How to freeze fresh zucchini for the winter

Zucchini is one of the main products used to make stews, various snacks, and pancakes. In addition, this nutritious fruit is great for baby food. In order to eat it all year round, you need to take care of freezing the vegetable for the winter.

Is it possible to freeze zucchini in the freezer

It is most convenient to freeze food in the freezer, so that you can then get the workpiece at the right time and use it in cooking.

With proper processing, the product can be frozen in the freezer and not be afraid that useful substances will not be preserved in the thawed form.

Did you know? The largest zucchini weighing 61 kg was grown in Chesterfield in 1998 by John Handbury.

In addition, pre-selection of vegetables for freezing will help increase the likelihood of preserving vitamins. For dry freezing, damaged, rotten fruits are not used. Also, the methods of cutting the product into blanks play a rather important role: the way they are stored depends on how the zucchini is cut.

How to choose zucchini for harvesting for the winter

Reviews of experienced chefs make it clear that in order for frozen zucchini to retain all its useful qualities and vitamins, you need to choose ripe specimens without defects.

If you freeze the fruits in order to later feed the baby, you should carefully choose them: they should not be underripe or too ripe, the peel should be shiny, free of defects, rot and cracks. If you freeze a low-quality product, you risk the health of the baby.

There is an easy way to check zucchini for winter harvesting: you need to try how the peel is pierced. An instance that is suitable for freezing will have a soft peel. Fruits with a hard or tough skin will not work. After you have chosen a product, you can proceed to processing it for freezing.

How to prepare zucchini for freezing

Before storing vegetables in the freezer, you will need to properly prepare the fruit.

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How to freeze fresh zucchini for the winter

To do this, follow these guidelines:

  • rinse it under running water;
  • dry on a clean towel or tray;
  • cut off the tails of dry fruits;
  • cut them into pieces of the required size.

These simple rules will help you keep the maximum amount of vitamins in the product.

Do I need to blanch before freezing?

Blanching is a method of short-term processing of products with boiling water. Vegetables are blanched so that they do not lose their color and taste. This procedure is not mandatory before freezing, but it prolongs the period of storage of fruits in the freezer.

Step by step instructions for blanching zucchini:

  1. Fill a saucepan halfway with water, bring to 100°C.
  2. Rinse the fruits, cut off the tails, remove the seeds.
  3. Cut the vegetables into pieces of the desired shape, so that later it is convenient to cook them.
  4. Dip the pieces in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Take them out and put them in cold water.
  6. Dry the cooled fruits and put them in a container for freezing.

Important! It is not recommended to add salt to water with vegetables during blanching. It absorbs moisture, which will subsequently reduce the freshness of the product and reduce its palatability, making it «rubber».

If you are going to freeze grated zucchini (for example, as a preparation for pancakes), it must be blanched. It is best to carry out the procedure not in boiling water, but over steam, so as not to damage the structure of the chopped fruit.

How to freeze fresh zucchini for the winter

Based on the purpose for which you will use the frozen vegetable, prepare the products, cut in the way that suits you best, and place in the freezer.Freezing fresh zucchini
It is also worth considering the temperature regime of freezing, since the right temperature will allow you to keep them fresh longer.

Temperature and storage time

Store zucchini in the freezer at -10°C to -20°C. It is necessary to create conditions for dry fruits, otherwise the process of decay will quickly begin. To prevent this, it is important to dry the fruits well before freezing and place them either in a paper bag or in an airtight container. You can keep vegetables in the cold for about three months, but if desired, this period can be extended up to 1 year.

Important! Remember that thawed zucchini cannot be re-frozen. After thawing, the fruit should be used immediately.

To do this, adhere to the following rules:

  • store vegetables of different varieties in separate bags;
  • do not put too many chopped fruits in one container, otherwise they will begin to rot from tightness;
  • make notes about the date the workpiece was created so that in the future you will know exactly the correct shelf life of the freeze.

Temperature and storage time

Ways to cut for freezing at home

You can grind and freeze fresh fruits:

  • bars;
  • rings;
  • crushed on a grater;
  • in the form of a puree.

Important! The method of cutting fruits is selected depending on the purpose for which you will use them in the future.

Pre-cut vegetables will help you spend less time preparing meals.

Freezing fresh zucchini rings

Most often, these vegetables are cut into rings – so it is convenient to fry them later.
Freezing zucchini rings

Fruit cut into rings should be frozen as follows:

  • prepare the vegetable for freezing – wash, remove the tail, dry;
  • cut zucchini into rings;
  • put the pan on the fire, bring the water to a boil;
  • throw rings into boiling water;
  • after 5 minutes have passed, use a slotted spoon to spread the zucchini on a dry surface;
  • put the dried rings on a board and send them to the freezer for 2-3 hours;
  • We take out and portionwise distribute the rings in the container.
  • It is not recommended to place all the rings in one storage container, as they may stick together.

Did you know? Zucchini flowers are edible. There are delicious salad recipes with the addition of the inflorescence of this vegetable.

Freeze, diced

In order to freeze zucchini cubes, you must:

  • prepare the vegetable for cutting;
  • to cut in cubes;
  • place chopped zucchini in a large container and sprinkle with salt (1 tablespoons of salt are needed for 2 kg of vegetable);
  • within 15 minutes, juice will appear that needs to be drained;
  • then the cubes should be dried;
  • then the vegetable is folded into an airtight container;
  • cut cubes are laid out on a board and placed in the freezer for 2-3 hours;
  • after pre-freezing, the cubes are laid out in a storage container and conveniently placed in the freezer.

Freezing zucchini cubes

Freezing grated vegetables

Freezing grated fruits is suitable for further use when frying or when cooking pancakes. This is the easiest and least expensive way to freeze.

To comply with the rules when freezing grated zucchini, you need:

  • grate the vegetable on a coarse grater;
  • squeeze out the juice that has appeared from the gruel;
  • distribute evenly into containers;
  • put in the freezer.

Freezing grated vegetables

How to freeze for baby food

Instructions for cooking zucchini baby food:

  1. Prepare the vegetable – wash, remove the seeds, cut the skin and stalk.
  2. Boil it in boiling water.
  3. Beat into a homogeneous mass with a blender.
  4. Pour the resulting slurry into molds. You can use ice or cupcake molds if they are small.
  5. Place the puree in the freezer for several hours.
  6. When it freezes, squeeze it into a bag or container for long-term cold storage.

Freezing zucchini for baby food

Defrosting rules

Before eating frozen sticks, it is necessary to defrost them properly. To do this, the workpiece is placed in the refrigerator or thawed at room temperature. When preparing dishes such as stews or stir-fries, it is not necessary to defrost vegetables.

Following the correct recipe for preparing, freezing and defrosting zucchini will allow you to enjoy a fresh vegetable year-round, getting the maximum amount of nutrients. In addition, pre-preparing the vegetable simplifies the process of preparing a common dish.

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Anna Evans

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