Can you freeze rhubarb

Despite the variety of greens on the shelves of supermarkets, rhubarb is not so popular on this list, and this is undeserved, since the plant contains an abundance of various vitamins and minerals. To provide yourself with this source of nutrients, the culture can be grown in a summer cottage, and to preserve vitamins for the winter, freeze rhubarb.

Is it possible to freeze rhubarb in the freezer

In addition to significant benefits for human health, rhubarb is valuable because it tolerates any type of heat treatment, including freezing. At the same time, exposure to cold temperatures practically does not affect the structure of the vegetable and does not at all reduce its unique properties. Therefore, all cooks who want to enjoy this useful plant should take note of several ways to freeze it. Rhubarb stalks can be frozen:

• bars;
• blanched;
• in sugar;
• in the form of puree;
• in syrup.

Although these freezing methods have their own nuances, some general rules apply to them, which must be followed for high-quality processing of the product.

How to freeze rhubarb properly

In order for rhubarb to retain the maximum amount of useful properties, it must be frozen correctly. The secret of a successful procedure lies in the careful selection of plant parts that will be frozen:

1. Preference should be given to young rhubarb, since the old petioles of the plant have a high content of oxalic acid, which is harmful to the human body. The young parts of the vegetable have a delicate texture and a bright color that varies from green to crimson, depending on the variety.
2. It is most convenient to freeze petioles no thicker than 1,5 – 2 cm, the surface of which is smooth or slightly ribbed. Too embossed or thick parts of rhubarb indicate that the plant is old.
3. When buying or collecting petioles, you should pay attention to their size. Rhubarb that is over 70 cm long is likely too old and unfit for human consumption.
4. A damaged or fading plant should not be frozen. It is better to use it in cooking or send it for processing.

Having chosen the best quality rhubarb, you should not immediately freeze it in the freezer, otherwise it may spoil the texture of the vegetable and affect its taste. It is necessary to prepare the product before sending it to the freezer:

1. All parts of the plant should be washed with cold water and cleaned of dirt before freezing. The washed raw materials must be thoroughly dried at room temperature so that the greens do not subsequently freeze.
2. From the vegetable, you must manually remove the upper fibrous layer of the peel or get rid of hard veins. Flexible juicy petioles can not be cleaned.
3. Make sure that all leaf blades are removed from the petioles.
4. Diced parts of the vegetable must be placed on a baking sheet or tray in an even layer so that the pieces do not touch, otherwise they will freeze to each other.
5. The baking sheet should be lined with a sheet of parchment paper in advance: this way it will be easier to remove the petioles from the freezer. After that, it must be placed in the freezer strictly horizontally, avoiding the inclination of the surface, for 2 – 3 hours.
6. Then the frozen rhubarb is transferred from the baking sheet to special plastic trays or freezer bags.
7. If you plan to freeze rhubarb in containers, you need to leave 1 – 1,5 cm of empty space between the parts of the plant and the lid, since the products increase in volume when frozen.
8. When using bags, you can squeeze out excess air from them before closing. This will save space in the freezer.
9. On packages or trays with vegetables, the date of freezing should be written. This action will help determine the approximate expiration date of the products.

How to freeze rhubarb in chunks

Freezing fresh rhubarb in bars is considered universal, since petioles stored in this way can be used in the manufacture of almost any dish. Freeze the vegetable, adhering to the following steps:

1. Washed and peeled parts of the plant are cut into small pieces of 1,5 – 5 cm.
2. They try to make the bars the same in size so that it takes less time to defrost each of them.
3. The size of the pieces of rhubarb depends on the dish in which they will be used, so you should decide in advance for what purpose the vegetable is frozen. Small cubes are better suited for stuffing sweets and jams, large ones will come in handy in compotes and garnishes.

Freezing blanched rhubarb

You can freeze rhubarb not only raw, but also cooked, it should first be blanched. Many people prefer this method to freezing in bars, as a thermally processed vegetable retains its texture better and does not lose its color when frozen. Blanch the rhubarb like this:

1. Pour water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat.
2. The prepared parts of the plant are cut into pieces and placed in a colander.
3. Dip the colander into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute.
4. The hot vegetables in a colander are then immediately dipped in cold water for the same period of time.
5. Next, the cooled chopped petioles are laid out on a paper towel to dry. After that, the product can be frozen.

How to freeze rhubarb stalks with sugar

Often, rhubarb, intended for the preparation of desserts and sweets, is frozen immediately in sugar.

To freeze in a similar way for 4 tbsp. finely chopped petioles will need 1 tbsp. granulated sugar:

1. Sprinkle the vegetable pieces evenly with a layer of sugar so that it completely covers the rhubarb.
2. Then the parts of the plant are packed in plastic bags and put in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
3. After the specified time, the packages are removed and the rhubarb is mixed by hand without removing the petioles from the package. This is done in order to separate the frozen parts of the plant from each other.
4. After that, the vegetables are again cleaned in the cold for storage.

How to Freeze Rhubarb Puree

For the preparation of mousses and sauces, it is convenient to freeze rhubarb, making a puree out of it. For this:

1. Prepared petioles of the plant are cut into pieces.
2. Pieces of vegetables are placed in a blender and chopped until a thick mass of a homogeneous consistency is obtained.
3. The mass is stirred and distributed in small plastic containers. For this purpose, plastic cups from dairy products, such as sour cream or yogurt, are usually used.
4. The container is covered with lids and put in the freezer.

Freezing rhubarb in sugar syrup

Freezing a vegetable in sweet syrup, as in the case of sugar, not only helps to preserve the valuable qualities of the product, but also protects it from spoilage. So, storing the plant in syrup prevents the petioles from drying out and oxidizing. In addition, this method of freezing improves the taste of rhubarb and does not allow it to lose its shape and color:

1. In a saucepan combine 500 ml of granulated sugar and 1 – 1,5 liters of water.
2. The mixture is heated over medium heat, stirring continuously until it boils.
3. When the liquid boils, it is continued to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. The finished syrup is allowed to cool at room temperature, and then put in the refrigerator for 1 – 1,5 hours.
5. Sliced ​​rhubarb stalks are laid out in freezer containers.
6. Then the petioles of the vegetable are poured over with chilled syrup so that the pieces are completely buried in it.
7. The finished product is sent to the freezer.

How to properly store and defrost

Frozen rhubarb should be stored in completely closed plastic trays, cups, or sealed bags with special zippers. It is better to place the vegetable in the lower compartment of the freezer, since the temperature there is the lowest. The shelf life of the product placed in such conditions will be from 10 to 12 months.

If it became necessary to defrost the petioles of the plant, then the most suitable place for this would be the level of the refrigerator, where the temperature is maintained from +2 to +5 ° C. In addition, defrosting can be carried out at room temperature or in a microwave oven by setting the appliance to the appropriate mode.

What can be cooked from frozen rhubarb

Fans of culinary experiments can safely freeze rhubarb without fear for the quality of the vegetable: in this form, it is in no way inferior in taste and texture to the fresh version. The frozen product can be used to prepare the same dishes as the raw one. So, rhubarb cut into bars is ideal for second courses, salads, compotes, kvass, preserves and jams. A syrup-filled or candied vegetable will serve as a delicious ingredient for pies, jellies, marmalade and soufflés. Rhubarb puree makes an excellent base for creams, mousses, ice creams and milkshakes.

Conclusion

Obviously, it is not difficult to freeze rhubarb if you know the features of harvesting plants in this way for the winter. In the frozen form, the product will remain as tasty and healthy as in the raw one, and will be suitable for use in any recipes that the culinary imagination is capable of.