Red, black and now also white currant varieties are in season in summer. Countless small fruit balls then hang on a single bush. Nobody can eat that much fresh. Juicing is one way not to waste their valuable ingredients.

Currants can be juiced in a steam juicer, for example

Wait until the berries are fully ripe

Currants have a sour note for a long time and should therefore not be picked too early. Regardless of whether they are eaten fresh or made into juice, the enjoyment is all the greater the more of their typical aroma and sweetness there is in the fruit. To do this, they have to soak up a lot of sun. Only when the small balls detach from the stem by themselves with a light touch are they really ready to eat.

However, if the berries are used to make jams and jellies, less ripe fruits are more optimal as they still contain a lot of natural pectin. Pectin is responsible for thickening and saves the addition of gelling aids.

tips

Process freshly picked currants promptly, as they cannot be stored for long.

How to juice currants

When the currants have been picked, sorted and washed in the sieve, the juicing can begin. There are various options available for this, with one or the other method meeting your own requirements better than the others. Two criteria play a decisive role:

  • the amount to be juiced
  • the preservation of valuable ingredients

And these are the most effective ways to juice currants at home:

  • by heating
  • in a blender
  • in the steam extractor
  • in a centrifugal juicer
  • with the so-called Slow Juicer

Juicing by heating

This method works well if only occasional or small amounts of currants are juiced. Purchasing a juicer would not be worthwhile in these cases.

  1. Remove the stalks from the currants and wash them thoroughly.
  2. Then weigh the amount of fruit.
  3. Place the currants in a large saucepan that has a fitted lid. It should also have twice the capacity, since a lot of foam is produced when currants are heated.
  4. Add about 200 ml of water for every kilogram of fruit.
  5. If the currants are still quite sour or you would like sweeter juice, you can add about 50 g of sugar per kilogram of fruit.
  6. Set the stove to the highest level so that the contents of the pot heat up quickly. The high temperature destroys the cell structure of the berries and the juice can escape unhindered.
  7. Allow the contents to simmer for several minutes. The lid should remain closed during the entire cooking process so that as little liquid as possible evaporates.
  8. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as the currants have mushyized.
  9. Crush the contents with a blender to increase the juice yield.
  10. Line a large strainer with a clean cheesecloth. Place the colander over a large saucepan. Make sure that the corners of the cheesecloth do not hang over the edge of the pot so that the juice does not drip onto them.
  11. Pour the currant puree into the sieve and allow the juice to run through overnight.
  12. Any remaining moisture can be squeezed out with your hands the next day.

The juice can be filled into clean glass bottles and consumed within a few days. However, it is also possible to further process the collected juice.

Juice currants in a blender

A blender, which is found in many households these days, is also suitable for juicing currants. The process takes little time but has limited capacity. Larger quantities may have to be juiced in several passes.

  • use washed and hulled berries
  • blend on high

Fresh currants can be combined with other types of fruit in the blender to create a tasty and vitamin-rich smoothie.

Juice the berries in the steam juicer

Larger quantities of currants can be juiced in a steam juicer. The berries can even be put in with the stalk. A detailed description of the process will not be discussed here, since such a device is always supplied with instructions. The principle can be outlined as follows:

  • Juicer is filled with water
  • clean berries go in a basket
  • Steam rises and bursts the berries
  • Juice runs out and is fed into a container via a hose

Juice in a centrifugal juicer

When juicing on the stovetop and in a steam juicer, the berries are exposed to high temperatures. As a result, a large part of the valuable ingredients are destroyed. So-called centrifugal juicers are much gentler on vitamins and enzymes. There are various models on the market that can generate different degrees of centrifugal force. For the highest possible juice yield, a powerful model is of course an advantage.

  • the berries are placed in the juicer
  • first they are crushed by a grater
  • then the juice is separated from the solid components in the centrifuge
  • Juice flows out and is caught in the container

The centrifugal juicer can be used for many types of fruit, so its purchase can be worthwhile.

Juice currants with the so-called Slow Juicer

Depending on the model, the Slow Juicer grinds the berries with one or more screws that rotate very slowly. This is intentional so that no great heat can develop. Another advantage is that no air is mixed with the juice, which prevents unsightly discoloration due to oxidation. If you are expecting a currant juice from the Slow Juicer, you have to have a lot of patience. But the result is convincing: the juice is homogeneous, foam-free and full to the brim with healthy ingredients.

Conclusion for fast readers

  • Suitable fruits: Only use fully ripe fruits for juice; pick earlier for jams
  • Tip: Juice fresh currants promptly, as they cannot be stored for long
  • Preparation: select the fruits, wash them and remove the stalks if necessary
  • Methods: heating in a pot; steam juicers; centrifugal juicers; Mixer; slow juicer
  • Heating: add 20% water; boil to a pulp; puree drain through a cheesecloth
  • Steam Juicer: Works automatically after filling; Juice runs from a juice hose into containers
  • Centrifugal Juicer: Juices without heat; juice flows out; Dry matter remains separate
  • Mixer: Mix the fruit at the highest level; also to smoothie together with other fruits
  • Slow Juicer: Works with slow revolutions; Juice is homogeneous, foam-free and healthy
  • Storage: Fill fresh juice into clean bottles and store in a cool place
  • Shelf life: Consume within a few days or process further beforehand

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden