How to properly freeze carrots for the winter in the freezer: rules and methods of freezing

Carrots are traditionally stored in a cool place: in the cellar, basement, on the balcony. Subject to a number of conditions, the vegetable can last until spring. An alternative to storing in a cool place is the freezer.

We will tell you how to freeze carrots for the winter in the freezer, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this method of storing vegetables, and where to use defrosted carrots.

Freezing benefits

It is customary to store carrots in a cellar, basement or other cool place. Subject to certain conditions, the vegetable can be stored until spring. However, if the temperature is too low or too high, the carrots become stained, moldy, dry out or freeze.

Moreover, it is not at all necessary to have a separate freezer, because all modern refrigerators are equipped with spacious freezers. Therefore, this type of blank does not require additional costs or extra efforts.

For all housewives, this method of harvesting has another big plus: you do not need to spend a lot of time. When cooking, just take out a bag and add the required amount of carrots to the dish.

Selecting and preparing carrots

Before freezing carrots in the freezer, you need to take a responsible approach to the choice of products and choose only high-quality material. It is better if these are vegetables from your own garden.

So, the root crops are selected young, juicy, whole, not rotten.

To choose need medium-sized carrots... It is better to postpone small specimens - when frozen, they lose their taste.

Before harvesting, vegetables are well cleaned of dirt, washed, thinly cut off the top layer, cut off the ends and laid out on a towel so that they dry well.

Features of the structure of the root crop

Note: Frozen carrots can be stored in the freezer until the next winter season if you select quality vegetables, follow the rules and be guided by your knowledge of the process.

The peculiarities of the structure of the vegetable culture dictate the rules that are recommended to be followed in order for the freezing result to be successful. Consider them:

1. For storage, carrots should be firm, well-structured, and sufficiently juicy.
2. There should be no cracks, scratches or grooves on the surface of the fruit. Otherwise, when frozen, the moisture protruding on the skin will become ice. Which is highly undesirable for storage quality.
3. Cone-shaped fruits contain more nutrients. This means that a vegetable, losing some of its vitamins during the freezing process, will be able to retain a certain amount of them.

Suitable container

While the vegetables are drying, you can choose a container for freezing.

These can be:

• small plastic trays (containers);
• disposable cups;
• special packages for storing frozen products;
• molds for ice or baking (for mashed potatoes or grated carrots);
• plastic bags with a fastener.

You can use regular plastic bags, but they must be strong and always new.

When using a plastic container, remember that you need to leave 1-1.25 cm of empty space up to the lid, since when freezing vegetables expand and they need free space.

Freezing methods

Before freezing carrots for the winter in the refrigerator (it doesn't matter if you store them in bags or in containers), think about their purpose after defrosting. It is on this that the shape of the cut and the degree of processing depend.

Chopped

For many dishes, carrots are best used cut into slices, thin strips, or small cubes (about 6 mm).

Raw

Chopped carrots in a convenient way are dried and laid out in sachets or containers in single portions. In this case, you need to ensure that there is as little air as possible in the container.

To make it easier to navigate, stickers with the date of packaging and the purpose (for soup, roast, etc.) can be glued to the containers, and placed in the freezer.

You can freeze carrots in two ways:

1. Chopped vegetables are laid out on a plate or a tray and placed in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
2. The frozen pieces are packed in containers, air is expelled from them, hermetically sealed and hidden in the freezer.

Pre-blanching

Since carrots require a long boiling or stewing during cooking, it is advisable to blanch them for several minutes before freezing. Then - pour over with cold water. This will improve the flavor and reduce the cooking time later.

For this type of workpiece, you will need a large saucepan, a container of water and ice.

Ice cold water must be ready before blanching begins.

Blanching is done in the following way:

1. A large saucepan is filled 2/3 full with water and put on fire.
2. After the water boils, prepared chopped (or whole) carrots are thrown into it.
3. After 2 minutes, take out the vegetables and quickly transfer them to ice water.
4. For the same amount of time (2 minutes) the carrots are allowed to “cool down” in order to quickly stop the cooking process.
5. The carrots are transferred to a colander or sieve to drain the water. You can scoop vegetables out of the water with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a paper towel.
6. After the carrots have dried, they are laid out in a thin layer on a tray. In this case, you need to ensure that the parts do not touch.
7. Place the tray in the freezer for 2-3 hours.

