Cilantro for the winter - recipes for preparing cilantro for the winter, preparations for the winter

Product procurement
Nuances of freezing
Method with package
Using vegetable oil
With butter
Cold storage
Pickling cilantro
In the marinade
Basic rules for storing seeds
Basic recommendations

There are several ways to preserve cilantro for the winter. Each of them is known among housewives who are trying to stock up on useful ingredients in the summer to prepare delicious culinary masterpieces, so you need to decide in advance on the place and storage conditions.

Product procurement

Recommendations begin with the preservation of the beneficial qualities of this product. In order to receive a sufficient amount of useful microelements from these greens in winter, it is enough to dry the products. If the housewife provides the proper conditions (temperature and humidity level), then the pleasant aroma and taste will remain for several years.

It is worth thinking in advance about how to prepare cilantro for the winter, which would be used for preparing culinary dishes.

After purchasing, the greens are thoroughly washed under running water.
Place it on a paper napkin and leave for 20-30 minutes so that the moisture is absorbed into the lining.
The products are crushed to make the aroma more pleasant.

Next, place the chopped greens on a baking sheet, which is placed in the oven. Leave the oven door open to monitor the entire drying process. Moisture from the raw material should evaporate gradually and evenly. Stir occasionally. Once all the moisture has evaporated, leave the chopped cilantro to cool. After this, it is distributed into glass or plastic containers in which it will be stored. Optimal storage conditions for dried cilantro:

temperature range from -1 to 4 °C;
humidity within 40-60%.

If all storage conditions are met, the shelf life is 10-12 months. As temperature and humidity increase, shelf life decreases.

Methods for long-term preservation of cilantro

If it is necessary to preserve spices for a long period, freezing is used. There are several ways to freeze spices, the most common of which are freezing in a bag, freezing in vegetable oil, and freezing in butter.

How to freeze cilantro in a bag

To freeze cilantro, you can use plastic bags or special freezer bags.

Video: Freezing cilantro in a bag

Algorithm of actions:

The plant is moved, unnecessary branches are removed.
Selected greens are washed with running water and the water is shaken off.
The washed coriander is dried on a paper towel.
For convenience, dried branches are cut (but you don’t have to do this) and put into bags.
The seasoning packets go into the freezer.

Important!
Packages of coriander in the freezer should not be pressed down on top of other products, otherwise the seasoning will lose its valuable qualities.

Freezing cilantro in vegetable oil

The algorithm for freezing a plant in oil is as follows:

Using this method will give coriander a special taste and aroma. Coriander preserved in this way can be used in the preparation of first courses, meat or fish dishes, as well as various sauces.

Method with package

An ordinary plastic bag will be an excellent solution in the difficult choice of how to prepare cilantro for the winter. The advantages of this method include simplicity and speed. The process of preparing food for storage in the refrigerator or freezer consists of certain stages.

Rinse the greens under running water and shake off excess moisture.
Remove all dense branches and debris from the bunches.
Place on a cloth to dry quickly.
Place the cilantro in bags, either whole or chopped. The crushed version is much more convenient to use.
Seal the bag and place it in the freezer. Do not put foods that have a lot of weight on your greens. It is impossible for crushed organic raw materials to become crushed during storage.

Pickling greens

Pickling is another way to preserve cilantro for the winter. For every 100 grams of greens you will need 20 g of salt. This is done like this:

The stems are cut off.
The cilantro is washed, dried and chopped.
The greens are placed in a clean jar in parts, compacted and sprinkled with salt.
After filling the container to the top, press the cilantro so that the juice appears.
The jars are covered with lids and loaded into the refrigerator. You need to choose a place closer to the freezer.

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Cilantro will last until spring. It can be added to meat dishes, soups, salads, lobio. The food becomes much tastier.

The farm also uses other methods for preserving cilantro. The main thing is not to be lazy and use them. Then cilantro will be on the menu all year round, enriching the diet and helping the body stay healthy.

Place the greens in a bowl or bowl of water. Let her swim for ten minutes. This will release dirt, debris and insects.
Rinse the cilantro under running water.
Dry the greens on a paper towel.
Chop the cilantro. You should not make it too small, as it will shrink significantly in size after drying.
Prepare a tray, tray or other flat dish.
Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Spread the cilantro in a thin layer.
Place in the oven, set to low heat (40 degrees). After 4 or 5 hours, the greens can be removed.

Using vegetable oil

You can freeze cilantro using vegetable oil. First, cut the product into small pieces 3 cm wide. After this, it is put into a meat grinder or blender. Fill everything with vegetable oil. For every 100 g of cilantro, use 160 g of olive or sunflower oil. Turn on the device. It should work until the greens reach the consistency of a puree and the oil takes on a greenish tint.

Place the mixture into molds designed for freezing ice. Place the molds in the freezer or top shelf of the refrigerator. The surface must be flat so that the cubes are of the correct shape. When the mixture hardens, transfer it to special bags that are used for storing ice. Place a sticker on the surface of the bag indicating the date of manufacture.

