How to freeze blueberries for the winter in the refrigerator

Berry undersized shrub with dark blue fruits, grows throughout the territory of the Federation. Fruits of universal use, well suited for homemade preparations: compote, jam, preserves. During heat treatment, some useful trace elements are lost; to preserve vitamins and active substances in the composition of the berry, blueberries can be frozen in the freezer or in the refrigerator compartment with a low temperature.

Is it possible to freeze blueberries

The crop ripens in August or September, the timing depends on the climatic zone of growth. The chemical composition of the summer berry is in demand in almost all body functions. Avitaminosis and micronutrient deficiencies manifest themselves in winter, weakening the immune system. At this time, the value of culture, more than ever, by the way. So that the fruits do not lose part of the active substances in processing, they can be frozen.

Freezing fruits is an effective way to preserve the energy and biological composition. The process is fast, labor-intensive, taste, aroma and presentation are preserved. The frozen product is suitable for eating raw. If the berry is harvested or purchased not for dessert, but for its beneficial qualities, freezing is the best option to keep it until next year.

Useful properties of frozen blueberries

Frozen fruits completely retain organic acids, fiber, flavonoids, vitamin and mineral complex. They are used for the prevention of viral infections, used as a component in the complex treatment of a number of pathologies.

Useful properties of frozen blueberries:

1. Prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases. It has an antiarrhythmic effect, normalizes blood pressure, participates in the elimination of cholesterol imbalance.
2. Flavonoids in the composition of the frozen product improve the condition of the capillaries, make their walls more elastic. Eliminate cholesterol plaques, expand venous spaces, improve blood circulation, relieve swelling, cramps and heaviness in the legs.
3. The frozen culture restores hemostasis in the cornea of ​​the eye, prevents the development of cataracts, age-related visual impairment, and night blindness.
4. Vitamin C and the activity of glycosides prevent the occurrence of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and aging of the body.
5. Due to the concentration of antioxidants in the composition of frozen fruits, brain activity rises, degenerative changes are prevented, memory improves, including short-term memory.
6. Frozen berries are used for cosmetic purposes: they are used to make masks that improve the appearance of the epidermis.
7. Frozen fruits of the shrub have an antibacterial property, enhance the action of enzymes involved in digestion, normalize defecation, relieve constipation, prevent gastritis and ulcers.

Fiber in the composition of frozen berries normalizes digestion, relieves hunger. Low calorie content does not interfere with metabolism. Minerals and vitamin complex during the diet keep hair and skin in good condition.

Do I need to wash blueberries before freezing?

Berries are selected fresh, ripe, of good quality. Freezing is carried out as soon as possible after collection or purchase, blueberries quickly lose their presentation, wither. Leaves, particles of branches and fragments of the stalk are preliminarily removed.

There is no need to wash self-picked berries, they are frozen after cleaning from debris. If in the future blueberries will be subjected to heat treatment, they are washed before processing. Excess moisture during the freezing process is undesirable. Under the influence of water, the integrity of the shell is violated, the berry can be deformed.

The product purchased in the store is washed in small portions in a large volume of water. A wide container is suitable for this, after the process, the blueberries are removed with a colander and laid out in a thin layer on a napkin so that the liquid evaporates. Freeze only dry berries.

How to freeze blueberries for the winter in the freezer

Freezing blueberries for the winter at home is carried out in several ways. The traditional way is with whole berries in plastic bags. You can grind until smooth with or without sugar, then place in the freezer. Squeezed juice retains all active substances, it is frozen in compliance with certain rules.

How to freeze blueberries in bags

For harvesting for the winter, pre-peeled and dry fruits are taken. Action algorithm:

1. Put a dry, clean canvas napkin on a baking sheet.
2. Spread blueberries in a thin layer.
3. Placed in the freezer, included on the maximum mode.
4. Leave for 2-3 hours, during which time the berries will become hard.
5. They take out a baking sheet, pour the fruits into packing bags, about half.
6. Release the air and tie.