Ready vegetables are laid out in portions in a prepared container (it is better to remove from the tray with a spatula) and placed in the freezer.

Grated

Most often, raw carrots are frozen after grating them. There is no special technology for this: the vegetable chopped in this way is laid out in portions and put into the freezer.

It is better to freeze grated carrots in baking tins. After the carrots are frozen, they are simply put into a bag.

Mothers who do not know how to freeze carrots for the winter for a child can use this recipe.

Boil the carrots in unsalted water for 20-30 minutes, grind them with a blender, pack them in bags and place them in the freezer. Such frozen puree can be successfully used as complementary foods for babies.

How to store in the freezer?

After preliminary preparation of vegetables, you can proceed directly to freezing. An important rule for storing frozen vegetables is to comply with the conditions under which the products in the container do not stick together into one frozen lump. Otherwise, there will be a problem of separating part of the carrots, without damaging the rest of the fruits.

In order for the vegetables in the container to be crumbly, you should:

1. Prepare a cutting board or tray.
2. Spread the carrots evenly on it.
3. Put the laid out fruits in the freezer for several hours.
4. When they are slightly frozen, take out.
5. Fold into a prepared container and return to the freezer compartment for long-term storage for the winter.

Placing slightly frozen carrots in a container, you should leave a little free space - with further freezing, the fruits will slightly increase in volume. If you use the "super freeze" mode of the refrigerator, you can quickly get frozen vegetables, put them in containers and send them to the camera for long-term storage.

To successfully preserve carrots in the freezer, you must follow certain rules:

1. It is necessary to set the optimal thermal regime in the freezer - no higher than - 18 ° C.
2. Over-compaction of vegetable bags in the chamber can lead to the formation of solid pieces of ice product, from which it will be very difficult to separate the desired portion.
3. All containers and containers with frozen vegetables should be hermetically closed against the penetration of foreign odors.
4. In the case of planned preventive maintenance of the refrigerator, in order to avoid unwanted defrosting of the product, it should be transferred to a cold place (to the balcony in winter). Can be wrapped in insulating material and overlaid with ice. A simulated "refrigerator" will save the carrots from defrosting for several hours.

The method of cutting depends on how you plan to use the vegetable. For the first courses, grated carrots are suitable, for vinaigrettes - in cubes, for vegetable stews in slices. For baby puree, use boiled carrots.

Wholly

Sort the carrots after harvest. For example, take a large one to store in the basement. Medium-sized fruits are suitable for preparing blanks in jars. You can freeze small carrots whole for the winter.

This method has a number of features:

1. Freezing whole roots requires a lot of space. We recommend using a separate freezing chamber or freezing a small amount of carrots.
2. The defrosting period for whole root vegetables is longer than for chopped ones.
3. Be sure to blanch before freezing whole.

Immerse the washed, peeled fruits in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then remove and cool immediately in cold water. When cool, pour out the water and dry the fruit. Place the root vegetables in prepared containers.

Grated

The most common way is to freeze grated carrots. This is due to the advantages:

• saving freezer space;
• a wide range of applications for various dishes;

We recommend that you divide the vegetables into portions and then freeze them. It is not convenient to separate the required amount from the whole piece.

Best storage options:

1. In small containers in single portions.
2. Round bar. In the future, it is enough to cut a piece of the required length.
3. A flat rectangle (plaque).
4. Whole piece in a bag. Knead frozen carrots to avoid excessive compaction and clumping.

If you want to please your family with juicy carrots, do not use small grater cells. Larger divisions will prevent juice loss. A good option is the cells for cooking carrots in Korean.

Puree for complementary foods

Carrots are perfect not only for a children's menu, but also for feeding babies. To do this, we recommend making a blank according to the following recipe:

1. Wash and peel the vegetable.
2. Boil for half an hour. There is no need to add salt to the water.
3. Cool with ice water to avoid browning.
4. Grind with a hand blender or twist in a meat grinder.

Distribute the finished carrot puree in sealed portioned bags and place in the freezer.

Boiled

You need to know that carrots that have undergone prolonged heat treatment lose a significant part of their beneficial properties. Therefore, freezing boiled carrots is rarely used. Only in cases where they are frozen for filling pies or for quick cooking.

