Is it possible to freeze green onions?
Green onions, like any greens, can be safely frozen . In winter, such a preparation will come in handy, because a bunch of green feathers on the market costs much more than in summer, and brings practically no benefit.
Points for and against
Not all housewives prepare green onions by freezing.
There are arguments against this method:
- After prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures, greens lose their taste and vitamins. However, if you follow the basic principles of freezing, nothing like this will happen.
- Not everyone knows how healthy this vegetable is and what dishes to add it to.
- After defrosting, the feathers lose their elasticity and stick together. This occurs exclusively when freezing rules are not followed or defrosting is improper.
There are many more arguments in favor of this method:
- The preparation process is completely simple and accessible to everyone.
- Frozen green onions keep better than dried or pickled ones.
- Ready-made chopped greens greatly simplify and speed up the cooking process.
- You don’t have to buy green onions at the market, which means you save money and time.
- The vegetable contains many vitamins and phytoncides, which will improve health and boost immunity in the winter.
Loss of beneficial properties
The common belief that greens lose vitamins and other beneficial components after freezing is refuted by science . In fact, vitamins are destroyed not by freezing, but by exposure to light, air (oxidation), and high temperatures. Freezing, on the contrary, is considered the most optimal harvesting method for preserving the maximum amount of useful substances.
Taste and consistency after defrosting
If the technology is followed, the taste of green onions remains unchanged . It only deteriorates when stored for too long and re-frozen after defrosting.
The consistency of onion feathers changes slightly - they become somewhat softer than fresh ones . This depends on the freezing method and storage conditions. If you follow the recommendations and tips for properly freezing greens, their consistency will remain virtually unchanged.
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When to collect?
Is it possible to freeze green onions and when is the best time to do it? Surely everyone knows that such greens begin to ripen in the beds already in mid-May. It is at this time of year that green onions are especially soft and juicy. Young greens contain a lot of useful substances that are extremely necessary for the human body.
Thus, it is better to collect onion feathers for subsequent freezing in the spring, when the arrows have not reached their maximum height and have not become stiff.
Features of freezing
To get the most benefits and preserve the taste of green onions, consider some simple but important tips :
- Before you start chopping your greens, rinse them well with running water . Chopped onions should not be washed - this will lead to loss of taste and aroma.
- The white part of the onion can also be frozen , but it is better to do this in a separate container. Cut off the white “legs” from the greens only after washing, so that water does not get on the cut, otherwise the feathers will stick together.
- Be sure to drain the washed greens in a colander and dry with napkins or paper towels. Feathers must be completely dry. Then they will tolerate freezing well and will not stick together.
- It is better to pack greens in portions so as not to take them out of the freezer many times. Otherwise, green onions will quickly lose their taste and beneficial properties.
Choose elastic feathers of a rich green color . Remove all withered, limp and dry ones.
How to properly prepare onions for freezing
Cooks freeze only pre-prepared foods. Prepare the onions as follows:
- Select the best specimens. Feathers must be fresh, rich green, without damage.
- Rinse the product under cool running water.
- Dry the greens naturally by placing them on a napkin or towel.
- Chill the feathers in the refrigerator before freezing.
Did you know? Onions destroy harmful bacteria, remove parasites from the body, calm the nervous system and stimulate the secretion of gastric juice.
Freezing methods
There are many ways to prepare green onions in the freezer . We have collected the most accessible and interesting of them.
In various containers
There are several options for preparing green onions in different containers:
- The easiest and fastest way is to freeze the greens in a bag. To do this, it is cut into rings and packaged in portions into small bags. Before tying the bag, be sure to run your hand over it and release excess air. Some housewives use zip bags and a regular juice straw. The bag is not closed all the way, a tube is inserted near the edge, the air is released, the tube is quickly removed and the bag is zipped completely.
- Freezing in a container is one of the most common methods. Finely chopped greens are laid out in a thin layer on cutting boards or trays and placed in the freezer for several hours. To prevent onion rings from sticking to the surface of the trays, they are covered with cling film. After the greens have dried in the freezer, they are scattered into containers.
- There is another interesting way of freezing - in a bottle . To do this, the greens must also be well dried, otherwise it will be impossible to get them. It is better to use small bottles – no more than 1 liter in volume.
- Housewives also practice portion freezing in ice trays for cupcakes and muffins. The greens are prepared as for freezing in a container and laid out in containers.
In various forms
Onions can be stored either chopped or whole.
The following freezing options are available::
- In crushed form . It is either simply scattered into bags or containers, or added to molds of water and cubes of greens are prepared with ice.
- A very original way for gourmets is freezing in butter. It must lie at room temperature for one hour. Use oil with a high fat content, preferably homemade. Chopped herbs and spices are added to it to taste. Then the mixture is laid out in molds or wrapped in cling film into a sausage. When the cubes are frozen, they are transferred to bags. Another option is to roll out the mixture in a bag into a thin layer and break off pieces when cooking.
