Is it possible to freeze white cabbage for the winter?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Cabbage is a fantastic vegetable. It is eaten fresh, s alted or pickled. For the winter, summer residents lower heads of cabbage into the cellar in order to preserve vitamins until spring. Unfortunately, not all of them are suitable. Therefore, the cabbage dries up or rots, and by the middle of winter the miserable remnants of luxurious heads of cabbage have to be thrown away. The question of whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage is not worth it at all for many gardeners. It is believed that after freezing it will become inedible. In fact, this is true only for those cases where the technology is not followed. Let's look at how to perform the freezing procedure.

Forewarned is forearmed

If you ask chefs whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage, they usually answer evasively that this method has its pros and cons. Cabbage retains all vitamins and minerals, is stored at hand, and already chopped, for example, for soup. Moreover, it can be used withoutdefrosting, especially if it is packed in disposable bags. This speeds up the cooking time and saves the hostess time.

But there are also disadvantages. Only after getting acquainted with them, a person is able to finally decide whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage. First of all, it takes up space in the refrigerator. If you have a large one, this may not be critical, but for most it plays a significant role. Now further. A tender vegetable loses its appearance. The leaves themselves soften and are no longer suitable for salads. The crunch is completely lost, the cabbage becomes as if boiled.

Delicate product

It really is. Also quite capricious. Therefore, decide for yourself whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage, based on the tasks that you set for yourself. The usual methods of freezing will not work - this way you will only spoil the juicy leaves. In order to preserve the properties of the vegetable as much as possible, it is recommended to adhere to the following technology.

Remove the top leaves from the head and place in a suitable pot. Now fill with water so that the vegetable is completely hidden. You can take out the cabbage and boil the water. After that, cut the head of cabbage into several parts and lower it to blanch for 3-5 minutes. After this time, immediately pour over the cabbage with cold water and spread it on a dry towel for about an hour. This is necessary to keep the glass from all moisture. Only after that it can be put into plastic bags and put in the freezer.

Preparation for borscht and soups

Most of the time is usually spent cutting vegetables. The slow cooker copes well with cooking the broth, but the cutting lies on the shoulders of the hostess. Therefore, many have been preparing special dressings since autumn, which include already chopped beets and carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes. Cabbage can also be chopped, lightly blanched and put in the freezer. So you save your time. And for those who still doubt whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage for soup, you can offer to cook a small portion and try it.

For cabbage rolls

Someone tries to put a whole head of cabbage in the freezer, but this should not be done. All the same, it will not be possible to completely remove the water, which will affect the quality. Therefore, we immediately disassemble the leaves. The process begins by blanching them for 5 minutes. After that, the water is allowed to drain and the straightened leaves are placed in a bag. This harvesting technology does not affect the taste of the finished dish too much. There are people who do not like cabbage rolls cooked this way. It's a matter of personal preference.

Sauerkraut

It is best for freezing and long-term storage. Does not lose color and taste, remains crispy and very tasty. This is an excellent base for salads and cabbage soup, as well as a source of vitamins. In addition, this is an ideal harvesting method for those who are looking for a method on how to freeze white cabbage for the winter in jars. What is it for?Sauerkraut cannot be kept warm - it becomes too sour. There is usually not enough space in the refrigerator. Therefore, it is laid out in banks and taken out to the balcony. As needed, you can take one at a time and put it in the refrigerator. It is even easier in a private house - you can store blanks on a cold veranda.

Temperature and shelf life

Above it was considered how to freeze white cabbage for the winter. In the freezer, the standard temperature is -18 degrees. At this temperature, it should be stored. These are the optimal conditions. So it can lie up to 10 months. Cabbage should not be refrozen, so stack it so that only one package is removed at a time.

Cabbage juice

Can this unique drink be frozen? Miraculous properties are familiar to everyone who has ever treated the stomach. It is very useful for peptic ulcers, helps with weight loss, regulates blood glucose levels. The benefits of juice are directly related to the quality of the vegetable itself. Moreover, the finished product must be consumed immediately. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 hours, that is, you can immediately make servings for the morning and for lunch. The longer the juice stands, the lower the concentration of nutrients in it. Therefore, it is better to buy yourself an electric juicer. In other ways, getting juice can be quite difficult. And make your own juice when you need it.

Instead of a conclusion

Summarizing, it should be noted that this is a goodtype of workpiece execution, despite some disadvantages. Cabbage in this version is always ready to use and allows you to cook lunch or dinner several times faster. It can be frozen chopped or in large pieces (half or a quarter of a head). It is suitable for preparing a wide variety of dishes. Salad will be an exception. After freezing, the leaves become soft and are no longer suitable for a crispy snack. Frozen cabbage is stored for a long time and can be used as part of the mixture. Of course, the size of the freezer is limited, as are the options in which the defrosted product can be used. But a small part of it can be put in the freezer to provide yourself with semi-finished products for making stuffed cabbage and soups for the whole winter.