The preparation stage does not differ significantly from the previous recipes. Peel the root vegetables, cut into pieces (if the fruits are large) and boil in water without adding salt. It is not recommended to cook for more than 20-25 minutes.

Let the root vegetable cool and place in special containers. Containers for storing frozen boiled carrots must be hermetically sealed. Otherwise, the root vegetable will absorb extraneous odors and will not be suitable for further consumption.

Supporters of proper nutrition recommend using a more gentle method of heat treatment - blanching. In this case, the carrots do not need to be cooked for half an hour. It is enough to dip it in boiling water for a few minutes, then immediately immerse it in ice water until it cools completely. Thus, the pulp retains its firmness, juiciness and a full range of vitamins and minerals.

How to defrost properly

Boiled or grated carrots do not require defrosting - just take the bag out of the freezer and toss the vegetable into the dish at the end of cooking.

But in order not to lose the useful qualities of the vegetable, you need to defrost it correctly. Before use, frozen carrots are transferred to the refrigerator for several hours so that they gradually thaw. And only then they take it out and leave it at room temperature.

Before use, carrot puree is simply warmed up or put, without thawing, in a paste from other vegetables and heated in a double boiler or microwave.

Carrots in frozen form differ slightly in their benefits from freshly harvested ones. And the dishes from such a vegetable are just as delicious. Moreover, no one will feel the differences, and the hostesses will significantly save time on cooking lunch or dinner. After all, all that is required of them is to get the bag out of the freezer.

According to statistics, in winter a person goes to the store less often, buys fewer products. And all because in the winter time, the products that have been prepared since the summer are consumed. These are marinades, compotes, preserves, jams, salads. And most importantly, frozen fruits and vegetables. Buying them at the height of the summer season, we spend a penny on them than if we took them in the winter. In addition, frozen fruits and vegetables do not lose their beneficial properties - they fully retain all vitamins and minerals. Today we'll talk about carrots - how to properly prepare them for freezing, in what form to freeze and how to safely defrost this vegetable.

Vegetable preparation

How to prepare carrots for freezing?

It will take a kind of sterilization

, which is necessary to protect food from the development of diseases, mold, decay, changes in taste, color and other negative consequences.

Most of vitamins and minerals

will be saved, and you can enjoy the benefits of carrots in the cold season. Also, vegetables after this stage will not fall under the harmful influence of some natural enzymes, and the smell, color and rich color will not disappear anywhere.

How to conduct blanching

? To do this, you will need a sufficient amount of freshly boiled and cold water, including a good supply of ice cubes (about a dozen). Cold water will come in handy for quickly cooling each serving.

To process

carrots are better in separate batches: small-sized vegetables are cooked separately from large ones. Once the water has boiled, pour the carrots into the pot without reducing the heat. It will take 4-6 minutes to cook whole and large vegetables, while 2 minutes is enough for smaller and cut pieces.

As a rule, water evaporates quickly, and without topping up water

the pan is indispensable. At the end of the set time, all carrots are sent to a container with ice water. It will take exactly the same amount of time to keep it there as it was cooked.

Ice water is needed so as not to cook the crop so much that it becomes unusable

for storage in the freezer.

At the last step of this stage, the vegetables are removed from the water and laid out in a colander, and then on towels to dry completely

... After that, the carrots can be grated, cut or immediately sent to freeze.

After blanching, carrots are sometimes given another preparation, thanks to which individual roots and slices are most likely will not freeze to each other

... To do this, you need a wooden board, on which the pieces are laid out in one layer, so that they do not touch each other.

A wire rack or baking sheet will do the same job perfectly. Later two to three hours

pull out and scrape the product off the surface if necessary.

The benefits of carrots for the human body

Carrots are carotene that the growing body needs so much. That is why carrots are considered to be a tall vegetable. But for this carotene to be well absorbed, it must be taken together with vegetable oil. The ideal combination is a vegetable salad with carrots, seasoned with a spoonful of sunflower oil.

Carrots are incredibly beneficial for eye health. It contains a lot of vitamin A, a deficiency of which can cause night blindness in a person. For diabetics, boiled carrots are useful, even more than raw carrots. Red carrots reduce blood cholesterol levels, strengthen the walls of blood vessels - making them more elastic. Red carrots are high in potassium, which is good for your heart.

