Freezing berries in a home freezer. What berries and vegetables can be frozen for the winter, and how to do it correctly? 

Summer and autumn give us a lot of delicious berries that we want to keep in winter. Berries contain many vitamins and minerals. How to preserve all this benefit without losing a single vitamin?

The benefits of storing fruits in frost

What are the benefits and harms of frozen berries?

• First of all, vitamins that dissolve in water do not disappear when frozen;
• frozen ones are healthier than those grown in greenhouses in winter;
• the amount of vitamin C during such processing remains almost the same as in the fresh product;
• aroma and taste are preserved in full;
• The calorie content of frozen fruits is very low;
• An excellent remedy against vitamin deficiency during winter and spring.

Now, to the question of whether all the vitamins are preserved in frozen berries, you can confidently answer positively.

As for harm, of course, frozen and fresh fruits are not harmful. Only those people who have allergies need to be careful. It will bother you not only when eating fresh fruits, but also frozen ones.

What berries can you freeze for the winter?

Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, sea buckthorn, rowan, cranberries, cherries and everything that grows in the garden or forest.

But, at the same time, you should follow some rules:

• the fruits must be fresh;
• Don’t choose too ripe ones, but don’t take green ones either;
• rotten and wrinkled ones should be thrown away;
• they must be dry.

How to properly freeze berries for the winter

The most important thing is to prepare them well for this process:

1. sort through the fruits and get rid of spoiled ones;
2. remove seeds and stalks, twigs and various debris;
3. the berries are washed (there is no need to wash raspberries and blueberries);
4. dry and then begin the process;
5. The freezer must be prepared in advance.

Convenient container for berries

It is very important what you store the fruits in. If you want to maintain the correct beautiful shape, it is better to freeze in plastic containers. These fruits can be used to decorate various desserts, cakes and pastries. If you don’t care what shape they will be, since you are going to cook compote from them and add them to the filling, then you can choose a package. Another very interesting idea is to freeze them by first putting them in a bag and then placing them in a container. When they freeze, they will take the correct shape of the container, making it very convenient to store.

Naturally, it is better to store soft fruits (raspberries, strawberries) in a container. But cherries, currants, and cranberries can be stored in bags.

What's the best way to freeze berries for the winter?

If you think that your only option is to leave food in the cold in the refrigerator, then you are mistaken!

You can freeze fruits in different ways:

• in bulk. Pour dry fruits into a single layer onto a bag or tray and place in the freezer until frozen. They can then be placed in bags and containers;
• in sugar. The berries are laid out alternating with sugar;
• in syrup. You need to prepare sugar syrup and pour over the berries. The more sugar, the slower the freezing occurs;
• puree. You can make puree. Sugar can be added, or you can freeze it as is.

Now let's talk about the features of each type separately.

• Strawberry. It can be frozen whole, then you can use it to decorate dishes. It’s also good to prepare puree with sugar and pour it into containers;
• Raspberry. It is better to simply place delicate fruits in containers. If you want, sprinkle with sugar. There is no need to make puree;
• Blueberry. It is done in different ways: simply poured into bags or containers, or mashed.
  It’s better not to add too much sugar, the berries are hard and the sugar won’t do any good;
• Currant. It does not require special preparation, just pour it into bags or containers;
• Lingonberries and cranberries. These hard berries can be filled with syrup or simply placed in containers (bags). There is no need to add sugar;
• Blackberry. It is better to cook it whole or pour it in syrup;
• Cherry. You can freeze it however you want. Any method is perfect for preparing it;
• Kalina. Simply pour into bags or containers;
• Gooseberry. Best of all - in bulk. There is no need to add sugar;
• Sea ​​buckthorn. Suitable method: scattered or in syrup;;
• Apricot. Apricots prepared in any way will be delicious. That is, freeze in bulk if you need whole fruits, in the form of a puree, or cook apricots in syrup;
• Cherry plum. It's good to freeze with or without seeds. Alternatively, you can make puree with sugar;
• Rowan. Rowan berries can be frozen in bulk, or you can make a puree with sugar.

