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Brussels sprouts are the leader in the content of nutrients among the variety of varieties of this crop. It is a dietary product. With the arrival of autumn, many housewives are wondering how to store Brussels sprouts so that they do not lose minerals, vitamins, potassium, iron and phosphorus.
Choosing cabbage for storage
For long-term storage at home, choose knocked, tight heads of cabbage with a diameter of 2-3 cm. Vegetables should have a mirror shine and uniform color. Withered, soft, with traces of damage, rot or yellowed specimens are discarded. The harvest collected from different varieties of cabbage is stored separately from each other.
Late-ripening varieties of Brussels sprouts are suitable for long-term fresh storage at home: Brilliant F1, Nuts F1, Boxer F1, Franklin F1. For preservation and storage in the freezer, hybrids and early varieties are taken: Dolmik, Rudnef, Rosella, Isabella.
Gardeners prefer the varieties Zavitka, Sanda, Gruniger, Sapphire, Hercules
Preparing cabbage
Before storing, Brussels sprouts are removed from the beds:
- dig with the roots;
- cut from the stem;
- cut out along with the stem, leaving a stem up to 5 cm long.
When choosing a method for cutting from a stem, it is recommended to carry out the procedure in three stages. First of all, the lower forks are prepared. After some time, the middle ones are cut off. At the last stage, the heads of cabbage growing at the top of the head are collected. By the time the fork is removed, the top of the stem receives more useful components, actively increases in size, and ripens.
If you plan to store Brussels sprouts on the stem, remove all the side leaves, leaving a few at the top.
How to store Brussels sprouts at home
When frozen, the product retains all vitamins and nutritional components. Each housewife chooses the storage method individually. The main thing is not to deviate from the recommendations of specialists. Some people prefer to store the harvest in pickled form.
Storing Brussels sprouts in the cellar
Brussels sprouts are stored in the basement, hanging from the ceiling, or buried in the sand. If forks are stored in boxes, the heads of cabbage are cut so as not to damage them. The cabbage heads are covered with a protective layer on top, so there is no need to wash the crop. To prevent moisture evaporation, vegetables are laid in a dense layer. The top of the cabbage is covered with paper folded in several layers or a sheet of cardboard. But you should not cover the container too tightly when storing cabbage, so that the heads of cabbage do not rot.
The harvest is kept in boxes for 2-3 months
Brussels sprouts can not only be stored fresh in the basement in winter, but also given the opportunity to ripen. The forks are not cut from the stem, but the bush is completely dug up.If harvesting is carried out when the soil is already frozen, the stem with forks is simply cut off, keeping the stem 5 cm long.
The cabbage is dug in to a depth of 3-4 cm, having previously spread a layer of sand on the floor of the cellar. It is necessary to ensure that it is constantly wet. As soon as the sand begins to dry out, it is irrigated. When stored this way, Brussels sprouts stay fresh for up to five months.
In small basements, they practice hanging upside down storage (the top of the stem hangs down). When it is not possible to maintain humidity in the cellar at 90-95%, I wrap the stems loosely in plastic wrap. A small gap is left between the heads of cabbage and the cellophane. The bottom of the stem is not packed. The cabbage is inspected periodically. If moisture has collected, remove the cellophane and then wrap it again. Otherwise, the heads of cabbage will begin to deteriorate.
On the balcony
Most often, Brussels sprouts are stored on the balcony in a box with sand, with the roots of the culture buried in it. Regularly irrigate, maintain temperature and humidity at the required level.
But providing crops with conditions acceptable for long-term storage is not easy. Therefore, cabbage is saved on the loggia only as a last resort.
In a refrigerator
To store fresh Brussels sprouts in the refrigerator, stock up on heavy-duty Ziploc bags.
Several holes are pierced in the film. Otherwise, moisture will collect in the bag. It will lead to rotting of the fruit.
