Can peppers be frozen? Vitamins all year round: how to freeze bell peppers for the winter correctly. Preparing Peppers for Freezing
Juicy, aromatic fresh bell pepper is one of our favorite summer flavors! How I want to keep it in winter, so that it will delight us with its bright sunny colors. Of course, in the cold season you can buy pepper in the store, but, firstly, its price bites quite a bit, and secondly, the taste is not the same. Especially if your garden has pleased you. good harvest this vegetable. You can preserve peppers in jars in many ways, but we suggest freezing them fresh. At the same time, we will discuss what can be prepared from it.
Is it worth freezing bell peppers for the winter
It is freezing that allows you to save most of the vitamins and other useful substances in the products. During pickling and preservation, which are necessarily preceded by hot processing - frying, boiling, dousing with boiling water, etc., not only almost all useful qualities, but the taste of vegetables completely changes. And just want to keep it.
This is where deep freezing helps us. What's more, properly frozen peppers can easily keep up to 15 months, so you can enjoy them until the next harvest.
Ways to freeze fresh peppers for the winter
Housewives who have been freezing vegetables and herbs for a long time probably know several ways of such processing, and among them they chose the most convenient and suitable ones. Basically, they depend on what dishes the pepper will subsequently be used for.
The first rule when freezing peppers, regardless of the method: choose well-ripened fruits bright colors. They should not be damaged - stains, rot. The brighter the fruits and the denser their pulp, the richer the taste and aroma.
Freeze bright fruits different colors to get a little bit of summer in the middle of winter
Freezing in pieces
Rinse the fruits thoroughly and wait until they dry. After that, you can start preparing.
Chopped peppers can be used in hot dishes such as soups, sauces and stews. Thin long slices are good for decorating pizza. It is also good to add them to fresh vegetable salads. To do this, speed up the defrosting a little by holding the pepper for a couple of minutes in hot water or steam. Do not defrost too long or the pepper pieces will become soft.
Video: freezing bell pepper in portions
Freezing whole fruits
Another convenient way to freeze peppers is without cutting, with whole fruits. It is desirable that they be the same size - so it is easier to store them later. But how large they should be, this is optional. Such peppers are used for stuffing, which is very convenient: when frozen, it is very convenient to “stuff” them with stuffing. It is even easier to freeze them immediately stuffed.
In principle, peppers can be frozen already stuffed
In principle, if you have dried the peppers well, then you can immediately put them in pyramids, pack them in bags and freeze them. They then separate well without damage.
Some housewives recommend blanching fruits before freezing. Yes, the pulp from this will become more tender, and subsequently stuffed peppers will cook faster. But if you keep the fruits in boiling water for more than 1 minute, they will become too soft and freeze in the form of flat cakes.
Video: how to freeze bell pepper for stuffing
Freezing bell pepper reviews
Of course, you can fold the pepper lids randomly, but I make sure that later, when I defrost them, each lid fits its pepper, well, so as not to completely confuse it, so that when you stuff it, the “lid” is attached. I freeze in batches that are not very large, based on my saucepan, it is not very large, in practice 6 pieces fit. It is better to make varied portions, because you can make a saucepan at a time, or maybe a 5-liter saucepan.
JULY55555
I put peppers in a separate chamber from everything else!!! Pepper, even scalded, has a very strong aroma! And if you don’t want to eat fruit with pepper flavor in winter, pack it tightly either in a separate chamber or in a container with a tight lid!
iskrovaja
https://forum.say7.info/topic47186.html
Especially for freezing, I bought a large chest, as in stores. Now I can freeze large volumes of vegetables from the garden and everything is visible. I grind the peppers and freeze them whole. Such preparations are very helpful in the winter.
Do you like stuffed peppers? I'm sure yes! This is our number one dish this season. In winter, alas, it is also often no longer possible to cook it - the prices for pepper at this time of the year bite painfully, and the quality of vegetables leaves much to be desired. Therefore, harvesting bell pepper for the future is the most suitable option. There are several ways to prepare it: roll already stuffed peppers, pickle whole peppers, or freeze them. The last method is by far the easiest. Now I will tell you in as much detail as possible how to freeze pepper for the winter for stuffing quickly, simply and so that it takes up a minimum of space in the refrigerator. The option is perfect for freezing a small amount of peppers, and for a rich harvest. In any case, the harvesting process will not take much time.
Frozen peppers can be stored for quite a long time - up to a new harvest, but, of course, it is eaten much earlier.
