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What berries are frozen for the winter. How to properly freeze berries for the winter

Freezing is one of the most gentle ways to store fruits or berries. It excludes preservation and addition of relevant components. At the same time, it perfectly preserves all the taste and nutritional properties of the berries, as well as their color and aroma.

And housewives can stop worrying altogether if there is a stock in the freezer for preparing desserts and their fillings.

All that remains is to purchase the required amount of fruit during the peak season and freeze it.

How to freeze berries for the winter

I recommend 3 correct ways freezing berries and fruits. But first the fruits need to be prepared. To do this, the fruits or berries you have chosen must be immersed in acidified water (for 8 glasses of water, 2 tablespoons of either vinegar or lemon juice). After immersion, the fruits are dried using paper napkins. Then, when freezing, ice will not form. This procedure should be carried out quickly, because fruits quickly darken after oxidation. And you must remember that peaches, cherries, apricots and plums are frozen pitted.

Frozen berries packed with sugar.

This harvesting method is suitable for those fruits that will be used for filling, since they are frozen without liquid. As the name already makes clear, in addition to berries or fruits, you will need sugar. For 4 cups of product you need half a cup of sugar. They should sprinkle the acidified and dried fruits so that the granulated sugar covers them evenly, mix carefully and pack in containers or bags for freezing, completely removing the air from them.

Berries, frozen without sugar.

This method is simple and suitable for all fruits, but is especially ideal for preparing berries that are used as decoration. All you need to do is place the pre-processed dry product on a baking sheet and freeze it in this form, and then pour it into a container prepared for storage.

Freezing in syrup.

This is the most labor-intensive method of preparation, however, fruits and berries stored in syrup can be used in all those cases in which you use canned preparations. They can be served with ice cream, custard and pancakes. Fruits in syrup are very aromatic, because it is the syrup that preserves their freshness in virtually its original form.

Based on saturation, syrup is divided into:

weak - 2 cups of sugar to 4 cups of water;
medium - 3 cups of sugar to 4 cups of water;
thick - 5 cups of sugar for the same amount of liquid.

To get the desired mixture, bring the water to a boil, pour sugar into it and stir until it is completely dissolved. After this, boil for another 2 minutes, and then cool.

Only containers are suitable for this freezing method. The syrup is poured into them until about halfway, then the fruits are placed, which must be pressed with a finger or a spoon. This will allow you to get rid of unnecessary bubbles. Afterwards, the rest of the syrup is poured into the container until the products are completely immersed in it and frozen.

Happy preparations!

In this article we will talk about how to prepare vegetables and fruits for the winter by freezing, how to rationally allocate storage space and other secrets of freezing.

I want to enjoy the generous gifts of nature in the form of vegetables, fruits and berries not only in summer, but also in winter. In supermarkets in winter, of course, you can buy, if not all, then almost all types of fresh vegetables, berries or fruits, but their quality will not be the best.

You can also prepare pickles, compotes, jam and other types of preparations in jars for the winter. However, this option is not suitable for everyone. Some housewives do not like to tinker in the kitchen for a long time, others do not have time. Also, pickles may not work out; many people know that cans of preserves sometimes explode. In addition, many simply do not have space to store cans of preserves. And the very last argument is that it will not be possible to preserve all vitamins in their original form.

Homemade vegetables

Many housewives prefer freezing vegetables. Having a large freezer, you can prepare a lot of healthy and tasty vegetables. However, it would be a good idea to learn about the tricks of freezing, so as not to accidentally end up with an unappetizing mush instead of healthy vegetables.

So, list of vegetables that can be frozen:

Black Eyed Peas
Broccoli
Pumpkin
Cauliflower
Zucchini or zucchini
Brussels sprouts
Sweet and/or bell pepper
cucumbers
Tomatoes
Corn
Green pea
Eggplant
Mushrooms

Turnips, radishes, and lettuce cannot be frozen.

