How to properly freeze cherries in the refrigerator for the winter and is it possible

Everyone wants to keep cherries fresh longer. For this, different freezing methods are used. In order for the berries to retain all their beneficial properties and appetizing appearance, you need to meet some simple conditions. Next, let's look at how you can freeze cherries.

Is it possible to freeze cherries for the winter?

You can freeze cherries.But you should pay attention to the variety of berries and the effect of low temperatures on their pulp. All varieties of cherries are divided into two types: Moreli and Amoreli.

The former have a more sour taste and darker fruits:

1. Shubinka;
2. Lyubskaya;
3. Griot;
4. Vladimirskaya;
5. Anadolskaya;
6. Zhukovskaya.

When frozen, these berries lose neither taste nor aroma. The pulp remains the same rich color as fresh. Amoreli (Melitopol dessert, Shpanka, Amorel pink) have pink or light red flesh and a sweeter taste.

Important! In winter, cherries will become an additional source of vitamin C. They also contain vitamins A, B, PP, K and E, mineral salts and organic acids. It will help people with cardiovascular diseases to compensate for the deficiency of potassium, magnesium and folic acid.

Product selection and preparation

It is best to freeze freshly picked berries, so they will retain all the vitamins. It is recommended to choose only ripe cherries (under-ripe or over-ripe ones will have neither benefit nor pleasant taste). There is no need to wash the berries in warm (and especially hot) water. Only when it's cool. Before freezing, they should be allowed to dry thoroughly from moisture. The most optimal temperature is considered to be from -18 to -23 ˚C. With this mode, the berries are stored for up to 8 or 12 months.

Preparing the Freezer

The freezer must be perfectly clean. It is very convenient to use refrigerators with a super freeze function. This mode should be activated approximately 5 hours before you plan to freeze the fruit.

If you need to defrost the refrigerator, you need to ensure that the containers with berries do not thaw. To do this, wrap the containers in burlap with a cotton pad or old blankets. This will prevent loss of cold.

Advice! In ordinary plastic bags, berries can be greatly deformed. It is better to freeze them immediately on a tray or on a flat dish, and then pack them into bags, tying them tightly. Baking trays lined with parchment paper will also work. But it is worth remembering that cherries have the ability to absorb foreign odors.

Methods for freezing cherries at home

The freezing method depends on how you plan to dispose of the cherries later. If it is used as a filling for pastries, it is better to get rid of the seeds before freezing. If you use it to make compotes, jelly or jelly, you can leave the seeds. This will make the berries more juicy.

With sugar

Whole berries should be washed and dried well. After this, they must be placed in a container for freezing, sprinkled with sugar in layers, closed and placed in the freezer. In the case when seedless fruits are prepared in this way, after removing the seeds, the preparations should be left for a while to allow the juice to drain from them, and only after that can they be sprinkled with sugar.

With a bone

To properly freeze cherries with pits, dry berries should be laid out in one layer directly in the freezer and frozen. Then distribute into containers and put back in the freezer. If you immediately pack the berries into containers, they will stick together into one unsightly lump, and upon subsequent defrosting they will have an unsightly appearance. Cherries are suitable for consumption only for the next 6 (subject to all rules) 8 months.

Pitted

It is also better to freeze seedless berries using the dry method. Place on cutting boards, sprinkle sugar on top and place in the freezer. Then do as described above.When packaging in plastic containers, alternate a ball of berries with a layer of granulated sugar.

Advice! If your family loves compotes, you can freeze assorted berries. This way the taste of the drink will be more interesting and richer.

You can combine cherries with currants, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries. This method is also convenient because the berries do not need to be defrosted before cooking.

In sugar syrup

An excellent solution for those with a sweet tooth. To do this, pour a liter of water into a saucepan and add 1.5 kg of granulated sugar. Simmer over heat, stirring until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the syrup from the stove and let it cool. In the meantime, the washed pitted cherries must be divided into portioned containers. Pour completely with cooled syrup. 2 hours is enough for the berries to be saturated with sugar. Can be frozen.

For cocktails

For those who like to pamper themselves and loved ones with exquisite cocktails, this method will appeal to them. In addition, the berries will look incredible, as if they were placed in transparent glass.

You need to wash the ice trays and wipe them dry. Place one cherry in each cell and pour boiled water at room temperature. Cover the molds with lids (if there are none, regular cling film will do). The water should freeze completely.

Cherry puree

Option one

You can achieve the desired consistency using a meat grinder, sieve or blender (a mixer will also work). A little granulated sugar will do: 200-300 g for 1 kg of berries. It should melt. Place the resulting mixture into portioned bowls and place in the freezer.

Option two

Separate a third of one kilogram of washed, dry, pitted cherries. Grind this portion to a puree. Mix with granulated sugar.The crystals should dissolve. Place whole berries at the bottom of plastic containers and pour in the puree. The product is ready to be frozen.

Option three

Puree with cherries and raspberries is aromatic and healthy. Remove the seeds from washed and dry cherries. Carefully sort the raspberries and make them into a homogeneous mass. Add granulated sugar to it (for 1 kg of mixture you will need ½ kg of sugar). Place cherries in the bottom of a plastic bowl and pour in raspberry puree. Close the lid tightly and place in the freezer.

Is it possible to can frozen cherries?

Properly frozen berries will remain intact, but may become slightly deformed after thawing. This is the only moment that can affect the housewife’s desire to prepare canned food. Otherwise there are no restrictions. Frozen cherries can be useful for making compote and jam.

Further storage

Before freezing, divide the cherries into individual portions of a maximum of half a kilogram. You can use plastic cups or containers with lids as containers.

For storage, you can use special bags with a vacuum seal. It is easy to spread the berries in one thin layer. This will prevent them from choking and keep their shape. It is imperative to release the air from the bag, otherwise the shelf life of the cherries will be sharply reduced. To save space, stack the bags on top of each other in the freezer.

How long do frozen berries last?

You can store pitted cherries as long as you like. But whole ones are a special issue. It is believed that the seeds release hydrocyanic acid over time. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the shelf life to a year.

Defrosting rules

It seems like there shouldn't be any problems with this process. But that's not true. This also has its own specifics.Housewives often feel sorry for spending a lot of time on such a simple task. The microwave, defrosting in warm water and other quick methods are used, which do more harm than good.

Under the influence of a sharp temperature contrast, vitamins and beneficial microelements are destroyed. The skin of the berries may burst, the pulp loses its elasticity and precious juice. This causes the fruits to become wrinkled and change their shape. Such fruits will not bring any benefit, and there will be little aesthetic pleasure from eating them.

It’s easier with berries that were prepared for compotes and other drinks. From the freezer you can immediately transfer them to a pan and start cooking.

Advice! Frozen cherries are eaten in the same way as fresh ones. Jams, jams, and compotes are made from it. Perfect as a filling for pies and dumplings, it is used to decorate cakes and pastries. A delicate dessert is made from whipped cottage cheese with the addition of cherries. You can safely prepare various infusions, as well as interesting sauces for meat dishes.

And if you want to eat the cherries whole or add them to your favorite yogurt, you need to remove them from the freezer a day before eating. The container with fruit is moved from the chamber to the top shelf of the refrigerator. The temperature there is higher, but still not the same as indoors. This is the best decision. Also do before preparing mousses or jellies.

What if you bake a pie? A caveat needs to be made here. For all types of dough, except for biscuits and casseroles, berries without defrosting are suitable. Biscuit dough will not work if droplets of moisture get into it, and the casserole may not bake. Having frozen cherries on the table in winter is a great success. With their help, you can prepare many more interesting dishes and delight your family with the taste of sunny summer.