What fruits can be frozen for the winter: home storage rules

For a woman, summer is not only a vacation, but also a time to create blanks. And not only in the form of boiling and pickles. You can also create cold desserts from the sweet gifts of nature. After all, if you know what fruits and berries can be frozen for the winter, then it’s really possible to create a supply of useful products. During the cold period, it becomes possible to enjoy a variety of desserts, berry pies and delicious cakes. And frozen fruits do not lose useful substances.

Are there vitamins in frozen foods?

To the question of a simple person - do vitamins remain in foods after freezing at home, nutritionists answer: "Yes, and in large quantities."By maintaining a low temperature, all processes slow down, which allows you to save useful components in fruits and berries.

However, do not forget about the observance of elementary rules:

1. You need to take only fresh fruits. Berries and fruits from last year's harvest will not work, as they have already lost a large amount of vitamins before freezing.
2. Air is not left in the containers in which the workpieces are stored. It oxidizes food. It is necessary to carry out home processing, simulating a vacuum.
3. But we must not forget that frozen berries and fruits increase in volume. From this, the lids are lifted, the packages are damaged. When the hostess takes out the container, its contents will fall out on the floor.
4. You need to make sure that the temperature regime in the freezer remains the same. With temperature fluctuations, the products will either defrost, then again plunge into the cold. This will lead to spoilage of berries and fruits, loss of useful qualities and former taste.

All food has a certain expiration date. Vitamins and nutrients are stored in fruits at -17 °C for 9-12 months.

When the temperature rises to -10 ° C, the period is halved.

What fruits and berries can be frozen in the freezer?

You can freeze all fruits, many garden and wild berries. Do not store blueberries in the freezer, as they are watery, with a thin skin. After defrosting, a porridge-like mass will appear in the bowl. They do not freeze the bone, since there is practically no juice in it, only bones. Melons also should not be frozen. The pulp will turn into ice, which when thawed will become colored water.

What container will you need?

In order for the fruits to be stored for a long time, you need to choose the right packaging. Suitable:

• containers, plastic trays that close tightly;
• tinplate products;
• ice molds;
• paper boxes;
• cut plastic bottles;
• plastic bags;
• food parchment, film and foil.

Wise housewives for freezing do not use ordinary PVC bags, but special ones. After all, they are durable and have fasteners. They are reusable, and it is convenient to take out a small amount of frozen food from them.

Non-food and trash bags, fabric bags, wrapping paper are not suitable for storing food in the freezer.

Do I need a hard freeze?

Frozen using different temperatures.

1. 0 °С… -8 °С. The fruits are cooling. The percentage of stored vitamins is high, but the shelf life is reduced to three months.
2. -10 °С… -18 °С. Ideal for soft berries. After all, the pulp is preserved without damage.
3. -18 °С… 23 °С. The best way for super-fast freezing and long-term storage. But the juicy fruits may become deformed after exposure to heat.

These modes are determined by the capabilities of the freezer. Before starting work, it is recommended to study the instructions for the refrigerator and adjust the freezing range. Do not forget that the doors of old household appliances do not always close tightly. Therefore, the temperature in them is higher than indicated. And in ultra-modern models, on different shelves of the freezer, its own freezing range is configured.

How to freeze fruits and berries for the winter at home?

There are certain rules for freezing semi-finished products at home:

1. First prepare the freezer.The refrigerator is turned off, all products are taken out of it. All surfaces are washed with soapy water and wiped with a soft, clean cloth. The household appliance is left open for several hours to dry out. The freezer is covered with plastic wrap. The refrigerator is connected. Only after the air has cooled down can the products be stored.
2. Intact, not overripe fruits are selected, without traces of rot and insect damage. If you take unripe specimens, then after defrosting their taste will leave much to be desired. And if overripe, they will become very soft and turn into a puree-like mass.
3. Berries, fruits are first washed thoroughly. Then dry on a clean towel. Or throwing it in a colander.
4. If necessary, the fruits are pitted, peeled and cut into pieces.
5. After all the manipulations, the products are placed in the refrigerator.
6. The best way to store is in portions so that thawed food can be used immediately for its intended purpose.
7. A piece of paper should be tied to each container, which indicates the date of placement in the refrigerator and the approximate expiration date.
8. Smelling foods, meat, fish are not placed next to fruits. A “bad” neighborhood will adversely affect the smell and taste of the sweet billet.

There is a trick to save space in the freezer. First, the berries are frozen in one layer in a flat container. Then they are transferred to a larger bag. If this procedure is not carried out, then the fruits will also stick together.

