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How to freeze a watermelon in the freezer for the winter
The season for watermelons is very short, only 2-3 months, but there is an opportunity to enjoy their taste during the rest of the year. To do this, you need to know how to freeze a watermelon. In this article, we will reveal all the intricacies of harvesting a fragrant berry.
Knowing how to freeze a watermelon, you can prepare a delicious natural dessert even in winter.
How to freeze watermelon in the freezer
It should be borne in mind that as a result of freezing, the pulp will lose its structure. Therefore, after defrosting, it will not look like a fresh crispy watermelon. But it can be added to cocktails, pastries, jellies and other desserts, as well as to make popsicles or ice cream.
There are many options for freezing watermelons. Let’s talk about the simplest ones.
- Freezing a watermelon in cubes or balls is one of the fastest ways. Wash the watermelon thoroughly, wipe dry. Cut into 2 or 4 pieces. If you decide to make cubes, you need to remove the skin and chop the flesh. As you cut it, it is advisable to remove the seeds that come across. If you want to make watermelon balls, you need an ice cream spoon. The finished pieces should be laid out on a cutting board or tray so that they do not touch each other, and sent to the freezer for 2-4 hours. If your refrigerator has a quick freeze mode, you need to use it. When the pieces are frozen, they need to be removed from the board or tray with a knife or wooden spatula and transferred to a plastic container or bag. In this form at a temperature of -18 ° C, watermelon can be stored for up to 12 months.
- Freezing with sugar will preserve the sweetness of the watermelon. Prepared pieces of watermelon should be sprinkled with ordinary white sugar at the rate of 200 grams of sugar per 1 kilogram of berries. Stir gently with your hands or a spoon. You do not need to pre-freeze the watermelon. You can immediately fold it into a bag or container and send it to the freezer.
- Freezing in syrup is another delicious option for preserving the watermelon. Add 1-400 grams of sugar to 450 liter of water. Bring to a boil over moderate heat and wait for the sugar to dissolve completely. After that, leave the syrup to cool to room temperature. At this time, prepare slices of watermelon. Put them in a container, pour over the syrup so that it completely covers the watermelon. Close the container with a lid and send it to the freezer.
- Freezing with juice will give the watermelon a spicy flavor. Place the pieces in a container and pour over the orange or pineapple juice so that it completely covers the watermelon. It is better to use freshly squeezed juice without added sugar, rather than packaged drinks. Close the container with a lid and place in the freezer.
- Frozen watermelon juice is perfect for chilling drinks. Grind the watermelon pulp with a blender, strain the juice through several layers of cheesecloth, and then pour into an ice mold. Send it to the freezer for a day. The pieces can then be transferred to a bag or container. Use instead of regular ice for drinks.
Now you know how to freeze a watermelon for the winter. If you have a large freezer, then, having mastered these basic recipes, you can experiment on your own, coming up with new recipes for freezing this delicious berry and further use.