How to freeze cranberries for the winter in the refrigerator

Modern equipment allows not only to quickly freeze a variety of products, but also to keep them for a long time without losing taste and useful qualities. When the body is in dire need of vitamins (in winter and spring time), such preparations come in handy. Frozen cranberries retains almost all of its beneficial properties and vitamins, which are lost in the boiling process. Therefore, those who want to have on hand this storehouse of vitamins, will be interesting and useful our story.

Are nutrients preserved when frozen?

If you managed to collect a large amount of this most valuable product, you should not rush to process it according to the standard scheme (cook compote, jam, juice, etc.). There is a unique method, how to keep fresh cranberries, and at the same time to preserve its properties - good freezing. The best berries for freezing are those that are harvested 2-3 hours before harvesting.They as much as possible keep the flavoring and useful qualities. Cranberry (or northern lemon) contains a lot of nutrients:

• acids: quinic, ursolic, ascorbic, citric, benzoic, malic;
• pectins and glycosides;
• glucose;
• vitamins PP, K, group B.

Preparation of berries before freezing

Before freezing the fruits are sorted:

• separated from the leaves;
• throw out rotten and tainted copies;
• select the whole, not crushed units (crushed fruits can be put on the juice);
• immature discarded altogether.

In short, only fully ripened berries are suitable for harvesting.

After the most beautiful and high-quality copies are selected, they are washed and dried. Dry well on paper or cloth towels.

Ways of freezing: step-by-step instruction

To enjoy fresh berries in the winter, it is not necessary to purchase separate equipment.The task of high-quality and fast freezing works well for most modern refrigerators.

Simple

There are several techniques for freezing cranberries at home, but the easiest and most productive is mass freezing. For this, high-quality (ripe, hard) fruits (pre-prepared) are laid out in bags and sent to the freezer.

You can use an alternative method of freezing fresh fruit: berries are laid in bulk on a tray or platter and sent for 2-3 hours in the freezer. After that, the cranberries are taken out and packaged in bags or containers, which are then put back in the freezer. This method is more productive, because the berries can make juice and stick, that is, lose their “marketable” look.

With sugar

Those who know how to freeze cranberries for the winter with sugar, always use this method.This method differs from freezing fresh berries in that the fruits are first rolled in sugar or poured with sugar syrup. This type of preparation allows not only to preserve the natural shape of the fruit, but also to emphasize their taste.

How much can you store

As a rule, it is recommended to store frozen fruits for 8-10 months. But cranberry is a unique berry. If the freezing is carried out according to all the rules, then at a temperature of -18 ° C it can be stored from 1 year to 3. The billet should be stored away from products such as fish and meat. They are able to "reward" the product with their flavor.

At the same time, care should be taken to ensure the integrity of the package so that the fruit does not lose moisture. It is not recommended to re-freeze fresh berries - they will not only lose their taste and presentation, but may also be harmful to their health. In case the thawed fruits were not immediately used, it is better to subject them to thermal processing and only then freeze them.

Do I need to defrost

Cooking some dishes (mostly with heat treatment) does not require prior defrosting of cranberries. But for many dishes, frozen berries are better prepared beforehand. And do it right. First of all, it is impossible to allow intake of air and outflow of juice.

The most affordable and quickest way to defrost is to place the product in an airtight container and lower it for 30-45 minutes in cold water. But the most optimal method is to transfer frozen fruits into the refrigerator. True, it will take much more time (about 7 hours), but it will retain more useful and taste qualities.

What can be done

Frozen cranberries will not only help boost immunity in the winter, but also diversify dishes if you know what can be cooked from it.

1. Salads and cereals. Fruits can be simply added to sauerkraut or grated carrots. And they can also become an indispensable ingredient for vitamin salads (based on cabbage, chicken, turnip, banana, etc.).
2. Sauces and dressings.Cranberries make gorgeous, taste-grabbing sauces for meat, fish and desserts.
3. Morsy, compotes and jelly. Refreshments are good not only in summer but also in winter. Moreover, in the cold season, they are a rich source of vitamins and vigor.
4. Stuffing for pies, muffins and cottage cheese casseroles. Cranberry is the ideal option. In addition, such dishes are prepared fairly quickly.
5. Dessert. If flour products seem like hard food for you, then you can make a light dessert from frozen cranberries.

After reading our article, you learned how to freeze a priceless cranberry, while maintaining its healthy qualities, taste and appearance. Using our advice, you will be able to delight your loved ones throughout the winter with tasty and healthy dishes with this berry.