Now you know how to freeze different berries for the winter, let's talk about storage.

How to store it correctly

Where and how you store frozen fruit is very important.

• you cannot store them together with meat or fish;
• the packaging must be sealed to prevent moisture from being released, which leads to condensation on the walls of the freezer;
• in winter, it can be stored on the balcony, if, of course, there is an appropriate temperature;
• should be stored in the chamber for no more than a year;
• You can’t re-freeze it; all the benefits will go away if you re-freeze it.

How to defrost

The reverse process – defrosting – is also important. If you do this incorrectly, you risk spoiling the product, since even if food is stored at a low temperature, it can be irreparably spoiled by rapid thawing.

That's why:

• Place the container or bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for several hours;
• another way is to immerse the container in cold water for thirty minutes;
• or use cold sugar syrup.

This product will come in handy no matter what fantasies you decide to realize: cakes, pies, cocktails, jelly, compotes, desserts and simply delicious to eat. And we want to offer you a recipe for cottage cheese pie.

You will need:

• bran – 1 tablespoon;
• cottage cheese – 200 g;
• sugar – 2 tablespoons;
• oatmeal – 3 tablespoons;

Even with the modern level of technology and logistics, it is not possible to enjoy your favorite fruits at any time of the year. Does this mean that you need to limit yourself in pleasure? No, there is always a way out of the situation. You just need to know which fruits can be frozen.

Different views on the issue of freezing

You can trust the majority opinion regarding freezing fruit. And you can figure out how it really is:

You should not throw all the food you brought from the store into the freezer. It’s worth figuring out which ones are best frozen for the future, and which ones should be eaten right away.

What fruits are frozen? List

Practically all berries can be easily and simply “preserved” in this way:

1. Cherry. A good choice if you love cherry pies and suffer from their absence out of season.
2. Raspberry. Can be a good alternative to raspberry jam.
3. Strawberry. When you have whipped cream and a playful mood in your arsenal, the only thing missing is her.
4. Blackberry. It will retain all the vitamins and is ideal for your favorite recipes.

But sometimes you want something more exotic:

• Freezes perfectly banana, in the chilled version it only becomes tastier.
• Apples and pears Before sending it to the “cryogenic chamber” it is better to cut it into slices so that you don’t have to mess around with it later. You can also sprinkle them with lemon juice.
• Apricots It is better to freeze pitted. The logic is simple, more will fit in one container and, again, you won’t have to spend a long time fiddling with defrosted fruit, which has already lost its shape and consistency.
• Plum freezes no worse. From the preliminary preparation, only removing the bone and that’s it, you can put it in the freezer.
• Peaches can also be enjoyed year round by freezing.
• I don't like the lack of it on store shelves. grapes? Pop it in the freezer and enjoy any time of year.

How to freeze fruit?

In terms of freezing, you should adhere to several simple rules :

• It is best to use plastic containers; you can buy them at any supermarket.
• The fruit should be placed as tightly as possible so that air does not accumulate in the container.
• Wash and dry food before freezing.
• It will not be possible to wash them after defrosting, and the accumulated water will turn into ice and help the fruit stick together into a homogeneous substance.
• Berries can be frozen in their “original” form, but it is better to get rid of the seeds in advance. Increase the volume and get rid of the hassle in the future.
• Some fruits can be sprinkled with lemon juice to help them retain more flavor, smell, and nutrients.
• Should I get rid of the skin? It's up to your discretion.
• Keep in mind that you cannot refreeze fruit. Therefore, it is better to place in each container exactly as much as is needed for one time.

Using special paper, vacuum bags or containers are interesting options, but why complicate the process? By completing all of the above points, you can provide yourself with a supply of your favorite fruits for the whole year, and they will not lose much in quality.

Should you freeze fruit?

