Preparing for future use: is it possible to freeze Chinese cabbage for the winter and how to do it correctly
Chinese cabbage is rich in vitamins, minerals and other valuable components. The vegetable does not require care and produces an excellent harvest, which makes it popular among gardeners. But it has one drawback - low shelf life. In order to enjoy delicious vitamin-rich dishes from such cabbage in winter, it is worth learning how to properly preserve it. We will tell you in the article whether it is possible to freeze Chinese cabbage for the winter and, if so, how to do it correctly.
Is it possible to freeze Chinese cabbage?
Vegetable leaves are frozen whole and in crushed form. Way frost selected taking into account the further use of the product.
How properties and taste change
If you strictly adhere to the recommended storage rules, after freezing the taste and quality of Chinese cabbage practically does not change.
Reference. Thawed vegetables (200 g) will provide the body’s daily need for ascorbic acid and vitamin A.
This product does not lose its therapeutic properties. It has a positive effect on the body:
- improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, removes toxins;
- normalizes the process of blood clotting;
- strengthens the skeletal system;
- eliminates depression;
- relieves headaches.
The substances that make up the vegetable improve the condition of hair, nails and teeth.Due to the large amount of fiber and low calorie content, Chinese cabbage is used in dietary nutrition.
Selecting and preparing cabbage for freezing
For freezing, only mature and high-quality heads of cabbage without signs of disease or damage are used. Large or medium-sized forks with a dense structure are ideal.
First, carefully separate the leaves and wash them in water. Allow the water to drain, and then dry the vegetable under natural conditions.
Suitable varieties
To preserve the taste properties of the vegetable, only mid- and late-ripening varieties are taken. The most popular among gardeners:
- Russian size;
- Vorozheya;
- Wineglass;
- Nika;
- Monument;
- Lyubasha;
- Bilko.
How to properly freeze Chinese cabbage
When freezing, adhere to simple and few rules. There are several ways to obtain this product.
Entirely
Washed and dried vegetable leaves can be frozen without chopping. The preparation is suitable for preparing salads and soups in winter.
The leaves are placed in special sealed food bags and placed in the freezer.
Important! They use quick freezing mode, which helps preserve the taste and nutritional properties of cabbage.
In crushed form
The prepared leaves are cut into strips and placed in a bag, sealed tightly. Then place it in the freezer.
It is not recommended to pack cabbage tightly - in this state it will better preserve its appearance.
Stuffed cabbage preparations
When freezing the product, the leaves are prepared in advance. They are dipped in boiling water for a few seconds and drained in a colander. After cooling, cut off the thickened areas at the base and cut into pieces of the required size.
Then the leaves are laid out in a portioned stack intended for one-time preparation of cabbage rolls. The workpiece is placed in a plastic bag or disposable container and frozen.
Terms and conditions of storage
Frozen cabbage can be used within 1 year.
Attention! The main condition for proper freezing is maintaining a constant temperature in the freezer. Defrosting a vegetable causes it to spoil.
How to defrost correctly
Defrost in the following sequence:
- Take the bag or tray out of the freezer, place it or place it in the refrigerator.
- Allow the cabbage to thaw a little and only then defrost at room temperature.
This method is suitable if the leaves were frozen entirely. The chopped product, taken out of the freezer, is immediately thrown into boiling water and cooked.
How to use
Frozen Chinese cabbage is suitable for cooking:
- salads;
- soups;
- cabbage rolls
Other storage methods
You can preserve vegetables for a long time using other proven methods.
Dried
Dried leaves are used as a tasty vitamin-rich dressing for soups and main courses. The clean vegetable is finely chopped and placed in an oven or electric dryer. When drying, it is recommended to maintain a temperature of +50…+60°C. Turn on the convection mode or open the door slightly so that the evaporated moisture evaporates and the cabbage does not cook. Drying time is 4-5 hours.
Attention! To prevent this product from becoming damp, it is stored in a cotton bag.
Fresh
The ideal place to store vegetables is the cellar. Cabbage does not spoil for a long time and retains its taste if the required temperature (+2...+3°C) and humidity (about 95%) are provided in the room.
Healthy and strong heads of cabbage are wrapped in cling film and placed in a wooden container.
Important! Heads of cabbage should not be stored in the same room with apples and other fruits. This proximity contributes to the withering of the leaves of the vegetable crop.
Recommended shelf life is 4-5 months.
City residents, as a rule, do not have cellars, so they have to store vegetables in apartment conditions. A dry and undamaged head of cabbage is wrapped in cling film and placed in a special box in the lower section of the refrigerator. If such a container is not provided, a large plastic container with a lid is used for this purpose.
During storage, systematically inspect the product and remove dried and damaged leaves.
Conservation
Beijing cabbage is suitable for winter preparations. Her salt, fermented, pickled and added as an additional ingredient to other salads and snacks.
The vegetable can be quickly and easily pickled and included in a variety of dishes in winter.
For 0.5 kg of cabbage you will need:
- salt – 3 tbsp. l.;
- sugar – 2 tbsp. l.;
- 9% vinegar – 1 tsp;
- water – 0.5 l;
- black peppercorns – 3-5 pcs.
Prepared in several stages:
- Clean and dry leaves are cut into strips.
- Place peppers in sterilized jars and pack cabbage tightly.
- To prepare the marinade, take water and add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil and pour into jars to the very top.
Then the jars are turned upside down and wrapped in a warm blanket so that they cool slowly.
This is interesting:
Proven ways to store Brussels sprouts for the winter in fresh, frozen and canned form.
In what form and how to properly freeze Brussels sprouts for the winter in the freezer.
Conclusion
Chinese cabbage is a healthy and tasty product that in winter will diversify the menu and enrich the diet with vitamins and minerals beneficial to the body. To preserve the valuable properties of cabbage, it is frozen, dried and canned. Frozen vegetables can be stored for no more than one year.