Most vegetables need to be blanched before freezing, that is, immersed in boiling water for a short time and then cooled quickly. For example, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, eggplant, green beans, green peas, corn needs to be blanched.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, mushrooms no need to put it in boiling water. Little ones Cherry tomatoes You can store them whole, just make a few punctures so that the fruit does not burst from frost. Large tomatoes can be cut into slices or pureed. Cucumbers should also not be stored whole; cut them into small cubes or strips.

How to properly freeze vegetables?

You can also freeze potatoes, onions, carrots, and beets. But it’s worth thinking about, will this be rational? The freezer is usually small in size, and seasonal vegetables cost mere pennies and are stored for a long time without refrigeration. It's better to freeze what you can't buy in winter.

Vegetable mixtures for the winter in bags: recipes

Vegetables must be washed and dried before freezing. Sealed containers or bags are suitable as containers. The seal will prevent the absorption of foreign odors from nearby products. For example, dill gives off a strong odor that can be absorbed into other vegetables or berries.

It is convenient to freeze vegetable mixtures so that you can prepare different dishes later. It is better to freeze mixtures in small portions, so as not to break off a piece from the frozen mass later, but to take the finished portion at a time.

Vegetable mixture options:

Corn, peas, bell pepper.
Carrots, peas, green beans, red beans, corn, celery, peppers, corn.
Onions, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes.
Tomatoes, onions, peppers.

Important: Frozen vegetables and fruits can be stored in the freezer for no longer than a year.

Delicious mixture of vegetables

Vegetable seasonings for soups, salad, pasta, main courses: recipes for the winter

You can also freeze greens, which you can then add little by little to soups, salads or main courses.

Wash and dry the greens thoroughly beforehand.
Then finely chop it.
First, freeze the greens in bulk, that is, spread them in a thin layer on the surface and freeze.
Once the greens are frozen, place them in a tightly sealed bag.

Greens can be frozen in a combination of several types. For example:

Dill+parsley for soups
Dill+sorrel+onion feathers for green borscht
Cilantro+parsley+basil for salads

Important: Greens should be stored separately. Do not mix greens with other vegetables, otherwise the flavors will mix.

Sorrel for the winter: how to freeze

For soups The following vegetable mixture will work:

Green peas, carrots, onions, potatoes
Carrots, onions, potatoes, cauliflower
Cauliflower, corn, potatoes, carrots, onions
Sweet peppers, carrots, potatoes, onions

The same mixtures can be added to other dishes, such as risotto, stew, vegetable casseroles.

Video: How to freeze greens for the winter?

Freezing Vegetable Mix for Stew: Recipe

You can enjoy this healthy stew by freezing it:

Zucchini, zucchini
Bell pepper
Green pea
Cauliflower
Tomatoes
Greenery

Also, potatoes, onions, carrots, and white cabbage must be added to the stew.

A stew is a mixture of different vegetables, so you don't have to stick to a strict recipe. If you don't have one ingredient, you can easily replace it with another. The main thing is that the dish contains several types of vegetables.

Important: Many people are interested in the question: Do you need to defrost vegetables before cooking? No, you can't do this.

If you defrost vegetables, they will lose their shape when cooked and turn into mush. Therefore, place vegetables from the freezer into the pan immediately. This way they will remain fragrant, beautiful and healthy.

Freezing vegetable mixtures

Recipes for borscht dressings for freezing for the winter

Borscht in winter will be much tastier and healthier if you take care of the dressing in advance.

Recipe for borscht dressing:

Sweet pepper in thin strips
Onion diced
Carrots, julienned or grated
Beets in strips
Tomato puree

It would be useful parsley And dill as spices, you just need to store the greens separately.

Wash all ingredients, dry, cut, grate and mix. Pack the dressing into separate bags for one use.

This method will help not only prepare aromatic borscht in winter, but also save the family budget.

Dressing for borscht for the winter

How to freeze stuffed peppers with vegetables?

Stuffed pepper- a tasty and healthy dish, but you can fully enjoy it only during the season, that is, in the fall. But if you freeze peppers, you can prepare your favorite dish at any time of the year.

Some housewives stuff the peppers and then put them in the freezer. This method is good, but it takes up a lot of space in the freezer.

