Fresh Brussels sprouts in cold conditions can be stored for up to 1-2 months. To extend the shelf life of the vegetable, it can be frozen. Read how to do this correctly in the article.
Are beneficial substances stored during freezing?
Brussels sprouts are a storehouse of useful elements, most of which are vital for the human body. It contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, B9, C, PP, carotene, minerals sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, iodine.
Did you know? The first frozen food in the world hit the shelves in March 1930. It was a fish from the American company Birds Ay. A patent for freezing fish and vegetables was obtained by entrepreneur Clarence Birdsay in 1924.
With the help of freezing, it is possible to save most of these elements: all minerals and 90% of vitamins. Today, the correct freezing of vegetables and berries is the best way to store food for a long time with the preservation of almost all valuable substances.
Choose cabbage for freezing
For freezing for the winter, you should choose only high-quality heads. Before the procedure, they need to be thoroughly examined and discarded yellowed, lethargic, rotten, damaged, cracked specimens. They must be eaten immediately, they are unsuitable for storage.For freezing, you need to send the heads, which are characterized by elasticity, density. They should be no larger than 2 cm in diameter. If the heads are larger, then they should be cut into halves.
Preparing cabbage for freezing
Before freezing, the vegetable requires prior preparation.
It consists in the following manipulations:
- Completely cut stitches. This is necessary to save space in the freezer.
- Soak the heads in water-salt solution (5 tsp / 3 l of water). So you can remove the insects that hide under the leaves.
- Rinse the heads under running water.
Important! For the good development of the heads of Brussels sprouts and the preservation of their elasticity, you need to cut off the top of the stem at the time of their growth.
How to freeze Brussels sprouts at home
To freeze the product, the following dishes and appliances will be required:
- Pan for blanching.
- Colander or strainer.
- Container for cooling.
- A tray or a large plate for freezing.
- Vacuum or conventional bags, plastic storage containers.
- Towels made of fabric or paper to dry the vegetable.
The step-by-step technology for freezing cabbage is as follows:
- Pre-cool the water to ice.
- Pour water into a pan, calculating its amount in accordance with the recommendation of 3 liters per 1 kg of vegetable.
- Put on fire and boil.
- Throw heads into boiling water.
- Pour ice water into a separate container.
- After 2-3 minutes, quickly drain the water from the pan through a colander.
- Place a colander with heads of cabbage in a container of ice water.
- Dry the chilled heads by placing them on a towel.
- To lay out dry heads of cabbage in one layer on the pallet.
- Put the tray in the freezer, in quick freeze mode.
- Arrange the frozen heads into bags, squeezing air out of them well, or into plastic containers. On the packaging you need to indicate the date when the product was frozen.
Did you know? Brussels sprouts are the fruit of human hands; they do not grow in the wild. She was bred from kale in Belgium.
Blanching the product is optional. However, a vegetable frozen without prior heat treatment has a shorter shelf life. It is believed that the taste of such a product is worse. Freezing without blanching is much faster. With this method, preliminary freezing on the pallet is not necessary. The heads are immediately laid out in bags or containers.
How much can you store cabbage
A properly frozen product that has not been thawed and stored at -18 ° C is suitable for use throughout the year.
Features of defrosting and eating
It is advisable to introduce Brussels sprouts into the diet for every person, since it has a number of beneficial effects on the body, in particular, such:
- Prevents the development of problems with the heart and blood vessels, blood pressure.
- It is a prophylactic against the development of breast cancer.
- It has a beneficial effect on brain activity, memory, and the functioning of the organs of vision.
- Saturates the body with important elements.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Helps to remove cholesterol from the body.
This vegetable can be boiled, fried, stewed, baked, added as one of the ingredients to salads, soups. It is used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes. Whole small heads of cabbage fried in breadcrumbs are served as a separate dish. Heads are also used to decorate various dishes.
Important! After defrosting, repeated freezing of the product is strictly prohibited. The product may deteriorate and be unusable.
You do not need to defrost the cabbage; immediately after removing it from the freezer, put it in a pan or in boiling water. So you can save the maximum amount of valuable substances.So, freezing Brussels sprouts allows you to save it for a long time without losing valuable substances.
The main thing is to select high-quality heads and freeze correctly, in accordance with the recommendations.