The best ways to freeze black currants for the winter in the freezer

Black currant contains many useful substances: vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, carotene, organic acids, sugars, fiber, phytoncides, flavonoids. Thanks to this composition, a handful of black berries in winter will replenish the vitamin balance in the body, increase immunity and help in the fight against colds. The main thing is to properly prepare this product.

Freezing is considered one of the best ways to harvest berries for the winter. Indeed, in this case, most of the nutrients are retained. How to freeze black currants for the winter in the freezer, read on.

Is it possible to freeze currants

Freezing currants is one of the few ways of harvesting for the winter, allowing you to save 84-90% of vitamins... Indeed, in this case, the berries do not undergo hot heat treatment, which leads to the destruction of most nutrients.

Reference. In addition to freezing, there is another way to harvest black currants while preserving vitamins - drying.

Freezing berries for the winter has many advantages.:

1. It allows you to preserve most of the vitamins and minerals, unlike cooking. It is in this form that black currants in winter will help to fill the deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
2. Frozen food tastes as close to fresh as possible. When frozen, they even retain their shape.
3. Black currants are frozen without sugar. In this form, it is suitable for preparing not only desserts, but also, for example, sauces for meat.
4. It will be possible to cook more dishes from such a blank than from jam or jam.

Freezing has disadvantages:

1. If the refrigerator is small, you won't be able to freeze a lot of berries. Otherwise, there will simply be no room in the freezer for other food.
2. To preserve the maximum amount of useful elements, you will need to shock freeze at a very low temperature. Older freezers often lack temperature control. When frozen slowly, currants retain much less nutrients.
3. The jam can be eaten immediately after opening the jar. It will take time to defrost the berries.
4. If the refrigerator requires periodic defrosting, you will have to look for a cool place for the currants during this procedure. Once thawed, food must not be re-frozen.

Selection and preparation of berries

So that frozen currants retain the maximum amount of nutrients, attractive appearance and color, it is important to choose it correctly:

1. The berries must be fully ripe. Overripe lose most of the nutrients. Unripe after freezing acquire an unpleasant taste.
2. The berries should be free of mold, foreign stains and other signs of disease. Such raw materials are unsuitable for consumption without heat treatment.
3. It is important that the currants smell good. Raw materials with a sour flavor will not work.
4. It is desirable that the berries are large. They have a lot of pulp and are sweeter.
5. The berries should be picked from the bush no later than 24 hours before freezing.

It is important not only to choose the right currant, but also to prepare it for freezing.... This process includes the following steps:

1. The currants are separated from the twigs and the tails are cut off. It is better to do this with scissors so as not to damage the shell.
2. The berries are sorted out, removing sluggish, dry and deformed, debris and insects.
3. The berries are washed in a large bowl of cold water. The floating debris and spoiled raw materials are removed.The currants are thrown into a colander so that excess water is glass.
4. Spread out in one layer on a paper or cloth towel and blot with a napkin. The liquid should dry completely. Change wet towels several times if necessary.

You cannot freeze unwashed berries... In this case, pathogenic bacteria remain on them.

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Freezing methods

There are several ways to freeze... Each of them has its own advantages and is suitable for preparing different dishes.

The recipes described below are used to freeze not only black currant, but also red. These methods are also suitable for other berries.

Whole berries

This freezing option is universal... It does not involve the use of sugar. Such currants are suitable not only for desserts. It is used to prepare sauces for meat, add to cake dough, yoghurts, cocktails, etc. It is easy to cook compote or jam from frozen currants.

T. to. when freezing currants, sugar is not used entirely, it can be eaten by people who follow a diet. When properly defrosted, the berries retain their shape and look fresh. The taste of whole frozen currants practically does not differ from fresh ones.

How to freeze whole berries:

1. Prepared dry berries are laid out in one layer on a tray, parchment paper or other substrates. Place in the freezer.
2. If the freezer has a shock (quick) freezing function, it is turned on for 20 minutes. If not, the berries are left in the freezer for 12 hours.
3. Frozen berries are transferred to one large bag or tray.

Properly frozen whole berries do not stick together, so they are not laid out in portions... It is always convenient to get the right amount of currants from the general package.

Cracked and mashed currants are not suitable for this recipe.... Even a small amount of moisture will cause the berries to stick together.

Council.If the freezer does not have a quick freeze function, but there is an option to adjust the temperature, it is set to -19 ° C.