Primary freezing can be carried out without additional capacity. Line the bottom of the freezer with cellophane or baking paper. Blueberries are laid out in a thin layer, taken out together with the lining material and packed in bags. With a large volume of the product, pre-freezing manipulations are carried out several times. The packaged berries are removed to the refrigerator compartment with a temperature not lower than -15⁰ C.

How to freeze blueberries with sugar

With whole freezing of berries, there is a risk that they will freeze together. To avoid this, use the method using sugar. For 1 kg of blueberries, 0,5 kg of sugar is needed. The method involves preliminary washing of raw materials.

After the berries are completely dry, they are poured into a plastic container. A layer of fruits is sprinkled with sugar, the container is closed and immediately put to freeze in the chamber.

You can freeze the fruits in this way, if in the future they go for culinary purposes, the method is not suitable for dietary use.

Freezing blueberries for the winter in the form of mashed potatoes with sugar

Prepare blueberry puree for freezing from ripe, clean raw materials without mechanical damage and sugar. The output product will be in the form of a liquid mass. Choose the ratio of ingredients to taste. To obtain a sweet puree for 1 kg of fruit – 1 kg of sugar. To preserve the taste of the culture, 0,5 kg of sugar is enough.

Sequence of preparation:

1. Mix raw materials with sugar.
2. Beat with a mixer, blender or grind with a meat grinder with small cells on a grid.
3. Packed in serving containers.
4. Plastic glasses with mashed potatoes are covered with cling film on top, containers with a lid.
5. Freeze in the refrigerator compartment.

Frozen puree is used in cooking for desserts or as a filling for pastries.

Freezing blueberry puree without sugar

Freeze blueberry puree without sugar for feeding children from 6 months. The berry does not cause an allergic reaction, while it contains a large amount of useful substances necessary for the development of the child and normal digestion.

The process of preparing puree for freezing:

1. Blueberries are pre-washed in a colander under hot running water.
2. Lay out on a paper towel, dry.
3. Beat the berries with a blender so that there are no peel fragments in the mass.
4. Spilled, frozen.

How to freeze blueberry juice in the freezer

Juice for freezing is prepared immediately after harvesting the fruit. Or, when buying, they choose recently plucked, resilient, dry berries. Rinse, let the water drain well, you can not dry it. Squeeze juice for freezing in the following way:

1. Pound the fruits with a pestle for mashed potatoes. Gauze is pulled over the pan in 2 layers, the mass is poured, squeezed.
2. They interrupt with a blender and squeeze through cheesecloth.
3. It is passed through a meat grinder twice, the substance is squeezed out.

Pour into small plastic bottles or glasses, close, freeze. Pour the juice not to the top, when frozen, the mass increases.

Rules for defrosting berries

Freezing technology is based on the rapid performance of work at the lowest possible temperature. Defrosting whole berries, on the contrary, is a slow process:

1. The required amount of the frozen product is placed on a plate or container, put in the refrigerator, the temperature of the chamber is on average +4⁰ C.
2. Leave for 2 hours, during which time the blueberries will thaw.
3. Berries are taken out for complete defrosting at room temperature.

If a workpiece frozen for the winter is taken for the purpose of further heat treatment, it is not necessary to gradually defrost.

Terms and conditions of storage

Store frozen blueberries in the freezer section of the refrigerator at a temperature not lower than -18⁰ C until the next harvest. Exclude the neighborhood with meat, fish and semi-finished products from them. No matter how hermetically sealed the storage container is, there is a risk that blueberries will absorb the smell of nearby products. After use, the remainder is not placed in the freezer; previously frozen berries will lose most of their beneficial properties and lose their taste.

Conclusion

Freezing blueberries is convenient for harvesting berries for the winter while maintaining their biological and chemical composition. During heat treatment, the fruits lose some of the active substances, except for their gastronomic dignity, they are of no value. You can freeze the berry as a whole, make a puree or juice. If desired, add sugar. Blueberries are stored for a long time, do not lose their taste, the concentration of trace elements and vitamins does not decrease.