The best recipes for dill preparations for the winter

Dill - a popular seasoning with a recognizable taste and aroma. It is added to sauces, soups, hot and cold dishes, consumed fresh, dried and canned. In addition, the leaves of the plant have a wide range of beneficial properties.

Preparing greens for the winter will not be difficult even for those who have never encountered home canning before.

Chemical composition, vitamins and beneficial properties of dill

Dill contains a large amount of beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, K. Fresh greens contain magnesium, cobalt and chromium salts, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

The calorie content of the product is 40 kcal per 100 g, which consists of:

• carbohydrates – 6.3 g;
• proteins – 2.5 g;
• fats – 0.5 g;
• dietary fiber – 2.8 g;
• water – 86 g.

Consumption of the seasoning fresh allows normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, especially when eating heavy foods. This occurs due to the enzymes contained in greens, which accelerate the process of fiber breakdown.

Preparing the necessary ingredients

To prepare seasoning for the winter, mainly its green part is used - leaves and sometimes thin stems. Umbrellas are used for canning vegetables and are rarely used for storage, excluding seeds.

Healthy, undamaged leaves are washed and dried so that they do not wither or rot. Processing is carried out according to the selected recipe.

Ways to preserve for the winter

To preserve greens in various forms, there are many methods and recipes, the essence of which boils down to drying, freezing, canning.

The simplest

Among the easiest ways to preserve dill are drying and freezing. They do not require any special financial or physical costs. You can dry dill either in the fresh air or in a special dehydrator. This allows the seasoning to preserve its taste properties for as long as possible.

In a bag in the refrigerator

Storing dill in the refrigerator is most often short-lived - in the best case scenario, it will not last more than two weeks. However, if you need to wait a few days before another treatment and keep the greens fresh, this method is suitable.

The washed and dried bunches are placed tightly in a plastic bag, which is sealed with tape and placed in the refrigerator.

In a container with water

Fresh herbs can be stored in a jar or container with water. A prerequisite for such storage is a tightly closed lid of the container. Freshly harvested dill is collected in bunches and placed in a container one-quarter filled with water. Close the container tightly and place it in the refrigerator.

You can also store dill like flowers, simply by placing a bunch in a container of water.

In a paper towel

This method allows you to preserve fresh dill for up to three weeks.

Bunches of dill are wrapped in a paper napkin or towel.

The bundle is lightly moistened with water, placed in a plastic bag and placed in the cold.

To better preserve the dill, change the paper at least once every 3-4 days.

In a jar or bag

Storing in a hermetically sealed jar or bag will keep dill fresh for up to three months.The washed, dried greens are separated from the stems and placed tightly in a prepared container. Place the filled jar or bag in a dark, cool place.

Important. The jar must close tightly and not let air through, the bag must be sealed tightly.

In a sterilized jar

Sterilizing the container slows down the spoilage process. The prepared jar is sterilized by calcination or steaming. The washed and dried greens are placed tightly in a sterile container. The jars are stored in the refrigerator.

In foil

Clean and dried bunches of dill are placed in foil prepared according to the size of the bunches. The foil is wrapped in an envelope and placed in a plastic bag. These envelopes are stored either in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Dill stays fresh for up to two months.

Freezing in ice trays

Freezing cannot be called the best way, since due to exposure to low temperatures, enzymes and vitamins are destroyed, and the taste and aromatic properties of greens are reduced. However, freezing in ice cube trays is very popular for storing dill.

The greens are cut into small pieces and placed in ice trays, filled with boiled water at room temperature and placed in the freezer. This dill can be used in various soups by adding the whole cube at once.

You can freeze bunches of greens that have been washed and dried in advance, wrapped in plastic or foil. For soup or salad, you simply take out such a “sausage” and cut it while it’s still frozen.

Drying

Drying dill is perhaps the most popular way to prepare seasoning. Dried dill is used in many hot dishes.

Washed and dried dill is finely chopped and laid out in a thin layer on paper or in dehydrator containers.This drying takes 2-3 days. Drying in the oven is allowed - both with whole leaves and finely chopped ones.

