Preparing greens for the winter: is it possible to freeze green onions and how to do it correctly

Freezing green onions for the winter is the best way to save its taste and aroma. Greens prepared in this way are suitable for preparing many dishes and will be a good help in the winter. We offer several ways to freeze onions at home.

Is it possible to freeze green onions?

Green onions, like any greens, can be safely frozen. In winter, such a preparation will come in handy, because a bunch of green feathers on the market costs much more than in summer, and brings practically no benefit.

Points for and against

Not all housewives prepare green onions by freezing.

There are arguments against this method:

1. After prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures, greens lose their taste and vitamins. However, if you follow the basic principles of freezing, nothing like this will happen.
2. Not everyone knows how healthy this vegetable is and what dishes to add it to.
3. After defrosting, the feathers lose their elasticity and stick together. This occurs exclusively when freezing rules are not followed or defrosting is improper.

There are many more arguments in favor of this method:

1. The preparation process is completely simple and accessible to everyone.
2. Frozen green onions keep better than dried or pickled ones.
3. Ready-made chopped greens greatly simplify and speed up the cooking process.
4. You don’t have to buy green onions at the market, which means you save money and time.
5. The vegetable contains many vitamins and phytoncides, which will improve health and boost immunity in the winter.

Loss of beneficial properties

The widespread belief that greens lose vitamins and other beneficial components after freezing is refuted by science. In fact, vitamins are destroyed not by freezing, but by exposure to light, air (oxidation), and high temperatures. Freezing, on the contrary, is considered the most optimal harvesting method for preserving the maximum amount of useful substances.

Taste and consistency after defrosting

If the technology is followed, the taste of green onions remains unchanged. It only deteriorates when stored for too long and re-frozen after defrosting.

The consistency of onion feathers changes slightly - they become somewhat softer than fresh ones. This depends on the freezing method and storage conditions. If you follow the recommendations and tips for properly freezing greens, their consistency will remain virtually unchanged.

Interesting things on the site:

How to salt green onions for the winter quickly and easily

How to dry green onions for the winter

How to properly freeze leeks

Features of freezing

To get the most benefits and preserve the taste of green onions, consider some simple but important tips:

1. Before you start chopping your greens, rinse it well with running water. Chopped onions should not be washed - this will lead to loss of taste and aroma.
2. The white part of the onion is also frozen, but it is better to do this in a separate container. Cut off the white “legs” from the greens only after washing, so that water does not get on the cut, otherwise the feathers will stick together.
3. Be sure to drain the washed greens in a colander. and dry with napkins or paper towels.Feathers must be completely dry. Then they will tolerate freezing well and will not stick together.
4. It is better to pack greens in portionsso as not to take it out of the freezer many times. Otherwise, green onions will quickly lose their taste and beneficial properties.

Choose elastic feathers of a rich green color. Remove all withered, limp and dry ones.

Freezing methods

There are different ways to prepare green onions in the freezer.. We have collected the most accessible and interesting of them.

In various containers

There are several options for preparing green onions in different containers:

1. The easiest and fastest way is to freeze the greens in a bag. To do this, it is cut into rings and packaged in portions into small bags. Before tying the bag, be sure to run your hand over it and release excess air. Some housewives use zip bags and a regular juice straw. The bag is not closed all the way, a tube is inserted near the edge, the air is released, the tube is quickly removed and the bag is zipped completely.
2. Freezing in a container - one of the most common methods. Finely chopped greens are laid out in a thin layer on cutting boards or trays and placed in the freezer for several hours. To prevent onion rings from sticking to the surface of the trays, they are covered with cling film. After the greens have dried in the freezer, they are scattered into containers.
3. There is one more an interesting way to freeze - in a bottle. To do this, the greens must also be well dried, otherwise it will be impossible to get them. It is better to use small bottles – no more than 1 liter in volume.
4. Housewives also practice batch freezing in ice cube trays, cupcakes, muffins.The greens are prepared as for freezing in a container and laid out in containers.