- To keep them intact, feathers are wrapped in foil or cling film. This method is suitable for those who cannot spend time on chopping, but want to prepare green onions for the winter. You just have to take into account that after defrosting at room temperature, the feathers lose their appearance and become soft.
- Another harvesting method is blanching greens . Place it in a colander and lower it into boiling water for one minute. After this, the onions are cooled and all the liquid is filtered out. Blanched greens are placed in plastic containers and placed in the freezer.
Onions in a plastic bottle
Another unusual way to freeze greens for the winter.
- The product is thoroughly washed under running water, using a cloth, preferably a thick one, and dried. You can also dry the green shoots in the sun, for about thirty minutes, or with a hairdryer, directing cool air onto the greens.
- This preparation requires certain rules - chopped greens and a plastic bottle must be well dried. This is the only way to easily pour frozen onions out of a plastic bottle.
- The next step is to fill the bottle with the chopped product and screw the cap tightly.
- It is advisable to use small plastic bottles with a volume of 0.5 liters, this will be convenient for further use.
Shelf life
Frozen greens can be stored for 2 months to six months. However, it is important to take into account the nuances on which the preservation time of the beneficial properties of the vegetable depends.
A few recommendations:
- Shelf life depends on the freezing method and freezer temperature . The lower it is, the longer you can keep the greens. If the freezer maintains a temperature of -18°C, long-term storage of greens is allowed for six months or even more.
- The optimal shelf life of green onions is 3 months . This is how long it contains the maximum amount of useful substances.
- Green onions with oil spoil faster , so it is better to use them within 1-2 months. Such cubes cannot be re-frozen; in case of forced defrosting (the power went out, the refrigerator broke), they are immediately used in dishes.
At first, onions will emit a strong odor in the freezer , so wrap them in cling film and put them on a separate shelf so that the aroma does not transfer to other products.
Basic Rules
How to prepare green onions for storage? For long-term storage, onions must be thoroughly washed and all damaged leaves removed. If you plan to store greens fresh, then take only juicy, healthy feathers
, and if they salt, dry or freeze, you can take
damaged ones
, cutting off all the defects.
The onion must be completely dry
, so after washing, put it on a towel and let it lie for at least an hour.
How to cut green onions? If the onion will be harvested fresh, then there is no need to chop it. Otherwise, it is not recommended to grind it in a food processor
, as is often done with parsley or dill. It is thinly cut into pieces about 5 mm long.
If the feathers are large and wide, then you can first cut them lengthwise to make the pieces smaller
.
When preparing a soup or roast, the onion can be cut into 1 cm, and if a sauce is planned, the smaller it is, the better. And only for harvesting dried onions will you need larger pieces
: from 5 to 7 cm.
How to store green onions? Tara
in which onions are stored depends on the method of their preparation:
- when frozen
, store in a bag or plastic container; - for pickling
or canning in oil, it is best to use glass jars;
cloth bags are used to store dried- fresh
storage, ordinary plastic bags are used.
Where to store green onions? Green onions are stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
In a private home, jars of salt or oil can also be stored in the cellar
, and
in the apartment
- on a glassed-in loggia.
Cut greens quickly wither at room temperature and spoil, so fresh onions must be kept in the cold without access to air.
.
You will learn how to choose the right green onions and how to store them by watching the video:
How to defrost correctly
Green onions do not need to be defrosted in all cases . To prepare hot dishes, casseroles and pies, you do not need to defrost the greens. This is only necessary for whole feathers or adding chopped herbs to cold dishes.
It is recommended to defrost at room temperature or in the refrigerator . In the first case, it will be faster, but the consistency of the greens will become softer and more slippery. Defrosting will not affect the taste and aroma. In the refrigerator, the greens will retain their elasticity; this method is ideal for whole onions.
Do not use a microwave or hot water for defrosting . So the greens will not only lose their taste, but will also become completely sour.
Properly defrost and use onions
You can defrost products in the following ways:
- Just in the refrigerator. This is a long process, taking about two and a half hours, and sometimes more. But at the same time, the product’s solid consistency and fresh, rich aroma are preserved.
- At a temperature of about 20-24 degrees (room temperature). You can leave the frozen preparation on the table. The defrosting time will depend on how the product was stored and at what temperature the product was frozen. Frozen greens will be watery and soft using this defrosting method. But it will retain its taste and can be used for cooking.
- In the microwave. This method will save your time. The whole process takes about 5-6 minutes. But the main thing is not to keep the product in the microwave for more than necessary, otherwise defrosting will turn into cooking. To avoid this, you need to set the oven power to minimum mode.
- Defrosting in water. Many people believe that if you put frozen greens in a bowl of cold water before using them, their taste will remain exactly the same as fresh ones.
Important! You can do without defrosting altogether if you prepared a blanched product.
