How to freeze small carrots for the winter. frozen carrots

How to freeze carrots for the winter and is it worth it? Undoubtedly, it is worth it, because this blank can immediately solve two important tasks. The first is cost savings: in winter, carrots are expensive, and the price is constantly growing, as are the appetites of the owners of outlets. And root crops bought in the fall are poorly stored, rot and wither. While frozen - they are perfectly stored in the freezer for several months and even longer if you got root crops for freezing good quality And suitable variety. Not very juicy carrots are best stored.

The second task is even more practical: you will save time. However, let's talk about everything in order.

Is it possible to freeze carrots for the winter

It is possible and necessary! Freezing carrots - great way keep it fresh for a long time, do without dubious harvesting methods such as stewing in a large amount of oil and subsequent storage with the addition of vinegar.

If you freeze carrots yourself, then you will be 100% sure of the quality and safety of the product. In addition, you can make blanks for different dishes, which will save time and effort in the future. How long you can store frozen carrots depends on the equipment and packaging. The best option- This is a separate refrigerator with deep freezing of products. Such equipment (with special bags for freezing) will ensure the freshness and usefulness of carrots on whole year. If you use the freezer and do not mess with the bags, then it will be stored for up to 9 months.

Preparation

It is important to take fresh carrots, and it is better only from the garden. Root crops should be chosen without damage and not rotten. If you can't freeze it right away, put fresh carrots in the fridge until you have time to do it. Do not use old, overripe carrots for freezing, nothing good will come of it.

Choose medium-sized fruits. Small ones are also suitable, but they lose their taste when frozen. It's best not to use the big one.

Before freezing, you need to clean the carrots well from dirt. Wash it and cut it thin upper layer. Then cut the carrots however you like. If the carrots are small, you can freeze the whole. It is recommended to consider in advance how many different cutting will be needed during the year, and make preparations according to the plan: for soups, borscht, stews, saltworts, various types vegetable caviar, pilaf and other dishes that make up your regular menu.

cook required amount hot water enough for the whole carrot. You can divide into portions and make bookmarks in several approaches. The main thing is that the water is only from the fire. You will also need plenty of cold water with ice.

blanching

The composition of carrots includes enzymes and bacteria that negatively affect nutrients, as well as changing the color and taste of the vegetable. You can get rid of this problem by processing carrots hot water to kill the "bad" bacteria and stop the action of the enzymes. Boil whole carrots for 5 minutes, and chopped carrots for 2 minutes.

Start the countdown as soon as you put the carrots in the water. Then close the pot with a lid and boil over high heat. In this water, you can boil carrots several more times. If you want to freeze carrots for soups, borscht and other dishes, then boil whole carrots, and after cooling, grate and pack, as will be described later.

Cooling

After blanching, remove carrots from boiling water and dip into ice water. The water should completely cover the carrots. Keep the vegetables in the water for as long as they were boiled. We take out the cooled carrots and let it dry.

pre-freeze

In order for the pieces of carrots not to stick together when frozen, you can use this simple trick. Arrange the pieces separately from each other on a wooden board and place in the freezer for several hours. If the pieces stick to the board, just scrape them off with a spatula.

Package

To freeze, use containers or plastic bags(preferably vacuum). It is better not to take glassware, as it can burst.
Leave a few inches of space when using a container, as the vegetables will expand when frozen.

If you are using a bag, it is recommended to blow out as much air as possible. Therefore, it is better to use a vacuum bag. But if you do not have it, there is one way that will help you. Fill with cold water and lower the bag to the brim. Close it carefully to prevent water from getting into the bag and you're done. The trick is that the water presses on the edges of the bag and squeezes out the air from the inside.

Frozen carrots are just as delicious as fresh ones. No one will feel the difference, and you can save a few precious minutes when preparing your next dinner or lunch. After all, to add carrots to the dish, it will be enough to get a bag out of the freezer!

I advise you to definitely freeze carrots for the winter, especially since now you know how to do it.

However, many doubt the prudence of this approach and wonder if it is possible to freeze carrots, whether certain procedures and tools are needed for this, whether Appliances etc. The most common issue is also losses useful properties carrots after defrosting.