Freezing cilantro in the freezer

When frozen, the beneficial properties of coriander are preserved for a shorter time, compared to the dried method of preparing the spice for the winter. The main advantage of freezing is the ability to preserve the original appearance of the greens, while dried cilantro, although it can be stored well and for a long time, its appearance deteriorates. There are several options for freezing coriander:

in freezer bags;
cubes;
shredded;
in vegetable – olive or sunflower oil;
in butter.

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Each of the listed methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. You need to choose a specific option based on your own preferences, as well as how you plan to use the coriander frozen at home in the future.

With butter

There is another option for preparing cilantro for the winter: you can use animal oil. To do this, the housewife must adhere to certain steps in creating the workpiece.

Chop the cilantro.
Pour in a few tbsp. l. products into a bowl and add 100 g of butter.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. If you wish, you can add other spices (hot pepper, garlic or bay leaf).
Until the oil becomes liquid, mix everything and distribute it on parchment. Rolled up and wrapped in foil.
The roll can be stored both in the refrigerator and in the freezer.

Ingredients

Cilantro (coriander) 3 bunches
Olive oil 1/3 cup or 80 ml
Butter 100 g
Garlic 1 clove
Table salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Lime 1/2 tbsp. juice and zest as desired

Prepare your cilantro and make sure it is fresh enough, as if you freeze it too slowly it may wilt. Carefully sort the greens, immediately getting rid of yellowed and wilted branches, so as not to spoil the rest of the greenery. Now it should be washed in cold water. It is best to do this in a bowl rather than under the tap, because this will make it easier to determine the degree of contamination of the greens: if the water after rinsing the cilantro is cloudy, change it and rinse the greens again.

Once you've thoroughly washed the cilantro, shake it over the sink to remove any excess moisture. Try not to shake too hard so that the integrity of the branches is not damaged.

To get rid of the remaining excess moisture, you need to place the cilantro on a wooden board, arm yourself with a paper napkin and press each sprig of greenery.

It is very important that cilantro is frozen without moisture, as its presence will quickly render the greens unusable.

Now you need to boil a small amount of water and put the cilantro in it for ten seconds, then you need to immediately remove it and put it in ice water for ten seconds. This procedure will help maintain the bright green color of cilantro even after freezing.

Decide for yourself in what form you want to freeze your greens. You can immediately tear off the leaves from the stems and freeze just those, or you can freeze the whole cilantro and then tear off the leaves only when you need them.

Place the greens in a deep bowl and add olive oil. Mix all this thoroughly so that the cilantro retains its beneficial properties when frozen and does not wither prematurely.

Now you can carefully place the cilantro into special freezer bags. If you don't have these in stock, you can use regular bags with fixative. Try to ensure that the cilantro is distributed evenly throughout the bag.

Before you close the bag of herbs, you need to remove excess air from it to ensure the cilantro lasts as long as possible. To do this, you need to close the bag almost all the way, leaving a small hole, and then press on the bag, releasing the air. After this, close the zipper of the bag tightly.

Write the date of freezing on the bag with a marker so you know when the product expires.

Now you can put the bag of cilantro in the freezer. Make sure the greens lie flat and are not crushed by meat or other foods. This is the first way to freeze cilantro for the winter at home.

The second method for freezing cilantro is to use vegetable oil. First of all, the greens should be thoroughly washed and cut into small pieces. In this case, it is advisable to get rid of the branches.

Place the finely chopped cilantro into a blender, as it needs to be chopped as finely as possible.

Along with the cilantro, add a little olive or corn oil to the processor to enhance the flavor of the greens. The amount of oil added should be as follows: for one glass of finely chopped greens, you need to take one third of a glass of oil. If you have more cilantro, increase the amount of oil.

Close the blender lid and begin blending the greens for a few seconds until they are as fine as possible.

Chopped cilantro with olive oil should be poured into ice trays, which should be washed clean. Try not to fill the pan too full, as the cilantro oil will expand in volume when frozen.

Now place the pan with butter and herbs in the freezer. Often, cilantro can be frozen within a few hours, but it's best to leave it overnight.

When you see that the cubes have become hard and completely frozen, remove them from the mold and put them in a bag to make them easier to store.

Don't forget to sign the freeze date. Frozen cilantro can be stored in ice cubes for one month less.

Another way to freeze cilantro for the winter will require butter, which should sit at room temperature for a while and soften a little. In order to freeze greens in this way, you need to rinse them thoroughly, get rid of the branches and finely chop the cilantro leaves into a separate container.

For one hundred grams of butter, take about three large spoons of finely chopped cilantro. Place a large piece of butter in a plate, you can cut it into several small pieces so that it can melt faster.

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Add salt to the container with oil and cilantro, and you can also add other ingredients to make frozen cilantro not just a stock of greens, but a delicious snack. Garlic, lime and pepper are great for this.

