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Parsley contains many vitamins and microelements, which the human body especially lacks in winter. One way to preserve these flavorful greens is to freeze them.
This article will talk about how to freeze parsley for the winter. In addition, you will learn about why you should give preference to freezing rather than pickling or preparing in oil.
Frozen greens will retain their flavor, while pickled greens will lose it. You can freeze parsley:
- Shredded in bulk.
- In ice cubes.
- Twigs.
Benefits of freezing
It is worth noting that each method of preserving greenery for the winter has its own advantages. We invite you to consider the benefits of freezing:
- The vitamin complex is preserved. Perhaps the most important thing when preserving a vegetable is to preserve the beneficial substances contained in it. Therefore, freezing has an exceptional advantage over other types of storage, since in this case all vitamins will be preserved.
- The aroma, taste and consistency are preserved almost unchanged.
- Preparing parsley for freezing is very simple. This usually takes no more than half an hour. Next, it's time for the freezer.
Features of choosing parsley for storage
Green mass suitable for freezing must be bright in color and free from dry leaves and other damage. Of course, the parsley must be fresh. This is due to the fact that if picked parsley is stored for 3 days in the refrigerator, then by the time it is frozen it will lose half of its beneficial vitamins. You should not buy wilted greens.
Preparing greens for freezing
No matter how you choose to freeze parsley, you need to prepare it for putting in the freezer, and this is always done the same way:
- Cleaning parsley bushes: remove unusable leaves, cut off the roots and throw out foreign matter.
- Flushing. This is done by soaking the greens in salt water. Firstly, this method does not injure the parsley leaves. And, secondly, this way you can remove nitrates from it and kill microorganisms living in the greenery. The water should cover the parsley bunches.
- Drying. Excess moisture is removed by shaking, after which the parsley is laid out on a towel to dry completely. To ensure proper drying of all branches, they should be turned over from time to time. This is especially important if you plan to store frozen greens, pre-chopped greens, or whole sprigs. As an option, you can expressly dry the greens. To do this, you need to lay it on a towel and roll it up, so that most of the moisture is absorbed into the towel.
Now the green mass is ready for freezing. Freezing methods will be discussed in more detail in the next part of the article.
Methods for freezing parsley
There are several ways to preserve parsley for the winter, but freezing is the easiest. You can freeze greens using different methods:
- In the package.
- In an ice tray.
- In bunches.
In the package
If you decide to store parsley in a bag, it is very important to pay special attention to drying the herbs. If there is water on the leaves, then in the freezer the greens will stick together into one lump. Subsequently, it will have to be either split or cut, which is not very convenient.
If you decide to store the green mass of a vegetable in a bag, then you need to collect it in bunches, cut off the stems, and then finely chop it. So, you will have parsley for dressing.
Storage bags can be regular or zippered. You should not compact a large portion of greens into one bag, as it will be inconvenient to store. Even if you manage to quickly separate some of the greens needed for consumption, some of the frozen parsley will have time to thaw. After repeated freezing, it will darken.
The prepared mass in the bag must be signed, and the bag must be rolled or tied. If you do not label the bags, then the green mass of the vegetable can be confused with another seasoning, which you may also decide to freeze.
Freezing parsley in bunches
The fastest and easiest way to freeze parsley is to place whole bunches in the freezer. But is it possible to do this? Of course, it is possible, only on the condition that the greens are well dried beforehand. The twigs are collected in bunches of such a size that they can be used 1-2 times. Whole bunches can be wrapped in cling film or a plastic bag.
Tightly wrapped in a bag/film, parsley in bunches forms thin rolls that are usually stored without additional packaging or container.This parsley is used for making soups, broths, baking fish, meat or chicken with herbs. Who doesn't love enjoying fresh food with the scent of spring on a cold winter evening? Freezing greens does just that.
In ice trays
Preparation of green mass consists of the above-mentioned steps, but in this case there is no need to thoroughly dry the leaves, since the chopped parsley will still be filled with water. At the same time, you need to chop the greens even more thoroughly than usual, otherwise you will not be able to compact them into the small cells of the ice mold.
So, you need to put the greens into cells and compact them. After this, the molds are filled with purified or boiled chilled water. Place in the freezer for about four hours. Afterwards, take the finished cubes out of the cells and put them in a bag, label it and put it back in the freezer, this time for permanent storage.
If there is no freezer, what to do?
If you don’t have a freezer, then there’s no need to talk about how to freeze parsley for the winter in the refrigerator. However, there is a way out. There is another way to preserve the vitamins and microelements of greens. To do this, it needs to be dried. By the way, the seasoning will retain its natural aroma. The work consists of the following stages:
- Checking the greens. All spoiled, yellowed and rotten parts of parsley must be removed. Then you should cut off the root.
- Then the greens must be prepared: washed and dried thoroughly.
- Place the parsley on a baking sheet covered with parchment and place in the oven preheated to +60℃. When greens are dried at low temperatures, all their beneficial properties are preserved.
- In order for the green mass to dry evenly, it should be stirred from time to time.
You should resort to drying only if you don’t have a freezer. In general, freezing parsley is easier; to do this, you just need to sort it out, rinse it and give it the desired shape. So, you will save on buying greens and make useful preparations for preparing various dishes. We bring to your attention a video accompanying the topic:
