How to freeze cherries for the winter in the refrigerator: shelf life with photos

Is it possible to freeze cherries for the winter?

You can freeze cherries. But you should pay attention to the variety of berries and the effect of low temperatures on their pulp. All varieties of cherries are divided into two types: Moreli and Amoreli.

The former have a more sour taste and darker fruits:

Shubinka;
Lyubskaya;
Griot;
Vladimirskaya;
Anadolskaya;
Zhukovskaya.

When frozen, these berries lose neither taste nor aroma. The pulp remains the same rich color as fresh. Amoreli (Melitopol dessert, Shpanka, Amorel pink) have pink or light red flesh and a sweeter taste.

Important! In winter, cherries will become an additional source of vitamin C. They also contain vitamins A, B, PP, K and E, mineral salts and organic acids. It will help people with cardiovascular diseases to compensate for the deficiency of potassium, magnesium and folic acid.

How to Dry Pistachios If They're Damp

For a long time I thought that pistachios were impossible to find raw. After all, they are sold everywhere fried and salted, and the most I found was unsalted fried. But then in my hometown of Irkutsk I found raw pistachios! True, their price is such that you can’t get much. More than 600 rubles/kg, I don’t remember the exact price. But their quality is excellent - fresh, germinates quickly, and delicious!

I imagined that raw pistachios would be very different from the roasted ones we are all used to, just as roasted and raw peanuts are very different. But they turned out to be very similar, also with a pronounced pistachio taste. Awesome thing! If it weren't for such a high price, I would eat raw pistachios every day.

They are sold in shells, slightly cracked. Externally, raw pistachios are very similar to fried ones; they are almost indistinguishable. Look at the photo to see what raw pistachios look like in shell, peeled, soaked and sprouted.

Some facts about pistachios:

— Pistachios (Pistácia) belong to the Sumakh family (Anacardiaceae).

— Pistachios are considered drupes.

— Distributed in the Mediterranean, Northeast Africa, Western, Central and Eastern Asia. Some types of pistachios are native to Central America.

— Pistachio trees can withstand temperatures not lower than -25 degrees. They are resistant to drought, love light, grow on gray soils, on mountain-steppe brown soils, on cliffs and slopes.

— The fruits of pistachio trees ripen between September and November.

— Pistachios are grown in the largest quantities in Iran and the USA, as well as in Turkey, Syria, China, Greece, Afghanistan, Tunisia and Italy. Pistachios also grow in the Caucasus and Crimea.

— In some varieties of pistachios, the shell itself cracks when ripe, but in others it does not, so this is done mechanically.

— Pistachios are called 'magic nuts' because they contain a lot of useful substances, and the Chinese call pistachios 'lucky nuts' because when they crack, they resemble a contented smile.

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— It is believed that pistachios relieve fatigue and give vigor; they are also useful for high physical and mental stress. They also have a beneficial effect on the brain.

— Pistachios reduce susceptibility to heart disease, perfectly improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system and relieve heart palpitations.

— Pistachios improve liver function, help cure jaundice, relieve liver and stomach colic, treat anemia and ulcers, are very useful for diseases of the respiratory system, enhance sexual potency, improve sperm quality, increase the mobility and vitality of male germ cells.

— Pistachios are very rich in various vitamins and microelements. In particular, they contain a lot of vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, etc.

— Pistachios improve vision and reduce the risk of retinal dystrophy.

- Reduce the risk of cancer.

— Slow down the aging process of the body, promote cell growth and renewal.

— Pistachios also clear bile ducts from blockages.

— Composition of pistachios per 100 grams:

Fiber: 10.3 g

Calorie content: 557 kcal.

How to germinate pistachios:

You need to soak them overnight or for a day, right in the peel. After this, peel the pistachios and place them in damp gauze or a napkin (even toilet paper folded in several rows will do). You need to make sure it doesn't dry out and add a little water if necessary. The pistachios will sprout in a day or two, depending on their freshness.

How to germinate pistachios:

Product selection and preparation

It is best to freeze freshly picked berries, so they will retain all the vitamins. It is recommended to choose only ripe cherries (under-ripe or over-ripe ones will have neither benefit nor pleasant taste). There is no need to wash the berries in warm (and especially hot) water. Only when it's cool. Before freezing, they should be allowed to dry thoroughly from moisture. The most optimal temperature is considered to be from -18 to -23 ˚C. With this mode, the berries are stored for up to 8 or 12 months.

How to freeze cherries in the freezer

Freezing cherries for the winter at home is carried out according to a certain algorithm. When choosing fruits, special attention should be paid to visual analysis. There should be no damage or dents on the surface of the berry. The elasticity of the cherry is checked by pressing. Soft fruits are considered overripe. An important factor is the presence of a petiole.

For freezing, it is advisable to use ripe berries that have not been in the refrigerator for more than two days. When choosing a variety, you should give preference to dark-colored specimens. To remove worms and insects, the fruits are soaked for 30 minutes in a saline solution prepared in a 1:1 ratio.

The choice of thermal treatment method is carried out taking into account plans for further use of the berry. If it must remain intact, then preference is given to gentle methods. Before freezing, rinse the cherries thoroughly and remove the stems. The bone is removed as desired. To do this, use a special device or pin. It is impossible to remove the seed without changing the structure of the berry. If you freeze the fruits along with it, the shelf life of the product is reduced to a year. This is due to the release of amygdalin, which has detrimental effects on health.

Advice! Cherries frozen with the pit retain more juice.

Preparing the Freezer

The freezer must be perfectly clean. It is very convenient to use refrigerators with a super freeze function. This mode should be activated approximately 5 hours before you plan to freeze the fruit.

If you need to defrost the refrigerator, you need to ensure that the containers with berries do not thaw. To do this, wrap the containers in burlap with a cotton pad or old blankets. This will prevent loss of cold.

Advice! In ordinary plastic bags, berries can be greatly deformed. It is better to freeze them immediately on a tray or on a flat dish, and then pack them into bags, tying them tightly. Baking trays lined with parchment paper will also work. But it is worth remembering that cherries have the ability to absorb foreign odors.

Freezing

Frozen cherries are a source of vitamins in winter. And during spring vitamin deficiency, they will be an excellent support for a weakened body.

With the help of modern technologies, the manufacturer has the opportunity to freeze berries at high speed and in large quantities. Blast freezing is capable of preserving most of the vitamins and minerals that the product contains. But a household refrigerator that has such capabilities can handle freezing just as well.

To freeze for the winter, you need to take a few simple steps:

Selected, washed and dried berries are removed from seeds (if they are planned to be used for filling dumplings or baked goods).
Then they are placed on a flat dish at some distance from each other and sent to the freezer. It is important that the berries do not touch each other. You can lay out several layers separated by thick paper.
After a few hours, when the fruits freeze, they are taken out of the freezer and packaged in special tight zip bags. Distribute the fruits in small portions, since they cannot be re-frozen. After packaging, the berries are again sent to the freezer for long-term storage.

How long can frozen cherries be stored?

The main thing in the freezing process is to adhere to the technology described above. In this case, the storage periods will be as follows:

The shelf life of frozen cherries with pits in the freezer is 12 months.
Seedless fruits are stored for the same amount of time.

You can also make wonderful jam from this berry, the timing and storage conditions of which are described here.

Don’t be lazy to prepare a few bags of berries for the winter, because storing cherries is not at all difficult, and in winter you can make many healthy and tasty dishes from them.

Methods for freezing cherries at home

The freezing method depends on how you plan to dispose of the cherries later. If it is used as a filling for pastries, it is better to get rid of the seeds before freezing. If you use it to make compotes, jelly or jelly, you can leave the seeds. This will make the berries more juicy.

With sugar

Whole berries should be washed and dried well. After this, they must be placed in a container for freezing, sprinkled with sugar in layers, closed and placed in the freezer. In the case when seedless fruits are prepared in this way, after removing the seeds, the preparations should be left for a while to allow the juice to drain from them, and only after that can they be sprinkled with sugar.

With a bone

To properly freeze cherries with pits, dry berries should be laid out in one layer directly in the freezer and frozen. Then distribute into containers and put back in the freezer. If you immediately pack the berries into containers, they will stick together into one unsightly lump, and upon subsequent defrosting they will have an unsightly appearance. Cherries are suitable for consumption only for the next 6 (subject to all rules) 8 months.

Pitted

It is also better to freeze seedless berries using the dry method. Place on cutting boards, sprinkle sugar on top and place in the freezer. Then do as described above. When packaging in plastic containers, alternate a ball of berries with a layer of granulated sugar.

Advice! If your family loves compotes, you can freeze assorted berries. This way the taste of the drink will be more interesting and richer.

You can combine cherries with currants, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries. This method is also convenient because the berries do not need to be defrosted before cooking.

In sugar syrup

An excellent solution for those with a sweet tooth. To do this, pour a liter of water into a saucepan and add 1.5 kg of granulated sugar. Simmer over heat, stirring until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the syrup from the stove and let it cool. In the meantime, the washed pitted cherries must be divided into portioned containers. Pour completely with cooled syrup. 2 hours is enough for the berries to be saturated with sugar. Can be frozen.

For cocktails

For those who like to pamper themselves and loved ones with exquisite cocktails, this method will appeal to them. In addition, the berries will look incredible, as if they were placed in transparent glass.

