in a warm place; there is no need to strain this kvass. Sprigs of mint or lemon balm are added to enrich the taste.

Recipes for the winter:

• Juice – 1 liter.
• Sugar – 2 tablespoons.
• Lemon - half.

1. The lemon is cut into slices, covered with sugar, juice is poured in, and placed on low heat.
2. The mixture is brought to a boil, poured into sterilized jars, and rolled up.

To enrich the taste, you can add mint and currant leaves, a thin slice of lemon or orange to the jar.

• Juice – 3 liters.
• Sugar – ¾ cup.
• Dried rose hips - a handful.

1. The rose hips are washed, poured into a saucepan, sugar and liquid are added, brought to a boil over low heat and boiled for several minutes.
2. Pour hot into sterilized jars and wrap.

Birch sap is a tasty and healthy alternative to chemical immunomodulators that can do more harm than good. In winter it will compensate for the lack of vitamins, and in spring it will help restore the body.

Birch sap has long been considered a unique drink, incomparable to either fruit or vegetable juices. It contains a huge amount of vitamins, minerals, as well as micro- and macroelements that are so necessary for the human body: essential oils, glucose, saponins, betulol, phytoncides. And this is not the entire list of useful bioactive substances contained in birch sap.

Medicinal properties of birch tree

Birch sap has long been considered a panacea for almost all known diseases. In fact, this refreshing and healthy drink has a beneficial effect on a number of body functions:

A glass of birch sap really stimulates the entire functioning of the human body. But it is worth remembering that the abuse of any, even natural drink, may have contraindications. The main rule is to know when to stop and not to drink a drink of unknown origin.

This product is not just a medicine or a prophylactic, but on its basis you can prepare delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

How to collect birch product

For the natural elixir to be beneficial, you need to adhere to correct technology for collecting and storage of this product.

The juice is harvested in early spring, in March-April. But be sure to take into account the weather conditions in your area. It is best to focus on the condition of the tree itself when the buds have swelled, but have not yet blossomed. It is then that the movement of tree sap is activated.

A hole about 3 centimeters deep is pierced in the trunk of an adult birch tree, at least 20 centimeters in diameter. An awl or screwdriver is suitable for these purposes. The hole must be made at an angle, with a downward slope, which will facilitate the collection of the product. After this, a tube of the appropriate diameter is inserted into the hole and a vessel is attached into which the juice will be collected. The optimal time for collection is between 12-17 hours, when the sap flow in the tree is abundant.

After harvesting, do not forget to seal the hole. To do this, you can use a peg, which you carefully insert into the hole, or simply cover it with wax. And also do not forget that the optimal amount of sap collected from one birch tree should not exceed 3 liters. Otherwise, the tree can be destroyed.

Storing birch sap at home

It is important to remember that the product in the refrigerator cannot be stored for a long time. After 2 days it loses all its beneficial properties. Therefore, during this time you need to drink it or prepare it for the winter. Below we present several recipes for storing a healing drink at home for the winter, both by canning and without it.

Storing juice by freezing

This is the simplest method of storing the product and does not require much time. To do this, you need to use clean plastic bottles or any container that is convenient for you. It is better to prepare the drink in portions, since with constant defrosting, some of the beneficial properties may be lost.

Bottles should not be filled completely, as liquid tends to expand when it freezes.

With this method, the product can be stored for up to 3 months.

Storing birch drink using canning method.

Preservation is an effective method of storing birch products. For long-term storage, you can prepare a concentrate from it. To do this, the liquid collected from birch is heated to 60 degrees, and then about 75% of the volume is evaporated. When the concentrate is ready, it is poured into sterile jars and sealed. But it is worth remembering that such a product should only be consumed after diluting it with water.

Canning birch sap at home with adding lemon.

The ingredients are for 3 liters.

You will need:

• 3 tablespoons sugar;
• 4 slices of lemon;
• Birch juice.

