How to properly freeze rhubarb for the winter at home and is it possible
Many summer residents on the site rhubarb grows, but not many people know what to do with it. Although the plant is used for cooking various dishes and cooking compotes. Freezing rhubarb stems for the winter is not difficult. But in winter you can make delicious pies from it.
We select rhubarb for freezing
Before freezing the stems, you need to choose them correctly:
- Only firm and juicy stems are suitable for freezing for the winter. Withered and dried ones are not suitable for freezing.
- Mature stems need to be peeled, young ones should be left like this.
- The stalks should be free from signs of damage from insects and diseases.
For freezing, both young parts of plants and mature ones are suitable. There is no fundamental difference.
How to prepare rhubarb for freezing?
For freezing, the stems are harvested at any time of the season. The main thing is that the parts of the plant are large and fully formed. Before freezing, mature stems are peeled. Young ones do not need to be peeled, they have a thin skin.
After that, the stems are washed under running water and laid out on a towel. It is important that the workpieces are completely dry from water. After the stems are dry, they are cut into squares. Further actions depend on the chosen method of freezing.
Freezing methods for rhubarb
You can harvest a plant for the winter at home in various ways. When properly frozen, all the nutrients that this plant is so rich in are preserved.
You need to store frozen workpieces in the freezer for no more than two years. Although it is recommended to eat the workpieces in the first year. The longer the raw materials sit in the freezer, the less tasty they will be.
Freezing fresh rhubarb
Many people prefer to freeze the plant fresh. For this, the stems are cut at the root. They should be juicy and thick. The peel is peeled, and the stems themselves are then thoroughly washed in cool water. Then the parts of the plant are laid out on a towel or newspaper to dry out the water.
When the parts of the plant are dry, they are cut into medium-sized squares. Fold in plastic bags and put in the freezer. Before freezing, be sure to dry the stems so that during storage they do not accumulate excess liquid.
Freeze rhubarb with sugar
Another way to freeze is with added sugar. The first step in freezing rhubarb with sugar is exactly the same as in the first recipe. Then the chopped stem must be mixed with granulated sugar.For 2 glasses, take half of the same glass of sugar. Leave the rhubarb for a few hours to soak.
Arrange the workpiece in containers or plastic bags. Put in the freezer so that the workpiece is completely frozen. After that, you need to get the workpiece and separate the pieces.
How to freeze blanched rhubarb?
Raw materials can be frozen in blanched form. First, you need to process the raw material and cut it into pieces. Then proceed as follows:
- Pour water into a saucepan and put on fire. Wait until it boils.
- Place some of the raw materials in a colander and place in boiling water for 1 minute.
- After that, immediately place the raw materials in cold water for a few minutes.
- Wait until all the liquid is drained and spread the raw materials on a towel. The pieces need to be dried.
- Transfer the raw materials into bags and place in the freezer.
Frozen blanched rhubarb tastes the same as fresh frozen.
Freezing rhubarb puree
Before freezing the puree, the stems are prepared in the same way as in the previous methods. Then, when the pieces are ready, they are placed in a blender and ground to a puree state. If desired, add sugar to the puree. The finished puree is laid out in containers and put into the freezer.
How to defrost rhubarb correctly?
In order to preserve all the nutrients, you need to properly defrost it. It is best to defrost raw materials in a special compartment, which is available in some refrigerators. But if there is no such compartment, then there are other ways to simply defrost the product and preserve its benefits for the body.
Defrosting food is not recommended in hot water, as most people do. It is best to leave the blanks in the refrigerator 12 hours before cooking. Or leave it in the room for 4 hours. The workpieces will gradually defrost without losing their nutrients. Also thaw the product in warm water. To do this, you need to place the workpiece in another bag and put it in a plate with warm water for several hours.
You need to defrost as much food as is required to prepare the dish. Re-freezing is meaningless. Raw materials will be tasteless and watery. The same goes for other vegetables.
