Canned green peas can be purchased year-round in any store. Most of its useful properties in this cooking method are lost. But every housewife would like to get the maximum benefit from this product. In the article we will tell whether it is possible to freeze green peas fresh for the winter on their own.

Which peas are best for freezing

Harvesting green peas for the winter by freezing involves the use of only high-quality product.

Signs by which fruits are taken for freezing:

• without various defects, diseases, wormholes;
• the shells are green, not overripe (overripe horns have low quality fruits, yellowish, without taste, with dried skin);
• fleshy peas.

Green grains are frozen in the following ways:

• peeled;
• in the pods.

In the first case, smooth and brain varieties are used, since their taste is more delicate and sweet. In the second - varieties of snow and sugar. Snow is distinguished by thick pods, and sugar has flat wings and unripe peas.

Did you know? Peas must be included in the diet of cancer patients, as well as for preventive purposes: it contains a large amount of selenium, which prevents the penetration of radioactive substances into the body.

How to freeze peas in the refrigerator

Next, we talk about two types of freezing green fruits in a peeled state:

• simple freezing of raw grains;
• with blanching.

Simple freeze

The easiest way to procure the described product is to freeze it in a fresh state.

The following products and utensils are taken:

• 1 kg of peeled green peas;
• plastic bags with locks (one bag - 1 serving);
• plastic containers for storing fruits in the refrigerator.

Did you know? A saying has long existed in Russia: “It happened under Tsar Gorokh”, which implies a hero of a Russian fairy tale who defeated a fierce serpent with the help of pea grains.

Step by step recipe:

1. Collect pea horns and sort out (about 2 kg of peas are extracted from 2 kg of horns).
2. Extract grains from the pods, taking only whole fruits of bright green color.
3. Put the peas in portioned packets and close the locks, after releasing excess air.
4. Fold frozen fruit bags into a plastic container.
5. Send the product frozen in the freezer section of the refrigerator.

Some housewives claim that this method of freezing contributes to bitterness in the fruits. To avoid this, the grains can be heat treated by blanching them.

With blanching

The second method of harvesting peas for the winter period involves its short-term blanching.

We will need:

• 1 kg of green peas;
• 500 ml of boiling water;
• saucepan;
• colander;
• capacity with chilled water;
• canvas;
• portioned bags with locks.

Step-by-step cooking instructions:

1. Peel and sort out the fruits.
2. Boil water in a saucepan and pour in peeled peas, holding the fruits in it for 1 minute.
3. Throw the blanched grains into a colander and immerse them in a container with cold water to stop the cooking process (you can maintain a low water temperature by putting food ice cubes in it).
4. Put the chilled fruits on a cloth and let them dry.
5. Distribute the grains into portioned packets and send for freezing.

Important! You can pre-freeze the grains for a short time by spreading them on a tray. Then, frozen peas are laid out in sachets: such freezing will allow the fruits to remain crumbly, preserve their natural taste and color.

Shelf life

Frozen fruits can be stored for a long time. The recommended shelf life is no more than 8–9 months at a temperature of -18 ° С. In this case, it is very important to make a mark on the sachets with fruits about the date of their freezing.

What can I cook from it

Green peas harvested by the described methods are used to prepare different dishes.

Among them:

• salads;
• stew;
• soup;
• filler;
• pea puree;
• as part of the filling for pies;
• as an independent dish.

Given the simplicity of harvesting green peas for the winter, doing this will not be difficult for the hostess, which will diversify the menu of households and replenish their daily diet with summer vitamins even in winter cold.