How to freeze onions. How to preserve the onion harvest: ways to prepare for the winter

Freezing green onions is considered one of the most common methods of winter preparation. The increased interest in this method is explained by the preservation of the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements in the vegetable, as well as the accessibility of the procedure. The simplest solution is to freeze the onions in the freezer.

Peculiarities

Although any type of onion can be frozen, it is best to freeze green onions. This is due to the fact that, in addition to preserving useful properties, onions almost completely retain their shape, structure and color. This property is most valuable when decorating dishes in winter, when purchasing fresh herbs is impossible. Another important quality of frozen green onions is its ability to preserve phytoncides - substances that help fight colds, have a moderate antiviral effect and improve appetite.

In addition to phytoncides, green onions contain a large amount of chlorophyll, which has a huge impact on the process of hematopoiesis in the human body. Of the vitamins present in onions, B vitamins occupy a special place. They are responsible for brain activity and have a positive effect on the central nervous system. Thus, vitamin B1 controls the level of acidity in the body and helps optimize cholesterol levels, and B5 is involved in the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, as well as in lipid metabolism.

Group A vitamins are active participants in redox reactions, stimulate cell growth and help improve metabolism. Vitamin C is actively involved in many processes in the body, and vitamin E has a positive effect on reproductive function, improves hair growth and is considered a powerful antioxidant.

Freezing methods

Before freezing green onions, you should free up enough space in the freezer and start selecting the feathers. You should choose only elastic and bright green specimens; yellow and withered leaves must be removed. Dried ends, if any, must be cut off, after which the onion should be washed in several waters and the roots should be cut off. Then it is recommended to lay the feathers on a towel and, in order not to wrinkle them, gently blot them with a napkin. After the greens have dried, you can start cutting them.

There are several methods for this, and which one to use is decided individually, taking into account the planned shelf life, the required amount of greens and the purpose of the preparations for certain dishes.

The simplest way is classic freezing, a process in which the onions are laid out on wooden cutting boards or trays and placed in the freezer. To prevent the greens from sticking to the board, it is recommended to cover its surface with cling film. This will make it easier to collect frozen onions and prevent the rings from sticking together. Trays or boards with herbs are placed in the freezer and left for 3-4 hours, after which the onions are poured into plastic containers and stored. In the absence of containers, the use of thick plastic bags is allowed.
You can freeze onions in plastic or silicone containers. To do this, fill the molds or glasses to the top with herbs, add cold boiled water to them also to the very top and put them in the freezer. When the liquid with onions freezes to a solid state, you need to remove it from the molds and put it in thick plastic bags and indicate the freezing date on them.

The most interesting is the method of preparing green onions combined with butter. To do this, take unsalted high-fat butter and leave it at room temperature for one hour. When the butter softens, you need to mix it with chopped onion rings and place in molds. Instead of molds, you can use cling film, wrap the mixture in it like a “sausage” and put it in the freezer compartment. After freezing, the onions and butter should be removed from the molds and poured into a bag.

For ease of use, some housewives recommend freezing in layers. To do this, the mixture is placed in a plastic bag and rolled out in it until a thin layer is formed. After freezing, the greens can be easily broken off from a single piece and added to dishes.

You can freeze greens in a plastic bottle. This method is quite simple. The only condition is to thoroughly dry the onions before placing them in containers. Otherwise, during the freezing process, the mass will stick together, and getting it out of the bottle will be problematic.

This method will require cooking the onions before freezing. Selected feathers should be cut into small pieces, placed in a colander and placed in boiling water for 1 minute. Then you need to quickly cool the onion in cold water, let the liquid drain, compact the mixture tightly into plastic containers and put it in the freezer. After freezing, the ice cubes should be removed from the molds and placed in bags. Instead of blanching, you can use frying. To do this, fry the onion in oil for 5 minutes and then freeze it.
The fastest freezing method is the following: finely chopped onion feathers should be placed in a bag with a special lock and distributed evenly inside. Then you need to take a cocktail straw, insert it into the bag and close it. Next, you need to run the edge of your palm over the surface of the bag, thereby releasing the air accumulated in it, then quickly remove the tube and close the valve completely.