You need to wash the ice trays and wipe them dry. Place one cherry in each cell and pour boiled water at room temperature. Cover the molds with lids (if there are none, regular cling film will do). The water should freeze completely.

Cherry puree

Option one

You can achieve the desired consistency using a meat grinder, sieve or blender (a mixer will also work). A little granulated sugar will do: 200-300 g for 1 kg of berries. It should melt. Place the resulting mixture into portioned bowls and place in the freezer.

Option two

Separate a third of one kilogram of washed, dry, pitted cherries. Grind this portion to a puree. Mix with granulated sugar. The crystals should dissolve. Place whole berries at the bottom of plastic containers and pour in the puree. The product is ready to be frozen.

Option three

Puree with cherries and raspberries is aromatic and healthy. Remove the seeds from washed and dry cherries. Carefully sort the raspberries and make them into a homogeneous mass. Add granulated sugar to it (for 1 kg of mixture you will need ½ kg of sugar). Place cherries in the bottom of a plastic bowl and pour in raspberry puree. Close the lid tightly and place in the freezer.

Freezing cherries with and without pits - what's the difference?

Regardless of the method chosen, in both cases the berries will retain their shape and texture, but the taste will be different. Preserving pitted cherries requires more careful preparation. After removal, the berries need to be dried and frozen on a board or plate individually. After defrosting, they will not absorb excess moisture and will be more convenient to use for cooking.

In cases where cherries are harvested exclusively for cooking compotes, it is better to leave the pits so that the taste of the drink is richer.

Berries with seeds are easier to prepare and this option is suitable for large volumes. After thawing, the seeds will have to be removed if necessary.

Further storage

Before freezing, divide the cherries into individual portions of a maximum of half a kilogram. You can use plastic cups or containers with lids as containers.

For storage, you can use special bags with a vacuum seal. It is easy to spread the berries in one thin layer. This will prevent them from choking and keep their shape. It is imperative to release the air from the bag, otherwise the shelf life of the cherries will be sharply reduced. To save space, stack the bags on top of each other in the freezer.

How long do frozen berries last?

You can store pitted cherries as long as you like. But whole ones are a special issue. It is believed that the seeds release hydrocyanic acid over time. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the shelf life to a year.

Dried berries

Dried cherries have the longest shelf life. For drying, you should choose the highest quality berries. Fruits from which the pit has been previously removed should be laid out on a baking sheet and placed in an oven heated to a temperature of +50 degrees, but no more. Otherwise, the vitamin C contained in it will be destroyed. You should not close the oven tightly; it is best to leave a small gap for the fumes to escape.

Owners of an electric dryer should follow the instructions. After drying by any method, the fruits must be placed for two to three days in wooden or cardboard containers with a tight lid.

This is done to equalize the moisture level of the berries. After this period, the cherries are packaged in glass jars or fabric bags and sent to be stored in a dark, cool place.

Defrosting rules

It seems like there shouldn't be any problems with this process. But that's not true. This also has its own specifics. Housewives often feel sorry for spending a lot of time on such a simple task. The microwave, defrosting in warm water and other quick methods are used, which do more harm than good.

Under the influence of a sharp temperature contrast, vitamins and beneficial microelements are destroyed. The skin of the berries may burst, the pulp loses its elasticity and precious juice. This causes the fruits to become wrinkled and change their shape. Such fruits will not bring any benefit, and there will be little aesthetic pleasure from eating them.

It’s easier with berries that were prepared for compotes and other drinks. From the freezer you can immediately transfer them to a pan and start cooking.

Advice! Frozen cherries are eaten in the same way as fresh ones. Jams, jams, and compotes are made from it. Perfect as a filling for pies and dumplings, it is used to decorate cakes and pastries. A delicate dessert is made from whipped cottage cheese with the addition of cherries. You can safely prepare various infusions, as well as interesting sauces for meat dishes.

And if you want to eat the cherries whole or add them to your favorite yogurt, you need to remove them from the freezer a day before eating. The container with fruit is moved from the chamber to the top shelf of the refrigerator. The temperature there is higher, but still not the same as indoors. This is the best decision. Also do before preparing mousses or jellies.

What if you bake a pie? A caveat needs to be made here. For all types of dough, except for biscuits and casseroles, berries without defrosting are suitable. Biscuit dough will not work if droplets of moisture get into it, and the casserole may not bake. Having frozen cherries on the table in winter is a great success. With their help, you can prepare many more interesting dishes and delight your family with the taste of sunny summer.

How to fry pistachios

Pistachios are delicious nuts that differ from other nuts in lower calorie content and have a fairly rich vitamin composition. These nuts have a tonic effect and help with chronic fatigue and depression. They are also called “funny nuts” because of the effect they have and the cracked, smile-shaped shell.