There is another way:

Wash the peppers and dry with a paper towel
Remove the stem and seeds from the fruit
Insert the fruits one into the other
Place the peppers in columns, carefully wrapping them in bags.

Pepper slices are suitable for salads, stews, soups and other dishes. It is much more convenient to store it in this form than whole.

Pepper for the winter

What vegetable mixtures can be frozen in the freezer to feed a baby for the winter?

If there is an infant in the family, or a new addition is expected, the young mother should consider preparing homemade vegetables for complementary feeding.

Complementary feeding should be introduced at 5-6 months of the baby’s life if the child is breastfed. If the child eats an adapted formula, then complementary foods should be introduced earlier - in the 4th month of life.

If this period falls in winter or spring, then frozen vegetables will become a lifesaver during the introduction of complementary foods.

To feed your baby you can freeze the following vegetables:

Cauliflower
Zucchini
Broccoli
Pumpkin

After the baby begins to eat pureed vegetables, light vegetable soups can be introduced in small quantities. To do this, freeze in advance:

Potato
Carrot

Vitamins and naturalness - this is the most important advantage of freezing vegetables for complementary feeding. Provided that you are sure that the vegetables have not been treated with chemicals, or that you grew them in your own garden.

Vegetable puree for complementary feeding

What fruits and berries can be frozen in the refrigerator freezer and freezer: list

You can freeze any fruits and berries:

Strawberry
Strawberries
Blueberry
Blackberry
Cowberry
Plums
Apricots
Peaches
Apples
Currant
Gooseberry

Frozen berries

Do I need to wash fruit before freezing?

In addition to vegetables, you can freeze fruits and berries. Before putting them in the freezer, thoroughly wash and dry the fruits and berries.

Fruits and berries cannot be re-frozen. Firstly, they will turn into mush, and secondly, they will lose all their beneficial properties.

How to freeze fresh fruits and berries for the winter?

You can puree the berries and freeze them as is, with or without sugar - your choice.

Another way to freeze is dry. Place the prepared berries or fruits in a thin layer on a surface, for example, on a board. Freeze this way, then place the berries in a bag, releasing the air from it.

It is advisable to store delicate berries such as strawberries and raspberries in a container so that the berries are not damaged.

Apples can be cut into slices. Store small and fleshy fruits (plums, apricots, cherries) whole and with the pit.

Recipes for mixtures of fruits and berries for the winter

From frozen fruits and berries in winter you can prepare aromatic compotes, fruit drinks, or add fruit to yogurt or porridge.

Remember that ripe and undamaged fruits should be frozen. Make small portions of berries and use one bag per preparation.

Mixtures of fruits and berries:

Strawberry, blackberry, raspberry
Plums, apricots, apples
Apples, apricots, raspberries
Cherry, apple, strawberry
Cherries, currants, raspberries
Strawberries, currants, cranberries

Important: Most modern refrigerators do not require defrosting, but if you need to do this, wrap the container with frozen vegetables and fruits in a thick blanket so that the products do not have time to defrost. In winter, the freezer can be taken outside or onto the balcony.

How to freeze fruit

Freezing fruits, berries and vegetables is a profitable and quick way to get all the healthy vitamins in winter and enjoy the taste of summer. But do not forget to follow the rules of freezing in order to preserve vitamins and taste. You can watch a video on this topic and learn a lot of useful information about freezing vegetables and fruits.

Video: How to properly freeze greens, vegetables and fruits?

Berries are a source of vitamins, a means to decorate dishes, and just a real treat. To enjoy them all year round, you can freeze them. It is known that frozen berries retain almost all useful substances. They contain much more vitamins and minerals (up to 90%) than in canned fruits, for example, in the form of jam or compotes. At the same time, the taste and aroma of berries practically do not change when frozen. And modern refrigerators and freezers help make this procedure simple and quick.