Or maybe you don’t need to waste time freezing fruit at all? The question is not the simplest, because the taste and sensations from consumption change in any case. If fresh ripe fruit has been stored for several months at a temperature -20С̊, of course, he will never be the same. No, it won’t turn into rubber and even the smell will remain. But it is difficult to compare with the initial taste sensations.

Only a banana becomes significantly better when frozen; in the summer you can cut it up and put it in the freezer in the morning. And in the evening you can enjoy banana and ice cream, especially if you add to all this grated chocolate.

Cherry, although losing ground a little, still remains at a high level. Do fresh berry pie, and then from frozen. 9 out of 10 won't be able to tell the difference between them. Most of the fruit can be saved to later be used to make jam.

There is not always time to do seaming during the season; sometimes it is better to postpone this process for a couple of months. Thawed fruit can be eaten just like that, try it in advance to evaluate the difference.

What's best to freeze in summer?

Before putting foods in the freezer, make sure they are on this list:

1. Bananas. Those who advise against freezing have never actually tried them.
2. Apples. True, they can be found in the nearest supermarket, regardless of the time of year.
3. Pears. This makes more sense and is tied to seasonality.
4. Raspberry. A good alternative.
5. Cherry. Do not deny yourself the pleasure; a pie made from this berry can lift your spirits at any time of the year.
6. Strawberry. It is good at any time of the year, but it is not always available.
7. Peaches. What could be better than a juicy peach?
8. Apricots. It is better to get rid of the seeds before cooling.
9. Plums. The advice is the same.
10. Blackberry. A supply of vitamins will always be beneficial for the body.

At your own risk, you can conduct a couple of experiments with other fruits; maybe you will like the end result.

To avoid disappointment after a couple of months, you should find out in advance which fruits can be frozen. No one likes to eat “rubber” products. But it should be remembered that a repulsive appearance does not mean that the fruit has lost its taste or supply of vitamins.

Video lesson: freezing fruits correctly

In this video, Lyubov Krunina will talk about an interesting method of freezing fruits and berries, and give useful recommendations on how to prepare fruits for freezing:

How to diversify the menu of a losing weight person? This issue becomes especially acute during the cold season. In winter, there is a lack of vitamins and fiber contained in the required quantities in vegetables and fruits. You can buy plastic eggplants and tomatoes, and fill the lack of vitamins with overseas fruits. The most common fruits and berries in winter are bananas and grapes. For those wishing to get rid of extra pounds, they are contraindicated as they contain a lot of sugar. So we approach the matter creatively and, remembering the old Russian proverb: “Prepare the cart in winter, and the sleigh in summer,” we rush to prepare vegetables and fruits. Today we will talk about how to properly freeze berries and fruits, where and how they can be used in the future. You can read a similar article about preparing vegetables.

In order to properly freeze berries and fruits for the winter , You will need a free-standing freezer or refrigerator compartment called a freezer. The advantages of an autonomous “freezer” are that it has a freezing function at a temperature of -24 degrees. It freezes food without loss of taste, preserving the beneficial substances of vegetables.

So how to freeze berries for the winter to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements? It has long been proven that during long-term storage of vegetables and fruits, vitamins decompose, as a result of which the beneficial properties of the fruit decrease. Cold stops the process of oxidation and breakdown of microelements, so it is a good preservative for vitamin-rich vegetables and berries. Cold preserves vitamins in frozen berries better than any other type of preservation.

Only fresh, undamaged fruits are suitable for cold preservation. Naturally, you cannot prepare stale and spoiled products. The berries are frozen on the day of collection; they cannot be stored for a long time - a maximum of a few hours.

The fruits are thoroughly washed and dried. When preparing raspberries and blackberries, this point is omitted. These sissies freeze unwashed; it is not even recommended to clean them of sepals. This will ensure the safety of the fruit as a whole.