The product must be boiled in an enamel pan. Place the ingredients in the prepared bottle and cover with gauze, strain the boiling broth. Next, roll up the lids and, turning the bottle over, wrap it for self-sterilization.

Storing juice using sterilization method.

First, you need to bring the birch sap to a boil. Next, pour into jars and roll up. The finished jars should be placed in water at 85 degrees and left for about 15 minutes.

After the time has passed, leave the jars to cool at a temperature of 18 degrees.

Canned drink with mint added

You will need:

• 50 liters of product;
• 100 grams of dry mint;
• 5 tablespoons of sugar;
• 2 teaspoons citric acid;

The prepared mint should be poured with hot juice and left for 6 hours.

Next, strain the resulting infusion into an appropriate container. Add sugar and citric acid. Pour the product into jars, roll up and pasteurize for 25 minutes at 95 degrees. This drink will bring you vigor and benefits in winter.

Recipes for drinks made from birch sap without preservation

Often, a vitamin product can be stored in the form of a variety of drinks, which will contain even more useful substances.

Recipe 1. Birch.

Required ingredients:

• 1.5 kg sugar;
• 1 liter of port wine;
• 2 lemons;
• 5 liters of birch sap;

Grind the lemon along with the zest and mix with the rest of the ingredients in a prepared barrel. Cover with a lid and leave in a cool place for 2 months. After the time has passed, pour the drink into plastic bottles and store in a lying position on a cold surface. It is recommended to drink this product no earlier than 4 weeks after preparation.

Recipe 2. Birch kvass.

You will need for 1 liter of product:

• 15 g yeast;
• 4 highlights;
• lemon zest to taste;

Birch sap is heated to 35 degrees and all the necessary ingredients are added. Next, pour into prepared containers and leave for 2 weeks. After the time has elapsed, the drink is ready for consumption. You can store kvass in the refrigerator or other cool place.

Recipe 3. Tincture.

An interesting way to store birch products is to prepare tinctures of various herbs.

For 1 liter of juice, take 2 tablespoons of the selected herb or berries. The jar of liquid must be covered with gauze and left in a dark place for 2 weeks. After which the fortified drink is ready for consumption.

You can learn more about how to store birch sap in this video:

Birch sap is a truly unique and healthy product. And there are a huge number of recipes to save it. But the main thing is not to violate the collection and preparation technology. Just a few hours of your time, and the “miracle elixir of health” will delight you all winter.

Birch sap is a seasonal product with a minimum shelf life. Fresh birch sap is stored for only a couple of days, but usually a very decent amount is collected. And therefore it needs to be processed.

Birch sap has many beneficial properties and has a beneficial effect on the body. In addition, it quenches thirst very well. Unfortunately, due to its short shelf life, it is necessary to resort to various methods of processing and preservation in order to preserve it longer.

Contents [Show]

Conservation

The simplest and most reliable way to preserve birch sap is to roll it into jars. There are many ways, depending on tastes and capabilities. During the Soviet era, the most popular method of industrial preservation of birch sap was preserving it in 3-liter jars with sugar and citric acid. The juice was tart, sweet and sour and quite rich in taste. Today, preservation has become somewhat more complicated with various additives. They began to add medicinal herbs, fresh citrus fruits, etc. to birch sap.

At home, a universal recipe involves using exclusively natural ingredients without artificially released oxidizing agents. To preserve 3 liters of birch sap you will need 2 tablespoons of sugar and a quarter of a lemon or any citrus fruit along with zest.

The jar is sterilized and sugar and citrus are added to it. Birch sap is brought to a boil, poured into a prepared jar and sealed with a sterilized lid. The rolled juice is turned over onto the lid and wrapped in heat for additional sterilization.

Alternative Preservation Methods

Kvass made from birch sap is very tasty and can be stored for a long time. Birch sap (10 liters) is poured into any available container and a handful of raisins is poured in. For better fermentation and to give a special leaven taste, you can add a few rye crackers. Crackers can be replaced with malt. To improve the taste, lemon zest is again added. The variations in fermentation are quite varied. Some people prefer using yeast for faster results. In any case, the fermentation process continues for at least a week and you can start drinking kvass almost immediately. Ready kvass is stored in a cool place for several months.