If you doubt the reliability of this method of storing a vegetable, or your carrot crop is too large to completely freeze it, you can use other ways to preserve it for the winter. Our articles and will help you with this.

So, how to freeze carrots for the winter in the refrigerator?

Opportunity assessment

Is it possible to freeze carrots for the winter at home? If you have already prepared enough carrots for and even left a little harvest, then use the old and proven method of freezing the root crop in freezer.

Freezing carrots for the winter at home is quite natural and vegetable-safe process, as is the case with frozen mixed vegetables and other foods. As a result of freezing at home, you will be sure that the product is environmentally friendly, does not contain any preservatives, and all the necessary processing is done under your sensitive supervision.

To determine if a variety and type of carrot is suitable for freezing, evaluate its size, firmness, and taste.

Too sluggish and flexible, just like hard, dry or old carrots - immediately crossed off the list.

Optimal carrots should be fresh, sweetish, medium or big size. However, too small vegetables also fit.

Is it possible to freeze boiled carrots? Technically, after the boiling step, the carrots are almost cooked, but not so much that they go completely limp and fall apart. If we are talking about vegetables that have been kept in boiling water for more than 20 minutes, then from such it's better to refuse.

Is it possible to freeze grated carrots? Of course, there will be no harm to carrots in this form, and after defrosting it can immediately be used in a variety of ways. recipes. Properly processed grated carrots to taste nothing beats fresh.

Is it possible to freeze whole carrots for the winter? If carrots small or very thin, then nothing terrible will happen - so the frost will quickly “grab”, evenly freezing all the vegetables. They will also defrost, respectively, quickly and approximately the same - both inside and outside.

Can carrots be frozen in the freezer or refrigerator? Yes, provided that equipment is reliable and doesn't crash frequently.

Refrigerator would be the best option. with deep freeze mode(up to -35 °С inclusive). So there will be no hesitation that the products will keep intact without any serious loss of quality and taste properties.

In the refrigerator itself, along with other food products, carrots will not lie for a long time. Move the vegetables in refrigerator compartments only if you need to gradually defrost them for eating.

How to freeze chopped in a blender carrots, you will learn from the video:

Basic Rules

How to freeze carrots in the freezer? Choose to freeze only fresh vegetables, not too old and free from pests or disease. Overripe or rotten root crops in any case no good for eating as frozen foods.

As you know, after defrosting, most types of food slightly change their taste, and bitter or tasteless carrots and does threaten to become unbearable.

Before proceeding with the actual processing, wash thoroughly carrots in running water to clean it from dirt and dust. If required, brush her.

To do this, use a simple kitchen knife or a special razor blade for peeling vegetables. There is also a special vegetable brush which will make this task much easier.

The tips and the upper, thinnest layer of the peel are advised to carefully cut off, and the carrot itself cut in your preferred way- thick circles or strips (using a knife or a coarse grater).

How to freeze carrots for the winter in the freezer?

Vegetable preparation

How to prepare carrots for freezing?

It will take a kind of sterilization, which is necessary to protect food from the development of diseases, mold, decay, changes in taste, shade and other negative consequences.

Most of vitamins and minerals will be saved, and you can enjoy the benefits of carrots in the cold season. Also, vegetables after this stage will not fall under pernicious influence some natural enzymes, and the smell, color and saturated color will not disappear.

How to spend blanching? For this you will need enough freshly boiled and cold water, including a good supply of ice cubes (about a dozen). Cold water useful for quickly cooling each portion.

handle carrots are better in separate batches: small-sized vegetables are cooked separately from large ones. As soon as the water boils, pour the carrots into the pan without reducing the heat. For cooking whole and big vegetables it will take 4-6 minutes, while for smaller and cut into pieces, 2 minutes is enough.

As a rule, water evaporates quickly, and without topping up water not enough in a pot. At the end of the set time, all carrots are sent to a container of ice water. It will take exactly the same amount of time to keep it there as it was cooked.

Ice water is needed so as not to cook the crop so much that it becomes unsuitable for storage in the freezer.