And also carrots are coarse dietary fibers that are not completely processed, swell in the intestines and, like a big hard brush, clean out all unnecessary and stagnant feces. It is an excellent remedy for constipation. In addition, carrots absorb all toxins and toxins, cleaning the body completely.

Carrots are not only eaten - they are used externally. Carrot gruel perfectly heals wounds and ulcers, relieves inflammation and redness. And masks with grated carrots are rightfully considered the best against aging and sagging skin.

Why freeze carrots

Indeed, why, if it is on sale all year round? As noted above, the first reason is economy. In winter, vegetables, including carrots, are much more expensive. Also, you don't know the conditions under which they were stored. Often, the manufacturer treats root crops with chemical compositions so that they do not deteriorate and look good for a long time. By imparting artificial gloss to carrots, the seller deprives them of their beneficial properties. Such root vegetables can be not only useless, but also dangerous - you do not know how they were stored and how they were processed.

The second reason to freeze carrots is to save time. Now you will not need to peel carrots every time, wash them, cut them into desired pieces. Now you can simply take it out and add the required amount of the finished peeled product to the finished dish. Quite tempting, isn't it?

In general, carrots, of course, can be kept fresh. In this case, it should be placed in a cool basement or glazed balcony. It is important to choose the right temperature to prevent the carrots from freezing and rotting. It is also necessary to take into account the humidity of the room so that the fruits do not dry out and become moldy. Keep in mind that if it's too warm, the carrots will start to grow, giving away all the nutritious juices to the useless sprouts. In a city apartment, hardly anyone has a clean, dark basement with optimal humidity and temperature. That is why it is much more convenient to freeze carrots - I bothered once and forgot about the storage problem. It remains only to get the carrots out of the freezer as needed and use them for their intended purpose.

Shelf life

The storage time is directly related to the temperature maintained in the freezer. With an indicator of -18 degrees, carrots will be stored almost all year round. As the temperature rises, the shelf life of the frozen food will be shortened. With an indicator of up to -8 degrees, the root crop is stored for no more than 4 months.

If any other ingredients, such as onions, have been added to the carrots, then the shelf life is reduced. In any case, it is advisable to mark the workpiece to make sure the vegetables are fresh.

How to freeze carrots

For freezing, you need to take fresh root vegetables, it is better if they come from the garden. If you freeze carrots from the market, you can make sure of their freshness by the tops - if they are green and not withered - the carrots were recently harvested. It is best to freeze spring carrots - they are more juicy and sweeter.

1. Root crops must be washed and dried thoroughly. Wet carrots will stick together and will be difficult to take in the right amount if you freeze everything in one container.
2. Young carrots do not need to be peeled - their skin is very delicate and thin. Ripe carrots should be peeled.
3. Now sit down and think about what you are cooking from carrots. The cutting shape of this vegetable depends on this. Often, carrots are used in different dishes, and therefore they are cut in different ways. Cut some carrots into strips - they are suitable for pilaf, make carrot circles - they will do when you cook roasts. Diced carrots can be used to add to soup. For borscht, carrots can be grated. Want to save time? Mix grated carrots with beets and add these preparations to borscht in winter.
4. If you want to save even more time, you can blanch the carrots before freezing. In this case, the carrots will be almost ready - they will cook much faster when added to the dish. Dip the chopped carrots in boiling water for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Such a temperature difference will not allow the vegetable to turn into porridge - the slices will remain intact. Then discard the vegetables in a colander to drain the excess water.
5. Now the carrots should be packaged. You can split the vegetables into several packages - one with straws, one with grated carrots, and one with slices. However, in this case, each time you cook, you will have to pick out the right amount of the vegetable, and put the rest back in the refrigerator. Such temperature drops have a negative effect on the benefits of the product, so it is better to freeze carrots in portions. Pack all carrots in small bags so that only one serving is needed per dish. By the way, it is convenient to freeze grated carrots with beets for borscht in muffin tins. Once the vegetables are frozen, you can simply transfer them to a bag.
6. Such carrots can be stored for up to a year. But don't freeze too much, just enough to last until the next harvest.
7. Carrots do not need to be specially thawed. Just remove the bag you want from the freezer and toss it into the dish.

Alternative methods

There are other options for storing grated carrots without freezing. Let's consider them.