In various forms

Onions can be stored either chopped or whole.

The following freezing options are available::

1. In crushed form. It is either simply scattered into bags or containers, or added to molds of water and cubes of greens are prepared with ice.
2. A very original way for gourmets is freezing in butter. It must lie at room temperature for one hour. Use oil with a high fat content, preferably homemade. Chopped herbs and spices are added to it to taste. Then the mixture is laid out in molds or wrapped in cling film into a sausage. When the cubes are frozen, they are transferred to bags. Another option is to roll out the mixture in a bag into a thin layer and break off pieces when cooking.
3. To keep them intact, feathers are wrapped in foil or cling film. This method is suitable for those who cannot spend time on chopping, but want to prepare green onions for the winter. You just have to take into account that after defrosting at room temperature, the feathers lose their appearance and become soft.
4. Another harvesting method is blanching greens.. Place it in a colander and lower it into boiling water for one minute. After this, the onions are cooled and all the liquid is filtered out. Blanched greens are placed in plastic containers and placed in the freezer.

Shelf life

Frozen greens can be stored for 2 months to six months. However, it is important to take into account the nuances on which the preservation time of the beneficial properties of the vegetable depends.

A few recommendations:

1. Shelf life depends on the freezing method and the temperature in the freezer.. The lower it is, the longer you can keep the greens.If the freezer maintains a temperature of -18°C, long-term storage of greens is allowed for six months or even more.
2. The optimal shelf life of green onions is 3 months.. This is how long it contains the maximum amount of useful substances.
3. Green onions with oil spoil faster, so it is better to use it within 1-2 months. Such cubes cannot be re-frozen; in case of forced defrosting (the power went out, the refrigerator broke), they are immediately used in dishes.

At first, the green onions will give off a strong odor in the freezer., so wrap it in cling film and put it on a separate shelf so that the aroma does not transfer to other products.

How to defrost correctly

Green onions do not need to be defrosted in all cases.. To prepare hot dishes, casseroles and pies, you do not need to defrost the greens. This is only necessary for whole feathers or adding chopped herbs to cold dishes.

It is recommended to defrost at room temperature or in the refrigerator. In the first case, it will be faster, but the consistency of the greens will become softer and more slippery. Defrosting will not affect the taste and aroma. In the refrigerator, the greens will retain their elasticity; this method is ideal for whole onions.

Do not use a microwave or hot water to defrost.. So the greens will not only lose their taste, but will also become completely sour.

Where to apply

Fragrant green onions are suitable for preparing first and second courses, casseroles, meatballs, omelettes, savory pies and pancakes, and sauces.

Depending on the freezing method, green onions are added as a dressing to many dishes.:

1. Cubes frozen onions with water - for hot first courses.
2. Greens with oil goes well with potatoes, meat and fish, and goes well with sandwiches.
3. Chopped greens from bags and containers are added to main courses, casseroles, pancakes, pancakes, and pies.
4. Blanched onions good in soups and main courses.
5. For salads it is better to use carefully defrosted feathers.

Reviews

Many housewives who have tested the method of freezing green onions from their own experience were satisfied with the result. Here are some reviews on this topic.

Anastasia, Moscow: “I liked the method. Last year I froze a lot of these preparations, the onions tasted like fresh ones. I added a little to soups and egg pies.”.

Valentina, Kazan: “I froze the greens in cubes with water and butter. What you need for potatoes is butter and onions at once. Thanks to water, the taste and aroma are perfectly preserved. I prepare all the excess greens this way.”.

Lyudmila, St. Petersburg: “I have been using frozen onions for a long time in winter for soups and pies. I love greens both dried and frozen. The taste is preserved well. The family loves it!”

Conclusion

Harvesting green onions for future use will allow you to preserve juicy greens, which are practically no different from fresh ones in taste and properties. There are different ways to freeze vegetables, among which each housewife will choose suitable options for herself. Green onions in winter will add variety to the diet and replenish the body's needs for vitamins and microelements.