How to freeze cherries for the winter? In the middle of summer, this question is of interest to many inveterate summer residents, because usually cherry trees are quite productive and grow in most areas, regularly delighting the owners with a huge amount of fragrant dark red berries. The benefits of cherries are undeniable, and its importance in cooking can not be overestimated. Freeze this berry during its ripening to enjoy homemade fruit drinks, jelly, compotes all year round. You can also stuff dumplings or pies with frozen cherries.
Whether to remove the bones
Pitted cherries retain more juice and are perfect for making compotes, jelly, jellies and some desserts. To prepare other dishes from frozen cherries, you will still need to remove the bones, before completely defrosting the berries. While frozen pitted cherries can be used immediately as a filling for pies, pies and dumplings without defrosting. Before freezing cherries, think about what you are going to cook from them. The answer depends on this - whether to remove the bones before freezing.
Simple rules for freezing cherries
- The time between picking berries and freezing should be minimal, in this case all vitamins and nutrients are preserved.
- Try not to use cherries that are too juicy or overripe, or berries that show signs of damage.
- It is recommended to freeze cherries in not very large portions, about 500 grams each.
- It is convenient to use plastic containers with lids or special blister packs for freezing.
- Before freezing, the berries must be sorted out, washed and dried thoroughly. Wet or leaky berries should not be frozen.
How to freeze pitted cherries
If you decide to freeze cherries with a stone, the berries prepared in this way should be laid out in one row and placed in the freezer. After that, put it in a container for storage and return to the freezer. As containers for storing frozen cherries, you can use plastic containers or bags. It is important that they are hermetically sealed, otherwise the cherries can absorb odors from the refrigerator. Frozen greens and bell peppers can give a particularly strong smell.
By the way, it is not recommended to immediately lay out cherries in containers and freeze them in this form, since the berries will freeze to each other and turn into a single lump, and deform when defrosted.
How to freeze pitted cherries
Everything is very simple. Freeze the berries in a dry way (see the method of freezing cherries with stones) and put them in a container, alternating in layers with granulated sugar. Or lay the prepared cherries in one row on a wooden board, immediately sprinkle them with sugar and freeze in this form, then transfer to a storage dish.
How to freeze cherries for compote with raspberries, currants and blackberries
With mixed freezing - no hassle. You just need to choose the right berries. Everything that you are going to freeze (raspberries, cherries, currants, blackberries) should be at the stage of early ripeness, no overripe, bursting berries, no raspberries spreading into porridge. Freezing is suitable dry, for better storage, you can sprinkle with sugar. Add this mixture to the compote without defrosting.
How to freeze cherries in your own juice
Very cool way. Take 1 kg of cherries, sort, wash, dry and separate about a third. Remove the seeds from all the berries, use a blender to puree from the set aside third. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Place the remaining cherries in plastic storage containers, leaving some room for pouring. Pour the berries with cherry puree, close the containers with lids and place in the freezer.
How to freeze cherries in raspberry puree
Experienced housewives advise this particular method of freezing, it is especially suitable for making berry jelly. Wash the cherries, sort and remove the pits. Sort the raspberries and use a blender to puree. Mix with sugar (for 1 kg of raspberries - 500 grams of sugar). Place the pitted berries in plastic trays, pour over the raspberry puree, close the lids and freeze.
How to freeze cherries in sugar syrup
You can also freeze cherries in sugar syrup. For its preparation of syrup, you need 1.5 kg of sugar per 1 liter of water. Pour granulated sugar into a saucepan with water, heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and cool. Place the washed pitted cherries in containers, pour cold syrup over and leave for 1-2 hours so that the berries are well soaked. Fill the containers with syrup not to the very brim, leave at least 1 cm of free space.
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to freeze cherries. And you should try each of them to understand which one is better. See also
