But is it possible to freeze melon for the winter? Will its unique taste and aroma be preserved?
Is it possible to freeze melon
Melon is a large fruit belonging to the pumpkin family. It is distinguished by its oval shape and yellowish color. There is a thick skin on top, and inside there is pulp with seeds. The product is a source of many substances beneficial to the human body. It is used in food to strengthen the immune system and restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Melon does not lose its beneficial properties when exposed to sub-zero temperatures. Therefore, freezing is a great way to extend its shelf life. If you violate the freezing rules, the structure of the fruit will change. Therefore, it is important to follow a certain algorithm of actions.
Frozen fruit is often used in the preparation of baked goods, desserts, fruit salads and cooling drinks. It pairs well with pear, banana and mint. But most often the product is consumed in its pure form, without additives. Frozen products may taste different from fresh ones. But, if freezing was carried out in accordance with the rules, the difference in taste will be minimal.
Beneficial properties and effects on the body
Like any other fruit, melon is endowed with beneficial properties that can have a beneficial effect on the body. The list of highlighted advantages includes:
- normalization of the nervous system as a whole;
- return of restful sleep;
- improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- cessation of periodic constipation;
- complete cleansing of the body from toxins;
- cholesterol reduction;
- support of cardiovascular activity;
- diuretic effect;
- improved color and appearance of facial skin.
What kind of melon can be frozen?
Before freezing for the winter, special attention should be paid to the choice of melon. If you give preference to watery fruits, after defrosting they will get a porridge-like consistency. It is advisable to take firm fruit for freezing that has not been subject to deformation. The most suitable varieties of product for freezing are:
- Collective farmer;
- Persian;
- Krymka;
- Cantaloupe.
It is advisable not to choose overripe or unripe fruits for freezing. The melon should be fairly soft, but not too watery. There should be no dents or significant damage on the skin. Specimens with a dried tail are considered ripe. If you knock on them, the sound should be dull. In this case, even in its whole form, the ripe fruit will exude a characteristic aroma.
Attention! It is strictly not recommended to freeze unripe and unsweetened fruits. After defrosting, they will begin to taste bitter.
Methods, conditions and periods of storage
There are many options for storing melon at home. The choice largely depends on two factors:
- Do you live in a private house or apartment?
- What fruits do you have: ripe or not very ripe.
The shelf life of melon will be different in each case. So, in an apartment, fresh food will last much less, because there are no special conditions for saving it.
You can save melon:
- in fresh;
- frozen;
- canned;
- dried.
For how long you can store melons at home, see the table below:
Shelf life of melons depending on the variety and harvesting method
The best place to store fresh fruits in winter is considered to be a cellar or basement of a private house. This is where it is easiest to create the optimal mode for this.
Long-term storage of melon will be successful only under the following conditions:
- air temperature – 3-10 °C;
- relative humidity – 85-90%;
- intermittent ventilation;
- lack of light.
For obvious reasons, it is easiest to ensure such conditions in the cellar. The only place you can use the apartment is to put the fruits on the balcony, but you won’t be able to keep them fresh there for so long.
Tip of the day
The place where the stalk is attached, as well as the other “pole”, must be covered with plasticine - it is from this place that moisture evaporates.
Preparing melon for freezing
Before you freeze melon in pieces for the winter, you should prepare it:
- Initially, the peel of the berry is thoroughly cleaned under running water, and then dried with a clean towel.
- The next step is to cut the fruit into two parts.
- Seeds and coarse fibers are removed with a spoon.
- The pulp is separated from the peel with a sharp knife.
- The product is cut into small pieces and placed in a deep container.
They can be frozen in plastic containers or grippers - special bags with a zip-lock fastener.
How to freeze melon for the winter
There are several ways to freeze melons for the winter. Each of them allows you to get a tasty and healthy treat. The only difference is in the appearance of the finished product. The most common methods of freezing for the winter include:
- fresh pieces;
- in sugar syrup;
- in powdered sugar;
- in the form of puree;
- as a sorbet.
Most often, housewives use the classic method. It is as simple as possible to perform. Freezing melons under a fur coat is no less popular. Sugar syrup, powder or simple sugar is used as an improvised fur coat. In this case, it is important that the fruit does not release juice before it is put in the freezer.
How to freeze melon for the winter with fresh pieces
To freeze for the winter according to the classic recipe, pieces of melon are placed on a pre-washed wooden board. A plastic film is first spread on it. It is important to ensure that the pieces do not touch each other. Otherwise, they will turn into a single mass. In this form, the board is put into the freezer. It is advisable to cover the top with newspaper so that the product does not absorb foreign odors.
After 24 hours, the frozen pieces are removed from the freezer and placed into containers or storage bags.
Advice! To give the pulp a more aesthetic appearance, it is recommended to use an ice cream scoop when cutting into pieces. It will help form even circles.
How to freeze melon in the freezer in sugar syrup
To choose a recipe for melon frozen for the winter, you need to understand what it will be used for. If you plan to eat it in its pure form or use it to make desserts, you can freeze the product in sugar syrup. The procurement process is as follows:
- To prepare the syrup, mix water and sugar in equal proportions.
