Freezing cherries for the winter: proven methods.

There are several ways to freeze cherries: pitted, pitted, in sugar syrup, in fruit puree or in juice. First, decide what you will use it for. If you plan to prepare cherries for filling dumplings and pies, then it is better to freeze pitted cherries so that you can immediately use them for cooking. If you plan to make compotes in winter, then pitted cherries are your option. Cherries dipped in syrup or puree are perfect for jelly, dressing cottage cheese, and porridge.

But before freezing, cherries must be prepared.

Preparing cherries for freezing.

Choose ripe, but not overripe cherries for freezing.Pour salted water for 30 minutes (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter) so that all the worms that may be in the berries float to the top. Rinse the cherries under running water, sort through, separating stems and debris. Place on a paper or cotton towel to dry for about 2 hours.

How to properly freeze pitted cherries for the winter.

Place the cherries in an even layer on a tray and place in the freezer for several hours. When the cherries are frozen, pour them into a plastic container or bag and put them in the freezer for permanent storage.

If you immediately put the cherries in a bag, they may stick together into a solid lump, which will be difficult to separate later. Cherries need to be packaged in such a way that the entire portion can be used immediately without re-freezing the product. Cherries with pits can be stored in the freezer for 8-12 months.

How to properly freeze pitted cherries for the winter.

Separate the washed and dried cherries from the pits using any method (pin, hairpin, special device). Place in a colander to drain excess juice. Place in a single layer on a tray and place in the freezer for 3 hours.

Remove from the freezer and place in a bag or container for permanent storage. Can be stored in the freezer for 12-15 months.

In the video, Marmalade Fox will tell you in detail about the intricacies of freezing pitted cherries.

How to freeze cherries in sugar syrup.

For this freezing method, you can use cherries with or without pits. To prepare the syrup, add sugar to boiling water at the rate of 1.5 kg of sugar per 1 liter of water, stir until completely dissolved. Place the cherries in a storage container, pour warm syrup over them until they are covered. Cool, close the lid, and put in the freezer.

How to freeze cherries with fruit puree.

To freeze cherries with fruit puree, you can take any berries of your choice (strawberries, raspberries, currants). For fruit puree, grind the washed and sorted berries using any available method. Add sugar in a ratio of 1 to 3, stir until the sugar dissolves. Place the cherries in a storage container and pour in the puree until it completely covers it.

Cover with a lid and place in the freezer.

How to freeze cherries with juice.

As in the previous methods, we put the cherries in a plastic container, fill them with juice, and put them in the freezer for storage. Orange, apple, pear or pineapple juices go well with cherries. You can freeze cherries in their own juice.

The video shows a method for freezing cherries in their own juice.

Defrosting cherries.

It is better to defrost cherries in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. If cherries are needed urgently, defrost them at room temperature.

Freezing cherries for the winter allows you to preserve most of their beneficial properties and they taste almost like fresh ones. Unlike canning, this method of preparing cherries significantly saves the housewife’s time and effort, which is of great importance.