Harvesting for future use: is it possible to freeze Beijing cabbage for the winter and how to do it correctly

Peking cabbage is rich in vitamins, minerals and other valuable components. The vegetable is not picky about care, it gives an excellent harvest, which makes it popular among gardeners. But it has one drawback - low keeping quality. In order to enjoy delicious vitamin dishes from such cabbage in winter, you should learn how to properly preserve it. We will tell in the article about whether it is possible to freeze Peking cabbage for the winter and if so, how to do it correctly.

Is it possible to freeze Beijing cabbage

The leaves of the vegetable crop are frozen in whole and in crushed form. Way frosts are chosen taking into account the further use of the product.

How properties and taste change

If you strictly adhere to the recommended storage rules, after freezing, the taste and quality of Peking cabbage practically does not change.

Reference. Thawed vegetable (200 g) will provide the body's daily need for ascorbic acid and vitamin A.

Such a product does not lose its therapeutic properties either. It has a positive effect on the body:

• improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, removes toxins;
• normalizes the process of blood clotting;
• strengthens the skeletal system;
• eliminates a depressive state;
• relieves headache.

The substances that make up the vegetable improve the condition of hair, nails and teeth. Due to the high amount of fiber and low calorie content, Peking cabbage is used in dietary nutrition.

Choosing and preparing cabbage for freezing

For freezing, use only mature and high-quality heads of cabbage without signs of disease and damage. Large to medium sized forks with a dense structure are ideal.

First, the leaves are carefully separated and washed in water. Allow the water to drain, after which the vegetable is dried under natural conditions.

Suitable varieties

To preserve the taste of the vegetable, only mid- and late-ripening varieties are taken. The most popular among gardeners:

• Russian size;
• Vorozheya;
• Wineglass;
• Nika;
• Monument;
• Lyubasha;
• Bilko.

How to properly freeze Chinese cabbage

When freezing, simple and few rules are followed. There are several ways to do this.

Wholly

Washed and dried vegetable leaves can be frozen without chopping. This blank is suitable for preparing salads and soups in winter.

The leaves are placed in special food bags with a sealed seal and placed in the freezer.

Important! A quick-freeze mode is used to preserve the flavor and nutritional properties of the cabbage.

Crushed

Prepared leaves are cut into strips and placed in a bag, sealed tightly. Then placed in the freezer.

It is not recommended to stack cabbage tightly - in this state it will better preserve its appearance.

Stuffed cabbage rolls

When the product is frozen, the leaves are prepared in advance. They are immersed in boiling water for a few seconds and discarded in a colander. After cooling, the thickened spots at the base are cut off and cut into pieces of the required size.

Then the leaves are laid out in a portioned stack intended for one-time preparation of stuffed cabbage... The preform is placed in a plastic bag or disposable container and frozen.

Terms and conditions of storage

Frozen cabbage can be used for 1 year.

Attention! The main condition for proper freezing is maintaining a constant temperature regime in the freezer. Defrosting a vegetable will spoil it.

How to defrost properly

Defrost in the following sequence:

1. Take a bag or tray out of the freezer, put it or put it in the refrigerator.
2. Allow the cabbage to thaw a little and only then defrost at room temperature.

This method is suitable if the leaves have been frozen whole. Once removed from the freezer, the sliced ​​product is thrown into boiling water and boiled.

How to apply

Frozen Chinese cabbage is suitable for cooking:

• salads;
• soups;
• stuffed cabbage.

Other storage methods

You can save a vegetable for a long time in other proven ways.

Dried

The dried leaves are used as a delicious vitamin dressing for soups and main courses. A clean vegetable is finely chopped and placed in an oven or electric dryer. When drying, it is recommended to adhere to a temperature of + 50 ... + 60 ° C. They turn on the convection mode or open the door slightly so that the evaporated moisture evaporates and the cabbage is not cooked. Drying time is 4-5 hours.

Attention! To prevent such a product from becoming damp, it is stored in a cotton bag.

Fresh

The ideal place to store vegetables is in the cellar. Cabbage does not spoil for a long time and retains its taste if the required temperature (+ 2 ... + 3 ° C) and humidity (about 95%) are provided in the room.

Healthy and strong heads of cabbage are wrapped in cling film and placed in a wooden container.

Important! Heads of cabbage should not be stored in the same room with apples and other fruits. This neighborhood contributes to the wilting of the leaves of the vegetable crop.

The recommended shelf life is 4-5 months.

Urban residents, as a rule, do not have cellars, so they have to store the vegetable in an apartment. A dry and undamaged head of cabbage is wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a special box in the lower section of the refrigerating chamber. If such a container is not provided, a large plastic container with a lid is used for this purpose.

During storage, the product is systematically inspected, dried and damaged leaves are removed.

Conservation

Peking cabbage is suitable for winter harvesting. Her salt, fermented, pickled and added as an additional ingredient to other salads and snacks.

Vegetables can be quickly and easily pickled and included in a variety of dishes in winter.

For 0.5 kg of cabbage you will need:

• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l .;
• 9% vinegar - 1 tsp;
• water - 0.5 l;
• black peppercorns - 3-5 pcs.

Prepare in several stages:

1. Clean and dry leaves are cut into strips.
2. Pepper is placed in sterilized jars and cabbage is tightly applied.
3. To prepare the marinade, take water and add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil and pour into jars to the very top.

Then the cans are turned upside down and wrapped in a warm blanket so that they cool slowly.

It is interesting:

Proven ways to store Brussels sprouts fresh, frozen and canned for the winter.

In what form and how to properly freeze Brussels sprouts for the winter in the freezer.

Proven ways to keep cabbage fresh on the balcony in winter.

Conclusion

Peking cabbage is a healthy and tasty product that in winter diversifies the menu and enriches the diet with vitamins and minerals useful for the body. To preserve the valuable properties of cabbage, it is frozen, dried and canned. A frozen vegetable is stored for no more than one year.