How to store fresh basil in the refrigerator for the winter at home

How to store basil is a challenge for many gardeners. This spicy plant is actively eaten. It goes well with tomatoes, fish and seafood. Basil contains rutin, sugars, vitamins (B, PP, A, C, carotene), phytoncides. It is used as medicine. It is effective for colds, coughs, allows you to normalize the digestive tract.

Gardeners want to have a useful seasoning grown on their own on the table all year round. To do this, you should learn how to properly harvest and store greens.

Collecting and preparing for storage

Only properly harvested basil will keep for a long time with minimal loss of vitamins. Greenery harvesting rules:

1. Cutting should only be done in dry weather. The optimal time is the morning hours. It is recommended to wait for the dew to dry.
2. Green should be collected from those bushes where flowers have not blossomed. In this case, the basil is tender and delicious.
3. It is recommended to cut branches about 15 cm long: the most juicy leaves are on them.
4. Cutting is recommended to be carried out regularly (once every two weeks): this way the bushes become more magnificent.

The harvested basil is washed in plenty of cold water, allowed to drain and dried on paper towels folded in several layers.

Methods of storage

Gardeners know several ways to store greens. Everyone can choose the right one.

In the fridge

The most common way. Greens are placed in a perforated plastic bag and placed in the fruit compartment. Basil will keep fresh for 5-7 days.

Industry offers special plastic containers for greens. They should be placed on the lowest shelf.

At room temperature

You can keep basil fresh without refrigeration. A bunch of greenery is recommended to be placed on a table or window sill in a glass of water. The liquid must be topped up as it evaporates. The plant will be fresh for 3-5 days.

Long term storage

Gardeners want to provide themselves with grown crops for the winter. To do this, you need to apply other methods.

Freezing method

This method requires free space in the freezer. Prepared greens should be cut, put in a container or plastic bag, tightly sealed. Put in the freezer on the "quick freeze" mode, after 30 minutes return to the normal mode.

Lemon basil gardeners freeze differently. The plant is crushed, placed in a container for ice, poured with water. After freezing, ice cubes are stored in a plastic bag. They are added to drinks.

Drying basil

The method does not require special storage conditions. But with this method of preparation, most of the useful substances are lost.

Leaves should be separated from the stems, cut. Then spread in a thin layer on a paper towel in a dry, ventilated place.Twice a day stir cutting. Basil is ready when the leaf bends and breaks, not crumbles. Keep the workpiece in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. The fragrance lasts about 3 months.

Industry produces electric dryers. The device blows the raw material with air at 30-40 degrees Celsius. Drying time - up to 2 hours. The advantage of this treatment: the plant does not dry out, the nutrients are preserved as much as possible.

Some gardeners use the oven to get winter seasoning. Modern stoves have a "drying" mode. The mechanism resembles an electric dryer. There is a possibility of sound control. This makes things easier.

In simple slab models, basil should be dried with the door open at minimum power. The baking sheet should be lined with baking paper. Raw materials should be stirred regularly. Readiness is determined manually.

Marinating spices

For this type of canned food, only leaves are used. Sequence of actions:

• sterilize jars;
• fill them with leaves to the top;
• prepare marinade: 1 liter water, 1 tablespoon s alt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon grape or apple cider vinegar;
• fill the contents with boiling marinade;
• cork.

After cooling, store canned food in the refrigerator.

Basil Canning

Basil prepared in this way is an exquisite addition to fish and meat dishes. How to proceed:

• sterilize a glass jar;
• put the leaves in layers in a jar;
• sprinkle each layer with sea s alt;
• pack until juice appears;
• close the lid.

Canned food should be kept in the refrigerator. You need to ensure that the juice covers the contents of the jar. If it is not available, add cold boiled water with s alt (1 teaspoon per glass of water).

Some gardeners fill the contents of the jar with unrefined olive oil. It should cover the leaves.

Pasta

This is a common winter condiment. Basil sprigs are pureed in a blender with s alt, olive oil. S alt is a preservative, it is put in excess. The oil determines the consistency of the puree. Sometimes garlic is added. Cooked pasta is either frozen or placed in sterile jars and stored in the refrigerator.

How much to store

Properly cooked and stored basil is a delicious spice and medicine Frozen greens are recommended to be stored for no more than a year. Dried basil should be consumed within 3 months. In the refrigerator, greens are suitable for consumption for 5-7 days. At room temperature, the plant looks fresh for up to 5 days.

Recommended