How to freeze honeysuckle for the winter as juice, puree, or whole berries
Honeysuckle is considered a valuable source of vitamins, helps fight viruses and cardiovascular diseases. But she has a very short time, she blooms early and finishes ripening in June. Therefore, the hostesses harvest it in different ways. Let's talk about one of them - how to freeze honeysuckle for the winter.
The content of the article
Can honeysuckle be frozen
Honeysuckle is a product of short-term storage... And in order to extend the period without losing useful properties, it is frozen. Honeysuckle has no contraindications to storage in the freezer, it is even encouraged.
The advantages and disadvantages of such a blank
This method has positive aspects.:
- vitamins and nutrients are preserved;
- shelf life - from 2 to 10 months;
- saving time and money - no need to go to the store.
As for the cons, he is alone: you need a place to store berries with a consistently low temperature.
Selection and preparation of berries
The main criterion is that the berries must be ripe and undeformed... Green and overripe should not be used. They are pre-washed under running warm water (you cannot pour boiling water over them, otherwise they will lose their valuable properties) and dried on paper towels.
Reference. After washing, it is necessary to get rid of excess moisture so that the berries do not lose their taste when defrosting.
How to properly freeze honeysuckle
It is important to pay attention to the choice of packaging. It must be airtight and suitable for food and refrigerator use. It is preferable to take small containers. The best option is thick plastic bags. Plastic cups and containers will also work.
You can freeze honeysuckle in different consistencies.
Interesting on the site:
How to keep honeysuckle fresh and processed
Instructions for transplanting honeysuckle to a new location
Whole berries
It is important to select berries with a dense skin, without cracks. After drying, they should be placed in the freezer for 1-2 hours, spread out in a thin layer so that they do not stick together... Then pack in small portions into a prepared dry container. It is better to use sealed bags - they will take up less space.
Puree
For this method, you can take overripe berries.... The honeysuckle must be ground in a blender into a homogeneous mass. Then pass everything through a sieve, getting rid of the unmilled particles, then add sugar in a 1: 1 ratio and pour into the prepared container (portion containers, cups), covered with a lid or cling film.
Important! Do not fill the containers with the resulting puree to the brim. Under the influence of cold, the liquid in the mixture will expand, and it will need additional space.
In syrup
Preliminary boiled sugar syrup from 1 liter of water and 500 g of sugar cool to room temperature. Spread the honeysuckle in a thin layer in prepared containers. Pour the resulting sweet liquid over the berries 1 cm higher. The mass can be frozen in the form of tiles.
Attention!The syrup and berries should be at the same temperature.
In sugar
Pack the honeysuckle in plastic containers with a layer of 2 cm, pour sugar on top with the same layer. Fill the container, alternating layers, close the lid tightly.
In the form of juice
Before squeezing, the berries should be scalded with boiling water... This will help the most juice production.Then squeeze the honeysuckle in a juicer or manually through cheesecloth. Add sugar to the resulting mass (150-200 g of sand per 1 liter of liquid). The juice can be poured into ice bags.
With condensed milk
An easy way to make a delicious and healthy dessert... Put the berries in small portions in a plastic container and pour condensed milk - 1 can of condensed milk per 1 kg of honeysuckle. Cover the resulting mass with a lid or foil.
Take a note:
How to freeze black currants for the winter
Storage periods
The storage period depends on how the product is frozen.... If the berry is frozen without additional ingredients, it is 10 months. The addition of sugar shortens the time to 6 months. It is better to use a blank with condensed milk within 2 months.
Important! In order not to exceed the shelf life of the product, a label with the date of freezing is attached to the container.
How to defrost honeysuckle properly
The quality of the product depends on correct defrosting. First, the honeysuckle must be moved from the freezer to the refrigerator. and keep it there for 5-7 hours, then let it reach at room temperature. Gradual (gentle) defrosting preserves vitamins and useful properties in berries.
Attention! Re-freezing is prohibited, the berries will lose all value.
Conclusion
Freezing honeysuckle takes a little time and effort - it does not need to be peeled of twigs or seeds. By giving the process a minimum of time, you can provide your family with a valuable and tasty dessert for the whole winter. And the correct preparation of berries for freezing, compliance with storage and defrosting standards will increase the shelf life and preserve the taste and nutritional qualities of honeysuckle.