In a city apartment, carrots (pre-cut into thin circles or strips) are dried in the oven, in the microwave, on the balcony or in a special dryer. Dried root vegetables contain a large amount of nutrients. They are stored for up to a year in linen bags or containers without air access.

Conservation

The vegetable can be used when preparing homemade preparations for the winter. Carrots in spicy and spicy canned salads have a long shelf life.

You can also dry carrot tops. Dried tops brewed with boiling water is a healthy and tasty drink.

How to freeze boiled carrots

Carrots can be frozen in any form - boiled, stewed, fried. Boiled carrots are most often frozen by young mothers who have small children. Carrots are excellent complementary foods, but children eat little. Would you like to boil half a carrot every time? To save time, we will freeze boiled carrots. Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. There should be little water so that it slightly covers the roots. No cooking salt is added (if the carrots are intended for a child). Dip the carrots in boiling water and cook for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. When the vegetables become soft, they need to be taken out, cooled and peeled from the thin skin.

The vegetables are cut into several pieces and divided into bags so that only one portion is defrosted at a time. In order not to lose the benefits of the product, you need to defrost it correctly. Transfer the carrot portion from the freezer to the refrigerator shelf and leave it there for a few hours until it's completely thawed. And only then place the carrots in the microwave and heat to the desired temperature. If you defrost carrots right away in the microwave, a sharp temperature drop will kill all vitamins, and the vegetable will become useless. After warming the boiled carrots, knead them, add a drop of vegetable oil if desired. Not a single toddler will refuse such a tasty and healthy treat.

Remember, you cannot re-freeze carrots. And yet, when you put the carrots in the freezer for storage, tie the neck of the bag tightly so that the vegetable does not absorb extraneous odors.

Carrots are a unique root vegetable. It is added to soups, hot dishes, salads and marinades. Not a single winter salad is complete without carrots; it is needed for sauerkraut. Moreover, delicious desserts and jams are prepared from carrots - in Europe it is generally considered not a vegetable, but a fruit. Even young carrot tops are used - they are added to various appetizers and salads. Eat carrots in various forms, nibble them raw, freeze them. And then your dishes will always be decorated with bright slices of juicy carrots!

Opportunity assessment

Can I freeze carrots for the winter at home? If you have already prepared enough carrots for and even left a little crop, then use the old and proven method of freezing root vegetables in the freezer.

Freezing carrots for the winter at home is quite natural and vegetable-safe process

as with frozen mixed vegetables and other foods. As a result of freezing at home, you will be sure that the product is environmentally friendly, does not contain any preservatives, and all the necessary processing is done under your
sensitive supervision
.

To determine if a variety and type of carrot is suitable for freezing, evaluate its size, firmness and flavor.

Too sluggish and flexible, just like hard, dry or old

carrots - immediately deleted from the list.

Optimum carrots should be fresh, sweet, medium to large in size. However, too small vegetables also fit

.

Can boiled carrots be frozen? Technically, after the boiling stage, the carrots are almost cooked, but not enough to completely soften and fall apart. If we are talking about vegetables that have been kept in boiling water for more than 20 minutes, then from such better to refuse

.

Can grated carrots be frozen? Of course, there will be no harm to carrots in this form, and after defrosting, they can immediately be used in a variety of culinary recipes. Properly processed grated carrots to taste will not give way to fresh

.

Can whole carrots be frozen for the winter? If carrots small or very thin

, then nothing terrible will happen - so the frost will quickly "grab", evenly freezing all the vegetables. They will defrost, respectively, and will also quickly and approximately the same - both inside and outside.

Can I freeze carrots in the freezer or refrigerator? Yes, provided that reliable technique

and does not give frequent failures.

The best option would be a cold store. with deep freeze mode

(up to -35 ° С inclusive). Thus, there will be no hesitation in the fact that the products will last in safety without any serious loss of quality and taste.

In the refrigerator itself, along with other food products, carrots will not lie for a long time. Shift vegetables in the refrigerator compartments

only if you need to defrost them gradually for consumption.

