How to keep fresh dill longer in the refrigerator
To store greens, you need to choose only fresh leaves. Yellowed or rotten ones are not suitable for long-term storage; they can be safely thrown away. Before placing dill in the refrigerator, you do not need to wash it and pick off the roots; this should be done immediately before eating. If you need to preserve herbs for a short amount of time, then place it in a glass of water and wrap the top part in a bag, then the herbs can be stored for 1-2 months.
You can also store dill in a regular jar. For this storage method, you need to take unwashed plants and put them in jars or regular bags so that there is still room for air. The jars can be closed with nylon lids, and the bags can be inflated to expose oxygen, then tied with a string. Then place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Another way to preserve greens for a long time is to add onions to them. To do this, put the plant in a bag, cut the onion into 4 parts, put it in the bag and tie it tightly. To get air in, the bag needs to be pierced in several places with a fork. The bulb needs to be changed every 4-5 days.
Greens that you plan to store for a long time should be cut with a knife or scissors.
How to store dill without refrigeration
If there is no space in the refrigerator, then dill can be stored without using it. To do this, pour cold water into a jar or glass, place the plant there, cover it with a bag and place it in a cool, dark place. In this way, dill can be stored for up to 7 days. If you want to store dry dill, then you need to dry it thoroughly and place it in a glass jar or porcelain pot. This way it retains its aroma for a long time and does not lose its beneficial properties.
How to select and prepare greens
Each procedure for freezing vegetables requires some preparatory measures, dill is no exception. Before freezing, you need to familiarize yourself with important requirements:
- select fresh, bright green feathers without yellow tips or damage;
- use only young plants with thin stems, with missing inflorescence umbrellas;
- The most delicate high-quality dill greens are formed in early summer.
Selected spice sprigs are easy to prepare for freezing. The plants are sorted out, freed from debris and foreign weeds, and washed thoroughly in running cold water. The greens, slightly dried with a waffle kitchen towel, are ready to freeze.
See also
Description of the best varieties of dill for open ground and for greens, what the plant looks like
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Preparing dill for winter storage
For long-term storage of dill for the winter, you need to carefully prepare it. To do this, you need to rinse the plant thoroughly under running water or place the stems in a basin or other deep container with cold water, hold it there for 10–15 minutes, and then rinse under running water. Wet branches need to be dried. This can be done by laying them out on clean towels in one layer, covering them with paper towels on top and waiting until all the water is absorbed.
Preparation of raw materials
To properly freeze dill, you need to carefully prepare it. Before sending the product for long-term storage, fresh, young branches should be selected. The most suitable are greens that have not had time to acquire flower stalks (umbrellas), which have just been collected from the garden. The stems are carefully examined, the roots are cut off, damaged or yellowed areas are removed, and then washed. The wet grass is laid out to dry in a shaded place on a towel or paper napkins, or placed in a “bouquet” in a dry jar, to the bottom of which excess water drains.
At the same time, it is important to ensure that you start the freezing process in time, before the branches begin to wither
The preparation of the freezer deserves special attention. Before the season, it is washed well in advance using disinfectants. This is necessary to neutralize bacteria and unpleasant odors.
Pickling dill
If you want dill to be on your table all winter, then you can pickle it:
- Wash the greens thoroughly and dry to remove excess moisture.
- Leave only small green sprigs.
- Finely chop.
- Sprinkle with salt in a ratio of 2 to 1. Where 2 parts are dill, and 1 part is salt. Place in clean, sterile jars.
- Sprinkle salt on top as well.
- Close the jars tightly with nylon lids.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Using this storage method, your greens will remain fresh until the next season.
Is it worth freezing dill for the winter?
The classic way to keep spices fresh for a long time is to dry the plant components.
But it is important to understand that drying is a process in which some useful elements are lost. And, if you need to take care of the completeness of the chemical composition, it is better to freeze the dill. Advantages of this harvesting method:
- Essential oils and volatile compounds are preserved in the plant, so the taste and aroma will not change;
- the product does not need to be cut and processed for a long time;
- the rich color of greenery will also remain;
- You can combine the spice with other products to create unusual combination seasonings.
But in order to keep dill fresh for the winter in this way, it is important to understand the processing features.
Drying dill
If you don't have any space left in the refrigerator, you can dry the plants for the winter, then you won't be short of it. You can dry the plant with whole stems.
Naturally
For natural drying, dill must be taken along with the stems. You need to carefully sort them out, remove the roots, remove damaged or yellow branches. Then rinse thoroughly under running water and dry. Tie 10–15 stems into bundles and hang in a cool, dark, dry place. It is important that it is well ventilated. When the plant is dry, transfer it to fabric bags.
You can also dry chopped greens. To do this, take small twigs, cut them, scatter them on the table and cover with a towel. After 1-2 hours, transfer the greens to paper and place in a dry place. In order for the dill to dry quickly and evenly, it needs to be turned over periodically. Place the dried herbs in a container and close the lid tightly.
In the oven
If you don’t have time, you can dry the dill in the oven. To do this, you need to finely chop it, place it in a thin layer on a baking sheet, and place it in a slightly preheated oven so that its temperature does not exceed 50 degrees. At the moment when drying occurs, the greens must be constantly stirred so that they do not burn. When the dill is dry, it needs to be transferred to a storage container.
