Preserving vitamins, or is it possible to freeze fresh cabbage in the freezer?

Vegetables and fruits quickly cooled to -18°C are second only to fresh fruits and leaves in terms of the amount of nutrients. Freezing cabbage in the freezer is an easy way to preserve vitamin products for the winter.

The vegetable plant is rich in water (90% by weight), so there are features of preparation for freezing and subsequent use.

Let's take a closer look at whether and how to properly freeze fresh cabbage for the winter in order to store it in the freezer.

Storage without loss of beneficial properties

Any method of storage and cooking leads to a change in the composition of vegetables.

It is advisable to consume fruits or other parts of plants fresh.. If for some reason this is not possible or there is no basement with suitable conditions, then the best alternative is freezing.

Some food technologists and nutritionists recommend not freezing cabbage due to its high water content. The moisture in the freezer evaporates quickly. The product loses some of its beneficial properties and the taste changes after defrosting.

• an easy way to preserve vegetables for the winter;
• easy preparation and handling before cooling;
• long-term storage without significant loss of quality;
• saving time when preparing food.

Freezing takes first place in the unofficial ranking of methods for storing fruits and vegetables.

How to prepare vegetables and containers for freezing for the winter?

Vegetables must be processed as quickly as possible after purchase. Quick preparation for storage in the freezer involves peeling the top leaves of the head of cabbage to freeze whole. It will take a little more time to remove the leaves from the forks and cut the cabbage into strips.

How to prepare cabbages:

1. Remove all outer leaves and carefully cut out the core.
2. Before freezing the whole head, rinse it in cold water.
3. If you need a preparation for cabbage rolls, then cut the head in the middle with a sharp knife into 2 halves and remove the leaves.
4. If you are making stock for borscht, then divide each half of the head into 2 more parts to make 4 pieces.
5. Remove the core. Freeze as is or chop finely. White and red cabbage are usually shredded and cut into narrow strips.

Before freezing, vegetables are blanched - treated with hot water or steam. In this way, air is removed from plant tissues, so the shelf life is extended. The proportions of vegetables and water are 1:4. For 2-3 heads of cabbage take 2 tbsp. l. salt.

Instructions:

1. Pour salt into the cut hole and place the fork in a container of boiling water. Wait until it boils again, reduce the heat to low. Blanch for 3 minutes. Let the water drain, then put the whole head or just the leaves in the freezer.
2. Pre-blanch the fork pieces or whole leaves in salted water for 1-2 minutes.
3. Soak cabbage sticks or pieces in salted boiling water for less than 1 minute.
4. Remove whole heads or halves from the water using kitchen tongs and place them on a towel.
5. Remove the leaves from the pan using a slotted spoon and let the water drain.
6. Drain the shredded cabbage through a colander.

Prolonged contact with hot water worsens the taste of the leaves; they become very soft. For this reason, they blanch very quickly.

What should I store it in?

For storing leaves or shredded cabbage in the freezer use plastic containers with lids.

Rectangular containers are more practical for placement in the freezer than round ones. Disposable plastic trays are not suitable: they break easily after freezing.

Practical type of packaging - plastic bags. They are convenient for storing whole and chopped heads and leaves in the freezer. The bags are filled in such a way that the contents are used at a time, for example, for one pan of borscht.

Be sure to release the air from them after filling the portioned bags. On the top of the container they sign with a marker what they put in and the date of freezing. You can stick on trade price tags, sign with a pen, pencil or felt-tip pen.

It is not recommended to pack containers and bags too tightly in the freezer. Air must circulate between foods in the refrigerator.

Methods

There are several ways to store fresh cabbage in the freezer.

Whole heads

Small and medium-sized heads are wrapped tightly in cling film. Before use, transfer from the freezer to the vegetable shelf of the refrigerator.

After the cabbage has thawed a little, remove the film and divide the head of cabbage into leaves. An uncut fork preserves nutrients better.

The disadvantage of this storage method is that whole heads take up a lot of space. In addition, the taste of frozen vegetables differs from fresh ones.

Leaves

Each head of cabbage purchased in a store or cut from the garden must be cleaned of contaminated upper leaves and washed. It is recommended to remove the leaves by hand rather than cut them. When in contact with metal, many plant compounds are destroyed.

Instructions:

• take medium-thick leaves;
• blanch, let them cool on the counter;
• if the leaves are large, then divide into 2 parts;
• fold the leaves into piles of 10 pieces;
• place in a bag, close tightly.

Frozen leaves are not washed before preparing cabbage rolls; they are allowed to thaw a little. Then they become soft and do not tear. One sheet defrosts at room temperature after 10 minutes.

Shredded

Prepare the heads of cabbage in the same way as for freezing the leaves.. Cut in any convenient way. Place in containers or bags made of thick polyethylene. They take up little space, especially after shaping them flat.

Storing shredded cabbage in the freezer is convenient because it significantly reduces the time it takes to prepare dishes.

Unfortunately, in this form the vegetable loses its beneficial properties faster., softens more, not suitable for salads. Whole heads and larger pieces retain more nutrients.

How to freeze shredded cabbage for the winter, video recipe:

Deadlines

The temperature in the refrigerator freezer reaches -18°C. Under such conditions, vital processes in plant cells stop and microbes do not multiply.Cabbage is stored at this temperature for up to 10–12 months.

The shelf life of frozen vegetables is long - almost until the new harvest. However, it is not recommended to keep vitamin products in the freezer at home for more than 6–8 months. The beneficial properties of vegetables decrease with each week of storage.

Adviсe

“Proper” freezing is ensured by No Frost technology. Almost no frost forms in grocery bags; after defrosting, the cabbage will not soften.

SuperFrost mode - shock freezing, which most fully preserves nutrients and nutrients. In addition to choosing a refrigerator with new technologies, it is important to follow the rules of storage and defrosting.

Recommendations:

1. Cool the cabbage after treatment with boiling water, not with cold water, but slowly, in the air. This way vitamins are better preserved.
2. Place the cooled cabbage (shredded and leaves) after blanching on a tray and place in the freezer for 2 hours. Then pack into containers or bags. This technique helps prevent the piece from freezing.
3. Defrost at low temperatures, that is, in the refrigerator, but not using hot water or a microwave.
4. Use shredded white cabbage for borscht, cabbage soup and stew unfrozen.
5. After defrosting, do not refreeze vegetables. Otherwise, the nutritional properties and taste will deteriorate.

Do not freeze some of the cabbage, but chop it and ferment it. The vegetable in this form also retains its beneficial properties.

Read all the most useful and important things about storing cabbage Here.

Conclusion

Frozen whole or chopped heads, leaves are not suitable for salads. The semi-finished product from the freezer is used for cabbage rolls, borscht and other familiar dishes.

Defrosting occurs quickly and is not required for chopped vegetables.. The shelf life of cabbage in the freezer is long, almost until the new harvest.