Whole berries are frozen in bulk; for this you will need trays that must fit freely into the freezer compartment. Berry puree is frozen in briquettes. In both cases, frozen berries should be packaged in portions. The serving size is calculated based on how much frozen food is required for one-time preparation of a dish.
The berries are distributed in a thin layer, no more than three centimeters, on pallets and placed in the freezer compartment. At the end of freezing, the fruits are packaged in bags or trays with lids.

Berries can be harvested not only whole, but also in the form of puree. In this case, the berries are crushed in any convenient way and packaged in prepared containers. If desired, you can add a little sugar to the berry puree.

Frozen berries and fruits are stored in containers with a tight-fitting lid and in durable plastic bags. Storage temperature -18 degrees Celsius.

How to properly freeze berries, fruits, vegetables and herbs -

basic rules

1. Fresh vegetables, berries and fruits are frozen without damage or rot. Before harvesting, vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator, but no more than three days. It is advisable to harvest fruits and berries on the day of collection.
2. The fruits are thoroughly washed and dried.
3. When freezing whole berries, they are distributed in a thin layer on trays. If fruit is prepared into slices, the fruit must be cut so that the thickness of the pieces is no more than 3 cm. Fruit slices are also frozen in trays.
4. The freezing temperature for berries should be -24 degrees; usually freezers have a button to switch from -18 to -24 degrees.
5. Place the trays in the freezer for at least 6 hours. It is not recommended to open the chamber door at all times, so as not to disturb the temperature regime. Bulk frozen berries, at the end of the process, are poured into bags or containers in which they will be stored.
6. Products are frozen within 5-6 hours. At the end of the process, the fruits are placed in bags or containers.
7. Each portion of a frozen product must have a label with information: name, date and year of preparation. The necessary data can be written with a marker directly on the packaging.
8. Frozen berries should be stored at a temperature not lower than -18 degrees. Otherwise, their shelf life will be no more than two months.
9. Re-freezing vegetables, berries and herbs is not allowed!

So what fruits can be frozen for the winter? Of course, any as well as berries.

• Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Currant
• Blueberry
• Cherry
• Plum
• Apricot
• Peach
• Cherry plum and many others.

All berries are frozen either whole or in puree form. Raspberries should not be washed before freezing - the berry will lose its integrity. You can freeze plums, peaches, apricots, and cherries by removing their pits. In this case, the fruit can be prepared in slices.

What to cook from frozen berries

Fruit and berry freezing is used for preparing cocktails, fruit drinks, compotes, infusions, and lemonades. And also for desserts, sorbet, pies and other delicacies. In winter, it is especially pleasant to treat yourself to jelly from frozen berries; you can use it for its preparation (another option is with stevia).

Do you want to prepare a delicious vitamin compote, but don’t know how long to cook frozen berries for the best result? Place the berries in cold water and place the pan on the fire. Add sugar or sweetener. As soon as the water boils, remove the pan from the heat and let the broth brew for about 2 hours. The taste of the drink will be very berry and rich. Vitamins will be preserved by briefly boiling the broth (no more than 5 minutes)

How long should frozen berries be stored? At a temperature of -18 degrees, the shelf life of frozen fruits and berries is from 9 to 12 months.

Preparing greens for the winter in the freezer

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to freeze greens for the winter. There are no special secrets here; for a good result, it is enough to follow the rules described above.

Fresh herbs should be frozen within 3-4 hours of collection. Thus, it will retain more nutrients.

Before freezing, the grass is carefully sorted, washed and dried. Then it is cut and placed in containers or bags.

How to freeze greens into cubes

It is much more convenient to use aromatic herbs frozen in ice cubes. It is enough to throw a few of these ice cubes into the dish you are preparing, and it will acquire a unique summer aroma. Cubes can be made from one type of greenery or from several.

If we talk about the benefits of berries that we save for the winter, then frozen berries are the most useful compared to other types of storage, reminds hyser.com.ua.

