In what form and how to freeze beets for the winter in the freezer: general rules and useful tips

Beets contain many vitamins, amino acids and minerals. It occupies one of the first places in providing the body with magnesium, sodium, chlorine, phosphorus and calcium. Its roots are high in iodine. Therefore, beets must be included in the diet, especially in the winter season.

Freezing is one of the most effective ways to prepare vegetables for the winter. Frozen vegetables retain more vitamins and nutrients than those stored in cool rooms and cellars. But in order for frozen foods to remain healthy, you need to take into account some of the nuances of the preparation. Consider how to freeze beets in the freezer for the winter.

Is it possible to freeze beets for the winter at home

Beets are harvested for future use in various ways. One of them is freezing.

The advantages of this method:

1. The freezing process takes less time and effort than conservation.
2. It turns out a semi-finished product that will save time when preparing dishes.
3. Almost all nutrients are preserved in frozen root crops.
4. You will be confident in the quality of the frozen product, unlike the commercial mixes.

Subtleties of the process

Before the start of freezing, prepare the container. It must be clean and dry. Plastic disposable containers or bags (special for freezing or ordinary packaging) are suitable.

Since the root crop loses its beneficial properties upon repeated freezing, it is advisable to freeze it in small portions, which are required for cooking.

The root crop for freezing should be fresh, ripe, small in size, with a smooth, even burgundy skin, without damage or signs of decay. Early varieties of beets with low taste are not suitable for freezing.

reference... Do not pick beets with a lot of small roots at the main root - this is a sign that they are tough on the inside.

The tops of the selected root crops are cut off and thoroughly washed under cold water with a brush.

Harvesting beets for the winter in different forms

Beets are suitable for freezing both raw and after heat treatment (boiled, baked, stewed).

The root vegetable is frozen whole, in pieces (cubes, strips), grated or in the form of puree. It depends on what dishes you plan to cook in the future. For soups and Korean snacks, beets are grated, for salads and vinaigrettes they are cut into cubes or strips, for diet food - in large pieces, for casseroles and baby food they are chopped in mashed potatoes.

When freezing the whole root crop, the main disadvantage is that it must be completely defrosted before use. The crushed product is added to some dishes without defrosting.

The root vegetable is frozen alone or as part of mixtures with other vegetables.

Raw beets

The fastest and easiest way is to freeze raw beets. It is frozen whole, sliced ​​or grated.

On a note! Frozen raw beets lose color during cooking.

The washed beets are peeled, washed again and dried with a paper towel.

Peeled root vegetables are frozen whole, having previously been decomposed into separate packages, or cut or grated. The crushed root vegetable is laid out in portions in a prepared container and put into the freezer.

If you do not want the shredded vegetable to turn into a lump, you should freeze it in two stages. First, the pieces are laid out on a tray and placed in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Then the frozen pieces are laid out in bags, air is pumped out of them and put back into the freezer.

Raw chopped beets can be mixed with raw carrots. This set is used to make borscht.

Boiled beets

Boiled beets are frozen whole or chopped (chopped, grated).

Washed root vegetables are not peeled, poured with water and boiled until tender. To prevent them from losing color, the boil in the pan should be barely noticeable. Also, a little vinegar is added to the water to preserve the color.

Readiness is checked with a knife: it easily enters the pulp of the finished root crop... Pour boiled beets with cold water and cool. Then peel off the skin. Peeled root vegetables are laid out in packages whole and frozen. Either it is chopped with a knife or grated, packed in portions and put in the freezer.

To prevent the pieces from freezing to each other, they are frozen in two stages, like raw beets.

Baked beets

You can not boil the vegetable in water, but bake it in the oven. To do this, it is washed, wrapped in foil and placed in an oven (180-200 ° C).

Small vegetables are cooked in 40–45 minutes. Then the beets are cooled, peeled and frozen in the same way as boiled beets.

Beetroot puree

Beets are frozen in the form of puree for the winter. For this, washed, but not peeled root vegetables are boiled or baked in the oven. Finished beets are peeled and chopped in a blender or rubbed through a sieve. The resulting mass is laid out in ice molds and placed in a freezer.

When the cubes are frozen, they are transferred into one container or bag and put away for permanent storage. Frozen puree is used to make casseroles, cereals and baby food.

Beet tops

Beetroot leaves are used for salads and soups. For freezing, they are washed and dried, then cut into strips. They are placed in bags or containers, but loosely so that everything does not turn into an ice ball, and placed in the freezer.

How much to store and how to defrost beets

The frozen product is stored at a temperature of -18 ° C and below. The shelf life is from 8 to 10 months.

Defrost root vegetables on a shelf in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You cannot use quick defrosting, because the product will lose its beneficial properties, and the dish from it will turn out to be bland and tasteless.

If you're adding the root vegetable to a soup or sauce, you don't need to defrost it. But it should be borne in mind that it cooks faster than fresh, so it is better to add it at the end of cooking or stewing.

Tips & Tricks

When freezing beets, consider some of the nuances:

1. Beet juice strongly stains the work surface and hands, therefore it is advisable to use gloves when processing the root crop. If you do get dirty, you can wipe the stains off your hands and surfaces with a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda. Then wipe the surface with a soft cloth dampened with soapy water.
2. To make boiled beets easier to clean after boiling, they are poured several times with cold water until they cool completely.
3. It is better to freeze the root vegetable in small portions. Do not re-freeze.
4. When freezing a whole vegetable, it is advisable to use the "Quick Freeze" function, if available. If not, the optimum temperature for freezing is -10 to -14 ° C.
5. It is necessary to freeze table varieties of beets.
6. The faster you freeze the harvested beet crop, the more vitamins and minerals it will retain.
7. Indicate on the container with frozen root vegetables when and how the harvest was made. This will help you track the expiration date of the product and choose the right bag or container.

Read also:

How to freeze corn on the cob at home.

The simplest preparations: how to freeze green peas.

Is it possible to freeze zucchini for the winter and how to do it correctly.

Conclusion

Frozen beets are a convenient semi-finished product for preparing various dishes. It is harvested in several ways, each of which has its own pros and cons. For soups and sauces, freeze raw chopped root vegetables, and for salads, chopped boiled beets.

It is advisable to freeze the product in small portions using the "Quick freeze" function. Observing the simple rules of procurement, you will provide yourself with a useful and high-quality product for the whole winter.