Preparing ferns for the winter at home

To properly prepare a fern for the winter, it is worth considering one feature of the plant: fresh fern is stored for no more than 2-3 days. Then it becomes unfit for consumption. That is why preparations need to be carried out quickly.

Harvesting fern at home

At home, the plant can be:

• salt;
• marinate;
• dry;
• freeze.

Each type of fern harvesting for the winter has its own characteristics. As for food use, any option is quite acceptable for first and second courses and salads.

How to dry ferns for the winter

Dried fern shoots are a convenient option for harvesting for the winter, especially since all the beneficial qualities are preserved. It is worth noting that the selection of raw materials and their preparation must be taken responsibly, otherwise the product will be unsuitable.

Preparation of raw materials

For drying, choose young and fleshy shoots without spots.The petiole length should not be more than 20 cm. It is not recommended to dry raw fern without preliminary preparation, as the finished product will be very bitter. In addition, the raw product is poisonous.

That is why they put a pan with a lot of water on the stove and add some salt. Place the stems in warm water and cook for no more than 8 minutes. This procedure will remove the bitterness. If boiling has not started at 9 minutes, you still need to remove the pan from the heat and remove the contents.

Place the boiled shoots in a colander and pour cold water over them to stop the softening process. Drying can begin after the water has drained from the petioles. But the Koreans and Chinese do not boil the petioles, but simply dip them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.

Where and how to dry

The drying time will depend on the chosen method. This can be done naturally or using an electric dryer. Each method has its pros and cons, so the choice will depend on the housewife.

Natural drying

The normal appearance of dried petioles under natural conditions can be obtained in 3-5 days. You can dry it in the attic or window. It is important that the room is well ventilated, but the workpiece should not be exposed to sunlight.

Drying is carried out as follows:

1. Heat-treated petioles are dried and cooled.
2. Then you need to lay down craft paper, linen or fine mesh. Place the workpiece on this substrate and place it in a suitable place.
3. Turn the stems over from time to time to ensure even drying.

When harvesting ferns, you should not overdry the stems, as this will cause them to become fragile and will not store well.

Drying in an electric dryer

Modern housewives use an electric dryer to prepare dried fern. This kitchen equipment allows you to get the product faster than in air.

Before drying, the stems are boiled, then cooled in a colander or sieve. When the water has drained, you need to lay the workpiece on a special tray and place it in the dryer. The product is dried at a temperature of 50 degrees for at least 5-6 hours (time depends on the thickness of the stems).

While the plant is in the dryer, you need to check the condition of the petioles from time to time so as not to overdry. Just as when drying under natural conditions, the petioles prepared in the dryer are placed in linen bags and hung in a dry, dark, well-ventilated room so that they reach condition.

Determination of product readiness

To prevent the product from deteriorating during storage using the prepared drying method, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

• properly harvested stems have a pleasant smell;
• stems can be light brown or dark brown with a hint of green;
• when palpated, elastic and dry.

How to store dried fern

You can save harvested petioles in rooms with any humidity, but the method will be different:

1. In a dry place where the humidity does not exceed 70%, the stems are placed in fabric bags, cardboard boxes, and craft paper bags.
2. If the humidity is high and there is no other room, the dried fern should be placed in glass jars or food-grade plastic containers and closed tightly to prevent air from entering.

What can you make from dried fern?

The Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, as well as residents of the Far East, harvest fern in large quantities in various ways, including drying. According to lovers of this plant, dried shoots have a better taste compared to the salted version. This product retains its beneficial and taste qualities during storage.

If you want to cook something from dried fern, you must first soak it in water for 12 hours, changing the liquid several times. Then drain in a colander or sieve, place in boiling water and boil for 1-2 minutes or simply pour boiling water over it.

At this point, the preliminary preparation of the fern is completed, you can begin preparing your favorite dishes.

There are a lot of recipes for various dishes with fern. You can make soups with potatoes and vegetables, stew the stems with beef, chicken and pork. And how many delicious salads you can make with fern! Various vegetables, onions, sesame seeds, rice, and eggs are added to these dishes.

Is it possible to freeze ferns?

Young ferns collected independently or purchased at the market can not only be dried for the winter, but also frozen in the refrigerator, like ordinary greens.

Of course, there are special nuances that you should pay attention to:

1. Firstly, For freezing, use stems that have been stored fresh for no more than 2 days.
2. Secondly, It is impossible to thaw and freeze the fern again, it will become unusable.
3. Third, For freezing, use small bags in which the stems are placed for one meal.

Preparing fern for freezing

Before putting the stems in the freezer, they need to be specially prepared to preserve the quality of the product:

1. The stems are sorted and any that cause suspicion are removed. Wash in several waters.
2. Each petiole is cut into 3 parts and boiled for 5 minutes in boiling salted water. It is not recommended to cook longer, as the fern will become very soft, begin to separate, and will not be suitable for freezing.
3. During boiling, you need to skim off the foam. Remove the stems with a slotted spoon to a sieve or colander and leave there until all the water has drained, so that the stems cool and dry.

How to freeze correctly

You can prepare fern for the winter using different recipes:

1. Tie the dried stems into small bunches and place them in one layer on a sheet and place them in the freezer. When the stems are ready, divide it into portioned bags or plastic containers.
2. If you don’t have time, you can put the portions directly into plastic bags. It is best to take special bags for freezing.After the portion is placed in the bag, you need to squeeze out as much air as possible and tie it tightly.

When the workpiece freezes well, put the small bags into a container and put them in a separate drawer in the freezer.

It is not recommended to freeze fresh stems because:

• they are poisonous;
• they will be bitter;
• will be slippery after defrosting.

Is it possible to freeze salted fern?

Salted petioles of the plant can be purchased at the store; they are sold in plastic containers. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to use all the stems at once. You can store an open jar in the refrigerator for a short time. Therefore, salted fern can be frozen. The taste will not change and the salty product does not freeze much.

How to store and defrost

Frozen plants can be stored in the freezer at -18 degrees for up to 2 years. There is no need to remove packages unnecessarily.

Before cooking, the petioles are removed from the chamber. If you need to prepare the first or second hot dish, then you don’t have to defrost the stems, but immediately put them in the pan.

For salads, frozen petioles are slightly thawed, then boiled for 1-2 minutes in boiling water. The cooled stems are used for cooking.

What can you cook from frozen fern?

From frozen fern, as well as from dried, salted and pickled fern, you can prepare first and second courses, and salads. There are many recipes, they are suitable for any preparation.

Conclusion

Preparing ferns for the winter is not difficult. Dried and frozen petioles are an excellent option for diversifying your family’s diet with tasty and healthy dishes.

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