How to freeze chopped in a blender

carrots, you will learn from the video:

How long frozen carrots are stored

In 90% of cases, gardeners choose a cellar or an underground floor as a storage place. The refrigerator is a necessary measure, which is considered the last thing if there is no basement or garage. However, freezing is no worse than a cellar. With its help, the set of nutrients will remain the same. In addition, there is no need to go into the dungeon for the next portion. It is enough to open the freezer door, remove the workpiece and throw it into a saucepan with fragrant borscht.

Freezing carrots in the freezer for the winter is easy if you know how. But the refrigerator is unsuitable for these purposes. In it, a red vegetable can lie without signs of spoilage for no more than 2-3 weeks: the temperature is inappropriate, from zero and above. Read more about the features of storing carrots in the refrigerator in our article.

At the lowest possible temperature values ​​from -20 ° C and below, carrots can lie even for a year. But it is important to use such carrots after defrosting for a short period of time.

How much can you store

How long frozen carrots can retain their qualities depends on the container and equipment in which they are stored. The best option, of course, is an insulated freezer with a deep freeze function. Such a refrigerator is able to guarantee the freshness and value of vegetables. throughout the year.

If you store carrots in an ordinary freezer and do not "bother" with the container, then it can be stored 7-9 months.

It should also be remembered that the container must be tightly closed so that the carrots do not absorb excess odors.

Find out in what ways you can prepare tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, cabbage (cauliflower, red cabbage, broccoli), zucchini, squash, green peas, garlic, physalis, rhubarb, celery, asparagus beans, horseradish, porcini mushrooms, boletus for the winter , milk mushrooms.

Preliminary preparation of carrots for freezing

To freeze carrots without losing their valuable properties and taste, leaving them juicy and aromatic, you need to follow some recommendations.

• We choose ripe, dense and whole fruits, not spoiled by bugs or fungus, without signs of incipient decomposition. It is better to give preference to cone-shaped samples - they have more vitamins.
• Carrots, among other things, should not have grooves, chips and cracks, which tend to form during an excessively rainy season. In the future, moisture from the carrots will show through the cracks, turning into unnecessary additional ice.

• Do not store very old fruits in the freezer, as well as loose and too hard fruits.
• Freezing a root crop for the winter at home involves preliminary wiping from adhering lumps of earth, dust, thorough rinsing in running water, removing a thin layer of peel and white tails.
• Before placing in the chamber, carrots are either cut in the preferred way - into cubes, bars, circles, pieces, or grated.

In what container to store

You can use any convenient packaging. The main thing is that it is safe for health. If these are plastic bags or containers, then the material must be edible without fail. Freeze finely chopped vegetables even in silicone molds.

Now you know how to freeze carrots for the winter at home. It is great for bookmarking in a camera in any form, you can see this by watching videos and photos on the Internet. Replenish stocks, with the arrival of cold weather, they will be very useful. Good luck and great appetite!

Do you like the recipe? Save it to yourself on Pinterest, FB, VK, OK, G, Instagram so as not to lose it!

Ways to freeze carrots for the winter

The zealous housewives will certainly ask themselves the question of what ways to properly freeze carrots for the winter.There is no definite answer. This is the creative part, where everyone is free to choose any convenient option.

In addition to the fact that any form of cutting is allowed (pieces, straws, bars, wedges), various methods are also acceptable. The five main ones are freezing whole carrots, grated, mashed, blanched and fried with onions.

Whole raw

Carrots are frozen whole only if they are thin and the specimens are uniform in size suitable for compact packing. The disadvantage is that such carrots take a long time to thaw. And the type of freezing itself requires more space than for sliced ​​or grated products. But if there is a large camera, this is not a problem.

Grated

Freezing grated carrots is the most common. Such processing allows to achieve compactness of storage, to store in the maximum possible volumes. In addition, the grated fruit is suitable for 90% of dishes - first dishes, vegetable and meat stews, as well as for baking.

All that is required is to remove the container from the freezer and let it thaw. The only negative - grated carrots are compacted to a single piece of ice and poorly divided into portions. Therefore, it is better to prepare small portions at a time in advance.

Freezing carrot puree

One of the rarest methods, but most suitable for young children. For blanks, carrots are peeled, chopped, placed in boiling water and cooked until soft for about 15-20 minutes. After that, the finished carrots are placed in a blender or other chopper. The puree is cooled and packaged in a suitable, tightly sealed container suitable for storage in the freezer.