Storage and use

The shelf life of frozen green onions varies from 2 to 6 months and depends on the harvesting method and freezing temperature. Thus, a mixture frozen at -18 degrees retains its beneficial properties for up to six months and can be stored all winter. If frozen at -8 degrees, onions can be stored for no more than three months. After this period, the product partially loses its nutritional value and aroma. Despite the possibility of long-term storage, it is recommended to use the product within one to two months. It is at this time that the beneficial properties of onions will be maximum.

When freezing and further storing green onions, you should remember that during the first two to three weeks after placing the greens in the freezer, a strong odor will emanate from it, which can be absorbed into other products and spoil their taste. Therefore, it would be correct to place onion packages away from other products or above them. You can use frozen green onions as a seasoning when preparing hot dishes.

Freezing is not suitable for salads, the only exception being vinaigrette or sauerkraut. But as a filling for pies, as well as in omelettes, soups and main courses, frozen onions will be simply irreplaceable. Frozen onions with butter are ideal for sandwiches. Water cubes are good for soups, chicken, meat and fish.

You need to know that onions frozen with whole feathers are much more fragrant than chopped greens, but you should keep in mind that immediately after defrosting, a whole feather loses its original appearance and instantly becomes limp.

According to experienced housewives, the best way to preserve whole onions is to use the “shock freezing” function. This method avoids the appearance of large ice crystals and helps preserve nutrients for a long time.

When defrosting the product, under no circumstances should the greens be placed in the microwave or under hot water. Neglecting this rule will lead to loss of color, aroma and nutritional properties of green onions. It is recommended to add frozen greens to the first and second courses, breaking off or chipping off the required amount from a large piece. To prepare vinaigrettes and cold dishes, it is recommended to defrost the mixture first.

Freezing green onions in the freezer is the simplest and most affordable option and allows you to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of fresh greens in the winter.

You will learn more about whether onions can be frozen in the following video.

We strongly recommend that you freeze onions for the winter– during the cold season, you can always saturate your body with vitamins and strengthen your immune system. There are several options for such a blank. Which one is better is difficult to answer. You just need to try!

Is it possible to freeze onions for the winter? in a regular refrigerator? Yes, if the freezer in it is capable of maintaining an air temperature of 18-20 degrees. If these conditions cannot be met, it is better to purchase a special freezer. The specified temperature will allow you to preserve the fruit for 6 months. At a temperature of 0-8 degrees, the bulbs retain their quality for only three months.

Are onions frozen for the winter in containers or is it enough to use a plastic bag? You can use both. The only condition is that freezing should be done in small portions, since the bulbs should not be re-frozen.

Onions, frozen for the winter

1. The first few days the bulbs will emit a very strong odor, which can permeate the rest of the food. That is why it is better to place bags or containers with onions away from other products. Or, as a last resort, lay them on top.

2. You can freeze the onions whole, chopped or in oil filling. It depends on what purposes you will use it for in the future. For example, it is convenient to use chopped onions for making soups.

How to freeze green onions for the winter

Prepare the onion in advance: separate the feathers from the roots, tear off the withered and yellowed parts. Rinse the greens thoroughly under running water and dry thoroughly. This is necessary to prevent an ice lump from forming during freezing. You can dry the prepared parts on a napkin, newspaper or waffle towel. After drying, chop the onion with a knife. Remove the air from the bags, place the prepared product here and place in the freezer.

Freezing option with butter

If you plan to fry the greens right away, then you need to use animal fat for frying. Vegetable oil does not freeze. Mix a small amount of butter with chopped onion and mix gently. Place the mixture on the edge of food foil or film and roll into a sausage. Secure the edges of the sausage. Place the resulting package in the freezer. If necessary, cut off a small portion.

Another suitable option is freezing the greens in ice cube trays. Grind the onion feathers in a blender bowl to obtain a paste consistency. Pour the mixture into molds and place in the freezer. Using the resulting preparation is very easy: just take out the cubes and throw them into a dish.

There is constant debate among housewives about Is it possible to freeze onions for the winter?. This is due to the fact that it has a sharp and pronounced odor. In addition, after freezing, housewives are simply afraid of getting “glasses.” The fruits become tasteless, soft and watery. Yes, this is the case, but only if you neglect the simple rules of freezing.

