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Radish, like other vegetables, I want to keep for the whole winter. Unfortunately, this root crop is not as unpretentious and resistant as potatoes, carrots or beets. Keeping radishes for the whole winter is quite problematic – they quickly begin to deteriorate. Therefore, many housewives use, in addition to traditional harvesting methods, freezing, drying, pickling and other methods.
Features of storage of radishes
In order for radishes to be stored for a long time, preferably all winter, you need to start preparing them for this even at the harvesting stage. Experienced summer residents in the evening (or 3 hours before harvesting) water the garden area where radishes grow. Harvesting begins in the morning, removing the tops 2 cm above the root itself with a knife.
Late varieties are more suitable for long-term storage:
- Dungan;
- Red giant.
Other factors are also of no small importance, for example, the temperature and humidity of the room where the vegetables will be stored. The most favorable conditions will be the following:
- temperature from 0 to +4 degrees Celsius;
- humidity from 75 to 90%;
- lack of sunlight.
Based on the above conditions, the most suitable place would be a cellar or refrigerator.
How long does a radish last
If you approach the harvest correctly, at a temperature of +2 – +4 degrees, the shelf life of radishes under normal conditions is 2-2,5 weeks. To save root crops until winter and longer, it is necessary to create optimal conditions.
How to store fresh radishes
For long-term preservation, it is better not to use large root crops. If the harvest was harvested correctly, a tasty and fresh vegetable can be enjoyed for a very long time. For this, various storage methods are used, which can be found in more detail below.
How to store radishes in the basement
When fresh, radishes are well suited for storage in the basement. Root crops should be properly prepared for winter storage:
- cut roots, tops;
- dry the roots slightly;
- sort out the crop, remove rotten specimens.
Place vegetables in clean wooden containers, such as crates. Sprinkle with slightly damp sand.
How to store fresh radishes for the winter in the cellar
The storage temperature of radishes should be no higher than +2 – +5 degrees, humidity – about 90%. Lay the root crops in dry boxes (plastic, wooden) in clear rows, sprinkling them with slightly moistened sand or sawdust. Do this in layers – each new layer of root crops must be completely immersed in the sand. It is necessary to maintain the necessary humidity in the sand all the time of storage, remove spoiled fruits.
How to keep radishes in the fridge
In order for the radish to be kept fresh in the refrigerator for as long as possible, it should be placed in a glass container, on the bottom of which pour a little water – 1-2 tablespoons will be enough. Put some vegetables on top so that the top layers do not press too hard on the bottom ones. Otherwise, the radish at the bottom will crack and spoil. Be sure to cover with a lid.
It is allowed to use plastic bags for storage of radishes. Cut off the tops of root crops (do not touch the roots), leaving a couple of centimeters, then dry and pack. To ensure ventilation, do not tie the bag or make additional holes in it. Keep on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator.
Another way is to store radishes in vegetable drawers that are in every refrigerator. Prepare the container, it must be dry and sterile. Lay the root crops in a neat layer, sprinkled with slightly damp and clean sand.
How to store radishes in water
The following method will increase the shelf life of fresh radishes to several months. Root crops do not wash, just wipe lightly to remove dirty plaque. Pour boiled (chilled) water into a jar, fill it with root crops. Pre-cut the green tops. Water change every 5 days.
Is it possible to freeze radishes
In refrigerators of the old type, as well as those with the “nofrost” system, it is not possible to freeze radishes for the winter. The water contained in the root pulp crystallizes and spoils the taste and other properties of the product. Therefore, after defrosting, radishes are not suitable for consumption.
In order for root crops not to lose their properties during freezing, it is necessary to have powerful freezing equipment. Freezing should be done at -40. Only in this case, all the properties of the vegetable will be preserved, since the water will immediately turn into a solid state, bypassing the crystallization phase.
How to freeze radishes with cucumbers and herbs for okroshka
There is another option for freezing radishes – as part of vegetable mixtures for making okroshka. This is a cold summer dish (soup) that is usually not cooked in winter. But some people love this dish all year round.
Additional ingredients here are cucumbers and herbs (onions, dill, parsley). Wash all vegetables, dry and then chop into strips. Finely chop the greens. Mix the ingredients together.
The mixture is decomposed into portion packages, the volume of which should correspond to a single use. Freeze the vegetable mixture in a thin layer. Then the cutting can be laid more compactly.
When preparing okroshka, without defrosting, add the vegetable mixture to a saucepan with water (kvass, mineral water) and other ingredients involved in the preparation of okroshka. The shelf life of vegetable mixtures ends around the beginning of February. Some of the properties of radishes, of course, are lost as a result of freezing, but the taste and smell are still present.
How to dry radishes for the winter
Although it is not customary to dry radishes for the winter, some housewives are engaged in such preparations and claim that it is tasty and healthy. Some people doubt the possibility of eating dried radish because of its irritating effect on the digestive tract. Therefore, this question is not entirely clear. To figure it out finally, it is better to try to do it yourself.
In the modern world, drying vegetables has ceased to be a long and laborious process. For a relatively small amount, you can purchase an electric dryer, which will greatly facilitate and speed up this task. Root crops must be chosen whole, not spoiled. Wash them well, dry them, cut into strips or thin slices. Arrange on trays of electric dryers, which should be periodically swapped for more uniform drying.
You can also use the oven, gas or electric. The temperature regime should be no more than +40 – +60 degrees. The drying process will take about 5 hours. At first, the oven doors should be ajar so that the moisture from the vegetables evaporates more intensively.
Drying radish chips
For drying, the white daikon radish is most often used. It is subsequently ground into a powder and used as a spice. Chips can be made from radishes. Cut the roots into thin circles, dry in any way possible.
Ingredients:
- pink radish – 6 pcs.;
- sunflower oil – 1 tbsp. l .;
- salt;
- pepper;
- powdered garlic;
- ground paprika.
Take spices either to taste, or a quarter of 1 tsp. Preheat the oven to +165 degrees. Line a tray with baking paper. Grate the radishes into thin slices, spread on a baking sheet in a thin layer. Brush the top of each piece with butter and sprinkle with seasoning mixture. Put in the oven for a maximum of 10 minutes.
Watch carefully so that the chips do not burn, sometimes it takes much less time to cook them. Then remove the baking sheet, turn the chips over, grease with oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for a few minutes, then take out and let cool. Only then can they be removed from the baking sheet and transferred to a suitable dish.
At home, the drying process can be carried out in conventional and electric dryers, ovens (gas, brick, electric), in the air, under the sun’s rays. To preserve the beneficial properties, for which, in fact, the vegetable is harvested for the winter, it is necessary to maintain the optimal temperature regime – from + 40 to +50 degrees.
The readiness of root crops is determined by a uniformly wrinkled surface, as well as a non-solid, elastic consistency. When you press the pulp, the juice should not stand out.
How to store dried radishes
The shelf life of radishes increases significantly if the roots are stored in a cool, dry place. As a container, you can use wooden, glass containers, as well as paper, linen bags, cardboard boxes. From time to time, drying from radishes needs to be sorted out.
If high humidity has accumulated in the room and the packaging is not tightly closed, dried root crops can become damp and moldy. If any are found, they must be sent back to a non-hot oven for further processing. The container in which the spoiled product was stored must also be dried.
Conclusion
You can save radishes for the winter in various ways. Drying and freezing are easy methods available. Both the one and the other method allows you to maximize the useful properties of the product for a long time, right up to the winter itself.