Some housewives with freezers have mastered freezing birch sap. But it takes up a lot of space and this storage method is impractical. It is much more preferable to use boiling to increase the concentration and subsequent dilution with water for consumption. To do this, birch sap is evaporated at a temperature of 60°C until the volume is reduced by 75% and poured into jars.

Birch is a healing tree that provides beneficial juice. Birch juice cleanses the blood, improves metabolism, stimulates the acid-forming function of the stomach. The healing moisture is drunk in its pure form and used to prepare healthy drinks.

You will need

• Birch sap, lingonberries, oats, calamus and wheatgrass roots, honey.

Instructions

Before drinking birch

juice, it's necessary

assemble correctly

in early spring when the snow melts and the first birch buds swell. On the north side of the tree, drill a hole in the trunk as high as possible and insert a groove into it; hang a dish under the device into which the birch wood will flow.

juice. Drink the liquid in its pure form and soon you will feel the absence of irritability and headaches, and feel a surge of strength.

Berezovo-

oat drink

for chronic pancreatitis and hepatitis. Rinse one glass of oats, pour 1.5 liters

juice A

and leave in the refrigerator overnight, then simmer over low heat until half the

liquids

And strain. Drink 100–150 ml of the drink half an hour before each meal.

Birch-lingonberry drink for arthritis, gout, rheumatism, edema and as a diuretic. Wash 150 g of lingonberries, squeeze

juice After mashing the berries with a wooden spoon, drain it into a separate bowl. Fill with a liter

birch

juice and the squeeze and cook for 5 minutes over low heat, cool the broth and strain, then add 150 g of honey and lingonberry to the drink

juice .

Birch-wheatgrass drink for urolithiasis and cholelithiasis. Pour 100 g of crushed wheatgrass roots into a liter juice and birch, cook over low heat until the liquid has evaporated by half, strain. If you have a gallbladder disease, drink the drink half an hour before meals three times a day; if you have urolithiasis, take 1 tablespoon every hour.

Birch-lemon drink for hypotension. Grind in a meat grinder 6

Having previously removed the seeds, fill them with a liter of birch

juice and leave in the refrigerator for 36 hours, then add half a kilogram of honey, stir and refrigerate again for 36 hours. Drink 50 g of the drink half an hour before meals 3 times daily during the active period.

juice movement.

Birch-calamus drink as an expectorant and antifever for viral infections and chest pain. Boil in 3 glasses

juice and birch 1 tablespoon of calamus rhizomes in a tightly closed saucepan for a quarter of an hour, leave in a warm place for 2 hours and strain. Drink the drink three times a day, half an hour before meals, half a glass, sweetening it to taste

note

The most healing properties of birch sap are observed in the middle of the sap flow.

Helpful advice

Birch sap can help get rid of chronic runny nose if you drink a glass of sap in the morning before breakfast in the spring.

Sources:

• Preparation of birch sap
• Treatment with birch sap
• how to cook birch sap

Sources:

• Birch juice
• Birch sap: how to drink, how to store

How to store birch sap at home

www.kakprosto.ru

At the beginning of March, when the sun gives the earth its first warmth, a precious liquid containing a lot of useful substances begins to flow through the trees. Today we will tell you how to collect and, most importantly, how to preserve birch sap so that it does not spoil for a long time and does not lose its properties. After all, the “tears” of this amazingly beautiful tree help with many diseases, are rich in vitamins and support the immune system.

How to store birch sap depends on the form in which you purchased it. If you buy a store-bought product in a glass jar or bottle, then all you have to do is enjoy the benefits of this delicious drink - the manufacturers have already done the rest for you. If you decide to collect “birch tears” yourself, then you will have to work a little so that they retain their valuable qualities for a long time.

What are the benefits of this drink?

