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Freezing currants in the freezer is an excellent preparation option for the winter period, when the body needs large portions of vitamins. At any time there is an opportunity to make jam, compote, juice or jam. You can also feast on fresh black fruits that have retained more nutrients without heat treatment, use them as decoration in confectionery. There are proven ways to choose a more suitable one, or use several to enjoy the scent of summer on cold evenings.
The benefits of frozen black currant
It is the black currant variety that is considered the leader in terms of the vitamins, trace elements and other useful substances for the human body included in the composition. Good housewives try to freeze it for future use.
Here are the main benefits of black currant:
- The popularity of currants brought vitamin C, which helps to strengthen and restore immunity in winter. During this period, a person is more susceptible to colds and infectious diseases. Only 20 berries can satisfy the daily requirement for ascorbic acid.
- The use of currants will enhance the effect of antibiotics, which the doctor prescribes during treatment. This is especially true for the penicillin group.
- Freezing the product is necessary to make freshly squeezed juice in winter. It is often used topically to gargle with sore throat or oral cavity with stomatitis. It is also used as an antiseptic for disinfecting wounds and cuts. Accelerates recovery from diseases of the upper respiratory tract. You need to use a teaspoon inside up to 4 times a day.
- Tea with fresh black currant soothes the nervous system, relieves stress and anxiety.
- High performance in the fight against surges in blood pressure, problems in the work of the heart.
- The mild diuretic effect will be beneficial for kidney and bladder diseases. Helps fight edema.
- People with heartburn should freeze currants because they help to extinguish the acidity in the stomach.
- The black variety helps to remove toxins, bacteria and toxins from the body, fights intestinal disorders.
- Folic acid is essential for pregnant women, and there is quite a lot of it in this berry.
- Fresh and frozen black currant juice is used in cosmetology for whitening the face, in the fight against pigmentation and acne, as well as age-related changes. Substances from this berry strengthen nails. In diluted form, it is used to rinse hair for softness and shine.
Ripening occurs once a year and the harvest period is short. It is better to think over everything in advance and make preparations during the season, so as not to buy low-quality goods in the store.
Preparing black currants for freezing
People collect currants not only in their personal plots, but also in forests. It should be remembered that you cannot use berries from ecologically unfavorable areas.
It is better to freeze ripe black currants for the winter in the refrigerator, which are harvested in dry weather in the morning, when the berries have not had time to warm up under the sun. More often, housewives prefer to choose shrubs with large fruits for this method.
Steps to take during preparation:
- First, sort out the crop, discarding damaged berries.
- Free from leaves and debris.
- Sort overripe and unripe blackcurrants to choose the best way to freeze.
- Be sure to rinse with plenty of water and dry by scattering on a clean piece of cloth.
Now you can start freezing.
How to freeze black currants in the freezer for the winter
4 ways of harvesting are presented. It all depends on the preferences of the family and the quality of the product to be used. It is worth exploring each one to choose the best option and enjoy the taste of summer in winter.
Dry freezing of whole berries
It is easy to freeze whole ripe black currants. If done correctly, the result will be crumbly fruits, not an ice lump.
You need to immediately prepare:
- colander;
- napkins or tea towel;
- a sheet that fits in the freezer;
- parchment;
- special bags (simple bags can be used) or plastic containers with a lid;
- whole black currant.
You can freeze by following these steps:
- Rinse the picked berries thoroughly so that clear water flows down.
- Leave in a colander to get rid of excess liquid, scatter on napkins. The batch must dry completely.
- Transfer to a sheet covered with parchment paper and pre-cool on the top shelf of the refrigerator, and then transfer to the freezer.
- After about 4 hours, scatter into bags, tie tightly.
It remains only to immediately put the prepared fruits in the freezer for storage.
Black currant with sugar for the winter in the freezer
This option is perfect if the hostess in the future wants to feed the family with a delicious treat, prepare compote, jelly or jam, and also use the berry as a filling or decoration for desserts. You can freeze ripe currants with sugar for the whole winter using this recipe.
You will need:
- container;
- black currant;
- sugar.
Freezing action algorithm:
- Sort the berries and rinse under the tap in a colander.
- Wait until the liquid drains, pat dry on a towel. It is better if the moisture completely evaporates, but in this version the sugar will also take some amount and the currants will remain crumbly.
- Lay in rows in a clean container (in this case it is better to use it), alternating fruits with sweet crystals.
You can seal it with a lid or cling film. Place in the freezer.
Freezing berries on twigs
Tearing off twigs will often damage the shell, resulting in a loss of quality. If black currants are frozen for medicinal purposes, it is best to use this method to preserve more vitamins.
Required tool:
- colander;
- fabric cut;
- board covered with edible paper.
Freezing technique:
- Tear off unripe, overripe and damaged black currant berries from the branches.
- Transfer to a colander, rinse and dry on a cloth for at least 2 hours.
- Lay it out neatly on a board, first put it on the top shelf for a couple of hours, and then move it to the fridge freezer.
- After 4 hours, pack in bags or containers.
Store in tightly closed bags so as not to lose nutrients.
Berry puree
Sometimes there are a lot of overripe black fruits, or just the preparation is made for fruit drink, jelly or compote.Then an excellent storage option would be a way of grinding and freezing with convenient cubes that you can use at any time.
The proportions of the products will be as follows:
- currants - 1 kg;
- sugar - 400 g
Step by step recipe:
- Prepare black currants, first sort out rotten, green berries. Rinse and dry if necessary.
- For long-term storage, it is not recommended to use iron grinding devices. Better to knead with a wooden crush or pestle.
- Mix with granulated sugar and leave for 2 hours to dissolve.
- For convenience, it is better to put it in a container for freezing ice or in small plastic dishes. For example, you can use disposable cups.
- Refrigerate until completely frozen.
- Remove and arrange the cubes into bags.
Freeze black currants for the winter in a grated form, placing them in the freezer.
How to properly defrost berries
It is important to consider here why black currants, frozen in different ways, will be used.
If you need to cook jelly or compote, then there is no need for softened fruits. You can send food to the pot directly from the freezer.
When you want to get whole berries, then first transfer the currants to the top shelf of the refrigerator overnight. Next, you should wait for complete defrosting at room temperature. In extreme cases, it can be immersed in cold water.
Terms and conditions of storage
The shelf life of a frozen product is strongly influenced by the temperature regime and the method of preparation. So, at -10 degrees, black currants will lie in the freezer for only 4 months. With a shock mode up to -20 degrees, the terms increase to a year. It should be borne in mind that the loss of the vitamin composition will begin in 8 months. It is better to mark the packaging with the date of manufacture.
Do not store frozen bags under heavy foods, as fragile berries will crumble.
After thawing, currants cannot be re-frozen, because both quality and useful composition are lost.
Conclusion
Freezing currants in the freezer is easy if all of the above conditions are met. Some people may like this way of harvesting when there is a large freezer. There is no need to store jars in the basement, but it will be possible to strengthen the body all year round. The same methods are suitable for the red currant variety.