In the last step of this stage, the vegetables are removed from the water and laid out in a colander, and then on towels to dry completely. After that, carrots can be grated, chopped or immediately sent to freeze.

After blanching, carrots are sometimes given another preparation, due to which individual root vegetables and slices are likely to don't stick to each other. To do this, you need a wooden board, on which the pieces are laid out in one layer, so that they do not touch each other.

A grill or baking sheet will do the same task perfectly. Later two to three hours remove and scrape the product from the surface if necessary.

Necessary container

What can you freeze carrots in?

Experts advise to abandon thin plastic bags and glassware.

The former are easily torn, and the dishes from sudden changes in temperature in danger of cracking.

The most profitable solution will be plastic containers in which food will be stored in complete tightness. It is better to leave a couple of centimeters under the lid unfilled with carrots - otherwise, having slightly swollen and expanded, your workpiece will stick together or open the container.

If there is no such package, you can do without tight vacuum bags. All the air will need to be squeezed out of them. You can collect a deep container with water and lower the bag into it (which will immediately stick together under pressure), already filling food there. Filled bags are securely fastened with special clips, clothespins, paper clips or adhesive tape.

It will be a good reminder package labeling- indicate with a marker or tag how many carrots, in what form and when it was frozen. So you will accurately determine the bag you need and the expiration date.

Place

Where to freeze? Freezer - the most common and convenient method and place for freezing. How to freeze carrots in the freezer and refrigerator?

Frozen carrots should not be stored in the freshness compartments inside the refrigerator. There is not enough low temperature (approximately 0 or +6 °C). It is best to store blanks for the winter directly in the freezer. If you do not want to install a deep freeze, then be prepared for the fact that frozen carrots are allowed to be stored at -8 ° C no more than three months.

Temperature

At what temperature can you freeze carrots for the winter? Vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries with mushrooms are frozen at from -18 °С to -23 °С.

However, the colder the temperature, the more likely it is that foods, including carrots, will properly and properly frozen.

The desired mark is minus 30°С…35°С.

It is then that food will not be threatened by bacteria, pests and natural aging.

Ways

What is the best way to freeze slices, whole or in another way? There is no fundamental difference in form. You have the right to make blanks different options depending on whether why do you need carrots- for soup vegetable salads, pilaf, borscht, stew or other dishes.

For about a year, you can defrost what you need at that particular moment.

The size of the carrot is of key importance. Too large or medium you have to cut it - into slices, straws or cubes, as you like. At all small instances are more effective to leave as is, rather than cut.

Tips from experienced housewife on freezing carrots in two ways in this video:

Storage

What is the shelf life of frozen carrots in the freezer? In the freezer without any packages of carrots can be stored for an average of 8-10 months. After blanching and compactly placed in a bag or other vacuum packaging, carrots will serve you a little more than a year.

Of course, use the product better until the end expiration date.

Recipes

How to freeze carrots and onions, carrots with peppers or beets? A very comfortable method of harvesting vegetables for the winter is the creation of so-called vegetable mixes . Foods such as beets, carrots, onions, peas and corn in different combinations cut into small cubes or straws, after which they are frozen in common containers. Read our articles about and about.

Such mixtures are easy and convenient to defrost for preparation. frying or full meals , and a combination of different vitamins and minerals effortlessly cope with their lack in the body. You can also find more information on our website.

In the absence of other alternatives, freezing carrots at home is perfect solution problems with lack of fresh produce.

All you need is just pick up fresh and preferably from your garden vegetables, conduct a full and correct handling according to all standards, and then freeze in the freezer at the lowest possible temperatures. This will be required in case long storage carrots - standard up to a year.

According to statistics, in winter a person goes to the store less often, buys less products. And all because in winter time in the consumption are products prepared since the summer. These are marinades, compotes, preserves, jams, salads. And most importantly, frozen fruits and vegetables. Buying them at the height of the summer season, we spend pennies on them than if we took them in the winter. In addition, frozen fruits and vegetables do not lose their beneficial properties - they completely retain all vitamins and minerals. Today we’ll talk about carrots - how to properly prepare them for freezing, in what form to freeze them and how to safely defrost this vegetable.