• Birch sap has an excellent tonic effect - a glass of this wonderful “elixir” will provide you with energy for the whole day.
• It has a good diuretic effect and stimulates kidney function.
• Strengthens the respiratory system, improves the functioning of the bronchi and lungs.
• This clear liquid is rich in potassium, calcium, sodium, fluorine and other beneficial substances.

But, in fact, birch sap can be found not only on the store shelf, but also received completely free of charge as a gift from the “queen of trees”. Well, let's go to field work?

We take the best from nature!

You need to know not only how to preserve birch sap, but you also need to collect it correctly, otherwise you can cause irreparable harm to an innocent tree, and you will never collect the required amount of raw materials. Often in birch groves you can see dried out trees with barbaric ax marks on the trunks. To prevent this from happening, remember a few simple rules and follow them when collecting birch trees.

• Do not use an ax under any circumstances! It is much easier and more convenient to use a drill by drilling a hole 2-3 centimeters deep. Next year this hole will be overgrown without a trace, and you will again be able to take sap from the tree.
• Do not try to take as much liquid as possible from one source - otherwise the birch tree simply will not have enough strength for further existence and growth. Do you want more raw materials? Use more trees!
• Before leaving, take care of the health of the trees - close the hole so that the birch does not continue to leak sap.

Treat nature with gratitude and attention, and it will continue to delight you with its gifts! We have collected the “tears”, now we will start canning birch sap.

Classic way of canning

Ingredients

• Birch sap - 10 l+-
• Sugar - 400 g+-
• Citric acid - 1 tsp + -

Preparation

This is the simplest and most common way to make “birch elixir” - even the most thrifty housewife has everything she needs! And the canning technology itself is extremely understandable and will work perfectly for any homemaker. The juice will turn out to be an extremely tasty and pleasant drink, perfectly removing thirst and invigorating.

1. Natural birch bark contains quite a lot of extraneous and clearly unnecessary impurities and additives. To get rid of them, we will strain our liquid through a fine sieve, which can be lined with two layers of clean gauze to be sure.

2. Add sugar and citric acid to the “birch elixir” and place the containers on a small flame. During the cooking process, reddish foam will accumulate on the surface, which must be removed with a spoon or slotted spoon. We will not boil our composition, but simply wait until bubbles begin to appear at the very bottom.

3. While the birch sap is simmering on the stove, we will take care of sterilizing the containers into which we will pour the sap. To do this, rinse the jars and lids with water and place them in an oven preheated to one hundred and fifty degrees. Please note that the lids must not have rubber inserts - otherwise they will melt and “leak”.

4. Well, now all we have to do is pour the elixir into jars, roll them up tightly and leave them upside down for a day. After this period, move the container to a cool, dark place.

Birch sap, the canning of which is extremely easy, will certainly help you get rid of thirst on a hot summer day and saturate your body with many useful substances!

Ingredients

• Birch sap - 3 liters+-
• Orange - a quarter of the fruit+-
• Sugar - 100 g+-
• Citric acid - on the tip of a knife + -
• Raisins - 10 pcs.+-

Preparation

Does a child or someone at home not like birch sap in its pure form? Try a little trick - offer to try the healthy nectar using this recipe. We are sure that not everyone, even an adult, will smell the notes of the liquid donated by the birch tree behind the aroma of citrus fruits!

1. Thoroughly clean the juice from impurities and smallest particles of debris - filter it through gauze folded in several layers. Place the pan with the liquid on a low flame, add sugar, stir and bring almost to a boil, but do not allow bubbles to appear on the surface.

2. We sterilize the jars according to the scheme described above - it is the simplest of all possible, but reliable. The main thing to remember is that both the jars and the lids will be very hot when removed from the oven, so be careful not to burn yourself.

3. Inside each jar we place raisins, orange and citric acid, washed and soaked in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Pour the drink into jars and screw the lids on tightly. We keep the jars upside down for a day, and then put them in a cold place.

Such a natural cocktail will last until next spring, and will allow you to “refuel” with vitamins until fresh fruits and berries appear and preserve birch sap in all the fullness of its taste.

