We prepare greens for the winter: is it possible to freeze green onions and how to do it correctly

Freezing green onions for the winter is the best way to save its taste and aroma. Greens prepared in this way are suitable for preparing a variety of dishes and will be a good help in winter. We offer several ways to freeze onions at home.

Is it possible to freeze green onions

Green onions, like all greens, you can safely freeze... In winter, such a procurement will be very useful, because a bunch of green feathers on the market are much more expensive than in summer, and are practically useless.

Points for and against

Not all housewives harvest green onions by freezing.

There are arguments against this method.:

1. After prolonged exposure to subzero temperatures, greens lose their taste and vitamins. However, if you follow the basic principles of freezing, nothing like this will happen.
2. Not everyone knows how useful this vegetable is and what dishes to add it to.
3. After defrosting, the feathers lose their elasticity, stick together. This only happens if the freezing rules are not followed or defrosting is incorrect.

There are many more arguments in favor of this method.:

1. The procurement process is quite simple and accessible to everyone.
2. Chives stored frozen better than dried or salted green onions.
3. Ready-made chopped greens greatly simplifies and speeds up the cooking process.
4. You don't have to buy green onions from the market, which means you save money and time.
5. The vegetable contains a lot of vitamins and phytoncides, which will strengthen health and raise immunity in the winter.

Loss of beneficial properties

The widespread opinion that greens lose vitamins and other useful components after freezing is refuted by science... In fact, vitamins are not destroyed by freezing, but by exposure to light, air (oxidation), and high temperatures. Freezing, on the contrary, is considered the most optimal way of harvesting to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients.

Taste and consistency after defrosting

If the technology is followed, the taste of green onions remains unchanged.... It only deteriorates when stored for too long and re-freezing after defrosting.

The consistency of onion feathers changes slightly - they become somewhat softer than fresh ones... It depends on the method of freezing and storage conditions. If you follow the recommendations and tips for properly freezing greens, its consistency will hardly change.

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Features of freezing

To get the most of the benefits and preserve the flavor of the green onions, keep in mind some simple but important tips:

1. Before you start cutting greens, rinse it well with running water... Do not rinse chopped onions - this will lead to a loss of taste and aroma.
2. The white part of the onion is also frozen, but it is better to do it in a separate container. Cut off the white "legs" from the greens only after rinsing, so that water does not get on the cut, otherwise the feathers will stick together.
3. Be sure to discard the washed greens in a colander and pat dry with tissue or paper towels. Feathers must be completely dry. Then they will perfectly tolerate freezing and will not stick together.
4. It is better to pack greens in portionsso as not to get it out of the freezer many times. Otherwise, green onions will quickly lose their taste and useful properties.

Choose bouncy feathers in luscious green... Remove everything that is withered, lethargic and dry.

Freezing methods

There are many ways to prepare green onions in the freezer.... We have collected the most accessible and interesting ones.

In various containers

There are several options for harvesting green onions in different containers.:

1. The easiest and fastest way is to freeze your greens in a bag. To do this, it is cut into rings and packaged in portions into small bags. Before tying the bag, be sure to run your hand over it and release excess air. Some housewives use zip bags and a regular juice straw. The bag is not closed until the very end, a tube is inserted near the edge, the air is released, the tube is quickly removed and the bag is completely closed.
2. Freezing in a container Is one of the most common ways. Finely chopped greens are laid out in a thin layer on cutting boards or trays and placed in the freezer for several hours. To prevent onion rings from sticking to the surface of the trays, they are covered with cling film. After the greens have dried in the freezer, they are scattered into containers.
3. There is one more an interesting way to freeze - in a bottle... For this, the greens must also be dried well, otherwise it will be impossible to get it. It is better to use small bottles - no more than 1 liter in volume.
4. Mistresses also practice portion freezing in ice cube trays, cupcakes, muffins. Greens are prepared as for freezing in a container and laid out in containers.

In various forms

Onions are stored both chopped and whole.