Prepared frozen onions are used in preparing various dishes. Most often in vegetable stews, various soups, and minced meat. This additive not only has a pleasant aroma, but also gives food a special taste and saturates it with vitamins necessary for the human body. But frozen greens require heat treatment; it is better not to eat them raw.
It is not recommended to refreeze vegetables, including green onions, as they will become slippery, limp, have an unpleasant odor, and lose their beneficial properties. If you want to enjoy summer produce all year round, freezing is a great solution. Frozen green onions are not inferior to fresh ones in their usefulness and taste. When properly frozen and stored, you can enjoy vitamin-packed meals year-round.
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Where to apply
Fragrant green onions are suitable for preparing first and second courses, casseroles, meatballs, omelettes, savory pies and pancakes, and sauces.
Depending on the freezing method, green onions are added as a dressing to many dishes.:
- cubes with water for hot first courses.
- Greens with butter go well with potatoes, meat and fish, and go well with sandwiches.
- Chopped greens from bags and containers are added to main courses, casseroles, pancakes, pancakes, and pies.
- Blanched onions are good in soups and main courses.
- For salads, it is better to use carefully thawed feathers .
Adviсe
According to housewives, freezing green onions in the freezer is not only possible, but also necessary. Despite the claim that greens lose their taste and nutritional properties six months after freezing, many believe that the shelf life can be increased to a year. Of course, after such a long storage, frozen onions will not be as fragrant and healthy as greens just picked from the garden, but in a long winter, such a product can partially compensate for the lack of vitamins and add variety to the diet.
You need to know that onions frozen with whole feathers are much more fragrant than chopped greens, but you should keep in mind that immediately after defrosting, a whole feather loses its original appearance and instantly becomes limp.
When defrosting the product, under no circumstances should the greens be placed in the microwave or under hot water. Neglecting this rule will lead to loss of color, aroma and nutritional properties of green onions. It is recommended to add frozen greens to the first and second courses, breaking off or chipping off the required amount from a large piece. To prepare vinaigrettes and cold dishes, it is recommended to defrost the mixture first.
Freezing green onions in the freezer is the simplest and most affordable option and allows you to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of fresh greens in the winter.
You will learn more about whether onions can be frozen in the following video.
Reviews
Many housewives who have tested the method of freezing green onions from their own experience were satisfied with the result. Here are some reviews on this topic.
Anastasia, Moscow : “I liked the method. Last year I froze a lot of these preparations, the onions tasted like fresh ones. I added a little to soups and egg pies.”
Valentina, Kazan : “I froze the greens in cubes with water and butter. What you need for potatoes is butter and onions at once. Thanks to water, the taste and aroma are perfectly preserved. I prepare all the excess greens this way.”
Lyudmila, St. Petersburg : “I have been using frozen onions in winter for soups and pies for a long time. I love greens both dried and frozen. The taste is preserved well. The family loves it!”
What greens can be frozen
Perhaps it is best suited for a storage method such as freezing. After all, it is precisely this that allows you to preserve most of the valuable substances that make up plants. And greens are very beneficial for the human body, and nutritionists everywhere recommend introducing them into the daily diet. For example, it contains up to 25% of the daily iron requirement for the human body, and contains four times more vitamin C than, for example,.
However, not all greens can be frozen. So, it is not recommended to freeze
as it becomes watery. In addition, it changes its taste and attractive appearance. Although culinary specialists claim that there are several recipes that can be used to avoid this problem. For example, add the plant to dishes unfrozen, or freeze it with or.
Many people are interested in whether it is possible to freeze leaves for the winter. This also should not be done. After defrosting, it turns into an unattractive porridge that no longer has a fresh taste or smell.
It is also not recommended to freeze it. If there is a need to preserve it for the winter, it is better to use drying. This way it will better preserve the aroma.
For decorating dishes
To decorate dishes, you can freeze curly and ordinary. Greens are also frozen for filling in savory pies. And are well suited for this purpose.
For tea
It turns out great from frozen. You can also freeze tea sets from
- leaves;
- leaves;
- leaves;
- leaves;
In addition to tea, such frozen infusions are perfect for cosmetic procedures and facial wiping.
What can you cook from frozen onions?
Frozen onions are good because they retain all vitamins, and you can prepare the same dishes from them as from fresh ones. One exception is salads: freezing them is not suitable for preparing them, since the onions acquire a softened structure. You can make vinaigrette or pickles, pickles with green onions from the freezer.
It is very convenient to use frozen onion greens to make pies as a filling. Usually the greens in this case are mixed with a boiled egg.
Omelettes, pates, sauces, and pancakes with green onions from the freezer are also good. But in this case, you can only use onions frozen in bulk, and not in water or oil. The semi-finished product does not require defrosting.
For soups, onions frozen in molds with water are suitable, for main courses - in oil or in bulk. Frozen greens in oil are good with boiled potatoes, baked meat, chicken, fish, and also as a spread for delicious sandwiches.
Important: onions are not suitable for raw consumption after freezing. It should only be used as a seasoning for dishes.
