Winter is the harshest time of the year. This applies not only to constant frosts, but also to the scarcity of available vegetables and fruits. In recent years, seasonal products often appear on shelves at inopportune times, but this greatly affects their cost. Therefore, it is better to make preparations in advance than to overpay. The most reliable way to preserve this or that product until spring is freezing. Unlike canning, this method allows you to preserve all the nutrients, as well as an attractive appearance, which is also important if you like to prepare gourmet dishes, where not only taste, but also appearance is important. In this issue we will tell you how to freeze cauliflower for the winter.

Although the freezing method is quite simple, some individual foods can be difficult to freeze. In particular, improperly frozen cauliflower will darken over time. Such storage also affects the taste - bitterness appears, which cannot be removed either by cooking or other methods of heat treatment. The secret to successfully freezing cauliflower for the winter is proper blanching. If you follow all the rules for freezing, cauliflower can be stored in the freezer for about 1 year, which is quite enough to survive until the next season of cheap fruits and vegetables.

To freeze 1 head of cauliflower florets you will need:

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower;
• 2 liters of water;
• 1/2 tablespoon salt;
• 1/3 teaspoon citric acid.

You will also need additional ice in cubes or any convenient forms.

Cooking process:

First of all, you need to choose the right head of cabbage. The cabbage should be fresh, the inflorescences should be elastic, without signs of lethargy. A whole head of cabbage must be divided into small inflorescences about 3 cm in size. Such small parts will be frozen faster and stored longer. You need to wash the cabbage already divided into inflorescences. Insects often hide in this vegetable; to avoid picking them out manually, you can soak the cabbage in cold salted water for half an hour. There should be at least 2 liters of water per head of cabbage. After the specified time, all the bugs and worms will float up, this water will need to be drained. Then all that remains is to check the inflorescences for the presence of black or brown spots, which are carefully cut out and thrown away. Prepared cabbage should be white and clean.

Next comes the blanching stage. To do this, you need to boil at least 2 liters of water in a large saucepan, add a little citric acid and pour in the cabbage inflorescences. You only need to cook them for 2 minutes, after which there is a sharp cooling, for which we prepare in advance.

Approximately 2 liters of cold water is poured into a separate container. However, just cold water won't cool the cabbage quickly enough, so you'll need to add ice cubes. There should be a lot of cubes, at least 20 pieces. From boiling water, blanchivaron inflorescences are thrown into ice water for 5 minutes. The inflorescences themselves are either removed from the boiling water with a slotted spoon, or the contents of the pan are first drained into a colander.

Sharply cooled cauliflower inflorescences, thanks to this trick, will become crispy and will not lose their appearance. Before putting the product in the freezer, you need to dry the inflorescences a little with napkins. The less water remains on the surface of the vegetable, the more effective freezing will be.

Dried cauliflower must be placed in food containers or freezer bags in portions, since after defrosting it will not be possible to freeze the cauliflower again: it will lose its taste and become bitter or tasteless.

Plastic containers must have a tight-fitting lid. You can replace them with special vacuum zip-lock bags. To create almost ideal storage conditions in such bags, you need to insert a regular straw into the corner and zip the bag until it touches it. Next, excess air is sucked out of the bag using a straw. The tube is quickly removed and the bag is closed completely.

Before the onset of cold weather, it’s time to take care of your vitamin supply for the winter. After all, in the summer, fruits and vegetables are available in any form and in any quantity, which will not be the case in winter. As they say, prepare your sleigh in the summer. Now is the time to freeze the healthiest foods for winter consumption. Below we will consider one of the products rich in vitamins and microelements - cauliflower. This is one of the best vegetables to freeze. Let's try to figure out how to properly freeze cauliflower for the winter.

How to choose the right cauliflower

There are several varieties of cauliflower available for sale. Heads of cabbage come in different colors, shapes, and weights. Most often it depends on the youth of the vegetables. The younger the cabbage inflorescence, the heavier it will be, the leaves will be dense and green. If the cabbage leaves are wilted, dry or rotten, the cabbage was harvested a long time ago.

Otechestvennaya, Pioneer, Dachnitsa are the most popular varieties of cauliflower. Cauliflower fruits can be light green, greenish, milky cream in color, all these colors are acceptable, the difference indicates the weather in which the vegetables grew, which does not affect the taste in any way. It is unacceptable if the cabbage inflorescence is covered with black spots; this is a fungus that affects the cabbage very quickly. There is no point in freezing such cabbage.

