Unusual, but convenient: is it possible to freeze stewed cabbage for future use?

foto15648-1Braised cabbage is a tasty and healthy dish. It is a source of B vitamins, trace elements and dietary fiber.

In order to save time, many housewives harvest it for future use and store it in the freezer. This is very convenient, since the ready-made side dish is always at hand.

Read about whether it is possible to freeze stewed cabbage and how this will affect its taste in the article.

Pros of freezing meals

You can freeze the stewed cabbage. Chilling the finished product does not affect its smell, taste or health.

foto15648-2On the contrary, freezing has many advantages, including:

  • extension of the shelf life;
  • ready-made garnish or filling for pies is always at hand;
  • the product defrosts quickly.

In order for the cabbage to acquire the same consistency after freezing, you just need to put it in a pan and turn on a slow fire. The dish will thaw gradually and will not differ from the original product.

How to freeze correctly?

Freeze braised cabbage it is not difficult if you follow the instructions below:

  1. Chop and stew the product until cooked. In addition to the main ingredient, the dish may include onions, tomatoes and carrots. It is not recommended to freeze cabbage stewed with meat.
  2. The juice formed during the cooking process must be drained.
  3. Cool the dish to room temperature.
  4. Pack the product in containers prepared in advance, remove excess air and close the container.
  5. Place the cabbage in the freezer on the top shelf.

After 2-3 hours, the food can be transferred to the lower compartments of the freezer.

It takes a certain amount of time to stew cabbage, which is to be frozen. If she is young, 15 minutes heat treatment is sufficient. Winter varieties are stewed for 40 minutes.

In the oven, the product loses a minimum of vitamins and does not gain extra calories, as when stewing in a cauldron or in a pan. Prepare the dish for no longer than 40 minutes.

For storage in the freezer, you can use the following container:

  1. foto15648-3Tight plastic bag... Finished products are put into it, air is expelled and tightly tied. It should not be stuffed. In one bag they put such an amount of cabbage, which is required for 1 time.
  2. Plastic container with lid... To keep as little air as possible in it, it is recommended to fill it completely. It is more convenient to use small containers up to 300 g.
  3. Vacuum bags... It must be filled in 2/3. The air is evacuated with a special device or pump, after which the package valve is quickly closed.

The use of vacuum bags allows you to save useful space in the freezer, since after removing the air, the volume of their contents is reduced by 60-70%.

Shelf life in the freezer

The dish can be stored frozen for up to six months... If you just put it in the refrigerator, then after 3 days the product will deteriorate.

To keep as many nutrients as possible in cabbage, do not store it in the refrigerator or in the fresh air. Freeze the dish immediately after cooling.

The fact is that cabbage that has stood in the refrigerator for a day or more loses up to 90% of vitamin C. Its only value will be the presence of dietary fiber.

If the product has not been used within six months after freezing, it must be disposed of. Such cabbage is unsuitable for food.

Helpful information

Tips to take note of:

  1. foto15648-4If the dish was cooked in large quantities, then it must be frozen in portions. When the need arises, the right amount of food is taken out of the freezer.
  2. It is recommended to use as little oil as possible during cooking. Let the cabbage stew in its own juice. This will reduce the calorie content of the dish and the amount of liquid in it.
  3. You can use a microwave oven and warm water to defrost.
  4. If you plan to store cabbage for a long time, you need to expel excess air from the container. The smaller it is, the better the product freezes.
  5. The container must be tightly closed. The product has a pronounced odor that can spread throughout the freezer.
  6. You can improve the taste of thawed cabbage by adding a little table vinegar and sugar while heating. This will add a sweet and sour flavor to the dish.

You will find all the most important and useful about storing cabbage here.

Conclusion

You can definitely freeze stewed cabbage. After such processing, it will not lose its taste, will not taste bitter or sour.

The finished dish is stored in the freezer in plastic bags or in containers. To get a tasty and satisfying side dish for lunch or dinner, just take a few minutes to remove it from the refrigerator and defrost it.

Rate the article

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 stars
Loading...
Discussions

Wash

Cleaning

Scratches