Onions are frozen in several stages. Choose only fresh onions for preparations, without surface stains or putrefactive odor. Free the fruits from the outer husks and chop them into slices. Divide the resulting slices into separate portions. Leave some space in each bag. Squeeze out excess air and fasten or tie them. Shake the bag slightly so that the contents are evenly distributed. Place portions in the freezer.

Leek

Peel the onion, tear off wilted and yellowed leaves. Wash under running water and then dry on a linen cloth or towel. Chop the leek into small pieces, distribute into plastic bags, and divide into separate portions. After removing excess air, you can place the bags in the freezer.

Chives

The fruits have a distinct odor that is reminiscent of garlic. As a rule, onions are used to prepare seasonings that can add variety to the taste of any dish. Cut off the onion feathers, wash under cold water, cut off the roots with wilted leaves. Distribute the cuts on a sheet of paper. After complete drying, place in plastic bags, release all the air, tie and place in the freezer.

You can freeze onions according to different recipes

In fact, there are not many recipes for preparing green onions for the winter. At best there will be four. By this I mean relatively adequate recipes, which include my freezing of onions. But be that as it may, I only use one of them - dry freezing onions. I won’t say that the other recipes for preparing onions are somehow bad, they’re just not so universal and are suitable only for gourmets. The other three recipes for preparing onions include freezing onions in ice, freezing in butter, and simply drying onions.

You can freeze onions for the winter in ice cubes

I find freezing green onions in ice to be a lazy and unproductive recipe. Firstly, when green onions are frozen in ice cubes, it is unlikely to be a good idea other than using them in soups and borscht. We want to prepare green onions for the winter so that they can be added to various salads. After such a cube melts, instead of green onions there will be an unpleasant-looking mass, excuse the expression - “snot”. Secondly, storage problems. All cubes need to be stored five pieces in each separate bag, which are used immediately. If you store a lot of frozen onion cubes in one bag, then each time you take the bag out of the freezer, the cubes will thaw and eventually stick together. Then only a hammer will help. 🙂

You can freeze onions in butter for the winter

The recipe for freezing green onions in butter is more suitable for gourmets. I can’t even imagine where such a culinary “miracle” could be used. To prepare green onions for the winter in this way, you need to be 100% sure of the freshness of the oil itself. I also consider it doubtful whether such a mixture can be stored in the freezer for a long time. The question is, where are the guarantees that during a long blackout, and this happens in our country, the butter will not spoil? So I don’t know. If you use this recipe to freeze onions for the winter, there is a risk of completely ruining the pan of the same soup. And a spoon, as they say, is the way to dinner.

Drying green onions for the winter

In principle, the recipe that includes preparing onions for the winter by drying has its place. Well, I have nothing against this method. Well, or almost nothing. Green onions are cut and dried, stored in any container, even large ones. It does not spoil if you do not wet it, and it is a pleasure to use it as a seasoning for liquid dishes. But I can only note two minor drawbacks - color and smell. If you dry green onions for the winter, they become much lighter and the color does not look as natural. As for the smell, there is a nuance. When onions are dried, the true flavor of green onions is lost. Unfortunately, I cannot describe the smell and explain it in words. But he's not very nice.

So, I gradually got to the essence of this note and now I’ll tell you the recipe for the best way to prepare green onions for the winter.

How to freeze onions for the winter

If you are interested in the question of how to freeze green onions for the winter without losing quality, the answer is yes. If you use the dry freezing method, the onion practically does not lose its quality. The aroma, color and geometry remain almost unchanged. Thanks to this, you can safely freeze onions and use them in all dishes, including salads.

Photo: How to freeze onions
First you need the green onions themselves. It must be fresh. its freshness is easily determined by its elasticity. If you hold a bunch of green onions horizontally, they should not droop. You are luckier if, like me, you grow onions yourself in a greenhouse, or in a garden, or even in a garden. Try to choose whole onions so that there are no dry or wilted ends.

