Best recommendations on how to prepare parsley for the winter and preserve the flavor

With the onset of cold weather, there are fewer fresh vegetables and fruits in the daily diet. And if experienced housewives stock up on canned food for future use, then not everyone is engaged in the preparation of spices. But don't underestimate their importance. After all, greens saturate the dishes not only with a specific aroma, but also with additional vitamins. To preserve parsley and other herbs (for example, dill) for the winter, you need to know some of the nuances. How to properly prepare parsley for the winter at home in order to preserve the aroma will be described in detail in this article.

Features of storing parsley in winter

To parsley in winter it remained suitable for consumption for a long time, it is necessary to carefully prepare it and choose a storage method. If the conditions are not suitable, the product will lose its nutritional value and deteriorate.

Save healthy aromatic spice it is possible by collecting its ground part in June. And the roots are harvested at the very end of summer.

Store semi-finished parsley products in dried, frozen, salted and canned.

Training

Prepare parsley for winter storage like this:

• separate the greens from the roots, as they need to be kept separately;
• remove dry and rotten parts of the plant;
• wash under cold running water;
• dried at room temperature.

After that, you can proceed to the selection of the procurement variant.

Ways to harvest fresh parsley for the winter

There are many recipes that can satisfy the preferences of any housewife. Moreover, it is not difficult to create conditions for storing parsley.

Drying

This method of harvesting results in a product that surpasses all others in terms of shelf life. After drying, parsley can be consumed throughout the year.

On open air

The method of drying spices outdoors is long-lasting but effective. Greens are dried with whole branches or chopped.

How to dry:

1. Rinse the herbs and leave on a towel to drain excess liquid.
2. Chop finely if desired.
3. Spread out in a thin layer (up to 1 cm) on sheets of paper without paint.
4. Place in a well-ventilated area, such as a glazed loggia.
5. Choose a shaded corner to avoid yellowing of the product.
6. Greens need to be turned over and shaken from time to time to avoid rotting and debate, to speed up the process.
7. Based on the conditions, the plant can dry from 5 to 20 days.
8. Upon completion of the drying process, the finished product is poured into a prepared container and stored at room temperature.

Parsley roots can also be dried outdoors. They are cut at random and covered with insect repellent gauze.

Important! Do not dry the plant on newspapers because it absorbs printing ink. Iron baking trays are also not suitable for drying, as parsley can oxidize and turn black on them.

In the oven

This is one of the fastest ways to harvest herbs and roots for the winter. It is important to monitor the temperature, the optimal range is from 40 to 60 ° C. Otherwise, the plant will burn, useful substances will disappear.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Greens are laid out with twigs or chopped and distributed in a thin layer on a baking sheet, the roots are cut into cubes or plates.
2. Dry with the door open for 5 to 6 hours.

Freezing

With this method, not only the aroma is preserved, but also the maximum amount of vitamins that make up the plant. Both whole branches and the chopped mass are frozen.

For this storage method, use:

• Plastic container;
• cling film;
• Vacuum package.

Greens are put in sealed containers in portions for convenience of further use. Vacuum bags must be tightly sealed to avoid product damage. And greens can be stored in cling film or foil by rolling them into a roll.

Reference. When stored in freezer it is recommended to sign containers with herbs in order to avoid confusion with other spices.

An excellent option for freezing parsley is in ice cube trays. The resulting braces are very convenient for further use.

This is done as follows:

• chopped greens with a knife or blender;
• ice molds are filled with the resulting mass by two-thirds;
• the remaining volume is poured with water and placed in a freezer until completely solidified;
• the resulting cubes are transferred to a bag and stored in the freezer.

In the marinade

Pickled parsley has the shortest shelf life - no more than six months.

To prepare it requires:

• 2 kg of parsley;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• 2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 20 ml vinegar;
• 1 liter of water.

Cooking process:

1. The greens are sorted out, washed.
2. Packed tightly into jars.
3. Salt, sugar and vinegar are diluted in water, brought to a boil.
4. Marinade is poured into jars of parsley and sterilized in a saucepan with hot water up to the hangers for 30 minutes (it is better to lay a napkin on the bottom).

It is recommended to store such a parsley preparation in a basement or refrigerator.

In vegetable oil

Washed and chopped spices are placed in sterilized jars and completely filled with oil. The container is shaken several times so that all air bubbles come out. In this form, the aromatic herb is stored in a cold place for 3 to 6 months.

Salting

This type of preparation significantly extends the shelf life - up to 8-9 months.

Preparation:

• greens are washed, dried, crushed;
• in a deep container, sprinkle with salt in a ratio of 1: 5;
• knead, grind and put in prepared jars;
• tamp the greens more tightly and close them with plastic lids.

You should not take large cans, the ideal volume is 0.5 liters.

How long can you keep without freezing

Under the influence of light, cut parsley begins to lose vitamin C after a few hours. Therefore, it is recommended to store it in a well-closed bag or container in the refrigerator.

But even in such conditions, it begins to lose its presentation literally in 1-2 days. Further, the greens wither and deteriorate. In total, the aromatic spice can be stored for a maximum of a month without freezing.

How to store at home

The storage of winter parsley preparations directly depends on the method of their preparation.

At room temperature

Workpieces intended for storage at room temperature are generally recommended to be kept in kitchen cabinets... The container must be hermetically closed, preventing the erosion of the aroma.

Incorrect storage threatens the appearance of mold and food pests. It is best to choose glass or plastic jars. The second must be marked "for food". Cloth and cardboard bags are also suitable for these purposes, but they are more difficult to comply with the conditions of detention.

In a refrigerator

Pickled, pickled, frozen and dipped in vegetable oil, parsley keeps excellently in the refrigerator. This can significantly extend the shelf life of the product.

But it is not recommended to use products of the same harvest for more than one year. For parsley in oil, the temperature regime must not exceed + 7 ° C.

How to tell if parsley has gone bad

All blanks must be reviewed periodically throughout the shelf life.Dried parsley is considered spoiled if it begins to turn black or mold has appeared in it. Removing only part of the product will not help, because malicious spores are spreading throughout the mass.

Pickled spice has deteriorated if the color of the brine has changed. If it turns white, the product should be thrown away. The same thing happens with the workpiece in oil. Spoiled, salted and frozen parsley begins to turn black.

Conclusion

Preparing parsley for the winter does not require a lot of time and money. If the technology is followed, the plant does not lose its beneficial properties and taste for up to a year. And the suitability of a product can be determined simply by a change in its color.