What else can we add to our preserves?

• Some of the sugar in the recipe can be replaced with natural honey.
• You can also add a handful of dried fruits or candied fruits to the nectar.
• The original taste of the drink is given by a couple of “Barberry” candies added to the mixture.

Now you know how easy it is to preserve birch sap, and the proposed recipes allow you to make its already incomparable taste and aroma even more original and give it new interesting shades. The necessary supply of vitamins and minerals will provide you with health and energy for a long time.
Take on another healthy habit this spring!

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tvoi-povarenok.ru

For many of us, birch sap evokes vivid associations with childhood. Then he was a constant companion of all forest walks. But how to preserve birch sap at home so that it does not lose its beneficial properties?

Birch nectar – pleasant taste and undoubted benefits

The drink from childhood is also one of the best and natural means for regulating metabolism. Also, its regular use can help overcome spring vitamin deficiency, fatigue and increase resistance to viral and colds. Regular consumption helps cleanse the body of harmful toxins and dissolve some types of kidney stones. But there are also contraindications: it is strictly not recommended to take it if you are allergic to birch pollen.

When to collect

The sap from the tree begins to release with the first spring thaws and continues until the leaves appear. It is best to collect it in the morning or afternoon, as the discharge becomes less intense at night. The best time to collect birch sap is from 10 am to 6 pm.

How to collect correctly

It is necessary to collect useful nectar, taking utmost care so as not to harm the tree itself. To do this, you need to make a shallow cut on the birch at an angle of 45 degrees or drill a hole with a gimlet. Then insert a tube or groove into the resulting hole, through which the juice will begin to flow into the prepared container (glass jar or plastic bottle). After collecting, be sure to tightly cover the wound with wax, laundry soap, or clog it with moss. This will help avoid rotting of the birch. So, now that you know how and when to collect the drink, all that remains is to answer the question of how to preserve birch sap.

Storing juice at home

The disadvantage of birch sap is its short shelf life. Even in a cool place, it retains its qualities for only two days; on the third day it becomes cloudy. Are there ways to extend its life? How to preserve birch sap for as long as possible? The answer to this question will be several methods of storage at home. The most popular recipe is syrup. To prepare it, you need to evaporate the original product to the consistency of fresh honey. In this case, the concentration of sugar during the cooking process will increase to 60-70%. The finished syrup, which has a pronounced sweet and sour taste and strong aroma, is added to tea. You can also preserve the juice by canning it, heating it to 80 degrees, and pouring it into sterilized jars and sealing it tightly. But still, the maximum beneficial properties are contained in a fresh product without heat treatment. Freezing will help preserve it in this form. Pour the collected nectar into an ice maker and store in the freezer. This is the best answer to the question of how to preserve birch sap, since in this case it will retain almost all its beneficial properties. The production of birch sap is also possible in industrial conditions.

www.syl.ru

How to store birch sap? Whole or fresh - no way. Berezovitsa is essentially ordinary water. And, it would seem, it should remain unspoiled for a long time. But no. It contains so many substances that after two days, even in the refrigerator, it begins to mold. But what can you do - bacteria and microorganisms also love birch “water”.

But sometimes you want to enjoy birch sap when there is autumn slush outside, summer heat, winter cold... What to do? Usually - save for future use.

Birch sap is stored in three ways:

• deep freeze;
• canning or evaporation;
• preparation of drinks;

It is clear that the taste and amount of nutrients change slightly after processing birch bark. But there is no other way.

How to properly store birch sap in the freezer

A regular freezer is not suitable for long-term storage of birch sap. A prerequisite must be the presence of a quick freezing function. In a simple refrigerator, juice freezes for a long time and this does not have the best effect on its composition.

Birch “water” is poured into small portions, approximately 200-300 ml, and subjected to shock freezing.