Preparing and freezing green onions for the winter

All onions must be thoroughly washed. Green onions are used along with turgor. Turgor, in professional slang, is the white part of the “leg” of green onions. Let me draw your attention to the fact that I have come across a lot of advice when they call for turgor to cut off and freeze only green onions. Allegedly, the white part of the onion is porous and absorbs a lot of water when washed, then the onion does not freeze well. All this is complete nonsense, and only people who are far from this advise doing this. I responsibly recommend freezing green onions for the winter in the form in which you are accustomed to seeing and eating them.
After the onions are washed, they need to be shaken thoroughly and spread on a mat. You can use napkins, towels or kitchen paper towels as bedding. Leave to dry for half an hour. During this time, after 15 minutes, change the bedding material and turn the onion over. After half an hour it will be 90% dry and the onions can be frozen.

Photo: Freezing green onions for the winter
Next, take green onions and cut them into rings. The size of the rings does not matter, so cut them however you like. To chop green onions, I highly recommend using a pre-sharpened knife. Otherwise, the onion will tear more, losing its beautiful appearance. All chopped is poured into disposable transparent bags. The best solution would be to use new, leak-free bags. Then there will be no smell from the green onions in the refrigerator during storage for a long time. Pour no more than 10 grams into each bag. Luke.

Photo: Green onions for the winter
Next, take the bag of onions and shake it so that the green onions are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bag. After which the package is first wrapped one turn. Press lightly to release air from the bag, but do not press completely. Then it wraps completely. And so with each package. After all the “flat sausages” have been rolled up, they are carefully folded into one whole bag and put into the freezer where the onions are frozen.

Photo: Harvesting green onions for the winter
In a day, all harvested green onions will be frozen and can be stored this way for more than a year. Thanks to this freezing recipe, green onions will be crumbly when frozen. And when thawed it will look very natural and edible.
That's the whole trick: how to freeze onions for the winter by freezing them in the freezer. As you can see, nothing is simpler. I hope the answer to the question of whether it is possible to freeze onions in the freezer has been received.
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Many housewives freeze dill, parsley, cilantro, etc., but for some reason they don’t freeze green onions. It is believed that onions are difficult to freeze. This is not true, I have been preparing green onions this way for many years. And in my freezer I always have a bowl of chopped onions and another bowl of frozen onions with butter.

First, let's choose an onion. According to my observations, all varieties can be frozen (batun, slime, and chives). We take several fresh bunches of green onions, wash them thoroughly and sort them out. Our task is to cut off all the wilted tips, ugly arrows, and the white part of the green feathers.

Once the onions are done, I dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Since the onion itself is watery, and we are also going to use butter (which also contains liquid), it is better to get rid of the excess water right away. Then we will avoid unnecessary icing of the freezer.

All that remains is to chop the green onions the way you like.

Before freezing, butter should be removed from the refrigerator and left for a couple of hours at room temperature. It should become soft. But even if you're in a hurry, don't heat the oil over a fire or in a microwave. We don't want the butter to separate or completely melted. It is enough for the oil to be soft and pliable.

By the way, you can do the same not only with butter, but also with olive oil; it tolerates freezing well.

Now you need to thoroughly mix the butter with the chopped green onions. Just mix with a spoon, without whisking or trying to achieve a particularly even distribution of the onion in the oil.

Actually, the mass is ready for freezing. All that remains is to choose a method. I'll share several options.

First way. From the resulting green butter you need to form a “sausage” or “loaf”, wrap it in parchment paper or foil and put it in the freezer. As a result, you will receive your own pack of special butter. Of course, you only need to store it in the freezer. And, as needed, chop off the required amount for the dish.

This method has its advantages: firstly, the freezing process takes place very quickly (formed and put in the freezer); secondly, such a package takes up little space in the freezer and is convenient to store. But there is also a minus: when you urgently need to separate a piece, you have to chop frozen butter, and this, to put it mildly, is not very convenient and it is difficult to guess the size of the broken piece.

Second way. It is very convenient to use ice trays for portion freezing. You need to divide the butter and onions into cells, put them in the freezer, and after freezing, take out the resulting cubes and pour them into a food container or storage bag. This is a great way to easily take the amount you need to freeze. There is only one small drawback: after this method it is very difficult to wash the molds of oil and onion aroma.