The benefits of carrots for the human body

Carrots are carotene, which is so necessary for a growing body. That is why carrots are rightfully considered a vegetable for high growth. But in order for this carotene to be well absorbed, it must be taken with vegetable oil. The perfect combination- vegetable salad with carrots, seasoned with a spoonful of sunflower oil.

Carrots are incredibly beneficial for eye health. It contains a lot of vitamin A, the deficiency of which can cause night blindness in a person. For diabetics, boiled carrots are useful, even more than raw ones. Red carrots lower blood cholesterol levels, strengthen walls blood vessels- makes them more flexible. Red carrots are high in potassium, which is good for the heart.

Also, carrots are rough. alimentary fiber, which are not completely processed, swell in the intestines and, like a big stiff brush, clean out all unnecessary and stagnant feces. This excellent remedy from constipation. In addition, carrots absorb all toxins and slags, cleansing the body completely.

Carrots are not only eaten - they are used externally. Carrot gruel perfectly heals wounds and ulcers, relieves inflammation and redness. And masks with grated carrots are rightfully considered the best against aging and sagging skin.

Why Freeze Carrots

Indeed, why, if all year round is she on sale? As noted above, the first reason is the economy. In winter, vegetables, including carrots, are much more expensive. In addition, you do not know in what conditions they were stored. Often the producer processes root crops chemical compounds so that they do not deteriorate and look good still for a long time. Giving an artificial gloss to carrots, the seller deprives them of their useful properties. Such root crops can be not only useless, but also dangerous - you don’t know how they were stored and how they were processed.

The second reason to freeze carrots is to save time. Now you will not need to peel the carrots every time, wash them, cut them into the right pieces. Now you can just get it and add it to ready meal right amount finished purified product. Quite tempting, isn't it?

In general, carrots, of course, can be stored in fresh. In this case, it must be placed in a cool basement or glazed balcony. Important to choose suitable temperature so that the carrots do not freeze and rot. It is also necessary to take into account the humidity of the room so that the fruits do not dry out and become moldy. Keep in mind that if it gets too warm, the carrots will start to grow, giving everything away. nutritious juices useless sprouts. In a city apartment, it is unlikely that anyone will find a clean, dark basement with optimal humidity and temperature. That is why it is much more convenient to freeze carrots - you took care of it once and forgot about the storage problem. It remains only to get the carrots out of the freezer as needed and use it for its intended purpose.

For freezing, you need to take fresh root crops, it is better if they come from the garden. If you freeze carrots from the market, you can verify their freshness by looking at the tops - if they are green and not withered - the carrots were harvested very recently. It is best to freeze spring carrots - they are juicier and sweeter.

1. Root crops should be washed and dried thoroughly. Wet carrots will stick together, and it will be difficult to take in the right amount if you freeze everything in one container.
2. Young carrots can not be peeled - its skin is very delicate and thin. Ripe carrots should be peeled.
3. Now sit down and think about what you are cooking with carrots. The form of cutting this vegetable depends on this. Carrots are often used in different dishes, and therefore cut differently. Cut some carrots into strips - it is suitable for pilaf, make carrot circles - they will work when you cook roast. Diced carrots can be used to add to soup. For borscht, carrots can be grated. Want to save time? Mix grated carrots with beets and add these blanks to borscht in winter.
4. If you want to save even more time, carrots can be blanched before freezing. In this case, the carrots will be almost ready - they will cook much faster when added to the dish. Dip the chopped carrots in boiling water for 3 minutes, and then transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Such a temperature difference will not allow the vegetable to turn into porridge - the slices will remain whole. Then drain the vegetables in a colander to drain excess water.
5. Now the carrots should be packaged. You can break the vegetables into several bags - one with straws, another with grated carrots, the third with circles. However, in this case, with each preparation, you will have to pick out the right amount of vegetable, and put the rest back in the refrigerator. Such temperature fluctuations have a bad effect on the benefits of the product, so it is better to freeze carrots in portions. Pack all carrots into small bags so that only one serving is needed for one dish. By the way, it is convenient to freeze grated carrots with beets for borscht in muffin tins. When the vegetables are frozen, they can simply be transferred to a bag.
6. Such carrots can be stored for up to a year. But don't freeze too much, just enough to last until the next harvest.
7. Carrots do not need to be defrosted. Just take it out of the freezer desired package and throw into a dish.