Beneficial features

When properly frozen and all necessary storage conditions are observed, frozen berries almost always retain their appearance and natural qualities. The reduction in the nutritional value of fruits when frozen is insignificant. Water-soluble vitamins contained in berries practically do not disappear. Frozen berries retain carotene, as well as vitamins B1 and B2. When frozen, vitamin C is preserved in almost the same quantity as in fresh fruits.

Frozen berries even have an advantage over fresh ones. The fact is that frozen fruits contain much less pesticides, lead and cadmium. Having compared frozen berries with fresh, but not seasonal ones, sold in supermarkets in winter, experts came to the conclusion that frozen fruits are much more valuable than those grown in greenhouses.

During periods of vitamin deficiency and exacerbation of viral diseases, frozen berries are a real salvation. By adding them to your daily menu, you can provide yourself and your loved ones with not only tasty, but also healthy dishes.

Preparation

Freezing berries doesn't mean just throwing them in the freezer and forgetting about them. There are several specific rules for the preliminary preparation of berries for freezing and storage of frozen fruits. All berries that will be subjected to further freezing must be ripe. In some cases, if culinary processing is planned after defrosting, for example, preparing pie fillings, cooking compotes, berries at an initial stage of ripening are allowed. Overripe berries, as well as damaged and rotten ones, are not allowed.

The ideal berries for freezing are those that were picked no later than two hours before placing them in the freezer. Such fruits guarantee high quality of the product. However, this is only possible if you have your own garden plot or cottage.

Before freezing, the berries should be removed from all unnecessary parts: stalks, leaves, seed nests. You need to be very careful with soft, delicate berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, so that you do not accidentally damage them during mechanical processing. In some cases, such berries can be frozen with the stalks, and they can be peeled after defrosting.

Before freezing, the berries need to be washed and dried. To do this, they can be carefully laid out on paper or cotton towels over the entire area. To make drying faster, you can place a clean towel on top of the berries, which will absorb unnecessary moisture.

Choosing containers

To maintain the shape of the berries, cellophane bags and small plastic containers with lids are perfect. It is not recommended to store frozen berries in already used plastic bags. They can retain the smell of the products that were previously in them. In addition, they may have microcracks, which will lead to their depressurization. Glassware is also not suitable for this purpose, as it can easily crack from the cold.

For freezing berries, it is recommended to select small containers. Firstly, the freezing process in it occurs much faster, and secondly, it produces convenient portions for defrosting. It is best if one serving of frozen berries does not exceed 600-700 g.

Berries should be placed tightly in dry containers, compacting the contents and releasing air. If the container is opaque, it should be labeled, otherwise you will have to open it again to see what is there. And this is excess air entry, which negatively affects the quality of the product.

Any container for freezing berries, be it a plastic container or a plastic bag, must be tightly sealed. This will affect the evaporation of moisture during storage, which condenses on the walls of the freezer, which, in turn, leads to more frequent shutdowns of the refrigerator to remove ice. And the quality of products also depends on how tightly sealed the packaging in which they are stored is.

Strawberries and wild strawberries

To freeze strawberries, you should select larger berries that are undamaged, not bruised or overripe. They need to be washed carefully, then carefully laid out on a tray to dry and left until completely frozen. After this, the berries should be poured into a plastic container or a thick plastic bag and placed in the freezer for storage.

If the strawberries are a little soft, they can be divided into portioned forms and placed in the freezer as is. You can sprinkle them with sugar before freezing. As an option, you can also make a ready-made dessert for the winter from soft strawberries: beat the strawberries with sugar in a blender, then put them into portioned molds and freeze.

Large and medium-sized strawberries should be washed, dried, laid out on a tray in one layer and kept in the freezer until completely frozen. Before freezing, strawberries can be sprinkled with sugar.

Strawberries can also be frozen in sugar syrup. Prepared strawberries should be placed in clean, dry jars, poured with sugar syrup (300 g of sugar per 1 liter of water) and cooled, then kept in the freezer for 24 hours. Jars of frozen strawberries should be tightly closed with plastic lids and stored in the freezer.