06.07.2017 10:46 159

Berries are a source of vitamins, a means to decorate dishes, and just a real treat. To enjoy them all year round, you can freeze them. It is known that frozen berries retain almost all useful substances. They contain much more vitamins and minerals (up to 90%) than in canned fruits, for example, in the form of jam or compotes. At the same time, the taste and aroma of berries practically do not change when frozen. And modern refrigerators and freezers help make this procedure simple and quick.

Useful properties

When properly frozen and all necessary storage conditions are observed, frozen berries almost always retain their appearance and natural qualities. The reduction in the nutritional value of fruits when frozen is insignificant. Water-soluble vitamins contained in berries practically do not disappear. Frozen berries retain carotene, as well as vitamins B1 and B2. When frozen, vitamin C is preserved in almost the same quantity as in fresh fruits.

Frozen berries even have an advantage over fresh ones. The fact is that frozen fruits contain much less pesticides, lead and cadmium. Having compared frozen berries with fresh, but not seasonal ones, sold in supermarkets in winter, experts came to the conclusion that frozen fruits are much more valuable than those grown in greenhouses.

During periods of vitamin deficiency and exacerbation of viral diseases, frozen berries are a real salvation. By adding them to your daily menu, you can provide yourself and your loved ones with not only tasty, but also healthy dishes.

Preparation

Freezing berries doesn't mean just throwing them in the freezer and forgetting about them. There are several specific rules for the preliminary preparation of berries for freezing and storage of frozen fruits. All berries that will be subjected to further freezing must be ripe. In some cases, if culinary processing is planned after defrosting, for example, preparing pie fillings, cooking compotes, berries in the initial stage of ripening are allowed. Overripe berries, as well as damaged and rotten ones, are not allowed.

The ideal berries for freezing are those that were picked no later than two hours before placing in the freezer. Such fruits guarantee high quality of the product. However, this is only possible if you have your own garden plot or cottage.

Before freezing, the berries should be removed from all unnecessary parts: stalks, leaves, seed nests. You need to be very careful with soft, delicate berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, so that you do not accidentally damage them during mechanical processing. In some cases, such berries can be frozen with the stalks, and they can be peeled after defrosting.

Before freezing, the berries need to be washed and dried. To do this, they can be carefully laid out on paper or cotton towels over the entire area. To make drying faster, you can place a clean towel on top of the berries, which will absorb unnecessary moisture.

Choosing containers

Cellophane bags and small plastic containers with lids work well to keep the berries in shape. It is not recommended to store frozen berries in already used plastic bags. They can retain the smell of the products that were previously in them. In addition, they may have microcracks, which will lead to their depressurization. Glassware is also not suitable for this purpose, as it can easily crack from the cold.

For freezing berries, it is recommended to select small containers. Firstly, the freezing process in it occurs much faster, and secondly, it produces convenient portions for defrosting. It is best if one serving of frozen berries does not exceed 600-700 g.

Berries should be placed tightly in dry containers, compacting the contents and releasing air. If the container is opaque, it should be labeled, otherwise you will have to open it again to see what is there. And this is excess air entry, which negatively affects the quality of the product.

Any container for freezing berries, be it a plastic container or a plastic bag, must be tightly sealed. This will affect the evaporation of moisture during storage, which condenses on the walls of the freezer, which, in turn, leads to more frequent shutdowns of the refrigerator to remove ice. And the quality of products also depends on how tightly sealed the packaging in which they are stored is.

Strawberries and wild strawberries

To freeze strawberries, you should select larger berries that are undamaged, not bruised or overripe. They need to be washed carefully, then carefully laid out on a tray to dry and left until completely frozen. After this, the berries should be poured into a plastic container or a thick plastic bag and placed in the freezer for storage.

If the strawberries are a little soft, they can be divided into portioned forms and placed in the freezer as is. You can sprinkle them with sugar before freezing. As an option, you can also make a ready-made dessert for the winter from soft strawberries: beat the strawberries with sugar in a blender, then put them into portioned molds and freeze.