Third way- my favorite way. It is very convenient to use candy boxes for freezing. Or rather, the trays themselves in which the candies are laid out. All my friends know that I need these molds, so they save them and bring them to me in unlimited quantities. First of all, it’s convenient that the molds come in different sizes: small cells, like in ice trays; and big ones, like in my photo. This simplifies the process of choosing the right amount of ready-made frozen food for preparing a dish.

In addition, these molds do not need to be washed at all, but can only be used once: frozen and thrown away.

So, put the prepared butter with green onions into the cells of the mold. Lightly level with a spoon and place in the freezer. After just a few hours, you can safely take out the molds, remove the resulting cubes/circles and transfer them to a container for storage. With such portioned freezing, they will never stick to each other. Close the container tightly and place it in the freezer. It's that simple.

The question arises: why do we need such oil with green onions? Ooooh, I know a hundred ways to use it.

The simplest one is suitable for working women, when they need to quickly and satisfyingly feed their family dinner. You simply boil the potatoes, take out a couple of frozen pieces, and throw them on top of the potatoes. Voila! Hot, aromatic potatoes with butter and sprinkled with green onions are ready.

This kind of freezing is very good for making soups or sauces.

And the baked fish, into the belly of which such butter and onion cubes were sent, turns out great.

In general, there are no limits to imagination! Cook deliciously, simply and quickly!

After all, everyone will want to add a piece of summer to the soup in winter and feel its aroma.

In addition, during freezing, vegetables and fruits retain 90% of vitamins and microelements.

Procurement process

Everything is very simple and fast.

Ingredients:

Green onion feathers - any quantity.

Pick it from the garden or buy it at the market.

It needs to be sorted out and the yellowed parts of the feathers removed. Wash. Remove from the water. Place in a colander; when most of the water has drained, place on a towel and let the onions dry completely.

I put it on the windowsill, on the sunny side. It dries out for me in a short time.

Chop very finely.

Place everything in a regular clean plastic bag and tie it. Place in the freezer for further storage. You can, of course, also use freezer bags. If you have one, you can put it in them. I didn’t have them at that time. And there was no time to run to the store.

other methods

Can be frozen in trays. Place in a tray. Cover with a lid and place in the freezer.

If you want it not to stick together, and each onion ring to be separate. Distribute evenly over a surface, such as a plate, lid, cutting board, and place in the freezer as is. When the green onions are frozen. Just put it in a bag.

Can be made in batches in ice cube trays or silicone muffin tins.

Place the green onions as tightly as possible into the mold.

Pour boiled (cold) water and put it in the freezer. When it freezes, put it in a bag and tie it.

How long do frozen green onions last?

This workpiece is stored at a temperature of minus 18 degrees. Its shelf life is from 2 to 6 months. At this time, the most vitamins are retained, and that wonderful spring aroma remains.

You can store it without any problems until the next harvest; this will not affect the taste. It is not recommended to store for several years. If you have a little of this preparation left, it is better to throw it away and prepare a fresh one.

If possible, use blast freezing.
The greens for harvesting must be completely dry.
Use only young feathers, they are tastier, juicier and contain more vitamins.
Place in bags in small portions.
To prevent the contents of the freezer (for example, berries) from absorbing the smell of onions, place the onions in several plastic bags. Wrap it in foil, it doesn't let in odors.

How to defrost green onions

For hot dishes, there is no need to defrost. Throw the frozen piece directly into a pot of hot soup or potatoes.
If such a need arises, take out the required amount of the workpiece and put it in a tray with a lid and put it in the refrigerator. In a few hours it will open up on its own.
No need to defrost in water.
I categorically do not recommend using it in the microwave, because all the vitamins will be lost, for the sake of which we made this preparation in the first place.

What can you cook with frozen green onions?

All those dishes that you are used to cooking with fresh onions: soup, potatoes, borscht, fillings for pancakes and pies, omelet, casserole.

The only thing is that it is not suitable for salads.

Now you know how to freeze green onions for the winter in the freezer, how to store them and what to cook, don’t miss the opportunity to stock up on vitamins for future use.