How to properly freeze green peas at home for the winter, the best recipes
The season for fresh vegetables passes quickly, but sometimes in winter there is a desire to eat something green, so reminiscent of summer. Green pea ripens quickly and departs just as rapidly. Despite the fact that now you can find almost everything in stores, many housewives prefer to make preparations for the cold on their own on their own. In this article, we will share with you how to freeze green peas at home for the winter.
Content
Is it possible to freeze peas for the winter
Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to freeze peas for the winter. First, we propose to figure out what the benefits of this product are. So, this representative of legumes contains:
- vitamins C, B, folic acid, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium;
- amino acids choline, lecithin and methionine, which are responsible for lipid metabolism in the human body;
- protein and carbohydrates;
- vitamin inositol, which is very beneficial for the heart.
In addition, peas are indicated for the prevention of diseases such as goiter, anemia and atherosclerosis.
Most of the energy value is in fresh product, however, those who want to consume peas for a long time can freeze it at home.
Which peas are best for freezing
Sometimes you can hear complaints from the housewives that they tried to freeze the product, but in the end they did not succeed. Sometimes it really happens, and it happens for the reason that it is worth considering some of the subtleties of freezing.
First of all, you need to pay close attention to the product. So, you need to choose peas of excellent quality, not wormy and without obvious signs of disease. It is best to pay attention to young peas, overripe legumes will not work, especially if in the future such a product is planned to be used in salads.
Green pods are selected, in which it can be seen that the peas are fleshy, not overripe or damaged. By the way, this is not an easy task, since young legumes tend to ripen quickly and, as a result, overripe. However, they are easy to distinguish from young ones - they stand out with a yellow color and dried skin.
Preparing the refrigerator
Perhaps some housewives do not even know, but before the freezing process, special attention should be paid to the place where it will take place, namely the refrigerator.
If the refrigerator has a chamber with a temperature regime below -18 degrees, this option is just perfect.At the initial stage of freezing, the product must be stored in exactly such conditions. After some time, the peas are transferred to the usual freezer compartment of the refrigerator, where they can be safely stored for up to a year, that is, almost until the next harvest.
For frozen food, you need to clear a place in the refrigerator. Naturally, not everyone has space in the freezer, and peas, in any case, will coexist with other products, so special attention should be paid to the tightness of the packaging of each content stored in the refrigerator.
How to freeze green peas at home
Since the new generation of home appliances appeared, many things have become simpler. So, fresh green peas can be stored without problems in the freezer until the next harvest. The main thing is to adhere to all the subtleties in the process of freezing these useful legumes.
If the hostess has enough of this ingredient, it is best to freeze the product in small batches, since it dries quickly in the fresh air.
Freezing green peas at home is not difficult, and the whole process does not take very long. So, pre-processed fruits are laid out on a surface covered with cling film and simply moved to the freezer, where an intensive freezing program is set.
In this mode, the legumes are as long as is written in the instructions for the refrigerator, after which they are transferred to a special container and placed in the freezer compartment for long-term storage.
Peas can be frozen in several ways, which you will learn about below.
Freezing raw peas
To begin with, as mentioned earlier, you need to carefully select the peas. So, peas should be bright, not soft, wormy or stained. You should choose fresh and ripe peas. After that, it must be sorted out and debris removed from it.
In a small saucepan, you need to boil water and place the peas in it, after which the fire turns off, and the product remains in boiling water for 2 minutes. Next, the legumes are transferred to cold water for 10 minutes, after which they are removed on a towel.
Dried peas are placed in a container for freezing and placed in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for 2 days.
Previously blanched in pods
Freezing peas in pods with preliminary blanching is carried out as follows:
- The pods are sorted and washed.
- Water is boiled over a fire in a large saucepan. You should also prepare a large bowl of cold water or ice cubes.
- Bean pods are placed in a colander and, as such, are placed in a boiling liquid. Instead of a colander, you can use a cloth or muslin bag or wire basket.
- Blanching takes place in this order: for snow peas - 1 minute; for sweets - 1.5-2 minutes.
- Then everything is removed from the fire and immediately transferred to cold water. This is necessary so that the cooking process can be stopped immediately.
- The pods are dried naturally or with paper towels. At the same time, it is not recommended to leave the pods in the air for a long time, as they can become tough.
- After all these steps, the product can be frozen. Peas are placed in special bags or containers. It is necessary to ensure that all the air from the packaging (if the peas are placed in bags) is released. In addition, the product can be folded on a baking sheet, previously covered with parchment paper, wrapped in plastic wrap and put in the freezer of the refrigerator. After the frozen pods are placed in special bags or stacked in containers for long-term storage.
In ice cube trays
This method is of interest to many housewives. To prepare peas in ice cube trays for the winter, you must strictly follow the recommendations below.
The peas are removed from the pods, washed and placed in ice containers. Baking tins made of silicone may also work for these purposes. Next, the peas are poured with water (broth). The liquid should not be filled to the very edges of the forms, as during freezing they expand and it can flow out. The finished forms are placed in the freezer for one day, after which the ice with legumes is taken out and transferred to a special container for long-term storage.
The term and rules of storage of the frozen product
Many housewives who have prepared peas for the winter are interested in how long they can lie in the freezer. As for storing frozen peas, the most important thing is to observe the temperature regime. So, if the product is stored at a temperature of -18 degrees, then it can be eaten for up to 9 months. When freezing, it is best to make a note on the packaging with the blanks when it was made.
To preserve the taste, color and freshness of the peas, you need to make sure that it does not absorb extraneous odors. This can be done exclusively by choosing the right packaging.
So, special packages or containers are suitable for freezing food. It is necessary to ensure that the packaging is airtight, since the quality of the product also depends on the integrity of the storage container.
How to properly defrost peas
If we talk about defrosting peas, everything will depend on the form in which they are planned to be consumed.
So, if the hostess is going to cook soup, peas and pods, without defrosting, they are sent to a boiling liquid and boiled for 3 to 5 minutes. If the hostess wants to add peas to the salad, before that it must be defrosted naturally by placing it in the refrigerator.