You can also dry dill in bunches. The collected bunches are hung with the leaves down in a well-ventilated place, protected from direct sunlight. Greens prepared in this way retain their color.

Canning

Fresh young shoots are used for canning. Most often, salting is used - dry or with marinade. The leaves are crushed and tightly laid in layers with salt or poured with prepared marinade.

Marinated

There are a large number of recipes for pickling dill. The simplest marinade includes table vinegar, water and salt. More complex recipes may include bay leaves, sweet peas, and other spices and seasonings.

Reference. You can pickle dill either alone or in combination with parsley, green onions, cilantro and other herbs.

Other

There are many other ways to preserve greens for the winter - ground with oil and salt as a smoothie, in vacuum containers, frozen in bunches, and also as part of some sauces.

Recipes

To preserve dill, you can resort not only to harvesting it in its pure form, but also to salting, marinating, and preparing seasonings and sauces based on it.

Salting in layers in a jar

Ingredients:

• fresh dill;
• coarse sea salt.

The washed, dried dill is separated from the branches and compacted tightly into sterile jars in layers, sprinkling them with coarse sea salt. The layers of dill should not exceed 2 cm. The optimal ratio is 2 parts dill, 1 part salt.

Salting with marinade

Ingredients:

• fresh dill – 800 g;
• water – 500 ml;
• coarse salt – 5 tsp;
• sugar – 10 g;
• allspice peas – 6 peas;
• bay leaf – 2 pcs;
• table vinegar 6% – 250 ml.

The jars are sterilized in a water bath for 20 minutes. Boil water in an enamel pan, add salt and sugar until completely dissolved. Then add pepper, bay leaf and vinegar and boil for 5-6 minutes. The greens are finely chopped and compacted into sterile containers, poured with boiling marinade and covered with tight lids. Sterile jars are rolled up, allowed to cool and stored in a cool, dark place.

Dry salting in jars

Ingredients:

• dill;
• salt.

Fresh dill is chopped and dried in air or in the oven. Dried herbs are mixed with salt in a ratio of 4:1. The mixture is compacted into sterile containers with tight-fitting lids and placed in a cool, dark place.

Pickled dill

Ingredients:

• fresh dill – 500 g;
• water – 300 ml;
• apple cider vinegar 9% – 200 ml;
• coarse salt – 100 g.

Water is mixed with salt and vinegar and brought to a boil. The greens are finely chopped and compacted into sterile containers, and poured with boiling marinade. The containers are tightly closed or rolled up and placed under a warm blanket for 10-12 hours. Cooled jars are stored in a cool, dark place.

Oil seasoning

Ingredients:

• fresh dill - 2 large bunches;
• fresh garlic – 10 cloves;
• vegetable oil – 100 ml;
• citric acid – 0.5 tsp;
• salt.

Greens and dill are crushed in a blender or finely chopped, mixed with oil, salt and citric acid. The mixture is heated for 10-15 minutes and poured into containers.

Infusion with oil

Ingredients:

• fresh dill;
• olive or sunflower refined oil.

The greens are crushed in a blender and compacted tightly into a sterile container, poured with heated vegetable oil.The closed jar is infused for two weeks in a cool, dark place.

Pesto

Ingredients:

• fresh dill – 200 g;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• salt – 0.5 tsp;
• pine nuts, walnuts or almonds – 50 g;
• ground black pepper – 0.5 tsp;
• grated lemon zest – 1 tsp;
• olive oil – 50 ml.

All ingredients are crushed in a blender. The mixture is laid out in sterile containers and rolled up.

Useful tips

Advice from experienced housewives will help extend the shelf life and value of products:

1. When storing dill in bunches in water, wash the greens only before use.
2. Before harvesting greens, it is important to sort them out from dry and rotten leaves.
3. Sterilizing containers for storing greens will increase shelf life.
4. Dried dill is stored in closed bags or jars in a dry, dark place.
5. Salting the seasoning preserves it beneficial features.

Conclusion

With a competent approach to preparation, you can pamper yourself with summer vitamins throughout the winter, which is especially important in regions with short summers. The main thing is to choose the optimal harvesting method for yourself and follow the storage rules.