When choosing cauliflower, give preference to young, medium-sized fruits. The heavier the head of cabbage, the more juice it contains, so it is preferable to choose such fruits.

Preparing cabbage for freezing

After purchasing fresh cauliflower at the store or market, start preparing and freezing it. Below is a step-by-step procedure for freezing cauliflower at home:

1. In order to disinfect the product and wash away dust, dirt, and insects, rinse the cabbage under running water and dip it in a bowl of salt water, leave in it for ten minutes.
2. Prepare the following solution: boiled water, juice of one lemon, acid. Dip a head of cabbage into this solution before putting it in the refrigerator.
3. After boiling water, plunge the cabbage into ice water. It is this that will help preserve the color of the head of cabbage, and most importantly, all the beneficial substances, vitamins and microelements.
4. After such unique baths, the product must be thoroughly dried.
5. Now divide the head of cabbage into the portions/inflorescences you need, discard the unnecessary parts and leaves. Think about what dishes you will prepare in winter and, based on their recipes, prepare the necessary portions of vegetables.

To freeze vegetables, use specialized freezer bags or food containers. It is very convenient to store vegetables in the freezer in such dishes; they do not take up much space. Before placing the product in the freezer, do not forget to label the container, indicating the name of the vegetable and the date of freezing. This information will definitely be useful to you.

The best recipes for freezing cauliflower for the winter

Before you indulge in culinary delights, make sure that you have frozen the cauliflower according to all the rules and stored it at the optimal temperature. Freezing cauliflower does not require any special conditions, but still the freezer temperature should not exceed six degrees below zero. Under these conditions, cauliflower can be stored for ten to fourteen days. If you want to freeze the product for a month and a half, the temperature in the freezer should be at least 12 degrees below zero.

If you are the happy owner of modern freezing equipment, feel free to set the mark to -18C. This temperature is optimal for preserving the entire spectrum of vitamins and microelements in semi-finished cauliflower. With this disadvantage, semi-finished products from a chopped head of cauliflower can be stored all year. Carefully monitor the temperature when storing vegetables in the freezer; improper storage can lead to poisoning of the product prepared after defrosting. Below are examples of great and delicious freezing cauliflower recipes:

Recipe for preparation in bags or barrels

• salt;
• large capacity;
• bags for freezing.

Sequencing:

1. Remove the green and yellow leaves from the cabbage; they are not edible.
2. Divide the cabbage into pieces using a knife. Depending on the intended dish, cut the cabbage into small or large pieces.
3. Pour cold water into a container, add a tablespoon of salt and dip the cabbage.
4. Using a kitchen scale, divide the cabbage into the portions you need and label all the information on the freezer bags.
5. Place portions of cabbage in bags, seal tightly, after removing as much air as possible.

Blanched in salted water

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 medium-sized cauliflower inflorescence;
• salt;
• two large containers;
• towel.

Sequencing:

• Remove the green and yellow leaves from the cabbage and wash it thoroughly under running water.
• Divide the cabbage into pieces using a knife, trying to separate the cabbage into even florets.
• Prepare the water according to the weight of the cabbage. Calculation: half a kilogram of cabbage - four liters of water. You can divide the cabbage and do the procedure in several passes.
• Bring the water in the pan to a boil. Pour cold water into another container, you can add ice to it or cool it in the refrigerator.
• Place the cabbage in boiling water, add a pinch of salt to taste, boil for another three minutes and quickly place the resulting half-baked inflorescences into ice water. The faster this is done, the more nutrients will be retained in the cabbage, and it will not lose its color and appearance.
• Place the cabbage on a well-absorbent paper sheet and let it dry completely.
• Place portions of cabbage in bags, seal tightly, after removing as much air as possible. To do this, you can use a plastic tube, insert it into the bag, close it as much as possible, draw out the remaining air and quickly close the rest of the zipper. You can also use special vacuum containers for freezing.
• On the bag, write the name of the semi-finished product, the date of freezing, weight, and intended dish.

Cauliflower is a representative of the edible angiosperm plant species Cabbage. This is a fairly tasty and healthy vegetable, which is most often consumed after cooking. Unfortunately, like any plant, cauliflower has its own ripening and storage periods. Therefore, the peak of its sales occurs at a certain time of the year. When is the best time to buy cauliflower and how to store it for a long time?

Why you should eat cauliflower

As a rule, cauliflower is more expensive than regular white cabbage, which is why many people neglect to eat it. In fact, this representative of the species is much more useful than many of its relatives. Cauliflower is high in ascorbic acid, vitamin K, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine and other vitamins. In addition, it contains microelements such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron.

