Cabbage is a fantastically healthy vegetable. It is eaten fresh, salted or pickled. For the winter, summer residents lower the heads of cabbage into the cellar to preserve vitamins until spring. Unfortunately, not in each of them the conditions are suitable. Therefore, the cabbage dries or rots, and by the middle of winter, the miserable remnants of luxury heads of cabbage have to be thrown away. The question of whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage is not at all necessary for many gardeners. It is believed that after freezing it will become inedible. In fact, this is true only for those cases when technology is not respected. Let's look at how to perform the freezing procedure.
Forewarned is forearmed
If you ask the culinary specialists if it is possible to freeze white cabbage, then they usually answer evasively that this method has its pros and cons. Cabbage retains all vitamins and minerals, is stored at hand, and already in shredded form, for example, for soup. In addition, it can be used without defrosting, especially if it is packed in disposable bags. This speeds up the cooking time and saves the time of the hostess.
But there are also disadvantages. Only by familiarizing themselves with them, a person can finally decide whether it is possible to freeze white cabbage. First of all, it takes a place in the refrigerator. If you have it large, it may not be critical, but for most it plays a significant role. Now on. Delicate 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 moody. 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 - so you only spoil the juicy leaves. To maximize the properties of the vegetable, it is recommended to adhere to the following technology.
Peel the head of the top leaves and place in a suitable pot. Now fill with water to completely hide the vegetable. You can take out the cabbage and boil the water. After that, cut the head into several parts and lower the blanch for 3-5 minutes. After this time, immediately pour cold water on the cabbage and place it on a dry towel for about an hour. It is necessary to glass all the moisture. Only after that it can be cleaned in plastic bags and put in a freezer.
Preparation for borsch and soups
Most of the time is usually spent on cutting vegetables. A multicooker does a good job of cooking broth, but the slicing lies on the shoulders of the hostess. Therefore, many in the autumn have been preparing special dressings, which already include shredded beets and carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes. Cabbage can also be chopped, slightly 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.
For stuffed cabbage
Someone is trying to put a whole head of cabbage in the freezer, but this should not be done. Still completely remove the water does not work, which will affect the quality. Therefore, immediately disassemble into leaves. The process begins by blanching them for 5 minutes. After that, let the water drain and stack the expanded leaves in a bag. This harvesting technology does not affect the taste of the finished dish too much. There are people who do not like stuffed cabbage so cooked. This is a matter of personal preference.
Sauerkraut
It is best suited for freezing and long-term storage. Does not lose color and taste, remains crispy and very tasty. It is an excellent base for salads and cabbage soup, as well as a source of vitamins. In addition, it is an ideal harvesting method for those who are looking for a method of how to freeze white cabbage for the winter in banks. Why is this done? Sauerkraut cannot be kept warm - it becomes too acidic. There is usually not enough space in the refrigerator. Therefore, it is laid out on the banks and taken out to the balcony. If necessary, you can pick up one at a time and put in the refrigerator. In a private house it’s even easier - 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 optimal conditions. So she can lie up to 10 months. Cabbage should not be re-frozen, so fold it in such a way that each time you get only one package.
White Cabbage Juice
Can I freeze this unique drink? The wonderful properties are familiar to anyone who has ever healed a 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 make immediately servings for morning and lunch. The longer the juice is, the lower the concentration of nutrients in it. Therefore, it is better to buy an electric juicer. Other ways to get juice can be quite difficult. And make juice for yourself the moment you need it.
Instead of a conclusion
Summing up, it should be noted that this is a good type of workpiece execution, despite some disadvantages. Cabbage in this version is always ready for use and allows you to cook lunch or dinner several times faster. It can be frozen chopped or in large pieces (half or quarter head of cabbage). It is suitable for preparing a large number of dishes. An exception would be a salad. The leaves become soft after freezing 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 a thawed product can be used. But a small part of it can be folded into the freezer to provide yourself with an intermediate product for the whole winter for the preparation of cabbage rolls and soups.