How to deliciously freeze watermelon for the winter at home and is it possible?

Watermelon is a large, sweet berry that appeals to many people. Unfortunately, the period when you can enjoy it heartily is short, but it is very pleasant to eat a piece of juicy watermelon pulp on a chilly autumn evening or prepare a delicious watermelon dessert for a New Year's feast. Today there is a simple and effective way to please yourself by preserving the taste and aroma of the past summer in the refrigerator for a long time. Some useful tips on how to freeze watermelon for the winter will be very helpful and will be useful to housewives.

Is it possible to freeze watermelon for the winter?

Of course, you can freeze a watermelon, but in order not to be disappointed with the result, you need to know some of the subtleties of the process. Since watermelon is largely composed of water, freezing it destroys the delicate fibers of the pulp. After defrosting, such a berry loses its taste and original shape, turning into either tasteless water or an unsightly jelly. Therefore, frozen watermelon is not used as an independent dish, but it is great for making cocktails, smoothies, and decorating cold desserts.

That is why you can find both positive and negative reviews about freezing it. If everything is done correctly, then it will be possible not only to surprise guests and family by offering an unexpected treat, but also to preserve the beneficial properties of the large striped berry.

Watermelon should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 12 months.

Important: long-term storage significantly worsens the taste of the striped berries - the sugar simply freezes out under the influence of low temperatures

It is best to eat it no later than 2 months after freezing. Although there are data on the use of the product after 8 and even 12 months of storage.

Features of freezing

It should be remembered that when frozen, the product expands greatly and quickly absorbs foreign odors. That is why pieces of pulp should be placed loosely and stored in tightly closed packaging.

Before storing, the pulp should be completely peeled and seeds removed.Glass containers are not used to store pulp; such containers may burst under the influence of expanding moisture and low temperatures.

How to choose the right product

The pulp of ripe fruits is used for freezing. Ripeness is determined by the stalk (it should be dry). The watermelon should be intact, without cracks or dents, with a shiny, dense skin. When tapped, a ripe fruit makes a dull sound; if such a berry is slightly squeezed, a slight cracking sound is heard; the coincidence of all selection criteria is an almost complete guarantee of acquiring a fully ripe and tasty watermelon.

Preparing the refrigerator

Since watermelon perfectly absorbs odors, like most fruits and vegetables, before storing it for long-term freezing, the freezer should be unplugged and washed thoroughly (you can use laundry soap or dishwashing liquid). Wash shelves and storage containers, the inside of the freezer and the freezer door. After this, it needs to be dried and ventilated.

Then prepare the required number of freezer bags or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.

Methods for freezing watermelon at home

There are different recipes for freezing watermelon pulp. The selection includes the most delicious of them.

Whole in the freezer

This storage method is not suitable for watermelon. When exposed to cold, the pulp inside the watermelon turns into an unappetizing gelatinous mass. It is not suitable for preparing dessert; the taste and appearance of such a product can greatly ruin your mood.

If the house has a cold pantry or basement with a constant temperature no higher than +10 ° C and no lower than +2 ° C, you can keep the watermelon fresh and juicy by simply putting it in storage and turning it over occasionally.In this case, the fruits should be stored so that they do not come into contact with each other and are separated from other products intended for storage.

Frozen watermelon pulp pieces

Preparing frozen watermelon cubes is not difficult; they can be used independently or as a base used in other options for preserving watermelon for the winter. Stages of work:

1. The selected fruit is thoroughly washed and wiped dry.
2. The watermelon is cleaned of green skin and seeds, the pulp is cut into small pieces, which are laid out on a clean baking sheet or cutting board so that they lie separately from each other.
3. The baking sheet is placed in the freezer; after complete freezing, the pieces are carefully removed and placed in freezer bags, from which, after filling, the air is carefully removed and tightly tied or sealed using a special machine.
4. To make it easier to remove frozen watermelon cubes, the surface of a baking sheet or board is first covered with cling film. Tightly sealed plastic containers are often used for storage.
5. The selected storage container should not be tightly filled with pieces of watermelon pulp, as it expands when frozen.

You can add fruit juice and sugar syrup to pieces of fruit prepared in this way. By the way, a frozen piece of watermelon is an excellent tonic for the skin; many women enjoy using it to preserve and maintain their own beauty.

With sugar

In this case, the watermelon pulp is prepared as in the previous recipe, and before freezing it is sprinkled with sugar at the rate of 200 grams of granulated sugar per 1 kilogram of watermelon pulp.Watermelon pieces are quickly frozen and then placed in storage containers. Judging by reviews and personal experience, the pulp preserved in this way remains more tasty.

Freezing watermelon juice

Many housewives prefer to store frozen watermelon juice or watermelon puree for the winter. It is great for making jelly and added to fruit smoothies or cocktails. To prepare the puree, sprinkle the pulp with sugar to taste and beat in a blender. Then pour into ice trays.

After complete freezing, the cubes of watermelon puree are placed in storage containers.

When preparing juice, the pulp is punched with a blender without adding sugar, then squeezed through several layers of gauze. The finished juice is poured into molds for freezing, and after that the frozen juice is placed in a container for storage.

Cubes in syrup

Those with a sweet tooth prefer to freeze watermelon pulp in sugar syrup. To do this, diced watermelon pulp is frozen; after freezing, the cubes are placed in storage containers and filled with cold sugar syrup. Considering that liquid expands when frozen, you should leave free space in the container, at least 15% of the container volume.

Freezing pulp in fruit juice

Prepared frozen pieces of watermelon are placed in storage containers and fruit juice is poured on top. Orange, pineapple, and other, not too sour, juices are suitable for this purpose.

Storing and defrosting watermelon

For storage, it is necessary to select portioned containers, since watermelon pulp cannot be defrosted and re-frozen. Do not use a microwave for defrosting.The product is defrosted slowly, first on the refrigerator shelf and then at room temperature. After defrosting, the product must be used within 2 days.

Quick freezing of fruits, vegetables and berries is becoming increasingly popular. This simple method of long-term storage does not require any effort, and allows you to receive intact in winter a significant part of the nutrients and vitamins contained in the generous gifts of summer.