There is more protein in cauliflower than in white cabbage, but less fiber. That is why it can be used as complementary food for babies and people on a diet.

Useful properties of this plant:

• Strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• Reduces blood cholesterol levels;
• Has anti-inflammatory properties;
• Positively affects the nervous system;
• Has a wound-healing effect, helps gastrointestinal ulcers heal;
• Helps control blood glucose levels;
• Helps reduce weight.

In order to get the maximum benefit from a plant, you need to know how to select it and store it correctly.

How to choose and where to store cauliflower

It is worth giving preference to cabbage that is grown in natural conditions. Greenhouse and hothouse cauliflower is on store shelves all year round, but its benefits are less than those that grew in the field. The more natural the product, the more substances it contains that the body needs.

Cauliflower ripens several times a year, depending on the variety. Early representatives are collected in July, late ones in October-November. Store the plant in a dark place where it gradually ripens. At home, cauliflower can be stored in the refrigerator, but there it will lose its beneficial properties. You can only eat food that has been in the refrigerator for no more than 10 days.

The only way to extend the life of cabbage is to freeze it. To ensure that cauliflower does not lose its beneficial properties and taste during freezing, a number of special rules must be followed.

Preparing cauliflower for freezing

First you need to choose the right head of cabbage, which will subsequently be frozen. It should be a young, light, dense and heavy head, surrounded by green, succulent leaves. Cauliflower that is covered in spots or whose leaves are yellow or limp is definitely not suitable for freezing. Next, you should perform the following steps sequentially:

Rinse the head of cabbage under cold running water.

Separate the head from the leaves. They are not suitable for consumption, but can be used as a face mask or as a folk remedy for healing wounds.
Disassemble the head of cabbage into inflorescences. Remember that they should be approximately the same shape and size. If you need cauliflower for different purposes, you can freeze bags of different sized florets one at a time.

Place the cabbage in salted water. You can take water into a deep bowl and add salt there. Approximately 1 tablespoon per liter. This stage is necessary to ensure that those insects that may have been hiding in the inflorescences leave the cabbage.

Rinse the cabbage of salt under running water.

The most important process in all cooking is the destruction of unnecessary enzymes. These are substances that reduce the shelf life of cabbage and contribute to its darkening. To eliminate them, you need to place the cabbage in boiling water. Simply take the already washed inflorescences and a pot of freshly boiled water, place the inflorescences in the water for three minutes. You shouldn’t keep it longer, otherwise the cabbage will simply cook before freezing.

Next, it is very important to cool the cabbage as quickly as possible. If this is not done, it will remain soft and will not retain its taste. To cool, place ice cubes in a bowl and immediately after boiling water, transfer the inflorescences to these cubes. The process of rapid heating and equally rapid cooling in cooking is called balancing.

Dry the cabbage thoroughly. Do not freeze a product that contains water on the surface. To allow the inflorescences to dry, place them on a clean towel. It is better to avoid additional exposure to hot air or sunlight.

Pack the cabbage into small airtight bags. These bags can be purchased at the store and are specifically designed for freezing food. It is important to get all the air out of the bag before storing it in the refrigerator.

Label each portion, making sure to indicate the exact date of freezing. Cauliflower, like any product, has its own shelf life; it should be counted from the date of freezing.

How long to store and how to cook frozen cauliflower

Inflorescences in the freezer can only be defrosted once. They should be stored for no more than 9 months after the start of freezing at a temperature not exceeding -18°C. It is important to maintain the same temperature throughout the entire freezing period, otherwise the cabbage will lose its taste.

The inflorescences can be thawed before use, or you can start cooking immediately frozen. For frying, baking and eating raw, it is better to use the first option. To defrost cabbage, steam it or put it in boiling water for a minute and a half. You should not defrost vegetables in the microwave, as this will make them soft, limp and tasteless.

If you are going to boil cauliflower, for example, by making soup from it, then you can immediately put frozen inflorescences into the water; they will thaw during the cooking process.

We can conclude that cauliflower is not only tasty, but also a healthy product that lasts the longest in the freezer. Before freezing, it is important to properly prepare, disinfect, deferment and package the inflorescences. Then cabbage can be consumed unchanged for a long time.

