Radishes are like a delicacy when they are the first to reach the table of a satisfied gardener after a long winter. And throughout the summer, not a single okroshka can do without this spicy vegetable. The undeniable advantage of radishes is that caring for them is quite simple. It would seem that the ideal early vegetable crop is so crunchy, so spicy, so fresh, so rich in vitamins, but... too perishable. Not everyone, even experienced housewives, know how to properly store them in the refrigerator, much less how to freeze radishes for the winter while maintaining all their properties.
The main secret to properly freezing radishes is a very low temperature. This way, the juice of the root vegetable will not have time to turn into crystals, due to which the pulp will remain elastic
Is it possible to freeze radishes during the winter?
It's possible, but not for long. The whole difficulty lies in the composition of the vegetable. When frozen in a home freezer, the fruit crystallizes . To put it simply, when you start defrosting it, you will not get an elastic hard radish, but a spreadable porridge without taste.
Of course, there is a way out. You can freeze it in a specialized chamber, where the temperature is two times lower than in those at home. But such a camera is used in industrial production.
But housewives do not give up and are looking for more and more new ways to preserve vegetables - these will be discussed further.
How the composition and taste will change after freezing
If you freeze radishes for 5-7 days, you will not feel any special changes . The taste is the same, there is a crunch, there is a bitterness. The same applies to methods of preserving radishes in a jar of water or whole with tops. But later the vegetable will rapidly begin to lose all the benefits that it accumulated while in the soil. And, alas, nothing can be done about this.
Other ways to prepare radishes:
The best pickled radish recipes for the winter
Simple and delicious recipes for healthy radish snacks
Is freezing allowed?
Ripe radishes, like a number of other vegetables, can be freely frozen, while retaining the taste and required amount of vitamins in the fruit. To perform this procedure, you must follow the process technology, as well as adhere to a number of recommendations from more experienced gardeners. Radishes have a specific taste and also have a rich composition of useful components. To ensure that the fruits do not lose their properties, the harvesting procedure must be approached with due attention.
Radishes can be stored for a long time without freezing, but most often this is not enough. To preserve a ripe harvest until late winter, it is necessary to maintain appropriate conditions for preservation after freezing.
Preparation
Proper preparation of fruits is the key to successful freezing:
- choose fruits of late varieties, ripe or slightly unripe - overripe radishes are not suitable for freezing;
- rinse the vegetables thoroughly and remove all contaminants;
- cut off the tails;
- cut the fruits into large slices;
- Place on waffle towels and dry.
Note . In some recipes, radishes are not cut into slices, but grated. Many housewives freeze radishes whole. It all depends on the specific method and your preferences.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
The advantages of this harvesting method include:
- storage duration;
- versatility - can be frozen whole or chopped;
- loss of bitterness and pungency.
Freezing has many more disadvantages than advantages:
- loss of pungency and bitter taste;
- loss of structure - the pulp becomes porous and soft;
- destruction of many useful substances;
- loss of juiciness during defrosting;
- deprivation of characteristic crunchiness.
How to freeze radishes for the winter
Next, we will talk in detail about the most popular ways to preserve vegetables - we will present to your attention recipes for preparing radishes for the winter, including freezing in several ways.
In the package
The method is good for those who have access to an industrial freezer - it contains the temperature required for freezing, -40°C.
Freezing algorithm:
- Cut the radishes in half.
- Pack in a special freezer bag and tie it.
- Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bag after 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a regular freezer.
What is needed is stress freezing before long-term storage . If you do not have this opportunity, then it is better to preserve radishes in another way. Otherwise, when defrosting, you risk getting just a porridge-like mixture with no taste.
If for some reason you need to freeze radishes for only 4-5 days, then a regular freezer will do. Don't forget to release the air from the bag.
First Frosts for the Winter: SORREL, GREEN ONION, RADISH, CUCUMBER, MINT.