Iranian pistachios are considered the most delicious. They are sprinkled on ice cream, added to baked goods, cocktails, meat and fish dishes, and salads. In the East, pistachios are used to make baklava, Turkish delight and other national sweets.

Nowadays pistachios can be bought at any store, but since all nuts contain a large amount of oil and quickly become rancid, it is best to stock up on fresh pistachios, which can be dried or fried if desired. Fresh pistachios are soft and have a milky taste. We are more accustomed to eating them cooked. In addition, fresh nuts do not last long, and after drying in the sun they can be stored for almost a year. Few people know how to properly fry pistachios.

To properly fry pistachios, according to some recipes, you must first soak them in salt water. This is for those who like their nuts soaked through with salt. A simpler process sequence looks like this:

Raw pistachios must first be peeled and peeled, then boiled for five minutes. Then drain the pistachios in a colander and let them dry thoroughly.

Place the peeled, boiled and dried nuts on a baking sheet in an even layer. Preheat the oven to one hundred and eighty degrees and place a baking sheet with pistachios there. Fry for about five minutes, then sprinkle with spices and salt. You can do without spices altogether. You can eat pistachios after they have cooled completely, during which time they will have time to absorb salt.

Frying pistachios at home is easy; if you wish, you can do it not in the oven, but using a cast-iron frying pan. Pistachios, as already mentioned, can be pre-soaked and dried, or boiled. The prepared nuts are poured into a frying pan, greased with oil and fried until golden brown, with constant stirring, then seasoned with salt.

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Frying pistachios in a frying pan is especially popular, as this method gives them a more pronounced taste. In addition, you can control the degree of “toasting”. If there is too much oil, place the nuts on a paper towel after frying. which will absorb excess fat.

Raw pistachios must first be peeled and peeled, then boiled for five minutes. Then drain the pistachios in a colander and let them dry thoroughly.

Chemical composition and calorie content of frozen cherries

The calorie content of 100 g of cherries from the freezer is not much less than that of fresh ones - 46 kcal versus 50–52 kcal. The glycemic index is the same as fresh - 25.

Nutritional value and BJU 100 g are as follows:

There are so many vitamins per 100 grams of cherries:

A - 0.044 mg;
beta-carotene - 0.522 mg;
lutein and zeaxanthin - 0.061 mg;
B1 - 0.044 mg;
B2 - 0.034 mg;
B4 - 5.6 mg;
B5 - 0.178 mg;
B6 - 0.067 mg;
B9 - 0.005 mg;
C - 1.7 mg;
E - 0.05 mg;
K - 1.5 mcg;
RR - 0.137 mg.

Minerals:

potassium - 124 mg;
calcium - 13 mg;
magnesium - 9 mg;
sodium - 1 mg;
iron - 0.53 mg;
manganese - 0.057 mg;
copper - 0.09 mg;
zinc - 0.1 mg.

How to deliciously freeze cherries in the form of puree

Fresh cherries can also be frozen as a puree. This option is suitable if the berries are overripe.

Components:

1 kg cherries;
granulated sugar - to taste.

Cooking steps:

The berries are removed from the seeds and placed in a blender.
After each beating, add sugar to the container. The end result should be a smooth puree. It is important not to overuse sugar, since the berry mixture will not freeze in this case.
The finished mass is laid out in small containers and put in the freezer.

Before serving, dessert can be decorated with fresh fruits and berries.

Choosing cherries for freezing

If you want to get the perfect result and make sure in practice that frozen cherries almost completely retain all the properties of fresh ones, choose the berries carefully. For high-quality freezing you need no less high-quality cherries, namely:

ripe, but not overripe and in no case underripe berries;
cherries that have not been stored for more than 2 days must be freshly picked or purchased (long-term storage of berries in the refrigerator especially affects the result);
varieties with the richest taste and aroma (do not pay any attention to the sweetness of the variety - any cherry after freezing will become sour and all its varietal advantages will disappear). It is believed that the darkest varieties of cherries are best frozen.

On a note:

Before freezing, it’s better to “try” cherries - make dessert or dumplings with them, heat them and make sure they’re very tasty. Even cherries picked from the same tree a week apart give a completely different taste. If you prefer a certain variety of cherries for a certain type of dish, then freeze that one.

How to freeze cherries in their own juice

The seeds are removed from the fruit using a pin or a special device. Then the berries are covered with sugar in a 1:1 ratio. The mass is crushed using a blender and then laid out in the cells of the form for freezing. This version of cherries is suitable for preparing desserts and baked goods. Cherries in their own juice have a homogeneous structure and retain their taste properties. It is great for use as a dessert for children.

Sugar can be replaced with sweet powder