How to freeze parsley: is it possible to do this, how is it different from fresh herbs, what are its benefits and harms, stages of putting the spice on ice in the refrigerator for the winter Russian farmer

I would like to talk about preparing greens, or more precisely about how to freeze parsley for the winter in a freezer. The main thing you have to do is to find a place in this very freezer, because there are definitely strawberries, raspberries and other berries stored there for delicious pp desserts. And a lot of different vegetables are frozen for proper nutrition - green beans, cauliflower and broccoli, sweet peppers. Or maybe there are already mushrooms on the shelves or drawers? I definitely have it.

We store it correctly

Final tips

What is the difference between frozen greens and fresh ones?

Vitamins and minerals are not afraid of negative temperatures, so they are preserved in frozen greens in their entirety. The only exception is ascorbic acid, the content of which decreases by only 10% over six months. For example, 100 g of fresh parsley contains 150 mg of vitamin C, and after 6 months after freezing it will contain about 137 mg, which is 150% of the daily intake of this vitamin.

Scientific studies have shown that homemade frozen greens contain much more microelements than fresh greens brought from warm countries in winter. In Spain, Turkey and Israel, vegetables and herbs are grown in poor soils and treated with large amounts of chemicals, so they have questionable benefits.

The calorie content of frozen parsley is practically the same as fresh. 100 g of frozen greens contains:

50 kcal;
4 g proteins;
0.5 grams of fat;
7.7 g carbohydrates.

Frozen parsley is rich in:

Vitamins B, A, E, PP, K, retinol, ascorbic and nicotinic acids.
Minerals:
selenium;
copper;
phosphorus;
calcium;
potassium
Essential oils.
Antioxidants.

Secrets of proper freezing of parsley

The herb tolerates freezing temperatures well and retains its taste and aroma. For best results, follow these recommendations:

Label each package with a label indicating the date it was placed in the freezer. The leaves can be consumed within a year from the date of harvesting.
The optimal storage temperature is minus 18 degrees.
To brighten the mixture, toss it with dill, cilantro, green onions, basil and other herbs. The presence of bell pepper adds pleasant notes to the smell, and chili adds spiciness.
Do not refreeze the product. In this case, most of the nutrients are lost and the taste is lost.
Save the cut stems separately and then dip them into the broth for a spicy aroma.
Do not freeze in glass containers. There is a risk that it will crack if there is a temperature change.
The grass easily absorbs foreign odors, so it must be hermetically sealed.
It is convenient to grind the leaves with a blender. The result is a fine crumb that looks beautiful.
Portion packaging is preferable. With it you don’t have to take out the entire volume for just one pinch.

With this I say goodbye. I told you how to freeze parsley for the winter in the freezer. I hope you choose a method that you like. In winter, “greenback” is worth its weight in gold. Yes, you can find it in the store, but the taste is not the same as in the summer. And prepared with your own hands will delight you with vitamins.

Benefits and harms

Greens from the freezer have a powerful effect on the body, namely:

thanks to essential oils, it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties;
vitamin K strengthens blood vessels and prevents the formation of blood clots;
improves vision due to the content of vitamin A and beta-carotene;
regulates the functioning of the endocrine system;
increases metabolic rate and promotes weight loss;
vitamin B2 and folic acid maintain a normal nervous system;
removes excess salt from the body and prevents joint diseases;
cleanses the intestines and promotes the development of healthy microflora;
ascorbic acid strengthens the immune system and protects against colds;
due to the content of a large amount of chlorophyll, it improves blood properties;
regulates blood sugar levels;
Vitamin E prevents the smallest capillaries from clogging;
the amino acid histidine stimulates the restoration and healing of all body tissues;
a high concentration of potassium strengthens the heart and helps stabilize the heartbeat;
nicotinic acid improves digestion and redox processes;
parsley contains phytoestrogens, which normalize the menstrual cycle in women;
prevents the development of prostatitis in men, improves potency.

You can learn more about the medicinal properties of parsley here.

Harm of frozen parsley:

Parsley is very susceptible to environmental conditions.
If greens are grown in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions, or with the use of chemicals, the crop will do more harm than good. Heavy metal salts and other toxic substances cannot be completely removed from the beam.
Spicy greens are contraindicated for people suffering from liver and urinary tract diseases.
Excessive consumption of frozen parsley leads to an excess of essential oils in the body, which leads to dizziness and nausea.

Is parsley good for animals? This article will tell you in this article.