There are the following freezing options:

1. Crushed... It is either simply scattered into bags or containers, or added to the molds of water and prepared into cubes of greens with ice.
2. A very original way for gourmets is freezing in butter. It must necessarily lie down at room temperature for one hour. Oil with a high fat content is used, homemade is better. Chopped herbs and spices are added to it to taste. Then the mixture is laid out in molds or wrapped in cling film with a sausage. When the cubes are frozen, they are placed in bags. Another option is to roll the mixture in a bag in a thin layer and break off a piece while cooking.
3. For preservation as a whole, the feathers are wrapped in foil or cling film. This method is suitable for those who cannot spend time slicing, but want to prepare green onions for the winter. One has only to take into account that after defrosting at room temperature, the feathers lose their appearance, become soft.
4. Another way of harvesting is blanching greens... It is placed in a colander and immersed in boiling water for one minute. After that, the onion is cooled and all the liquid is drained. Blanched greens are laid out in plastic containers and put into the freezer.

Storage periods

Frozen greens are stored from 2 months to six months. However, it is important to take into account the nuances on which the preservation time of the beneficial properties of the vegetable depends.

Several recommendations:

1. Storage times depend on the method of freezing and the temperature in the freezer.... The lower it is, the more time you can keep the greens. If the freezer maintains a temperature of -18 ° C, long-term storage of greens for six months or even more is allowed.
2. The optimal shelf life of green onions is 3 months.... That is how long it contains a maximum of useful substances.
3. Buttered green onions spoil fasterso it is better to use it within 1-2 months. It is impossible to re-freeze such cubes, in case of forced defrosting (the light was turned off, the refrigerator broke down) they are immediately used in dishes.

At first, the greens of the onions will spread a strong smell in the freezer., so wrap it in plastic wrap and put it on a separate shelf to keep the flavor from passing on to other foods.

How to defrost properly

Green onions do not need defrosting in all cases.... For hot dishes, casseroles and pies, you do not need to defrost herbs. This is only necessary for whole feathers or adding chopped herbs to cold dishes.

Defrosting is recommended at room temperature or in the refrigerator... In the first case, it will be faster, but the greens will become softer and slippery in consistency. Defrosting will not affect the taste and aroma. In the refrigerator, the greens will retain their firmness, this method is ideal for whole onions.

Do not use microwave or hot water for defrosting... So the greens will not only lose their taste, but also become completely sour.

Where to apply

Aromatic greens of onions are suitable for cooking first and second courses, casseroles, meatballs, omelets, savory pies and pancakes, sauces.

Depending on the method of freezing, green onions are added as a dressing to many dishes.:

1. Cubes frozen onions with water - in hot first courses.
2. Herbs with oil goes well with potatoes, meat and fish, goes well with sandwiches.
3. Chopped greens from packages and containers are added to main courses, casseroles, pancakes, pancakes, pies.
4. Blanched bow good in soups and main courses.
5. For salads, it is better to use carefully defrosted feathers.

Reviews

Many housewives who have tested the method of freezing green onions by their own experience were satisfied with the result. Here are some reviews on this topic.

Anastasia, Moscow: “I liked the method. Last year, I froze a lot of such blanks, the onion tastes like fresh. I added a little to soups, to pies with an egg ".

Valentina, Kazan: “I froze greens with water and cubes, and with butter. For the potatoes what you need - both butter and onion at once. Due to the water, the taste and aroma are perfectly preserved. I collect all surplus greenery like this ".

Lyudmila, St. Petersburg: “I have been using frozen onions for a long time in the winter for soups and pies. I love greens both dried and frozen. The taste lasts well. The family likes it! "

Conclusion

Harvesting green onions for future use will allow you to preserve juicy greens, which practically does not differ from fresh ones in taste and properties. There are different ways to freeze a vegetable, among them each housewife will select suitable options for herself. Green onions in winter will add variety to the diet and fulfill the body's needs for vitamins and microelements.