How to keep fresh herbs in the refrigerator

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

Vegetables, fruits, or herbs available in season are often three times cheaper than ready-made frozen foods available in stores during the winter. It is impossible to answer unequivocally the question of how to properly store greens in the refrigerator for the winter, since everything depends on the specific product.

How to store dill

Regardless of how you decide to store such greens in the refrigerator, they should first be thoroughly washed and dried before laying them for the winter. You only need to cut off the ends of the dill, the thick stems can be frozen separately and added while cooking the soup.

Frozen dill

How should such greens be properly stored in the refrigerator? To prepare it for the winter, they take washed and dried dill with stems, throw away the spoiled twigs. Cut into small pieces and place in a plastic container.

Dill frozen in this way should have as little moisture as possible, and from the container in which we freeze it, it is necessary to remove air as much as possible. You can apply slight pressure to it, but tapping the container works better.

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It should be remembered that when using such dill, it is necessary to minimize the time it takes to remove it from the freezer - it should not be defrosted beforehand.

Freezing according to different recipes

There is also a recipe for freezing dill in a slightly different form. According to him, greens are brewed with water. Dill preparation - washing, drying, cutting is carried out as in the previous recipe. Then you need to place portions of dill in an aluminum or enamel colander and immerse in boiling water for a minute. This is a kind of pasteurization.

Then filter the dill and immediately fill it with cold water, filter again. Prepare small plastic bags or containers with a tight-fitting lid and add dill in portions. The prepared packages are immediately frozen.

Salted dill

In this form, dill does not freeze, but it must be constantly stored in the refrigerator. The preservative in this recipe is salt (it must be rock or sea salt). Small cans, such as mustard or horseradish cans, are best for this method. Wash, dry the dill, peel it from the stalks, chop finely.

First, pour about 5 mm of salt into the jar. Then place a layer of dill tightly about 2 cm. The last layer should be lined with salt. Store salted dill in the refrigerator.

Leaf parsley

Lovers of this aromatic product will not hurt to know how to properly store parsley in the refrigerator for the winter. It can be stored for several days if it is placed in an airtight container. It is important that the herbs and container are completely dry.

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To restore the freshness of the parsley, place it in water, wash it thoroughly, transfer it to a sealed jar and refrigerate. Another way is to soak the herbs in cold water and vinegar.

In cold water, parsley will last 2-3 days in good condition, it will stay fresh longer in the refrigerator. To do this: wrap the washed bundle with a tea towel and place the refrigerator in the warmest place. The leaves can also be cut, packed in a plastic box, and frozen.

How to freeze parsley

You need to start by washing the parsley in water. It must be thoroughly dried, otherwise ice will appear in the frozen container. It is best to dry the parsley in a salad centrifuge. Alternatively, you can lay it on a cloth and leave to dry. You can also dry it gently with a paper towel.

Next, finely chop the dried parsley. You do not need to chop the stems, but only the leaves. After that, you should pour the chopped into a container that can be put in the freezer. You can choose plastic food containers or jars for this.

Then the package is closed and put back in the freezer box. When you need parsley in winter, it will be enough to get the required amount from the container (with your hand or with a spoon). It is best to consume frozen parsley within 6-8 months.

Garlic

Young garlic is best stored in a dry, dark and well-ventilated place. Do not put it in the refrigerator because it becomes bitter in cold places.

Garlic will stay fresh for a long time if you peel it, put it in a jar and add oil. This oil can be further used for salads or frying.

Chives and lettuce

These are products that quickly deteriorate and wither. How do you get access to fresh vegetables that stay delicious at all times?

Frozen onion

The sequence of actions for its preparation is as follows:

1. Wash, dry and finely chop freshly harvested green onions.
2. Pack it in plastic bags or containers. Freeze.

Frozen onions are perfectly stored, and thanks to them you can always get access to your favorite dishes, especially scrambled eggs and herbs.

Many people advise washing onions and parsley or dill in cold water and drying thoroughly. Then you can take a few sheets of paper towel, put herbs on top of it and roll into a bag. Next, you need to put it in a container for vegetables and put it in the refrigerator.

Another, albeit similar, way to prolong the freshness of green onions for up to a week is to chop them (after washing and drying) and place them in a glass bowl or jar. Containers of this type should be tightly closed and placed in the refrigerator.

Salad manipulation

You can do the same with salad. Its green leaves wither quickly. Leaving them in the plastic bag in which lettuce is often sold will only speed up the decay process. Plastic and lack of air additionally cause the formation of carcinogenic nitrites. Also discard the foil and wrap the salad in paper towels or linen.

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Lettuce leaves should be thoroughly washed, immersed in very cold water for a few minutes and dried. Then carefully wrapped leaves with absorbent paper or cloth are placed in the refrigerator. The use of paper is very important in this case, because it helps to remove excess water from the leaves, moisture accelerates the rotting of vegetables.

At the same time, thanks to washing and immersion in cold water, we prevent green leaves from drying out and turning yellow. When stored properly in the refrigerator, lettuce retains its beautiful green color, natural firmness and crunch.

How to freeze salad? It is necessary to separate the leaves and wash well. Then you should blot the leaves dry with a towel, gently handling them. Lettuce freezes best when there is as little water as possible on the surface. Place the dried leaves in freezer bags and remove as much air as possible.

You can use a straw to “suck out” excess air around the leaves. Then place the herbs in the freezer. It is necessary to use frozen salad within 6 months from the moment of freezing.

Bonus

1. Greens must be dried before storing them for the winter. This will increase the shelf life of the product.
2. Young garlic is not suitable for refrigeration.
3. Lettuce, dill and parsley can be vacuum packed. This system increases the shelf life.