The most important thing is to respect the shelf life so that expired products do not cause food poisoning. This rule is especially important for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and young children.

Strawberry

First, the stems are removed from the strawberries. So that the berries do not lose their taste, they are frozen in granulated sugar.Fresh berries are laid out in a single layer in shallow containers and covered with sugar. After the appearance of juice, the container is removed. Strawberries can be pureed and put into ice cube trays.

Plums

Plums are stored in any container. Fruits are good because they are not thawed before use. Immediately put in compote or as a filling in homemade cakes. Whole berries with seeds or halves without nucleoli are placed in the freezer.

Apples

Apples can be frozen sliced, mashed or in sugar syrup. In any case, the core is removed first. First, apple slices are placed for half an hour in water in which citric acid is dissolved. Then spread in a colander and put dry in plastic bags.

Apple puree is placed in a small container. To get a sweet dessert, the fruits are crushed, poured with syrup, left for a day in a cold place. Then the fruits are laid out in a colander. After the liquid drains, they are put into the freezer in suitable containers.

Grapes

Grapes are frozen with brushes or separate berries. In the first case, the packages are good. In the second - trays with lids.

Strawberry

Small strawberries are stored in pieces of ice. Moreover, the tails in this case are not removed. 1-2 berries are distributed in the cells of an ice container, filled with bottled water and placed in the freezer. This blank is used to make cocktails.

Fruits can be pureed or stored in sugar syrup. The method of preparing the delicacy is the same as that of strawberries.

Raspberries

Raspberries are first soaked in s alt water so that the insects inside the fruit emerge. Then the berries are dried and placed in small portions in trays. Or you can make raspberry puree and freeze it.

Blackberry

Blackberry will retain its appearance for a long time if it is laid out in one layer in a shallow container.

Currant

Currants are laid out in containers, covered with white sugar and put away for storage. Or just freeze berries.

Cranberries

Cranberry is good because it has a very dense skin, does not crumple and does not stick together when frozen. Therefore, the fruits are laid out in any containers and placed in the freezer.

Blueberries

It is better to freeze blueberries with hotel berries or in a puree state.

Gooseberries

First, the stalks and "tails" are removed from the gooseberries. Only after this lengthy procedure, whole fruits are left for the winter.

Cherry and sweet cherry

Cherries and sweet cherries are frozen with pits for making compotes. And for jelly, jelly or as a filling for pies - without them. Plastic boxes are used as containers.

Also, cherries and cherries can be stored in their own juice. Bones are removed from the berries. The most ripe and soft specimens are crushed with a blender and mixed with granulated sugar. Strong fruits are placed in tall trays in one layer, poured with sugar mass, placed in the freezer.

How long does frozen food last in the freezer?

The shelf life of fruits and berries varies.

Apricots Peaches 4Sea buckthorn, raspberry, red and black currants 5 8 7 5

Product name.	How many months can be stored.
6
	Cherry, plum
	Viburnum, blueberry, gooseberry, strawberry
	Blackberry, raspberry

Do not delay the storage of fruits, as they gradually lose vitamins and nutrients.

Defrost Rules

It is very important to properly defrost fruits and berries. First you need to decide for what purpose the workpiece will be used.

If for the purpose of eating directly, without heat treatment (that is, put in a salad, mixed with sour cream or kefir), then the simplest method is used. The required number of fruits in the evening is transferred from the freezer to a bowl, which is placed on one of the shelves of the refrigerator. In the morning in the container you can see the fruits in a liquid consisting of juice and melted water. The former are eaten immediately. And you don't need to wash them. And the second one is poured out.

This method is considered the best, since the pulp of berries and fruits is not damaged. When the defrosting process is carried out at room temperature, the appearance of the fruit deteriorates noticeably.

If a dessert will be prepared from the fruits, then there are two ways to defrost. To create a fruit drink, tea, liqueur, or as a filling for homemade pastries or dumplings, the fruits are not thawed, but sent from the freezer to a saucepan or kettle. For mousses, casseroles and jelly, the workpiece is defrosted in the refrigerator.

Do not forget that watery thawed fruits can change the consistency of the dough. Therefore, this point must be taken into account when pies or cakes are baked.

Huge freezers allow you to prepare a large amount of fruits and berries for the winter. In winter, they are useful for preparing various delicacies. In the summer, do not be lazy, you need to put as many fruits as possible in the refrigerator. If you follow the rules of storage, then their appearance and taste will remain on top.

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