This is a simple algorithm for freezing carrots that will save you time and money.

How to freeze boiled carrots

Carrots can be frozen in any form - boiled, stewed, fried. Boiled carrots are most often frozen by young mothers who have small children. Carrots are an excellent complementary food, but children eat little. You won’t boil half a carrot each time, will you? To save time, we will freeze boiled carrots. Pour water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. There should be little water so that it slightly covers the root crops. Salt for cooking is not added (if the carrot is intended for a child). Dip the carrots in boiling water and cook for 20-30 minutes until fully prepared. When the vegetables become soft, they need to be taken out, cooled and peeled.

Vegetables are cut into several parts and divided into bags so that only one serving is thawed at a time. In order not to lose the benefit of the product, it must be thawed correctly. Transfer the carrot portion from the freezer to the refrigerator shelf and leave it there for several hours until it is completely thawed. And only then put the carrots in the microwave and heat until desired temperature. If you defrost carrots immediately in the microwave, a sharp temperature drop will kill all the vitamins, the vegetable will become useless. After warming the boiled carrot, it needs to be kneaded, if desired, add a drop vegetable oil. From such delicious healthy treat not a single peanut will refuse.

Remember, you can not re-freeze carrots. And yet, when you remove the carrots for storage in the freezer, tightly tie the neck of the bag so that the vegetable does not absorb foreign odors.

Carrots are a unique root crop. It is added to soups, hot dishes, salads and marinades. No one can do without carrots winter salad, it is needed for sauerkraut. Moreover, carrots are prepared delicious desserts and jams - in Europe, it is generally considered not a vegetable, but a fruit. Even young tops of carrots are used - they are added to various snacks and salads. Eat carrots in various forms, gnaw it raw, freeze. And then your dishes will always be decorated with bright slices of juicy carrots!

Video: harvesting carrots for the winter

During the summer period of ripening vegetables, you can freeze carrots in the freezer at home or conventional refrigerator. Freezing a root crop at home has a number of advantages: in winter, prices for vegetables rise significantly, so you can save. In addition, by freezing a vegetable from your own garden, you will be sure of the quality of carrots and its safety for health.

IMPORTANT: Remember: the diet must contain fresh vegetables and fruits, so you can’t completely switch to frozen foods.

Is it worth it and is it possible to freeze carrots?

Many housewives wonder; Is it possible to freeze carrots for the winter and are vitamins preserved in frozen carrots? Preserving a vegetable in the freezer is a completely natural and safe process, since carrots do not lose their nutritional and beneficial properties at all. In addition, when freezing carrots, you will not doubt its quality, since for these purposes, in the summer (autumn) time, a root crop grown in a garden or field is used. In winter, in supermarkets and markets, there is a risk of buying an overseas vegetable stuffed with pesticides.

In order for you to be able to properly freeze carrots, you need to know the basic rules for choosing a vegetable and freezing methods.

How to freeze carrots:

Freezing carrots: about the benefits

What are the benefits of freezing carrots at home? Pay attention to such aspects:

• Savings - in winter, the prices for vegetables and fruits increase significantly;
• Freshly frozen carrots do not lose at all useful substances, minerals and vitamins after you defrost it;
• Convenience - at any time you can pull out the required amount of root crop from the freezer.

Basic Rules

To get a healthy and juicy frozen vegetable, you need to follow these basic rules for choosing a root crop:

• Carrots must be ripe, without damage by insects and other pests;
• Small vegetables can be frozen whole;
• Do not freeze too old and tough fruits;
• The root crop must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt, as well as thinly cut off the top layer of the skin;
• Cut prepared carrots before freezing in small pieces or grate on a coarse grater.

Harvesting carrots for the winter:

Vegetable preparation

From the correct preparation of carrots for freezing, its taste qualities and useful properties. First of all, it is necessary primary processing root crop and its subsequent sterilization.