Large and medium-sized strawberries should be washed, dried, laid out on a tray in one layer and kept in the freezer until completely frozen. Before freezing, strawberries can be sprinkled with sugar.

Strawberries can also be frozen in sugar syrup. Prepared strawberries should be placed in clean, dry jars, poured with sugar syrup (300 g of sugar per 1 liter of water) and cooled, then kept in the freezer for 24 hours. Jars of frozen strawberries should be tightly closed with plastic lids and stored in the freezer.

There is another way to freeze strawberries. The prepared berries should be placed in an enamel bowl, sprinkled with sugar, and then placed in the lower compartment of the refrigerator to release the juice. Then the strawberries need to be transferred into portioned molds, poured with the released juice and frozen.

Raspberries and blackberries

Raspberries should only be frozen when they are fresh, clean and not overripe. There is no need to wash it, just let it cool. Raspberries can be frozen with or without sugar, but sugar can cause them to change color.

Ripe raspberries should be placed in small containers lined with plastic wrap; you can sprinkle them with sugar in layers. Then the raspberries should be placed in a cool place for 3-4 hours. After this, the berries need to be overlapped with the edges of the film, tightly closed with lids and placed in the freezer. It is recommended to store raspberries at a temperature of -12°C, avoiding thawing.

If the raspberries are all right - large and strong, you can freeze them like strawberries - first on a plate in one layer, and then pour the frozen berries into a storage container. You will enjoy whole raspberries in winter!

To freeze blackberries, you need to select the largest and ripest berries. They need to be washed well and the stalks removed. Then the blackberries should be frozen in bulk on a cardboard tray with sides approximately 2-2.5 cm high. After this, the blackberries should be poured into plastic bags, sealed tightly and placed in the freezer.

Currants, cranberries and blueberries

Before freezing, currants should be thoroughly washed and dried. Black currants must be carefully separated from the stalk, red and white - from the bunches. Then the currants need to be placed on a dish or tray and frozen. Then the frozen berries should be poured into plastic bags, sealed tightly and placed in the freezer for storage.

Since currants are a rather dense berry, they can be immediately poured into plastic containers or plastic bags and placed in the freezer, skipping the step of laying them out on a platter. By the way, it is interesting that after defrosting, black currants taste no different from fresh ones.

Cranberries are perhaps the most unpretentious berry to store. Before the onset of frost, in urban conditions it can be stored on the balcony, and in rural conditions - in the open air, after filling it with water. With the onset of frost, you need to drain the water and let the berries freeze. By the way, whole, undamaged cranberries can be preserved until spring without freezing, without losing their beneficial and taste properties.

Cranberries can be frozen in bulk on a plate or tray, after which, once frozen, you should immediately put them into plastic containers or plastic bags for storage, tie them tightly and place them in the refrigerator. You can also place the cranberries in bulk, without freezing them, tightly in containers and place them in the freezer as is. You can sprinkle the cranberries with sugar first.

For freezing blueberries, the largest and ripest berries are selected. They need to be washed well and dried. It is better to freeze blueberries in bulk on a cardboard tray with sides approximately 2-2.5 cm high. Then the frozen berries should be poured into plastic bags, hermetically sealed and stored in the freezer.

Gooseberries, cherries and sweet cherries

Yellow-green berries are more suitable for freezing gooseberries. Before freezing, gooseberries need to be sorted thoroughly, the stalks and remaining inflorescences should be trimmed, then carefully washed under running water. It is recommended to freeze gooseberries in bulk on a plywood board, which is equal to the area of ​​the freezer, after drying them well in the air on clean paper. After this, the frozen berries need to be poured into plastic bags, sealed tightly and placed in the freezer for storage.

Before freezing, cherries should be washed and dried well. If you cook compote from them, then you don’t need to remove the seeds from the fruits; if you make dumplings or bake pies, then it is better to remove the seeds. Then the berries can simply be put into bags and frozen. If you want to keep the cherries whole, spread them in one layer, freeze them in a flash freeze and pour them into plastic containers or bags for further storage in the freezer.