Defrosting and application options

Thawing is only required when using parsley in cold dishes. To defrost, you need to transfer the required amount from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment. After a while, drain the juice. Hot dishes are frozen immediately. This way it better retains its shape, aroma, and nutrients.

Options for using frozen workpieces:

hot dishes - soups, stews, stewed vegetables, meat;
sauces, gravies, dressings;
smoothies, green cocktails;

salads, appetizers, decoration;
casseroles, minced meat, various fillings.

Don't forget about the wonderful cosmetic properties of parsley. It will be used in home masks, will help whiten freckles and pigmentation, get rid of bags under the eyes, and give the skin radiance and youth.

Do not discard parsley juice after defrosting. It can be added to sauces, soups, smoothies, and other dishes with a liquid consistency.

All stages: how to prepare greens for storing in the freezer?

Freezing is the only way to preserve all the beneficial substances in parsley for a long time . The best greens are those that have just been brought from the garden. If it is not possible to grow the spice yourself to freeze for the winter, you can buy it at the market or in a store.

When purchasing parsley, you need to make sure that it was grown in the buyer’s area of residence. Greens that were cut a long time ago and brought from afar have already lost all their vitamins. Also, the bunches should not have dried or damaged areas. The color of a fresh bunch is bright and uniform.

To freeze parsley you will need: a sharp knife, a cutting board, a dry soft towel, plastic bags or containers. Steps:

The washing up . The greens must be thoroughly washed in cold running water to remove all dirt and dust. Under no circumstances should you wash greens with hot water - after such treatment, all vitamins and minerals will be destroyed.
Drying. This step cannot be skipped, otherwise the parsley in the freezer will become covered with an ice crust.
When the main water has drained, you need to lay the crop in a thin layer on a dry towel and leave for 2 hours.
Slicing.
After cutting, the greens are once again spread in a thin layer on a towel for 2 hours.

If you skip this step, the parsley will clump in the freezer.

Cooling . Place the spice on a cutting board or tray and place in the freezer for 4-5 hours. Once cooled, the chopped greens will become crumbly.
Freezing. Chilled parsley should be packaged in small airtight containers or bags.

The smaller the container, the less frozen greens will come into contact with warm air each time the container is opened. The optimal temperature in the freezer is - 18°C.

Experienced housewives advise packaging the spice into portioned bags and putting in each of them as much as is usually used for one-time preparation of a dish.

This way, the parsley will not come into contact with either warm air or foreign odors, and will be preserved for a long time.

Frozen parsley will delight you with its taste and vitamins all year round.

Selection and preparation of raw materials

Young plants with delicate green leaves are chosen for preparations. The fresher the better, since every day the concentration of nutrients decreases.

Parsley should be free of signs of pests and diseases. If you plan to harvest greens from your garden, cut them in the morning and process them the same day. Plants must be collected before flowering, when the leaves are tender and juicy.

If you go to the market, choose elastic twigs of rich green color with a characteristic aroma. It is better to freeze immediately or within 5-6 hours.

In the store, look at the label, which shows the date of manufacture. If a bunch has been lying on the counter for several days, there is little value there.

Procedure:

The grass is sorted and sorted.
Free from the elastic band or rope, if any.
Remove foreign matter (occasional weeds, fallen leaves, dry branches).
Sluggish, yellowed specimens are discarded.
Rough stems and roots are trimmed. Leaves green leaves and succulent shoots.
Rinse in running water using a colander.
Soak in a container of sufficient volume for 15-20 minutes to allow soil particles to settle.
Wash thoroughly again in small portions.

After this, place it on a clean kitchen towel and proceed to the next step.

Is it permissible to re-store the spice in the cold?

Greens should not be re-frozen. Cell membranes, weakened by repeated freezing and thawing, burst, and the vitamins and minerals contained in the cells are destroyed. Parsley, once re-frozen, does not provide any benefit to the body.

Read about the varieties of parsley, how it differs from cilantro and celery, the characteristics of the seeds and the ban on the curly variety in Russia on our website.

Frozen parsley is a summer vitamin “hello” for winter soups and salads. Frozen aromatic spice does not differ in taste and benefits from fresh bunches . The main thing is to accurately follow all the stages of preparing and freezing parsley, and the vitamin seasoning will last until spring.

Drying

If the freezer of your refrigerator is already packed to capacity, then you can dry the parsley, preserving the vitamins and microelements contained in it to the maximum. With this method, the seasoning will also largely retain its fragrant aroma.