For preparation you will need:
- bell pepper - in the desired quantities,
- a dense cellophane bag or cling film.
How to freeze peppers for the winter for stuffing:
Peppers for freezing are better to choose approximately the same size and shape, small in size - those that are ideal for stuffing. Wash them well. We cut off each “hat” - about 1 cm. Then, carefully, using a knife with a long blade, cut out the core and cut off all the veins.
When all the peppers are cooked, pour water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. As it boils, we load several peppers into it and boil them for literally 30 seconds, a maximum of 1 minute. It is important not to overcook the peppers here. They should only slightly change color and become a little softer. To make it easier to keep track of the degree of readiness of peppers, it is better to load them into boiling water in portions of 4-8 pieces (depending on the size of the pan).
Next, the peppers must be thoroughly dried - when wet, they will simply freeze tightly to each other. Most fast way- Pat them dry with paper towels inside and out. Or let them dry naturally, but this will take quite a long time - at least 1.5-2 hours. Excess moisture will not only make the peppers more brittle, but will also negatively affect their taste.
Well, now dried peppers can be packaged in bags. To do this, first we add them one to one, forming a kind of train of peppers. The number of peppers in the "train" is up to you. The main thing is to put in one bag of peppers for one cooking. I used 3-4 peppers. This compact molding method saves a lot of space in the freezer.
Next, we hide the resulting “train” in a plastic bag, trying to let the air out of it as much as possible when tying, but at the same time not crush the peppers. Or, alternatively, you can tightly wrap the peppers with cling film.
Ready! We send the peppers to the refrigerator, where they will calmly wait in the wings.
Using this pepper is easy. Remove the freezer bag from the freezer and chill for 1-2 minutes. We separate the peppers (they are separated very easily) and send them under a stream of cool water. The peppers will thaw a little, and it will be possible to stuff them with stuffing and then cook as usual.
Good luck with your preparations!
Surely many people want these bright, sunny fruits to please the eye at any time of the year and always be at hand. How to freeze peppers for the winter for stuffing, saving the maximum useful properties and natural beauty - this is what this post is about. Consider the issue of the need for blanching, and options for preparing fruits for freezing.
How to freeze fresh peppers for the winter
Cooking:
We will need:
- Bulgarian pepper fresh
- Freezer bags
Do I need to blanch peppers before freezing?
To decide how to freeze peppers for the winter for stuffing, I wanted to find out if blanching is really necessary in this case.
Treatment with boiling water or steam should be short-term so as not to boil the fruits and increase the loss of nutrients, so they are quickly cooled with water or ice ( water is better with ice). Pre-treatment with boiling water before freezing is especially useful for some vegetables - for example, kohlrabi cabbage - its color is not only preserved, but even improved.
Is blanching bell peppers necessary? Here you need to weigh all the pros and cons. It is clear that when freezing and keeping in the freezer, part of the vitamins is lost, but they are also partially lost during blanching. But without blanching appearance and the shape of the pods are perfectly preserved even after a ten-month stay in the chamber. it's checked.
Therefore, I chose a simplified method of freezing without blanching, even more so. that this procedure can be subjected to the pepper taken out of the freezer immediately before stuffing.
How to freeze bell peppers for the winter
Depending on the variety of peppers, or rather, their shape and size, we choose the most convenient option their pre-training to freezing.
If the pods are short and round, then after we wash and dry them, it is better to simply cut out small holes with a special tool and shake out the seeds. This can be done neatly with a simple knife. Tails can also be saved and then used and put a "tail" stuffed peppers.
Now you can compactly fold the fruits into special freezer bags, from which air is removed so that the pods come into contact with oxygen as little as possible and lose vitamins and other valuable substances less. Regular packages are also suitable, securely tied with a thread (it is better to take two or three packages, putting them one inside the other).
If the peppers are elongated, it is easier to cut off the top with a knife and clean the insides from the seeds.
Bell pepper is considered one of the most useful products daily diet. In terms of the amount of nutrients, not a single vegetable can compete with it. Dishes prepared with fresh bell peppers are especially tasty and fragrant. The red color of the vegetable gives holiday look any salad. To such a special product all year round brought benefits and pleased with its taste, it is worth learning how to properly store and freeze it at home.