- The next step is to place the ingredients on the fire and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- The fruit cut into pieces is poured with the resulting cooled syrup.
- In this form, the product is placed in portioned containers.
If you freeze pieces of melon in an ice-making container, you can later use it to add it to refreshing cocktails. Another suitable option is to add melon when preparing homemade compote.
Melon frozen in powdered sugar
An equally interesting recipe is frozen fruit in powdered sugar. The pieces are laid out on a flat surface of the board, and then each piece is generously sprinkled with powder. Immediately after this, the product is put into the freezer. If this action is not performed on time, the powdered sugar will be absorbed, which will make the fruit aesthetically less attractive.
Freezing melon for the winter in the form of sorbet
Sorbet is a ready-made frozen dessert based on fruits and berries. It is often prepared on the basis of melon with the addition of various fillers. Alcoholic varieties of dessert are very popular. For 6 servings of dessert you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. water;
- juice of any citrus to taste;
- 4 tbsp. cubes of melon pulp;
- 1 tbsp. Sahara.
Cooking process:
- Sugar is mixed with water and placed on the stove. Bring the syrup to a boil over low heat.
- After cooling completely, the syrup is mixed with melon cubes and citrus juice. The components are ground in a blender to a porridge state.
- The resulting mass is distributed among the molds, leaving 2 cm to the edges.
- To make it easier to get the sorbet out after freezing, ice cream sticks are inserted into the molds.
The mint sorbet recipe is very popular. It can be done not only for winter, but also in summer. For preparation you need the following components:
- 1 tbsp. l. lime juice;
- 1 melon;
- 60 ml water;
- 4 mint leaves;
- 85 g honey.
Recipe:
- The melon is peeled from seeds and cut into portions.
- Place the melon pieces on parchment or plastic wrap and put them in the freezer for 5 hours.
- All components along with the melon are placed in a blender. Since the volume of ingredients is large, the blender will need to be loaded in 3 batches.
- After grinding, the mass is placed in a deep plastic container with a lid and put in the refrigerator.
- In a day, the product will be completely ready for use.
Comment! Instead of citrus juice, you can add yogurt or alcoholic drinks to dessert.
Melon puree
Eating frozen melon is not always convenient for young children. Fruit puree in this regard is the most suitable option. Before preparing the puree for the winter, the melon is thoroughly washed and peeled. The desired consistency is achieved using a blender. It is important that there are no lumps. For ease of use in food, it is recommended to distribute the puree into portioned containers. It should be frozen in bowls or disposable cups. After a day of freezing, you can take out the hardened puree and put it in a bag. This will avoid combining into one mass and save space in the freezer.
Animal products
Dairy supplies defrost in the refrigerator for about four to five hours, and at room temperature - two to three hours.
It is better to start defrosting the fish two or three hours before cooking in a package at room temperature. In the refrigerator it needs to be defrosted according to the time: three hours for every half a kilo of supplies.
Meat and poultry can be defrosted in several ways:
- At room temperature. Defrosting a piece to a depth of one centimeter occurs in about two hours.
- In the refrigerator compartment. Defrosting a piece to a depth of one centimeter occurs in three to four hours. Or you can expect that for every pound of meat it takes five hours to completely defrost.
- In the oven. Defrosting a piece to a depth of one centimeter at a temperature of 50 C occurs in about half an hour.
- In the microwave. With this defrosting, the meat will warm up evenly in volume, and the defrosting time will be an order of magnitude shorter. However, the exact time depends on the characteristics of the microwave.
- In hot water. It is better to never use this method, since juices along with nutrients will be washed out of the meat/poultry.
You can cook meat (except pork) over low heat without defrosting by increasing the cooking time. Quick-frozen semi-finished meat products can be simultaneously defrosted and reheated in the oven at a temperature of 150-220 C or on a gas / electric stove. Portioned meat or poultry can be cooked immediately in the usual way, spending a little more time on bringing the food to readiness.
Is it possible to freeze melon for the winter: reviews
Suvorova Ekaterina Vladimirovna, 29 years old, Vladivostok
I used to freeze berries and fruits for the winter. Recently, a friend suggested the idea of making melon-based desserts. Melon sorbet is now in particular demand in our family. It turns out to be a very tasty and natural delicacy. For children I make it based on yogurt, and for adults I can add a few drops of alcohol.
Pilipchuk Irina Nikolaevna, 48 years old, Moscow
Melon is a very healthy product. I often eat it during snacks, and add it to oatmeal in the morning. And in winter I try to cook compotes more often. They are in great demand here. That's why I always have prepared fruit in my refrigerator. After defrosting, it does not lose any of its taste.
Mironov Alexey Mikhailovich, 56 years old, Ekaterinburg
After reading one interesting article, I decided to freeze the melon for the winter. Feedback from people said that the process was not at all labor-intensive. In fact, this is exactly what happened. The only thing I would like to note is that the taste of fresh melon is much richer and more interesting. But for winter this option is quite suitable.