Why small? Because defrosted it is also stored for only 2 days. So why drag out the whole block to drink a glass? It is much more convenient to thaw birch sap in portions at a time.

how to collect birch sap

Canning for the winter

Birch sap must be heated to a temperature of about 80-85°C, then poured into glass bottles or jars, and sealed with tin lids. After all procedures, the sealed containers must be pasteurized for an additional 15-20 minutes at 90°C.

Jars with precious contents that have cooled at room temperature can be safely stored in a dark, cool place for 6-8 months.

Another way to store birch sap is evaporation. At a temperature of 60°C, birch sap is heated for a long time, evaporating its volume to 25% of the total. That is, if initially there were 10 liters of liquid, then at the end only 2.5 liters should remain.

The juice will turn out a caramel brown color, but that's normal. It is poured into containers, closed like usual homemade twists and put away in the basement or cellar.

The resulting drink is not consumed whole. It must be diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1 part juice to 3 parts water.

Advice. To be completely safe, the drink is poured into bottles and cans to the very top so that no air remains. For the same reason, the lids are coated with liquid wax or paraffin.

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Drinks made from birch “water”

If you don’t want to bother with twists, then making drinks is your choice. Wonderful kvass, balms, and fruit drinks are made from birch sap. There are a great many recipes, below are the simplest, but no less tasty.

Kvass
Add 4 tsp to 2 liters of birch sap at room temperature. no top sugar and a medium handful of raisins. Add grated lemon zest, a few favorite berries, and fruit slices to taste. The mixture is thoroughly mixed, poured into glass bottles, then put into fermentation in a cool, dark place for 7 days.

After a week, the kvass is filtered and drunk. This drink can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

By the way, raisins are not washed before storing, otherwise the fermentation process will occur with mold.

Advice. If you add pine needles instead of fruits or berries, the kvass will be not only tasty with a pleasant aroma, but also healthy with a high content of vitamin C.

Balm
Mix 5 liters of birch sap, 1 liter of high-quality red wine (preferably homemade, without preservatives and chemical additives), 1.5 kg of granulated sugar, 2 washed and finely chopped lemons. Cover the resulting mixture with tight lids, but do not roll it up. Put away for two months in a cool place (cellar, underground).

Afterwards, they are filtered and allowed to “rest” for another 21 days. You can enjoy it!

Advice. The balm is not consumed as an independent drink. It is added to tea, cocktails, coffee.

Morse
Morse from birch sap is prepared with the addition of any berries that are on hand. They are squeezed out and the liquid is set aside. The remaining pulp is poured with birch grass and placed in an already boiling water bath. Heat for no more than 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Then mix with previously prepared berry juice, cool and drink. If desired, sweeten with sugar or natural honey.

This drink perfectly quenches thirst, gives the body a boost of energy and strength, and replenishes the vitamin and mineral balance.

The resulting elixir can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Advice. Birch “water” is harvested early in the spring, when there are no berries in season yet. What's stopping you from taking frozen ones from last summer? There are probably a few bags left in the freezer with last year's supplies.

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Valuable utilities

1. In the old days, birch trees were left to ferment without additives. The result was an intoxicating drink with a low alcohol content. It’s unlikely that a modern person will like the taste, but what’s stopping you from trying it?
2. Pure, untreated birch “water” is transparent, reminiscent of a spring. The appearance of air bubbles or whitish foam indicates that the drink has spoiled. This liquid should not be consumed or processed.
3. Freshly extracted birch sap is a very useful drink for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
4. After preparation, kvass can be infused with linden flowers, St. John's wort, and chamomile. This will only add more nutrients and the taste will become richer.
5. Only fresh birch sap is suitable for preservation. After standing for 2 days, it can no longer be saved by sterilization. But it is still suitable for making kvass.
6. If, when collected from a tree, the birch tree appears cloudy with a yellow tint, then time has already been lost. We have to wait until next year.

How to store birch sap? In order for it to retain its valuable properties for as long as possible, it is best to store it directly in birch. And extract according to the season and in quantities for personal use. People say there is a time for everything.

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Video: how to preserve birch sap