First of all, it is necessary to select ripe, dense and whole root crops that are not damaged by insects, fungal diseases and mold.

Carrots are thoroughly washed in water and the top layer is cut off a little.

Then it is necessary to cut off the tips of the root crop and again thoroughly rinse the vegetable.

For freezing, the root crop is best cut into cubes or thin sticks.

After completing the preparation of carrots for freezing, it is necessary to process it in boiling water or steam.

Do you need to blanch?

When freezing carrots for the winter, blanching plays a special role.- short-term treatment of the product with boiling water or hot steam.

For blanching we need:

• Pre-washed and peeled carrots;
• Pot with boiling water;
• Two liters of cold water;
• Ice cubes.

REFERENCE: Ice is necessary so that carrots treated with boiling water retain their structure, density, as well as vitamins and minerals.

The process of blanching a vegetable is as follows:

• Place whole root vegetables in boiling water and soak for 4-6 minutes;
• Pull out the carrots and immediately put them in a bowl of ice water for a similar period of time;
• Pull the root vegetables out of the ice water into a colander so that the liquid is glass;
• Dry the carrots with a towel and immediately send to the freezer. For convenience, it can be cut into small pieces.

In order for the carrots not to stick to each other, the root crops should not touch.

Necessary container

Freezing carrots is best in plastic containers or vacuum bags from dense polyethylene.

For these purposes, you cannot use glassware, because under the influence of low temperature it may crack.

Pieces of carrots should be placed in airtight containers so that 2-3 centimeters remain to the edges. Close them with a lid and put them in the freezer.

If you decide to freeze a vegetable in a bag, you need to release all the air from it before placing this container in the freezer.

A great proven way for the winter:

Packets filled with carrots are recommended to be closed with special clips or adhesive tape (adhesive tape).

Place

Freeze and store carrots in the freezer. The minimum temperature for freezing a vegetable is -8 ° C (at this temperature, the vegetable can be stored for no more than 90 days.

Storage of the root crop for six months is possible at a freezing temperature above -12 ° C.

In the usual compartment of the refrigerator, where the temperature ranges from 0 to +6, keep carrots for long time will not work.

Temperature

Many housewives are interested in the question: what temperature is needed for high-quality and long freeze vegetables? The most optimal for freezing carrots is freezing in the freezer at temperature regime from -30 to -35°С. In this case, all bacteria and microbes are guaranteed to die, and vitamins, nutrients will be preserved in full.

If it is not possible to install such low temperature, then carrots can be frozen at -18 or -23 ° C.

The most popular ways

Any carrot can be frozen convenient way: in whole or in parts.

Small root crops are usually frozen whole, without cutting them into pieces. Large and medium vegetables are frozen:

• Pieces;
• Straws;
• Blocks;
• Slices.

It is advisable to freeze the root crop in portions: in order to always have the opportunity to get the required amount of vegetable for preparing breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Freezing grated carrots:

How much is stored?

Let's dwell on how long a frozen semi-finished product can be stored. In the freezer at a very low temperature, carrots can be stored for an average of 8 to 10 months. If the temperature is -6, -8 degrees, then the vegetable should be eaten within 3 months.

It is desirable that the vegetable be placed in a tightly closed package or sealed plastic container.

IMPORTANT: Frozen carrots must be consumed before the expiration date.

Recipes: what can be cooked from frozen carrots

Carrots can be prepared for the winter as an independent vegetable, or as a mixture with onions, beets, peppers and green peas.

You can prepare a mixture of vegetables in this way: cut the selected products into small pieces and mix in equal proportions.

Great combination:

• Potatoes, carrots and beets;
• carrots, onions, green pea and corn;
• Carrots, beets, onions and bell peppers.

What to do with frozen carrots

These mixtures of vegetables can be added to salads, first courses and stews. The main rule is that vegetables should be exposed to proper preparation And deep freeze. In this case, you will receive nutritious and rich in vitamins dish.

Borscht mix:

It is worth consuming this root crop familiar from childhood throughout the year for the reason that it is rich in vitamins B, PP, C, E, K, as well as carotene, which is metabolized during the passage gastrointestinal tract into vitamin A.