In each bag for storage, put as much cabbage as is needed for cooking at a time. When the temperature in the refrigerator compartment is +5 ᵒС, the product will remain fresh for up to 3.5 months. If you store cabbage at +10ᵒC, it remains healthy for no more than two months.When storing for storage, heads of cabbage that have any damage are rejected. In a humid environment, they themselves will begin to rot, and they will also damage the neighboring forks.
Freezing
Before storing cabbage in the freezer, it should be prepared
Preparatory work algorithm:
- After the heads of cabbage are cut, they are placed in a saline solution for a quarter of an hour. If insects have settled in the forks, they will float to the surface.
- The heads of cabbage are removed from the solution and washed well under running water. Make cross-shaped cuts on the stalk. After boiling water gets in there, the bitterness goes away from the head of cabbage. Then the forks are immersed in boiling water for five minutes, after which they are placed in cold water.
- Place the product on a paper towel and allow time to dry. Dry heads of cabbage are placed in thick plastic bags or in hermetically sealed plastic trays.
- When Brussels sprouts are placed in bags for storage, as much air as possible is removed from them. The product is laid out in such quantities as is needed for preparation for one serving.
- The cabbage is placed in the freezer.
Conservation
Vegetables are preserved using brine or marinade
Pathogenic bacteria die from exposure to salt, and the product is stored for a long time.
Pickling
Brussels sprouts are pickled, both alone and to create vegetable mixes.
Ingredients for the traditional recipe:
- Brussels sprouts – 1 kg;
- medium-sized carrots – 3 pcs.;
- dill greens – 50 g;
- spices - to taste;
- bay leaf – 2 pcs.;
- water – 1 l;
- sugar, salt - 2 tbsp. l.
Recipe:
- Carrots are washed, peeled and cut into rings.
- Wash cabbage forks.To remove midges, they are immersed in a saline solution for 15 minutes.
- I place vegetables ready for canning in layers in sterilized jars. Add spices and dill.
- To prepare the brine, pour water into a saucepan, add sugar and salt. After boiling, let it boil for two minutes.
The brine is poured into jars and covered with nylon lids. Vegetables can be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a month.
Pickling
When preparing for marinating, the product is washed and prepared so that it is saturated with marinade. Such preparations, subject to temperature standards, can be stored for a year.
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts – 3-4 kg;
- Ascalonian onion, chopped – 6 tbsp. l.;
- bay leaf – 6 pcs.;
- water – 750 ml;
- apple or distilled white vinegar - 300 ml;
- sugar – 2 tbsp. spoons;
- table salt, sea salt - 2 tbsp. spoons.
How to cook:
- Fill a basin or bowl with cold water and place it near the stove.
- Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Place the heads of cabbage in it and boil for two minutes.
- Remove the forks from the boiling water and place them in cold water.
- The liquid is drained from the bowl, the heads of cabbage are placed in sterile jars.
- Place a bay leaf and chopped onion in each container.
- To prepare the marinade, mix water, salt, sugar and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring the brine to a boil, boil for two minutes, remove from heat.
- The marinade is poured into jars so that it covers the cabbage.
Cover the containers with lids and allow to cool. The jars are stored in the pantry. A basement is suitable for these purposes.
Terms and conditions of storage
To store Brussels sprouts for the winter, choose a cold room where the relative humidity is kept at 95% and the temperature does not exceed 0...+4ᵒС.To prevent rot and mold from forming in the storage area, it is necessary to ensure air circulation.
As soon as the first signs of spoilage become noticeable, the heads of cabbage are discarded.
The product is stored fresh in the refrigerator for 2 to 3.5 months. To preserve cabbage, it is placed in plastic bags, but the product is periodically reviewed.
If damage appears on forks placed in storage, they are removed from the total mass
Conclusion
There are many ways to store Brussels sprouts. Each of them has its own subtleties and complexities. To preserve beneficial microelements and vitamins in cabbages, you must strictly follow the instructions.
