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Frozen sea buckthorn will become a real vitamin discovery in winter or early spring. In autumn, fresh berries are harvested, which retain their healing properties, if the freezing rules are followed.
Is it possible to freeze sea buckthorn
Berries containing a lot of minerals and vitamins, provided they are properly frozen, are almost identical in composition to fresh ones. Frozen sea buckthorn is healthier jam and canned compote. If the freezer is spacious, sometimes whole branches of a plant with berries are placed in it.
Nutritional value of frozen sea buckthorn
In properly frozen fruits, the composition of microelements remains almost the same as in fresh fruits - 90%. Vitamins also do not suffer, except for the rapidly degrading vitamin C, which still remains in large quantities, unlike heat-treated products. This substance is very unstable. Even when stored in a room for 24 hours, its amount is reduced by ten percent. The same happens with a frozen product, but for 6 months. If you freeze it quickly, it leaves a little - up to 20% of ascorbic acid.
Calorie content of frozen sea buckthorn
In 100 g of berries, depending on the conditions of their growth, there are 75–85 kilocalories. As part of fresh berries:
- 1.2 g of proteins, or 5 kcal;
- 5.7 g of carbohydrates, or 25 kcal;
- 5.4 g of fat, or 52 kcal.
Frozen fruits contain almost the same amount.
The benefits and harms of frozen sea buckthorn
The healing effect after eating berries differs only in the lower amount of vitamin C in the frozen product. Fruits have a positive effect on increasing the body's defenses, the state of blood vessels, treat avitaminosis, inflammatory processes, and promote the healing of skin lesions. Sea buckthorn is rich in antioxidants, is considered a strong natural antibiotic, and is used as a prophylaxis against cancer.
At the same time, the presence of acids makes it undesirable for use in the case of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, gallbladder. Being an allergen, it can cause a painful reaction.
How to choose the right sea buckthorn for freezing
Freeze only ripe orange berries. After harvesting, the fruits cannot be kept for a long time, maximum 5-6 hours, so that they do not lose vitamins naturally. Prepare thoroughly for freezing:
- the fruits are freed from large branches, leaves, poured in a deep bowl with water several times;
- after each change of water, the number of twigs, petioles and damaged fruits that float to the surface decreases;
- then they sort it out again, removing the crushed berries - they make tea or compote from them, grind with sugar;
- whole selected fruits are taken out with a slotted spoon and laid out in a thin layer on a kitchen towel to dry for 20-30 minutes.
How to freeze sea buckthorn for the winter
There are several methods of freezing berries, including the use of modern household appliances.Freezers with blast freezers allow you to preserve tissue structure and get rid of germs. Freezers with a quick freeze function process food at -22 ºC. It is better to freeze the fruits in small portions, so as to consume the defrosted product immediately. You can not re-expose the berries to low temperatures, since nutrients are lost. You can prepare ready-made portions of fruits, ground with sugar, in small containers.
Shock freezing of sea buckthorn
This technology is more common in industry, but there are household appliances that can instantly reduce the temperature in a separate freezer to -30 ... -50 degrees. When frozen in an ordinary chamber, large ice crystals are formed in the intercellular space of the fruit, tearing the cell walls. Thawed berries drain juice, become flabby. In conditions of shock freezing, the smallest crystals are formed, the cell walls remain intact, as a result, the product looks like fresh. Blast chilling requires a rapid temperature drop from -25 ºC.
Portion freezing of sea buckthorn in containers or plastic bags
A container is prepared in advance in which the frozen product will stay. They purchase special small containers for freezers or use small-sized containers for dairy, culinary or confectionery products. The process of freezing whole fruits of the "Siberian pineapple" is carried out in two ways.
- Most freezers have a compartment with a tray for freezing fruits and vegetables. It is covered with parchment paper and the fruits are laid out in one layer. The frozen berries are then packaged in portioned containers or small sealed bags.
- The fruits are immediately placed in selected containers or regular bags in pre-distributed small portions. Do not fill dry and clean containers or cups to the top and do not close immediately, but after freezing.
Sea buckthorn frozen with sugar
A sweet semi-finished product is also prepared.
- The berries are rubbed through a sieve.
- Sugar is added to the finished puree to taste.
- Packaged in convenient containers so that you can use sweet jam in one day.
How to properly defrost sea buckthorn before eating
It is worth taking care of defrosting in advance before use. You need to plan when you need vitamin products.
- It is better to defrost berries in the refrigerator by placing the bag on the top shelf. The advantages of this method are that the nutrients of the sea buckthorn are preserved, and the harmful microflora does not develop. The process is lengthy and takes up to 9 hours.
- At room temperature, sea buckthorn will defrost faster, but there is a danger of bacteria multiplying at the same time.
- It is not recommended to quickly defrost sea buckthorn in the microwave, as the technology destroys the cellular structure of the product.
What can be cooked from frozen sea buckthorn
Frozen berries contain most of all of its beneficial ingredients.
- The fruits are eaten without any processing, with porridge or tea.
- Combined with sugar, you get a high-calorie, but high-vitamin dessert - fresh jam.
- Frozen berries or jam briquettes are used to make fruit drinks, jelly or compote.
- If sea buckthorn is taken for these purposes, it is not thawed, but immediately put into boiling water, adding sugar.
- For the filling of pies, sea buckthorn is defrosted and kept in a sieve for some time to drain the juice.
- Jellies and sauces are prepared for pancakes, as well as for meat.
- Sour berries are used for stuffing poultry for baking in the oven.
Shelf life of frozen sea buckthorn
Packages and containers with frozen berries are laid out in storage sections. It is advisable to keep them separate from meat and fish so that odors are not absorbed. Make sure that the containers are tightly closed and moisture does not evolve: due to condensation, the chamber has to be defrosted more often. At a normal freezer temperature, -18 ºC, sea buckthorn is fully stored for 9 months. During this period, the valuable product needs to be used, otherwise it will not bring any benefit to the body later.
Conclusion
Frozen sea buckthorn pleasantly diversifies the set of products in cold weather. Vitamin berries of sea buckthorn are best stored frozen for the winter. They will be indispensable in the cold season.