Mix everything in the container as thoroughly as possible. Try to wait until the butter has melted enough to be stirred in with the chopped cilantro and other ingredients.

Place the resulting mass on the foil so that it can be rolled up. You can form a large candy by folding the edges of the foil.

Place the cilantro and butter wrapped in foil in the refrigerator on the top shelf. You can put it in a bag in case the foil gets damaged or unraveled.

When the butter and cilantro are firm enough, transfer them directly, wrapped in foil, to a plastic container or freezer bag, then place the greens in the freezer.

Be sure to write the freeze date on the bag so you know when the expiration date is.

You can use frozen cilantro at your discretion. Bon appetit!

Now you can put the bag of cilantro in the freezer. Make sure the greens lie flat and are not crushed by meat or other foods. This is the first way to freeze cilantro for the winter at home.

Cold storage

For many years, housewives have been arguing among themselves about whether it is possible to store cilantro in the refrigerator. It has been proven that it is possible if you approach the process of processing greens correctly. Its quality determines how well all the vitamins and taste are preserved.

Why is this necessary?

There are several methods for freezing coriander at home. Depending on your preferences, availability of free time and the desired end result, you can choose the method that will satisfy your requirements.

The fact is that fresh cilantro can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 7 days.

Longer storage destroys the structure of the plant and the vitamins contained in the composition. In this regard, the consumption of cilantro in its original form is unlikely. However, there is a method that will help protect the plant from loss of nutrients, rich taste and aroma - freezing. Today there are several different methods of freezing. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Pickling cilantro

Some housewives prefer to salt cilantro. The shelf life of such products is 6-8 months, the taste is not lost. Rinse and dry the greens. For 1 kg of useful raw materials, add 200 g of table salt. All ingredients are mixed and distributed into glass jars.

A small weight is placed on top of the mixture that is already in the jar. The plant should be completely compressed. Place the containers in the refrigerator and leave for a day. After 24 hours, you can add a little more cilantro to the jar. The process continues until the jar is full. After this, it is sterilized at a temperature of 80 ° C and sealed with lids. Containers with pickles should be stored in the basement so that the ambient temperature does not exceed 5 °C.

In the marinade

There is another method, which is to store it in a marinade.

Preparing the marinade. To do this, mix 1 liter of warm water, 5 tbsp. l. acetic acid and 3 tbsp. l. table salt.
Preparation of raw materials. The cilantro is washed and cut into small pieces.
Place the chopped greens in a glass jar and pour in the prepared marinade.
Cover with a nylon lid and leave in the refrigerator for storage.

Some herbs should not be pre-washed

If we are talking about onions, spinach, lettuce, celery, then it is not recommended to wash them before putting them in the refrigerator. Such herbs are sorted out, shaken off dirt, hung dry for 30-40 minutes and wrapped in a plastic bag or cling film.

Green onions

Several small holes are made for ventilation. Some green foods will keep under these conditions for several months in the refrigerator. But periodic overhaul and removal of spoiled specimens is required.

Basic rules for storing seeds

Many housewives are trying to stock up on healthy products for the winter so as not to experience a deficiency of vitamins during the cold season. Seeds have the largest amount of vitamins and minerals, so there are several basic rules for storing these products. The seeds are collected after they are fully ripe. This period occurs at the end of summer. If this process is delayed, the seeds will acquire an unpleasant aroma after drying.

Seed collection is carried out in dry weather, when the sun is shining brightly outside. They collect products along with umbrellas. It is dried in a dark place where ventilation is good. If it is not provided, ventilate the room every day for several hours. To separate the seeds from the umbrellas, they are thoroughly rubbed between the palms. The seeds are poured into a bag made of natural fabric or a glass jar. Products should be stored in a cool, dark place. Terms - no more than 3-5 years.

How to preserve cilantro for the winter

In order to preserve fresh cilantro, it needs to be dried. To do this, you need to thoroughly rinse the cilantro in running water to remove any remaining sand or soil. The cilantro should dry out a little, after which it needs to be cut, but not too finely. A sheet of paper is spread on a pallet and cilantro is laid out on it in a thin layer. You can dry it in a dry, ventilated place, but an oven heated to 40 C is also suitable. When the grass dries, it needs to be poured into a dry canvas bag or glass jar.

Dried cilantro can be stored for up to a year.

Freezing keeps cilantro green. To do this, it is washed and dried. You can freeze it along with the branches, or you can cut off the stems. After that, the grass is placed in sealed trays or plastic bags and placed in the freezer.

At a temperature of -18C, cilantro can be stored for about a year. If desired, it can be divided into portions so that only the required amount is removed.

According to the second freezing method, cilantro is prepared in the same way, but cut much smaller. Then it is placed in ice trays and filled with water or olive oil. After freezing, you can leave the greens in trays, or you can beat out cubes of frozen cilantro and put them in bags. The shelf life in this case is at least a year, so it should be enough until the next harvest.