There is another way to freeze strawberries. The prepared berries should be placed in an enamel bowl, sprinkled with sugar, and then placed in the lower compartment of the refrigerator to release the juice. Then the strawberries need to be transferred into portioned molds, poured with the released juice and frozen.

Raspberries and blackberries

Raspberries should only be frozen when they are fresh, clean and not overripe. There is no need to wash it, just let it cool. Raspberries can be frozen with or without sugar, but sugar can cause them to change color.

Ripe raspberries should be placed in small containers lined with plastic wrap; you can sprinkle them with sugar in layers. Then the raspberries should be placed in a cool place for 3-4 hours. After this, the berries need to be overlapped with the edges of the film, tightly closed with lids and placed in the freezer. It is recommended to store raspberries at a temperature of -12°C, avoiding thawing.

If the raspberries are all right - large and strong, you can freeze them like strawberries - first on a plate in one layer, and then pour the frozen berries into a storage container. You will enjoy whole raspberries in winter!

To freeze blackberries, you need to select the largest and ripest berries. They need to be washed well and the stalks removed. Then the blackberries should be frozen in bulk on a cardboard tray with sides approximately 2-2.5 cm high. After this, the blackberries should be poured into plastic bags, sealed tightly and placed in the freezer.

Currants, cranberries and blueberries

Before freezing, currants should be thoroughly washed and dried. Black currants must be carefully separated from the stalk, red and white - from the bunches. Then the currants need to be laid out on a dish or tray and frozen. Then the frozen berries should be poured into plastic bags, sealed tightly and placed in the freezer for storage.

Since currants are a rather dense berry, they can be immediately poured into plastic containers or plastic bags and placed in the freezer, skipping the step of laying them out on a platter. By the way, it is interesting that after defrosting, black currants taste no different from fresh ones.

Cranberries are perhaps the most unpretentious berry to store. Before the onset of frost, in urban conditions it can be stored on the balcony, and in rural conditions - in the open air, after filling it with water. With the onset of frost, you need to drain the water and let the berries freeze. By the way, whole, undamaged cranberries can be preserved until spring without freezing, without losing their beneficial and taste properties.

Blueberries are a source of vitamins and incomeThe scientific name of the genus Vaccinium comes from the Latin word vacca - "cow", as the leaves of some blueberry species are suitable for livestock feed. The Russian name for the berry comes from its color and the fact that it blackens the hands and mouth.

Cranberries can be frozen in bulk on a plate or tray, after which, once frozen, you immediately need to put them into plastic containers or plastic bags for storage, tie them tightly and place them in the refrigerator. You can also place the cranberries in bulk, without freezing them, tightly in containers and place them in the freezer as is. You can sprinkle the cranberries with sugar first.

For freezing blueberries, the largest and ripest berries are selected. They need to be washed well and dried. It is better to freeze blueberries in bulk on a cardboard tray with sides approximately 2-2.5 cm high. Then the frozen berries should be poured into plastic bags, hermetically sealed and stored in the freezer.

Gooseberries, cherries and sweet cherries

Yellow-green berries are more suitable for freezing gooseberries. Before freezing, gooseberries need to be sorted well, the stalks and remaining inflorescences trimmed off, then carefully washed under running water. It is recommended to freeze gooseberries in bulk on a plywood board, which is equal to the area of the freezer, after drying them well in the air on clean paper. After this, the frozen berries need to be poured into plastic bags, sealed tightly and placed in the freezer for storage.

Before freezing, cherries should be washed and dried well. If you cook compote from them, then you don’t need to remove the seeds from the fruits; if you make dumplings or bake pies, then it is better to remove the seeds. Then the berries can simply be put into bags and frozen. If you want to keep the cherries whole, spread them in one layer, freeze them in a flash freeze and pour them into plastic containers or bags for further storage in the freezer.

Cherries can also be stored by sprinkling them with sugar and packing them in small containers lined with plastic wrap. In this case, it is recommended to store the berries at a temperature of -12°C.

Storage and defrosting

It is not recommended to store frozen berries next to meat, fish and other products, otherwise an unusual smell will be transmitted to these delicate fruits. You need to freeze berries very quickly, so do not completely fill the freezer. It is better to freeze berries in small portions. Then you can retain more vitamins in them.