Video: preparing cauliflower for the winter

Cauliflower is one of the most delicious and healthy vegetables. Its unpleasant odor during cooking is completely compensated by its delicious texture, unforgettable taste and bright character. Without it, it is impossible to imagine vegetable soups and stews, pies and many other delicacies. It is found on supermarket shelves almost every year, but both the price and taste of an out-of-season vegetable can be unpleasantly surprising. To enjoy your favorite and healthy dishes regardless of the time of year, you just need to have time to freeze cauliflower for the winter. Moreover, with this storage method it practically does not lose its characteristics.

Features of freezing

When preparing cauliflower for the winter, you need to take special care when choosing heads of cabbage and pay special attention to their quality:

• Only young, not very large, recently harvested, high-quality heads of cauliflower are suitable for freezing;
• cauliflower should be evenly colored, white and firm;
• pay special attention to inspecting the stalk - it should not show signs of damage, and the sections should not be very dry or begin to deteriorate;
• be sure to smell the cabbage: fresh and high-quality cauliflower has a fairly strong characteristic aroma, which is lost when it sits.

Cauliflower can be frozen:

• whole heads of cabbage;
• divided into inflorescences;
• crushed.

The optimal method is careful division by hand or with a sharp knife into inflorescences about 3 cm in diameter, but if desired, the pieces can be made larger or, conversely, small. The cut should depend on how you plan to use the cabbage:

• for soup You can freeze both whole and divided into small inflorescences;
• for side dishes and vegetable stews it is better to separate beautiful, identical inflorescences of standard diameter;
• for frying divide the cauliflower as you are used to;
• if you find it difficult to decide and want to get more universal option– freeze medium pieces of inflorescences or whole cabbage.

But these are not all the options: this vegetable can be frozen either raw or after blanching it in water. However, both methods have visible advantages and disadvantages:

• blanched cauliflower after freezing, it will lose a significant proportion of nutrients, but will better retain texture and taste; but the main advantage is the complete preservation of the color of the vegetable;
• cabbage, frozen raw retains its nutrients to a greater extent, but at the same time turns black, loses color, texture, and becomes more watery; Often freezing raw cauliflower also negatively affects its taste.

Preparing for freezing

Cauliflower requires quite a bit of troublesome and careful preparation. The most difficult thing is to prepare blanched and shredded cabbage for freezing, the easiest thing is to prepare whole heads of cabbage.

Whatever option you choose for freezing cauliflower, you will have to take care of cleaning and properly preparing the heads themselves:

1. Inspect the cauliflower heads carefully and remove all leaves.
2. Remove all black and brown spots and dots by carefully cutting off the damaged parts with a knife.
3. Cut off the roughest parts of the stalk, leaving only the tender young “leg”.
4. Gently rinse the cabbage in water and be sure to let the liquid drain. It is best to rinse the cabbage under running water.
5. Add a few tablespoons of salt to a container with cold water and immerse the washed cabbage in the water for 15-30 minutes.
6. If you don't plan to blanch the cabbage, separate the cabbage heads into florets, chop them, or leave them whole. There is no need to separate the cabbage before blanching.

If you have chosen the method of freezing blanched cabbage, then after the initial processing it is necessary to carry out blanching:

1. Boil water in a large container and add citric acid (1/3 tsp per liter of water), vinegar or lemon juice.
2. Gently lower the cabbage into the boiling water and blanch for 3-5 minutes for whole heads.
3. Submerge the cabbage in ice water for a few minutes, then lay it out to dry.

Methods for freezing cauliflower

Freeze in portions

The method in which cauliflower is frozen in containers in which it will be stored is considered the most gentle. This freezing allows you to preserve the taste and aroma as much as possible. But because cabbage is packed tightly into bags and containers, it does not always retain its shape and texture. If you plan to use the florets for stir-frying or in dishes where the aesthetic qualities of the vegetable are important, it is better to use the dry method. But in stews, soups, and side dishes, cabbage frozen in this way will be the most delicious. You can freeze both raw and pre-blanched cauliflower using this method.

Before you freeze cauliflower, you need to divide it into portions. It is best to immediately separate the amount that you can use at a time. The following containers are selected according to the volume of cabbage:

• containers and trays;
• plastic bags or special bags for freezing;
• general purpose plastic utensils that can be stored in the freezer.

The batch freezing process itself is very simple:

1. Place the prepared cabbage in selected bags or containers.
2. Try to compact the cabbage so that as little air as possible remains in the containers.
3. Send containers for quick freezing.
4. Seal bags and containers tightly, releasing all air.
5. Transfer them to other compartments of the freezer for storage.