How to store dried dill
Dried plants should be stored in a dry, clean, airtight container in a dry, dark place. This way it will not lose its aroma and become saturated with foreign odors. A dark place is needed to preserve the color.
Dried dill can be stored for 2 years; after this time, it will lose its beneficial properties.
How to use?
Dried dill goes well with vegetables, fish, meat, cheese, eggs and other foods. This seasoning is suitable for first and second courses, and can also be added to salads.
How to properly freeze dill
Is it possible to freeze dill for the winter in the freezer?
You can freeze greens in several ways: whole, sliced, or ice cubes. Dill will not lose its beneficial properties and aroma from being in the freezer in any form. In this form it can be stored for 1 year, then you can proceed to the next batch of freezing.
Containers for storing frozen greens
Greens for freezing can be placed in containers, in cling film, in special bags and in ice trays. All these methods have a huge advantage - greens retain their beneficial properties throughout the winter.
IMPORTANT! Dill should not be re-frozen; this will cause it to lose all its benefits.
Freezing whole branches
For this method of freezing, you need to select fresh, strong stems, soak them for a few minutes in cold water, then rinse under running water, dry, portion into bags, close to prevent air from entering and place in the freezer.
How to freeze dill in portions
To prevent frozen greens from turning out in the form of a huge ice lump, firstly, the branches must be thoroughly dried before freezing so that there are no drops of water left on them, and secondly, they do not need to be compacted into a bag, it would be better if there is a little space left there, then it will can be conveniently taken out and used for food. It is better to freeze dill in small portions so that it is enough for one time, since repeated freezing of greens is unacceptable.
Freezing greens in bags
This method is one of the simplest, as it does not require much effort. For it, you need to carefully select the greens, rinse under running water, dry, chop with a knife, put in a freezer bag, remove excess air, seal the bag and place in the freezer.
In cling film
In such packaging, greens take up little space, so this type of freezing is very popular. To prepare it, you need to prepare the greens in the same way as in other cases. Then cut it, put it on cling film, roll it into a sausage, remove excess air and put it in the freezer.
In ice trays
This method is good because the dill does not need to be dried after washing; it is enough to chop it finely, put it in a bowl, add cooled boiled or filtered water, mix, and place in molds along with the water. Place in the freezer. After freezing, you can separate them from the molds and put them in a bag, where they can be stored until use.
How to freeze in foil
This method is similar to storing in cling film - wash the greens, dry them, place them on foil, roll them up, remove excess air and place them in the freezer.
How to freeze dill for the winter with salt in a container/jar
Rinse the dill thoroughly under running water, dry, chop, transfer to clean, dry containers, add a little salt to them, remove the juice that resulted from its addition, close the lid tightly and place in the freezer.
The benefits and harms of frozen dill
Dill is actively used not only in cooking. The product has many useful properties. It improves digestion, eliminates flatulence, and soothes the intestines. Medicines are created based on this component. Frozen greens retain most of their valuable properties.
Benefits of frozen dill:
- protects the body from free radicals;
- strengthens the immune system, contains many vitamins and minerals;
- normalizes the female cycle;
- calms nerves, helps fight insomnia;
- has a positive effect on tooth enamel and gums;
- cleanses the bronchi, promotes the removal of phlegm.
How do you freeze dill?
WholeChopped
The product can cause harm only in case of individual intolerance and low blood pressure. Sometimes doctors prohibit pregnant women from using it to avoid uterine bleeding. Only the connection still has no scientific confirmation.
Dill can be frozen in bunches, twigs, or sliced. Sometimes cubes are prepared; the version with salt is popular. The product can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.
How long can you store greens in the freezer?
The shelf life of frozen dill depends on the method of freezing it. If greens are frozen in sprigs, they will be stored for up to 12 months; during the same time, the beneficial properties of greens frozen in ice cubes will remain. Once you take your greens out of the freezer, you should use them immediately. When re-frozen, dill loses its beneficial properties. If greens are stored in containers, then they should be tightly closed; if in bags, then it is better to store them in portions.
Containers for storing frozen greens
How to store a frozen product is a personal choice for each housewife. It all depends on the amount of herbs used when preparing dishes, the size of the freezer and the time that the housewife is willing to spend preparing spices for the winter.
The simplest and most budget option is a package. Both whole sprigs of greens and chopped ones are frozen in bags. But bags are not very convenient for freezing spices in oil or ice. For this method, it is better to use ice-freezing molds or disposable plastic cups.
Silicone baking molds will also be convenient. But remember that dill is an aromatic spice, and when used, containers and molds absorb its smell. Therefore, we recommend selecting separate containers and forms for freezing herbs.
Important! Under no circumstances should frozen spices be stored without packaging. Under such storage conditions, greens will not only lose their beneficial properties, but will also give off their smell to other nearby products.
How to defrost dill correctly
If you froze greens with sprigs, then you need to cut it before it thaws, otherwise it won’t be possible to do it. If the dill was frozen in ice, then it should be thrown in the same form into hot dishes at the end of cooking.
Greens can be stored for quite a long time, but for this you need to choose the right method. Also, do not forget about preparing greens for long-term storage. If you make the necessary supplies in time, you will be able to pamper yourself with healthy, tasty greens throughout the winter.