Before freezing berries, you should prepare the freezer. Many modern refrigerators have a freezer pre-prep function. It is recommended to turn on the “Freezing” function one day before placing food for freezing and turn it off one day after freezing. After that, you just need to set the “Storage” mode.

Refrigeration equipment experts say that the most suitable temperature for freezing berries is between minus 18 and minus 23 degrees. At this temperature, the fruits will freeze faster and more reliably and will be stored for 8 to 12 months - that is, almost until the next season. You can freeze berries at temperatures from 0 to minus 8 degrees. However, in this case they can be stored for no more than three months.

The berries should be defrosted gradually by transferring them from the freezer to the lower compartment of the refrigerator. If you want to cook compote, then you don’t have to defrost the berries at all, but put them in a saucepan frozen. Without defrosting, the berries can also be added to porridge during cooking. Under no circumstances should berries be re-frozen, otherwise there will be no beneficial substances left in them.

Frozen berries can be used for a variety of purposes. They make excellent compotes, fruit drinks, and jelly. They can be used as ingredients for cocktails and refreshing drinks. Frozen berries are an excellent filling for pies, charlottes and muffins. They can be added to cereals and baby food. Berries exposed to low temperatures go well with ice cream, as well as cottage cheese desserts and casseroles. They are also a good base for creating jellies, mousses and sauces.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Freezing berries is an excellent way to preserve the substances they contain. In this article I will tell you how to freeze berries correctly - so that they are stored for as long as possible.

This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age

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How to store berries?

Drying and canning lead to the loss of a significant proportion of the biologically active substances contained in the berries. So the only effective way was and remains deep and quick freezing.

We should start by selecting the container in which we will freeze:

The simplest option is PVC/polyethylene bags. To save money, you can use regular ones, but I recommend not to be greedy and buy special bags for freezing vegetables, fruits and berries. They are denser, more durable, equipped with convenient fasteners, and therefore it is much more convenient to store frozen foods in them.

If you need to freeze tender and soft berries - ripe raspberries, blackberries or strawberries - then you should abandon the bags in favor of plastic containers with lids. In such a container, the berries do not wrinkle (unless, of course, you add them without tamping), so after defrosting they retain their shape, and therefore most of the juice.

The “double” method is quite convenient. To do this, I first put small berries in a plastic freezer bag, and then put the bag in a container and the container in the freezer. After some time, the berries freeze and the bag becomes a dense rectangular briquette. It can be removed from the container and stored separately: the shape will save space in the freezer. But this method, of course, will not work for soft berries.

Another technique involves freezing not whole berries, but mashed puree. To do this, the berries need to be crushed in a blender, rubbed through a sieve to remove seeds and poured through a funnel into small (up to half a liter) plastic bottles. Now we just need to screw on the lids and place the containers in the refrigerator.

Finally, you can make berry ice. To do this, pour mashed fresh berry puree into ice bags: after freezing, this ice can be stored for a very long time and with virtually no loss of valuable substances.

Is hard freezing necessary?

If you have decided on the container, temperature is next. The temperature for freezing berries and fruits can be different, but in practice I have identified three main ranges:

from 0 to −8 degrees - uh then, rather, not freezing as such, but cooling the berries. At this temperature, the content of vitamins and other useful substances is minimally reduced. But, alas, berries frozen at this temperature can be stored for 1 to 3 months, no more;
from −10 to −18 degrees- average temperature range. Suitable for long-term (up to six months) storage of raspberries, strawberries and other soft berries. The absence of strong cooling allows you to preserve the pulp without damage;
from −18 to −23 degrees— a mode suitable for quick freezing and long-term (up to 9 months) storage. Unfortunately, such extreme temperature treatment can lead to the fact that too juicy berries are deformed after defrosting due to the rupture of the cell walls by large ice crystals.

The mode is also determined by the capabilities of the freezer. So before you start preparing, carefully read the instructions for the freezer and choose which compartment you will place the berries in.