Cherries can also be stored by sprinkling them with sugar and packing them in small containers lined with plastic wrap. In this case, it is recommended to store the berries at a temperature of -12°C.

Storage and defrosting

It is not recommended to store frozen berries next to meat, fish and other products, otherwise an unusual smell will be transmitted to these delicate fruits. You need to freeze berries very quickly, so do not completely fill the freezer. It is better to freeze berries in small portions. Then you can retain more vitamins in them.

Before freezing berries, you should prepare the freezer. Many modern refrigerators have a freezer pre-prep function. It is recommended to turn on the “Freezing” function one day before placing food for freezing and turn it off one day after freezing. After that, you just need to set the “Storage” mode.

Refrigeration equipment experts say that the most suitable temperature for freezing berries is between minus 18 and minus 23 degrees. At this temperature, the fruits will freeze faster and more reliably and will be stored for 8 to 12 months - that is, almost until the next season. You can freeze berries at temperatures from 0 to minus 8 degrees. However, in this case they can be stored for no more than three months.

The berries should be defrosted gradually by transferring them from the freezer to the lower compartment of the refrigerator. If you want to cook compote, then you don’t have to defrost the berries at all, but put them in a saucepan frozen. Without defrosting, the berries can also be added to porridge during cooking. Under no circumstances should berries be re-frozen, otherwise there will be no beneficial substances left in them.

Frozen berries can be used for a variety of purposes. They make excellent compotes, fruit drinks, and jelly. They can be used as ingredients for cocktails and refreshing drinks. Frozen berries are an excellent filling for pies, charlottes and muffins. They can be added to cereals and baby food. Berries exposed to low temperatures go well with ice cream, as well as cottage cheese desserts and casseroles. They are also a good base for creating jellies, mousses and sauces.

Freezing berries is an excellent way to preserve the substances they contain. In this article I will tell you how to freeze berries correctly - so that they are stored for as long as possible.

By freezing the berries, we get the opportunity to enjoy them even in winter or during spring vitamin deficiency - and we will not have to overpay for imported products in supermarkets. So it’s definitely worth spending a little time figuring out how to properly freeze berries.

How to store berries?

Drying and canning lead to the loss of a significant proportion of the biologically active substances contained in the berries. So the only effective way was and remains deep and quick freezing.

We should start by selecting the container in which we will freeze:

The simplest option is PVC/polyethylene bags. To save money, you can use regular ones, but I recommend not to be greedy and buy special bags for freezing vegetables, fruits and berries. They are denser, more durable, equipped with convenient fasteners, and therefore it is much more convenient to store frozen foods in them.

If you need to freeze tender and soft berries - ripe raspberries, blackberries or strawberries - then you should abandon the bags in favor of plastic containers with lids. In such a container, the berries do not wrinkle (unless, of course, you add them without tamping), so after defrosting they retain their shape, and therefore most of the juice.

The “double” method is quite convenient. To do this, I first put small berries in a plastic freezer bag, and then put the bag in a container and the container in the freezer. After some time, the berries freeze and the bag becomes a dense rectangular briquette. It can be removed from the container and stored separately: the shape will save space in the freezer. But this method, of course, will not work for soft berries.

Another technique involves freezing not whole berries, but mashed puree. To do this, the berries need to be crushed in a blender, rubbed through a sieve to remove seeds and poured through a funnel into small (up to half a liter) plastic bottles. Now we just need to screw on the lids and place the containers in the refrigerator.

Finally, you can make berry ice. To do this, pour mashed fresh berry puree into ice bags: after freezing, this ice can be stored for a very long time and with virtually no loss of valuable substances.

Is hard freezing necessary?

