How to freeze vegetables for stews for the winter at home: composition of mixtures and freezing methods

Ingredients for frozen stew

The stew mixture can consist of various vegetables. The main components may be:

• zucchini;
• eggplant;
• sweet or bell pepper;
• tomato;
• carrot;
• green beans;
• cauliflower;
• green pea;
• corn;
• greenery.

Here you can act independently, changing the quantity and composition of vegetables. Now let's talk about preparing each vegetable separately.

Zucchini

Young zucchini, without formed grains, do not need to be peeled before freezing. Large specimens are peeled, the insides with seeds are removed, and then chopped.

For the stew, you can use raw zucchini or blanched for 3 minutes in boiling water.If you follow all the rules, then the second option is preferable.

See the video from the channel “Delicious with us” - How to blanch vegetables

Eggplant

You should not peel the eggplants, but it will be necessary to get rid of the bitterness. To do this, eggplants cut into rings or plates are generously sprinkled with salt and left in this form for 30 minutes so that the bitter juice comes out. Then the eggplants are washed in water and cut into cubes.

Just like zucchini, eggplants can be frozen, either raw or blanched. Blanch the eggplants for about 4 minutes and then cool quickly.

Sweet bell pepper

The peppers for this preparation are simply washed and cut into strips or slices, depending on your preference. The color of the pepper in the stew does not matter.

Tomato

Tomato for vegetable stew is cut into large slices. It is better if the skin is removed from the tomato first. To do this, make a cross-shaped cut at the base of the stalk and dip the tomato in boiling water for a few seconds. After this manipulation, the skin can be easily removed.

Carrot

The carrots are thoroughly washed, the thin skin is peeled, and then cut into wheels, cubes or strips.

To ensure that carrots retain their color and shape, it is best to blanch them for 5 minutes in boiling water. Although it is possible to use raw carrots for freezing stews.

Green beans

The stalk of the green bean is cut off, and the pod itself is cut into pieces 3–4 centimeters long. Then the beans must be boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is separated into inflorescences. Then you need to soak the vegetable in salt water for 30 minutes so that all the small insects that have taken a liking to the curly head come out.Before freezing, cauliflower should be blanched for 3 minutes in boiling water.

Green pea

Green peas can be used both in pod form and in the form of grains. But both options should first be kept in boiling water for 4 minutes.

Corn

Corn can be blanched directly on the cob, or by first separating the kernels. The procedure of immersing a vegetable in boiling water takes 4 minutes. After this, the corn should be cooled in ice water.

Greenery

You can use any greens to freeze the stew. It could be onions, parsley, dill, basil or other herbs. The greens should be chopped with a knife and added to the preparation.

Vegetable stew for the winter: freezing methods

The first, and most inexpensive way, is to freeze vegetables in a bag or container without pre-freezing.

To do this, put the chopped vegetables into a large container and mix thoroughly.

Attention! Under no circumstances should you salt vegetables! Otherwise, the vegetables will give juice, which is not advisable for freezing.

The vegetable mixture is laid out in portions, at a time, into the prepared container. They are sealed and placed in the freezer for storage.

See video from Lubov Kriuk - Freezing vegetables. Preparing vegetables for stews for the winter.

The second method involves freezing the vegetables separately on cutting boards and then tossing them together.

This method takes more time, but the result is obvious. Freezing turns out crumbly, like in the store, and preparing such a product is easier, since it does not stick together into a single lump.

In order to save time and effort, vegetables can be frozen separately from each other as they ripen.And when a sufficient number of various preparations are frozen, it will be possible to start forming vegetable mixtures.

See video - Preparations for the winter. Freezing vegetables for stews and soups