How to freeze different berries

Well, now just a few words about how to properly freeze different berries.

In principle, there are no particular difficulties here, but each variety has its own little tricks:

Strawberry It's best to freeze it whole - this way it retains more juice. We freeze in two stages: first we freeze the berries, laying them out in one layer on a flat surface. After this, we put the frozen strawberries in containers and store them that way. This approach allows you to reduce the number of deformed and damaged berries to a minimum.

Currant- both black and red - freeze perfectly in dry form. We separate the berries from the stems, remove the damaged ones and put them in bags. If you do not press down, then after freezing the currants will be intact and retain all the juice.

Gooseberry can be stored in the same way as currants - only the temperature for freezing should be lower. In addition, I sometimes cut the gooseberries in half, put them in a container and sprinkle them with sugar. This method is suitable for overripe berries that are difficult to preserve without bruising.

Malina Before freezing, rinse thoroughly in a colander. If there are berries affected by larvae, immerse the berries in a saline solution for 2 minutes, remove the surfaced larvae and repeat the washing again. After this, dry the raspberries on a towel and put them in a container to freeze.

Blueberry It also stores well - both ground with sugar and whole. The whole one can be packed into containers, but the ground one is much more convenient to keep in plastic bags or even improvised tubes.

Cranberry frozen like strawberries - in two steps. First, we wash the berries, then dry them on a towel. After that, put it on a tray and put it in the freezer so that individual berries do not freeze. After freezing, place the cranberries in a dry container and store for six months to 10 months.

Similarly, you can save and cherries and sweet cherries. Simply wash the berries, freeze them individually and place them in containers. If you need cherries for compote, then there’s no need to bother at all: wash the berries, put them in bags, press a little so that the cherries release their juice - and into the freezer! Therefore, it will be enough to remove the briquette from polyethylene and place it in a pan for cooking compote.

4 rules for long-term storage

Whatever berries we choose for long-term storage in the freezer, when preparing we should follow a few simple rules:

There is no need to choose overripe berries. Yes, the riper the strawberries, cherries or raspberries, the tastier they are, and the more vitamins they contain. But during the ripening process, the berry accumulates a large amount of juice, which turns into ice when frozen. As a result, ice crystals destroy the cell walls, and after defrosting, most of the juice flows out, and the berries lose their attractive shape. To avoid this, it is better to choose slightly unripe berries for long-term freezing.
Before freezing, the berries need to be prepared. The minimum amount of work consists of removing stalks, remains of inflorescences, debris, pests, etc. Their presence can cause the berries to be damaged when frozen.
First we wash it, then we dry it. Before putting them in the freezer, you need to wash the berries (any) to remove dust, dirt, etc. But you shouldn’t freeze wet berries, otherwise they will freeze into one big lump. So before starting low-temperature treatment, it is advisable to thoroughly dry the washed berries.
Freeze in portions. Very often, even after thoroughly drying the berries, separating part of the frozen briquette is very difficult - and the berries tolerate re-freezing extremely poorly. So it’s better to initially pack them in bags or containers in portions of 300-500 g - just enough for one meal.

By following these tips, you can effectively freeze any berries and store them for a whole year. So you will be provided with vitamins for a long time!

Summer and autumn give us a lot of delicious berries that we want to keep in winter. Berries contain many vitamins and minerals. How to preserve all this benefit without losing a single vitamin?

The benefits of storing fruits in frost

What are the benefits and harms of frozen berries?

First of all, vitamins that dissolve in water do not disappear when frozen;
frozen ones are healthier than those grown in greenhouses in winter;
the amount of vitamin C during such processing remains almost the same as in the fresh product;
aroma and taste are preserved in full;
The calorie content of frozen fruits is very low;
An excellent remedy against vitamin deficiency during winter and spring.

Now, to the question of whether all vitamins are preserved in frozen berries, you can confidently answer positively.

As for harm, of course, frozen and fresh fruits are not harmful. Only those people who have allergies need to be careful. It will bother you not only when eating fresh fruits, but also frozen ones.