How to freeze bell peppers for the winter
The main type of storage of vegetables with a high juice content is considered to be freezing. This process ensures the preservation of useful substances, color and shape of the product. The main difference in the types of freezing of bell pepper is the method of its preliminary preparation. When choosing, first of all, they are repelled from dishes that will later be prepared on the basis of a semi-finished product. It is also worth considering the volume of the freezer and its shape.
Freezing pepper is of three types:
- pieces
- entirely
- in the form of a complete semi-finished product
The first type is used for further preparation of soups, stews and salads. Its main advantage is significant space savings in the freezer. Tightly compacted pieces allow you to prepare a large amount of pepper for the winter. In this case, the product will not interfere with the opening of the door and will not create additional inconvenience.
The second type is suitable for stuffing and decorating holiday dishes. Once thawed, whole peppers can be sliced and garnished with salads and other appetizers. The cavity inside can be filled with minced meat, cheese or fried vegetables. In any case, everything is repelled by the imagination and skills of the cook. This type of storage makes it difficult to harvest a large amount of product and requires a larger storage chamber.
The third type is suitable for long-term storage and helps to significantly save time, which will later be spent on cooking. After processing and drying whole sweet peppers, minced meat, fried vegetables and rice are placed inside. You can start the preparation with boiled carrots with spices. Peppers stuffed in this way are completely ready for further processing. It can be cooked in any way: boil, stew or fry. Next, the semi-finished product is packed and sent to the freezer. Such blanks will require a lot of space, but the use of the method can significantly speed up and facilitate the culinary process.
How to freeze bell peppers? Freezing instructions
The process begins with the selection of fresh and large fruits without damage. Any damaged parts during preparation must be cut off. It is important to choose high-quality peppers with the thickest walls. Such vegetables freeze better and retain a large amount of nutrients. Priority should be given to fruits from your own garden. Store-bought bell peppers are most often waxed and processed. chemical compounds for better storage.
Next comes the cleanup. It is mandatory to thoroughly wash each fruit. After that, they start cleaning: the partitions and seeds are removed, and the legs are carefully cut off. To remove the insides of the pepper and not damage its juicy walls, everything is done by hand. At this stage, it is worth making sure that there are no seeds left inside. To do this, the blanks are additionally rinsed in water.
The next step is drying and getting rid of any signs of moisture. It is necessary to properly lay out all the vegetables on a dry towel and wait for them to dry completely. You can speed up the process with napkins and towels, but it is recommended to let the pepper dry for outdoors at least an hour. After that, proceed to cutting into slices or slices. The type chosen depends on which hostess liked the recipe.
After careful preparation, the pepper is placed on a towel or kitchen napkin made of cloth, which spreads to the bottom of the freezing chamber. You can use a special plastic tray. Whole peppers are placed one inside the other in the shape of a pyramid. This will save space and prevent damage to the edges. It is advisable to cover the stacked vegetables with a cloth so that air does not enter them when the freezer is opened. The blanks are left in the freezer for two days, after which the frozen peppers are taken out and packaged in tight plastic bags or special containers for frozen vegetables. This method of storage will provide vitamins for the whole winter and is perfect for enriching a variety of recipes.
The optimum temperature for quick freezing of fresh bell peppers is considered to be 20 degrees below zero. In this mode, the products do not lose nutrients and remain more elastic during subsequent defrosting. The shelf life of such stocks can vary from six months to 10 months. It all depends on the initial state of the fruit and compliance with all harvesting rules.
Secrets of cooking dishes based on frozen bell pepper
For the preparation of first courses, semi-finished products are added to hot water immediately after taking them out of the freezer. So vegetables give all their flavor and do not lose their bright rich color. It is important not to keep them in boiling water for a long time, so that everything remaining in them useful material preserved in sufficient quantity. Frozen Peppers Are Best for Cooking vegetable puree soup. At the same time, the consistency of the dish is complemented by a fragrant and bright taste.
A side dish of frozen vegetables goes well with sour cream and spices added to taste. Pre-defrosting the blanks is not worth it, it is enough to lower them on the hot bottom of the pan. It is also not necessary to add water, the one that stands out during thawing is enough. This method of stewing will provide the vegetables with an elastic shape and will not allow them to lose their original appearance.
Freezing bell peppers is an easy and simple process that will bring many benefits in the future. Peeled and chopped vegetables will be useful to any housewife. This will speed up the cooking process and reward the efforts spent in the summer with a beautiful view and taste of dishes. And the main advantage will be vitamin recipes, which can now be prepared at any time, with pleasure and quickly.