Blanched

Blanching is a quick heat treatment with boiling water or steam. The procedure makes sense and minimizes germs. You will need prepared clean root vegetables, a container with water heated to 95-100 degrees, as well as two liters of cold water and ice. The last ingredient will allow carrots to maintain their structure and density unchanged, preserve vitamins and minerals.

Blanching instructions:

Whole specimens are dipped in boiling water and kept under water for about 5 minutes.

Once removed, the carrots are placed in a plate of ice water for another 300 seconds.

Removing from the cold in a colander and then drying with a dry paper towel.

Dipping carrots (whole or sliced) into a pre-selected container and placing in the freezer.

Care must be taken to ensure that the fruits do not touch each other. Otherwise, they will stick together and after removing from the freezer, instead of several copies, you will get a single red mass.

Sauteed with onions

This is an ideal storage option for preparing aromatic borscht, soup and other dishes. You will not need to spend extra time cleaning and shredding if you prepare in advance.

Preparation for freezing is carried out in several stages.

• Vegetables are washed, tops and husks are cut off.
• The products are crushed in your favorite way
• The mass is placed in a preheated pan with the addition of sunflower oil and stewed for about 20-30 minutes.
• After the mixture has cooled down, it is packed in bags or containers and sent on demand.

Freezing whole beets

Freezing beets is allowed raw and cooked.

In order for the product to retain useful substances, they adhere to the following recommendations:

• The vegetable is frozen in portions, in bags or plastic boxes. The volume of the product required for the preparation of one dish is placed in the bag.
• Do not re-freeze the product, as this will lose all the beneficial properties.
• You can also freeze whole boiled beets. In this case, it is recommended to set the "Fast freeze" function.
• The vegetable should be stored for no more than six months.
• Vegetables are kept separate from meat and seafood.
• When freezing whole vegetables, they are pre-washed and peeled.

For freezing, beet varieties with dark pulp should be taken.Vegetables should be fresh and firm.

Let's figure out if boiled beets can be frozen and how best to do it. Whole beets with a tail are selected for freezing. Root crops are not cut into pieces and the tops with the remains of tops are not removed from them. A little vinegar is poured into the water for boiling the vegetable. Beets processed in this way retain their bright color. Dishes are obtained from it with a rich color.

The root crops have been boiled, now it is necessary to decide which is better: whether it is possible to freeze grated, whole or chopped beets. Peel off the peel before shredding. For soups and certain types of snacks (for example, for Korean ones), rub it on a grater. For salads, vinaigrettes, jellied chops with straws, cubes, stars (it all depends on the cooking technology and the ideas of the hostesses).

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The sliced ​​or mashed mass is transferred to containers and deep-frozen (if possible). Semi-finished products, without defrosting, are added to the dish, which has almost reached readiness. For salads, vinaigrettes and snacks, they are defrosted. Boiled root vegetables can reduce the cooking time of certain dishes.

Is it possible to freeze whole beets for future use? Of course, this is how you can prepare fresh and boiled root vegetables.

Fresh root vegetables should not be peeled from the rind, tail and tops with the remaining tops. Vegetables, without defrosting or cutting, are dipped in water or broth, not forgetting to acidify the liquid. When the beets are cooked, they take them out and cool. Peel off the root vegetables and chop them, giving the shape required by the technology of the dish being prepared. In this case, the color of root crops, slices and broths will be saturated.

Completely boiled root vegetables, packaged in packages, are sent to the freezer. However, for further use, they will have to be defrosted first (frozen fruits do not lend themselves to shredding). In addition, we draw attention to the fact that the integrity of the beet is violated by ice crystals, which inevitably form inside the root crop. You cannot get beautiful cuts from such semi-finished products.

Having learned for sure whether it is possible to freeze beets for the winter, we will learn how to properly prepare vegetable slices for harvesting for future use. If you put the whole portion of chopped beets in a freezing container, they will turn into one lump after cold treatment, which is inconvenient to use.

There will be two options for using it - either to lower the entire lump into the cooking dish, or to defrost the slicing (which is not desirable, because the semi-finished product will lose quality). Let's solve the problem: is it possible to freeze beets for the winter in a simple way so that their slices do not stick together.