What berries can you freeze for the winter?

Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, sea buckthorn, rowan, cranberries, cherries and everything that grows in the garden or forest.

But, at the same time, you should follow some rules:

the fruits must be fresh;
Don’t choose too ripe ones, but don’t take green ones either;
rotten and wrinkled ones should be thrown away;
they must be dry.

How to properly freeze berries for the winter

The most important thing is to prepare them well for this process:

sort through the fruits and get rid of spoiled ones;
remove seeds and stalks, twigs and various debris;
the berries are washed (there is no need to wash raspberries and blueberries);
dry and then begin the process;
The freezer must be prepared in advance.

Convenient container for berries

It is very important what you store the fruits in. If you want to maintain the correct beautiful shape, it is better to freeze in plastic containers. These fruits can be used to decorate various desserts, cakes and pastries. If you don’t care what shape they will be, since you are going to cook compote from them and add them to the filling, then you can choose a package. Another very interesting idea is to freeze them by first putting them in a bag and then placing them in a container. When they freeze, they will take the correct shape of the container, making it very convenient to store.

Naturally, it is better to store soft fruits (raspberries, strawberries) in a container. But cherries, currants, and cranberries can be stored in bags.

What's the best way to freeze berries for the winter?

If you think that your only option is to leave food in the cold in the refrigerator, then you are mistaken!

You can freeze fruits in different ways:

in bulk. Pour dry fruits into a single layer onto a bag or tray and place in the freezer until frozen. They can then be placed in bags and containers;
in sugar. The berries are laid out alternating with sugar;
in syrup. You need to prepare sugar syrup and pour over the berries. The more sugar, the slower the freezing occurs;
puree. You can make puree. Sugar can be added, or you can freeze it as is.

Now let's talk about the features of each type separately.

Strawberry. It can be frozen whole, then you can use it to decorate dishes. It’s also good to prepare puree with sugar and pour it into containers;
Raspberries. It is better to simply place delicate fruits in containers. If you want, sprinkle with sugar. There is no need to make puree;
Blueberry. It is made in different ways: simply poured into bags or containers, or mashed.
It’s better not to add too much sugar, the berries are hard and the sugar won’t do any good;
Currant. It does not require special preparation, just pour it into bags or containers;
Lingonberries and cranberries. These hard berries can be filled with syrup or simply placed in containers (bags). There is no need to add sugar;
Blackberry. It is better to cook it whole or pour it with syrup;
Cherry. You can freeze it however you want. Any method is perfect for preparing it;
Kalina. Simply pour into bags or containers;
Gooseberry. Best of all - in bulk. There is no need to add sugar;
Sea buckthorn. Suitable method: scattered or in syrup;;
Apricot. Apricots prepared in any way will be delicious. That is, freeze in bulk if you need whole fruits, in the form of a puree, or cook apricots in syrup;
Cherry plum. It's good to freeze with or without seeds. Alternatively, you can make puree with sugar;
Rowan. Rowan berries can be frozen in bulk, or you can make a puree with sugar.

Now you know how to freeze different berries for the winter, let's talk about storage.

How to store it correctly

Where and how you store frozen fruit is very important.

you cannot store them together with meat or fish;
the packaging must be sealed to prevent moisture from being released, which leads to condensation on the walls of the freezer;
in winter, it can be stored on the balcony, if, of course, there is the appropriate temperature;
should be stored in the chamber for no more than a year;
You can’t re-freeze it; all the benefits will go away if you re-freeze it.

How to defrost

The reverse process – defrosting – is also important. If you do this incorrectly, you risk spoiling the product, since even if the food is stored at a low temperature, it can be irreparably spoiled by rapid thawing.

That's why:

Place the container or bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for several hours;
another way is to immerse the container in cold water for thirty minutes;
or use cold sugar syrup.

This product will come in handy no matter what fantasies you decide to realize: cakes, pies, cocktails, jelly, compotes, desserts and simply delicious to eat. And we want to offer you a recipe for cottage cheese pie.

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