Some housewives use a different way to freeze whole berries at home.... They do not remove them from the branches, but simply wash and dry them completely. Then they are laid out on substrates in one layer and frozen. Store in trays or bags. It is believed that this way currants retain more vitamins.

Puree

Puréing black currants is another way to prepare berries for the winter... The recipe contains sugar. Delicious pies, pancake and ice cream toppings are made from currant puree.

If you just defrost such a blank, you get a jam with a fresh taste and aroma.... If you boil it, it is a jam that will not spoil in the refrigerator for several weeks.

How to prepare:

1. 1 kg of prepared dry currant berries are covered with 1 tbsp. Sahara.
2. Grind with a potato crusher, mashed in a blender or twisted in a meat grinder. The puree is tasted, if necessary, additional sugar is added.
3. Currant puree is laid out in portioned cups or silicone muffin molds and put into the freezer.

When the berry puree is frozen, it is removed from the molds to save space. and put into a bag. Store closed in a freezer.

Cracked and crushed currants are suitable for this recipe.... The main thing is to keep it fresh.

Council.Assorted berries are also prepared according to this recipe. If you insert ice cream sticks into mashed potatoes before freezing, you get a healthy berry sorbet.

In syrup

This is one of the most unusual ways to freeze currants.... These berries are suitable for making desserts and adding to pies.

How to freeze berries in syrup:

1. Prepared dry currants are laid out on trays and placed in the freezer.
2. Sugar syrup is cooked.To do this, take 0.5 kg of sugar per 1 liter of water. The mixture is boiled until the crystals are completely dissolved.
3. Frozen currants are mixed with cooled, but not hardened sugar syrup.
4. The berries are thrown into a colander, allowed to drain off excess liquid, laid out in one layer on a tray, previously covered with cling film or parchment paper.
5. Freeze again. After that, they are poured into bags.

Frozen this way currant covered with an icy sweet crust.

In sugar

Whole currants frozen with sugar is a convenient preparation for making jam, compote, toppings for desserts at any time of the year. This recipe does not take much time, but it makes it easier to cook in winter.

To prepare currants according to this recipe:

1. A layer of prepared berries is placed at the bottom of the plastic tray.
2. A layer of sugar is poured on top so that the currants are completely covered with sweet crystals.
3. The layers are alternated until the container is full.
4. The container is closed with a lid and placed in the freezer.

Read also:

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Some housewives use a different method:

1. Slightly wet currants are poured into a bag.
2. Sugar is added to it at the rate of 1-1.5 tbsp. for 1 kg.
3. The bag of ingredients is shaken until sugar adheres to each berry.
4. After that, the workpiece is frozen.

For this recipe, mashed and cracked berries are not suitable.

Storage periods

Currants are stored in the freezer at constant low temperatures for up to 3 years... However, it is better to use it before the new season of fresh berries. After all, the longer the product lies, the less useful properties it retains.

Council.It is believed that frozen currants retain the most vitamins when stored in a vacuum, but not everyone has a vacuum machine. To create suitable conditions, a straw for drinks is inserted into the opening of the package with berries, which, together with the package, is tightly tightened with a pharmacy rubber band. All the air is sucked off through the tube. Then the straw is removed, and the bag is additionally tied.

How to properly defrost currants

To keep the currants tasty and retain their beneficial properties, it must be properly defrosted.

The list shows suitable methods:

1. In the microwave... For this, the berries are poured into an open suitable container and placed in the microwave. The oven is set to the “defrosting frozen vegetables and berries” mode, indicating the approximate weight of the product. This option is suitable for all methods described above, except for berries in syrup.
2. In a refrigerator... This is the most correct way. The frozen currants are placed in the refrigerator and wait until they are thawed. Suitable for all recipes.
3. In warm water... Currants in a bag or tray are placed in a bowl with warm, but not hot water so that the liquid does not get to the berries. During the defrosting process, the water is changed as it cools. Suitable for whole frozen berries without additives.
4. Cooking... This option allows you to get a delicious sauce for desserts or jam. However, when using it, currants lose most of the nutrients. The berries are simply poured into a saucepan and boiled. This option is suitable for all recipes, but you will have to add sugar to the whole currants.

Many housewives put unfrozen whole berries in the dough for biscuits and pies.

Conclusion

Freezing is the best way to harvest black currants for the winter. It allows you to save up to 90% of nutrients in the product, therefore it is recommended to use it.

There are several recipes for freezing. Better to use all options to have convenience foods for different dishes.