When the freezing process is carried out in 2 stages, the beetroot slices do not freeze among themselves. Beet slices are laid out on a tray or tray in one layer, covered with cling film (to exclude direct penetration of cold air), and placed in the freezer. The cutting should stand in the refrigerator chamber for about an hour with the "Fast freezing" mode (if, of course, the unit is equipped with this function).

The frozen slices are transferred to coffees or sachets that have clamps. If this technology is followed, the beetroot slices are made crumbly and easy to use.

Having learned whether it is possible to freeze beets, housewives choose the method they like for processing root crops to prepare semi-finished products that are convenient to use in winter. Frozen beets, especially chopped beets, make a variety of dishes quickly.

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How to pack frozen carrots properly

Packaging, along with preparation and temperature storage conditions, is the third important component of a successful freezing.

• the most suitable option for storage is a plastic container or a vacuum tight bag. But it is better to refuse glass containers. Glass can shatter if frozen under the influence of critically low temperatures.Then you will have to say goodbye to both the container and its contents;
• after the container is selected, it is important to correctly place the root crop inside. The pieces are placed so that the remaining 3-3.5 cm from above are free. The result is an imitation of an "air cushion";
• the container is tightly sealed and sent to the freezer.

If the hostess chose the option of freezing not in a container, but in a bag, then all the air is first expelled from it. After the bag is filled with carrots, it is sealed with a clip or tape.

Original recipes for freezing carrots for the winter

Salt freezing of carrots is also allowed, and in combination with other vegetables - beets, bell peppers, potatoes, corn, onions, peas, zucchini. With the solo version, everything is clear. It is enough to use any of the listed processing methods - blanch, purée, or keep it whole.

Variations of assorted vegetables:

• carrots, potatoes, beets;
• carrots and onions;
• carrots, onions, peas and corn;
• carrots, onions, beets, yellow or red bell peppers.

The proportions of the composition can be any, and the vegetables themselves are cut in different ways. It depends on the goals and taste of the family.

The resulting mixture is added to frying, soups and other first courses, as well as salads. You don't even need to defrost it before adding - very convenient.

Recipes

How to freeze carrots and onions, carrots with peppers or beets? A very comfortable method of harvesting vegetables for the winter is the creation of the so-called vegetable mixes

... Foods like beets, carrots, onions, peas and corn are cut into small pieces in different combinations.
cubes or straws
and then frozen in common containers. Read our articles about and about.

Such mixtures are easy and convenient to defrost for preparation. frying or full meals

, and the combination of different vitamins and minerals playfully cope with their lack in the body. You can also find more details on our website.

In the absence of other alternatives, freezing carrots at home is perfect solution

problems with a lack of fresh food.

All that is required is to pick up only fresh and preferably vegetables from your garden

, carry out a complete and correct processing in accordance with all standards, and then freeze in the freezer at the lowest possible temperatures. This will be required in case of very long storage of carrots - usually up to a year.

There are many ways to preserve the harvest for future use. The first, the simplest, is long-lasting. storage of vegetables and fruits

fresh. But it is applicable to a rather narrow list of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, people have come up with other methods of preservation, in which the food is subjected to some processing, but thereby prolonging the possible shelf life. These include pickling, salting, drying, and freezing.

Of all these options, freezing is the best way to preserve the nutritional value of foods. Most often, housewives and amateur gardeners freeze fruits that cannot be purchased outside the harvest season, or the cost of these products is too high at this time. These are, first of all, various berries, as well as fruits that cannot be kept fresh for a long time - tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, etc.

And vegetables that are easy to buy in stores all year round are usually not frozen. But in vain, since this method of storage is very practical and convenient because you will spend a little time on the preparation, but then it will pay off with interest, so during the preparation of the next dish you just have to get the finished semi-finished product from the freezer, which you just need to subject to thermal processing.

One of these foods is carrots. It would seem that this root crop is perfectly stored in the cellar, and you can buy it at a low price at any time of the year.We can conclude that it is not worth freezing it. However, experienced housewives who value their time know very well that if you spend half an hour once peeling and cutting carrots, you can free yourself from these rather troublesome procedures in the future.

And if guests are on the doorstep, then you will undoubtedly appreciate in full measure the charm of this one, because all that remains is to take a packet of chopped frozen carrots

and toss it into a cooking dish. So, what needs to be done in order to freeze carrots for future use. And nothing special - everything is as usual.