Can rhubarb be frozen

Despite the variety of greens on the supermarket shelves, rhubarb is not as popular on this list, and it is undeserved, as the plant contains an abundance of various vitamins and minerals. To provide yourself with this source of nutrients, the culture can be grown in a summer cottage, and to preserve vitamins for the winter, rhubarb can be frozen.

Can rhubarb be frozen in the freezer

In addition to significant benefits for human health, rhubarb is valuable because it tolerates well any types of heat treatment, including freezing. At the same time, the effect of cold temperatures practically does not affect the structure of the vegetable and does not in any way reduce its unique properties. Therefore, all chefs who want to feast on this useful plant should take note of several ways to freeze it. Rhubarb stalks can be frozen:

• bars;
• blanched;
• in sugar;
• in the form of mashed potatoes;
• in syrup.

Although these methods of freezing have their own nuances, some general rules apply to them, which must be followed for high-quality processing of the product.

How to Freeze Rhubarb Properly

In order for rhubarb to retain the maximum amount of useful properties, it must be frozen correctly. The secret of a successful procedure lies in the careful selection of plant parts that will be frozen:

1. Preference should be given to young rhubarb, as the old petioles of the plant have a high content of oxalic acid, which is harmful to the human body. Young parts of the vegetable have a delicate texture and a bright color that ranges from green to raspberry, depending on the variety.
2. It is most convenient to freeze petioles no thicker than 1.5 - 2 cm, the surface of which is smooth or slightly ribbed. Too embossed or thick parts of rhubarb indicate that the plant is old.
3. When buying or collecting petioles, you should pay attention to their size. Rhubarb, which reaches over 70 cm in length, is most likely too old and unsuitable for human consumption.
4. Do not freeze a damaged or withering plant. It is better to use it in cooking or send it for processing.

Having chosen the highest quality rhubarb, you should not immediately freeze it in the freezer, otherwise it can spoil the texture of the vegetable and affect its taste. It is necessary to prepare the product before sending it to the freezer:

1. All parts of the plant should be rinsed with cold water and cleaned of dirt before freezing. The washed raw materials must be thoroughly dried at room temperature so that the greens do not subsequently freeze.
2. It is necessary to manually remove the upper fibrous layer of the peel from the vegetable or get rid of tough veins. Flexible juicy petioles do not need to be peeled.
3. Make sure that all leaflets have been removed from the petioles.
4. The diced vegetable parts must be placed on a baking sheet or tray in an even layer so that the pieces do not touch, otherwise they will freeze to each other.
5. Lay the baking sheet in advance with a sheet of parchment paper: this will make it easier to remove the petioles from the freezer. After that, it must be placed in the freezer strictly horizontally, avoiding the inclination of the surface, for 2 - 3 hours.
6. Then the frozen rhubarb is transferred from the baking sheet into special plastic trays or freezer bags.
7. If you plan to freeze rhubarb in containers, you need to leave 1 - 1.5 cm of empty space between the parts of the plant and the lid, since the products increase in volume when frozen.
8. When using bags, you can squeeze out excess air before closing. This will save space in the freezer.
9. The date of freezing should be written on bags or trays with vegetables. This step will help you determine the approximate shelf life of your food.

How to freeze rhubarb with cubes

Freezing fresh rhubarb in bars is considered universal, since the stalks stored in this way can be used in the manufacture of almost any dish. Freeze the vegetable, adhering to the following steps:

1. Washed and peeled parts of the plant are cut into small pieces of 1.5 - 5 cm.
2. They try to make the bars the same size so that each of them takes less time to defrost.
3. The size of the rhubarb pieces depends on the dish in which they will be used, so it is worth deciding in advance for what purpose the vegetable is frozen. Small cubes are better suited for filling pastries and jams, large ones will come in handy in compotes and garnishes.

Freezing blanched rhubarb

You can freeze rhubarb not only raw, but also cooked; it should be blanched first. Many people prefer this method to freezing in bars, since the thermally processed vegetable retains its texture better when freezing and does not lose its color. Blanch rhubarb like this:

1. Water is poured into a large saucepan and brought to a boil over moderate heat.
2. The prepared parts of the plant are cut into pieces and placed in a colander.
3. The colander is dipped in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute.
4. The hot vegetables in a colander are then immediately dipped in cold water for the same period of time.
5. Next, the cooled chopped petioles are laid out on a paper towel to dry. Then the product can be frozen.

How to freeze rhubarb stalks with sugar

Often, rhubarb, intended for the preparation of desserts and sweets, is frozen immediately in sugar.

For freezing by a similar method for 4 tbsp. finely chopped petioles will need 1 tbsp. granulated sugar:

1. The pieces of vegetable are evenly sprinkled with a layer of sugar so that it completely covers the rhubarb.
2. Then the parts of the plant are packed in plastic bags and placed in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
3. After a specified time, the bags are removed and the rhubarb is mixed by hand without removing the stalks from the bag. This is done in order to separate the frozen parts of the plant from each other.
4. After that, the vegetables are again stored in the cold.

How to freeze puree rhubarb

For mousses and sauces, it is convenient to freeze rhubarb by making mashed potatoes. For this:

1. Prepared plant petioles are cut into pieces.
2. Chunks of vegetables are placed in a blender and chopped until a thick mass of uniform consistency is obtained.
3. The mass is stirred and distributed in small plastic containers. For this purpose, plastic cups are usually used from under dairy products, for example, sour cream or yoghurt.
4. The container is covered with lids and put into the freezer.

Freezing rhubarb in sugar syrup

Freezing a vegetable in sweet syrup, as in the case of sugar, helps not only to preserve the valuable qualities of the product, but also to protect it from spoilage. Thus, storing the plant in syrup prevents drying and oxidation of the petioles.In addition, this method of freezing improves the flavor of the rhubarb and prevents it from losing its shape and color:

1. In a saucepan, combine 500 ml of granulated sugar and 1 - 1.5 liters of water.
2. The mixture is heated over medium heat, stirring continuously until it boils.
3. When the liquid boils, it is continued to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. The finished syrup is allowed to cool at room temperature, after which it is placed in the refrigerator for 1 - 1.5 hours.
5. The chopped rhubarb stalks are placed in freezer containers.
6. Then the vegetable petioles are poured with chilled syrup so that the pieces are completely buried in it.
7. The finished product is sent to the freezer.

How to store and thaw properly

Frozen rhubarb should be stored in completely closed plastic trays, cups, or sealed bags with special fasteners. It is better to place the vegetable in the lower compartment of the freezer, since the temperature there is the lowest. The shelf life of the product placed in such conditions will be from 10 to 12 months.

If there is a need to defrost the petioles of a plant, then the most suitable place for this will be the level of the refrigerator, where the temperature is maintained from +2 to +5 ° C. In addition, defrosting can be carried out at room temperature or in a microwave oven, setting the device to a suitable mode for this.

What can you make with frozen rhubarb

Fans of culinary experiments can safely freeze rhubarb without fear for the quality of the vegetable: in this form, it is in no way inferior in taste and texture to the fresh version. The frozen food can be used to prepare the same dishes as raw food. So, rhubarb cut into bars is ideal for main courses, salads, compotes, kvass, preserves and jams. Drenched in syrup or candied vegetable will serve as a delicious ingredient for pies, jelly, marmalade and soufflé. Rhubarb puree is a great base for creams, mousses, ice cream and milkshakes.

Conclusion

Obviously, it is not difficult to freeze rhubarb if you know the peculiarities of harvesting a plant in this way for the winter. In ice cream, the product will remain as tasty and healthy as in raw, and will be suitable for use in any recipes that the cook's imagination is capable of.

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