If you have decided on the container, temperature is next. The temperature for freezing berries and fruits can be different, but in practice I have identified three main ranges:

from 0 to −8 degrees is, rather, not freezing as such, but cooling of the berries. At this temperature, the content of vitamins and other useful substances is minimally reduced. But, alas, berries frozen at this temperature can be stored for 1 to 3 months, no more;

from −10 to −18 degrees is the average temperature range. Suitable for long-term (up to six months) storage of raspberries, strawberries and other soft berries. The absence of strong cooling allows you to preserve the pulp without damage;

from −18 to −23 degrees - a mode suitable for quick freezing and long-term (up to 9 months) storage. Unfortunately, such extreme temperature treatment can lead to the fact that after defrosting, too juicy berries are deformed due to the rupture of the cell walls by large ice crystals.

The mode is also determined by the capabilities of the freezer. So before you start preparing, carefully read the instructions for the freezer and choose which compartment you will place the berries in.

How to freeze different berries

Well, now just a few words about how to properly freeze different berries.

In principle, there are no particular difficulties here, but each variety has its own little tricks:

Strawberry It's best to freeze it whole - this way it retains more juice. We freeze in two stages: first we freeze the berries, laying them out in one layer on a flat surface. After this, we put the frozen strawberries in containers and store them that way. This approach allows you to reduce the number of deformed and damaged berries to a minimum.

Currant- both black and red - freeze perfectly in dry form. We separate the berries from the stems, remove the damaged ones and put them in bags. If you do not press down, then after freezing the currants will be intact and retain all the juice.

Gooseberry can be stored in the same way as currants - only the temperature for freezing should be lower. In addition, I sometimes cut the gooseberries in half, put them in a container and sprinkle them with sugar. This method is suitable for overripe berries that are difficult to preserve without bruising.

Malina Before freezing, rinse thoroughly in a colander. If there are berries affected by larvae, immerse the berries in a saline solution for 2 minutes, remove the surfaced larvae and repeat the washing again. After this, dry the raspberries on a towel and put them in a container to freeze.

Blueberry It also stores well - both ground with sugar and whole. The whole one can be packed into containers, but the ground one is much more convenient to keep in plastic bags or even improvised tubes.

Cranberry It is frozen like strawberries - in two steps. First, we wash the berries, then dry them on a towel. After that, put it on a tray and put it in the freezer so that individual berries do not freeze. After freezing, place the cranberries in a dry container and store for six months to 10 months.

Similarly, you can save cherry, And cherries. Simply wash the berries, freeze them individually and place them in containers. If you need cherries for compote, then there’s no need to bother at all: wash the berries, put them in bags, press a little so that the cherries release their juice - and into the freezer! Therefore, it will be enough to remove the briquette from polyethylene and place it in a pan for cooking compote.

4 rules for long-term storage

Whatever berries we choose for long-term storage in the freezer, when preparing we should follow a few simple rules:

There is no need to choose overripe berries. Yes, the riper the strawberries, cherries or raspberries, the tastier they are, and the more vitamins they contain. But during the ripening process, the berry accumulates a large amount of juice, which turns into ice when frozen. As a result, ice crystals destroy the cell walls, and after defrosting, most of the juice flows out, and the berries lose their attractive shape. To avoid this, it is better to choose slightly unripe berries for long-term freezing.

Before freezing, the berries need to be prepared. The minimum amount of work consists of removing stalks, remains of inflorescences, debris, pests, etc. Their presence can cause the berries to be damaged when frozen.

First we wash it, then we dry it. Before putting them in the freezer, you need to wash the berries (any) to remove dust, dirt, etc. But you shouldn’t freeze wet berries, otherwise they will freeze into one big lump. So before starting low-temperature treatment, it is advisable to thoroughly dry the washed berries.

Freeze in portions. Very often, even after thoroughly drying the berries, separating part of the frozen briquette is very difficult - and the berries tolerate re-freezing extremely poorly. So it’s better to initially pack them in bags or containers in portions of 300–500 g - just enough for one meal.

By following these tips, you can effectively freeze any berries and store them for a whole year. So you will be provided with vitamins for a long time!