IMPORTANT: Carrots are especially useful for people whose work is associated with increased eye strain. With a slight myopia, it will help prevent its further development.

Is it possible to use a freezer?

The traditional way to store carrots is to pack them in boxes or bags, which are located in a dark and cool place, which is usually . But in a city apartment, this is usually not possible, so you should give preference to freezing it (you can find out how to store carrots in an apartment in).

Storing carrots in the freezer lovely way provide yourself with this vegetable for the entire period of cold weather. When frozen, the fruits of carrots retain a large number of useful substances, which will help to avoid vitamin deficiency.

For grated

Storing carrots grated is one of the most common methods due to the following benefits:

1. You can grate carrots much faster and in larger volumes than cut them.
2. Such carrots are more compact than sliced ​​ones, which is important for small freezers.
3. Already grated carrots are very easy to use in the preparation of a wide variety of dishes:
   • soups;
   • stew;
   • pies.

It will be enough to get a bag with a blank and defrost. Grated carrots also have a drawback: it often happens that due to the strong compaction it is difficult to divide into portions. In this case, it is necessary to wait for the minimum softening of the ice crust, which negatively affects the structure of the unused product.

Watch a video about freezing grated carrots for the winter:

Whole

Storing root vegetables in the freezer as a whole is possible if the fruits are thin and have approximately the same size for compact placement. Freeze whole carrot requires significantly more space than crushed. This method implies the presence of a large freezer.

Also, the disadvantages include the long-term defrosting of the vegetable and the difficulty of cutting it, if the dish requires a small amount of it.

For blanched

Storage of boiled carrots is allowed, but it is worth remembering that in this case, useful substances remain. minimal amount. Typically, this form of preparation is used for the preparation of baby purees and various bakery products stuffed with carrots.

If you want to freeze a thermally processed product, it is recommended to resort to blanching. This method consists in immersing carrots in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. To quickly extract it, use a sieve or colander. hot carrot must be immediately doused with ice water, which will help to keep in the root crop maximum amount vitamins.

Watch a video about preparing blanched carrots for freezing:

How long to store?

When frozen, carrots lose some of their beneficial properties instantly, then a plateau follows, during which this process is much slower.

It is believed that carrots should not be stored in the freezer for more than 9-12 months as a whole and 6-7 - chopped or grated. Remaining after winter season blanks are recommended not to be stored until the next cold weather. About how long carrots can be stored during storage different ways, read .

Vegetable preparation

After choosing root crops that are suitable for freezing, follow the instructions:

IMPORTANT: Using small zip-lock bags allows you to store carrots in the portions needed to prepare one dish.

Savings Rules

Storing pre-cooked carrots in the freezer has some features. Consider them:

1. Packaging for carrots must be absolutely airtight. This product absorbs odors very well, if this condition is not observed, there is a risk of getting carrots with a smell fish cakes or parsley.
2. In order not to get a monolith from grated carrots, it is not recommended to compact it strongly, thus trying to save space.
3. Each cycle of defrosting and thawing negatively affects the vegetable, it becomes hard and loses all vitamins, so when defrosting the refrigerator, place the product on the balcony (the possibility of storing carrots on the balcony is described).
4. The recommended temperature for freezing carrots is 18 to 25 degrees.

Storage in crushed form without freezing

In addition to the method discussed above, grated carrots can also be stored as sharp blanks, canned and dried. They are recommended if the crop is too large to store in the freezer.

in the oven, but this process requires constant control, since there is a high probability of getting coals instead of neat orange “chips”.

What if something went wrong?

When freezing carrots, the following difficulties may arise:

1. Carrots were too juicy when grated. In this case, it is better to make juice from it, because when frozen, the release of juice to the surface of the pieces will only increase, and you will get 2 individual product: carrot ice and dry cake.
2. The opposite situation - the selected vegetable is too hard and cannot be called juicy. The blanching technique discussed in the article will help correct the situation.
3. In the middle of winter, you opened a container of carrots and found that they were soaked in odors from the freezer. Most likely, the container or package was not closed tightly enough or has a breach of integrity.