Freezing without containers

The so-called “dry” freezing method allows you to preserve cauliflower without losing its shape: to preserve each inflorescence in almost perfect condition. But as a result of such processing, useful substances are partially lost, although the difference is not so significant. This method is ideal for dishes in which the cabbage pieces will be kept intact. Both blanched and raw cabbage can be processed in this way.

Technique for dry freezing cauliflower:

1. Cover the boards or quick-freezing compartment with cling film.
2. Carefully arrange the cauliflower pieces over the base so that they are not touching each other.
3. Quickly freeze the cabbage.
4. Once the pieces are completely frozen, transfer the inflorescences to large bags or containers and store.

Freezing semi-finished products

For those who prefer cauliflower cooked a certain way, or want to save time on subsequent cooking, there are alternative methods for freezing this vegetable:

• freezing mashed potatoes or finely chopped blanched cabbage in containers;
• freezing the base of puree soup from blanched cauliflower, pureed with broth;
• freezing breaded cauliflower - prepared inflorescences are blanched, dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and dried for 1-2 hours, after which they are frozen.

How to store

Cauliflower very easily absorbs the flavors of neighboring foods stored in the freezer. Therefore, after freezing, it is critical to ensure reliable protection of the vegetable from air and odors:

• it is necessary to release as much air as possible from bags and containers;
• when storing in bags, be sure to use several “layers” of bags for better preservation;
• place portions of cabbage in an additional large tray, bag or box;
• Place cauliflower away from aromatic frozen foods, in particular fish, sweet peppers, and herbs.

Cauliflower should not be re-frozen. Even partial thawing in the freezer is contraindicated for it.

Cauliflower can be stored for no longer than 6 months.

Using Frozen Cauliflower

It is better not to defrost cauliflower that is planned to be used in hot and first courses. But to fry the cabbage, you need to preheat it. Defrosting is also not required; blanching in boiling water for 1-1.5 minutes is sufficient. After drying, such cabbage can be used as fresh.

Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable. Due to its low calorie content, it is often used in dietary recipes. And due to the fact that cabbage does not cause allergies, it is introduced into complementary foods for infants from 6-7 months in the form of a one-component puree.

Such a valuable product can be purchased at markets throughout the summer and even early autumn (it all depends on the region). Everyone is encouraged to enjoy the taste and variety of dishes with this seasonal vegetable. But how to prepare it for future use? We suggest you freeze cauliflower for the winter.

Why is freezing better than pickling? He has a lot of advantages. Firstly, thanks to blanching and then sharp cooling, a substance is produced in the inflorescences that “seals” all the useful components. Secondly, you don't have to fuss with marinades, find a place for jars, and perhaps look for the jars themselves. Thirdly, such cabbage can be offered to infants during the complementary feeding period. It can also be used for dietary dishes such as soups, casseroles, steamed vegetable cutlets or pancakes.

If we have convinced you and you are determined, then let’s figure out how to properly freeze this vegetable.

Taste Info Home freezing

Ingredients

• cauliflower;
• water;
• a pinch of salt.

And also freezer bags.

How to cook and properly freeze cauliflower for the winter

How to freeze cauliflower at home? First, let's determine how to correctly select and pre-process cabbage inflorescences.

For freezing, choose cauliflower that is not bruised or damaged by pests, and has a uniform milky color (without any spots). It is better not to take limp and yellowed cabbage.

We separate the cabbage into inflorescences. This is easy to do - turn it upside down and start cutting off the inflorescences with a sharp knife. Discard the stalk and top leaves. Then we rinse the selected inflorescences for several minutes in a bowl of cold water, and add a little salt there. If there are any midges or worms in the cabbage, they will immediately float to the top. We pour out the dirty water. Next, we rinse the cabbage again in clean water and drain it again.

Bring the water to a boil and drop the cabbage into it. Blanch for 3 minutes.

Drain the hot water using a colander or iron sieve. This is more effective than catching cabbage with a slotted spoon, although you can do it that way...

Now the cabbage needs to be cooled quickly. How to do it? Place the cabbage in ice water. What does ice water mean? This means chilled in the freezer. You can also add ice to the water.

After three minutes, drain the already warm water and place the cabbage on a towel or in a colander and wait until all the moisture has drained.

Almost dry cabbage can be placed in a bag or container for freezing. You can go the other way - first freeze the cabbage by placing it on a tray. This way she will probably not freeze into one solid lump.

Frozen cauliflower is ready! To prepare dishes for children from it, such cabbage is not defrosted (as for preparing other dishes). It is immediately thrown into boiling water or sent to the oven.