Drying should be done in stages:

It is necessary to remove yellowed and diseased leaves and cut off the root.
Next, the parsley is washed well and dried.
Place parchment on a baking sheet, onto which the greens are spread in an even layer. All this is placed in the oven, preheated to a temperature of +60 C.
To ensure that the parsley dries evenly, you need to stir it periodically.

In practice, freezing is much more convenient than drying. The latter method should be chosen only in cases where it is not possible to freeze greens.

Product Features

Scientists find the first mention of the spicy plant in ancient Greek treatises. People wove them into head decorations and used them as an insect repellent. In the Middle Ages, aromatic culture began to be added to dishes. Today it has been proven that greens have beneficial properties and contain many vitamins:

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The plant has a mild diuretic effect, so it is often used for diseases of the bladder and kidneys. The presence of substances such as potassium, sodium and phosphorus helps with cardiovascular problems. To ensure that the spice retains its properties, the herb is added fresh to first and second courses. After heat treatment, useful elements are destroyed.

The plant is prepared in different ways for the winter, but freezing is considered the safest. The taste, aroma and consistency of the leaves remain unchanged, and much less time is spent on processing than when salting and drying. Parsley is often stored together with dill, after which it is used for its intended purpose.

The raw materials are of high quality and fresh. Branches with bright leaves should not have dry elements or damage. Before processing, you cannot store the workpiece for a long time, and it is better to send wilted specimens to drying. The torn bunch will remain unchanged in the refrigerator for three days, after which the vitamins will begin to break down and putrefactive processes will be activated.

The nutritional value

The spicy taste and smell of parsley are due to the presence of essential oil. The leaves of the plant contain ascorbic and nicotinic acids, beta-carotene and other vitamins, while the amount of vitamin C in greens is greater than in many vegetables and fruits. It accumulates a rich supply of mineral salts (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus), flavonoids and pectins. The nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates and coarse dietary fiber.

In order to always have fresh herbs on hand, many housewives grow them at home on the windowsill or on the balcony in wide pots, as in the photo, or in boxes

Most often, finely chopped greens are used to prepare various salads and cold appetizers. For piquancy, spicy herbs and roots are added to soups, side dishes for meat, fish and poultry. As a mandatory ingredient, parsley is present in recipes for many potato and vegetable dishes. Sauces and aromatic salad dressings are prepared from it. For example, in French cuisine it is popular to serve green “chips” - leaves or whole branches fried in vegetable oil - with meat and fish dishes.

The healing properties of the plant are used in traditional and folk medicine. Parsley has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect. Its presence in the diet helps remove salts from the body and reduce sweating. Greens are indicated for kidney and liver diseases, atherosclerosis.

Drinking fresh juice helps strengthen capillary blood vessels, normalize the functions of the thyroid gland and adrenal cortex

Fresh leaves or decoctions of them increase bile secretion; they are recommended for the treatment of gallbladder dyskinesia. Preparations containing parsley extracts cause an increase in the tone of the smooth muscles of the uterus, bladder, and intestines. They are actively used to treat inflammation of the prostate gland, urolithiasis, cystitis, edema, kidney spasms (except nephritis).

How to preserve greens for the winter without freezing. Freezing chopped greens

For example, what do you freeze for the winter? I just use parsley and dill. But in your freezer, celery, parsley, and basil will easily last until spring. So I’m ready to share with you my experience on how to freeze greens for the winter.

Of course, no one will put a whole bunch of greens just brought from the market into the freezer. And you should not use withered bunches. Buy the best celery and basil and try to process them as soon as possible.

The faster the greens freeze, the better they retain their beneficial substances and aromas. It is clear that rough stems will freeze longer than thin leaves, and chopped greens will freeze faster than whole leaves.

Therefore, when you bring the fragrant “brooms” home, do this as quickly as possible:

separate the bundles;
wash the greens thoroughly;
spread out to dry in a thin layer for about half an hour until completely dry;
cut off the coarsest stems;
Use a thin knife to chop the greens as you like;
place the greens in small plastic bags;
you can immediately make a “herbal cocktail” from your favorite plants;
place the bags in the freezer set to freeze mode;
Shake the bags every half hour to prevent the leaves from sticking together.

That's all. The size of the bag and the selection of grass is entirely your decision. You can even freeze green onions if they grow especially fragrant at your dacha and in especially large quantities. In any case, it will contain more vitamins than the consumptive February one.

So it's very simple. But if you are too lazy to do this, then there is an even simpler way.