The simplest preparations: how to freeze green peas at home for the winter and what to cook from them later

Many people are accustomed to the fact that tasty and juicy foods can only be consumed seasonally. But don't forget about freezing. Green peas, like many other products, are ideal for freezing for the winter. The process will not take more than half an hour, and you can enjoy the taste until the onset of the new season.

At the same time, peas are absolutely unpretentious in relation to their neighbors in the freezer. Today you will learn how to freeze green peas for the winter at home and enjoy delicious dishes.

Which peas to choose for freezing

The success of freezing and the taste of the product depend on the correct selection of peas. First, make sure that the pod is elastic and dense. If it feels too soft, slightly open or rough, it won’t work. It is better to eat it immediately.

Secondly, look at the color. Rich green is ideal. With a white tint, yellow, golden, brownish are not suitable for winter preparations.

Third, try lightly pressing the peas to determine their texture. It's difficult, but possible. It's best if they are meaty. Unripe peas are too soft, while overripe peas, on the contrary, are hard.

Important ! Do not open the pods if you plan to freeze the peas in the pods. Excess air will make the beans taste unpalatable.

Preparing the refrigerator

Peas are not too picky about being in the freezer. Of course, it is better to have a separate container for legumes. If this is not available, take care of sealed packaging . If you pack in a plastic bag, make sure there are two of them, not one. Peas do not really absorb foreign odors, but this does not mean that they can be placed in the same compartment, for example, with fish.

There is an interesting feature. Peas will retain their taste and beneficial qualities much longer if they are stored in a compartment with a very low temperature for the first two weeks. Suitable - about 18 degrees below zero. Modern freezers are equipped with a similar function, but if your model is not one of them, do not worry. You will just need to eat the peas 2-3 months faster.

Don't forget about the most basic things. The box must be clean and dry. The same applies to the containers in which you will freeze the product.

Selecting and preparing pea pods for freezing

Special varieties are frozen in pods or blades for the winter. They have delicate valves, practically no veins, small peas, and do not grow to a large size. It is allowed to use young pods of other varieties. The main thing is not to let it outgrow. For harvesting peas, brain species are chosen.

Varieties for freezing pods:

• Sugar-2;
• Snow;
• Zhegalova;
• Ambrosia.

Varieties for freezing peas:

• Golden eagle;
• Honey cake;
• Adagumsky;
• Prelado;
• Russian size.

Some types have a universal purpose. These include Ambrosia Peas, Baby Sugar Peas, Crawler Peas, and Alpha Peas. A convenient option - after collection, you just need to sort it and make different preparations.

Preparation instructions:

1. Remove the peas. Or rinse the pods. In the second option, cut off the ends on both sides.
2. Sort damaged copies.
3. If green peas have been washed, they must be dried.

Next, immediately freeze the product or pre-blanch it. Below we will consider these methods in detail.

How to freeze

Peas are a product that can be frozen in many ways. The choice depends on how you intend to use it in the future and on storage conditions.

Raw peas

How to freeze raw peas:

1. Rinse the pods in cool water.
2. Lay out a towel. Dry.
3. If you notice a defective pod, it is better not to freeze it.
4. Peel the peas.
5. Pack into bags or plastic containers.

Attention ! Wash the peas while they are still in the pods. There is no need to rinse the beans.

Peeled peas after blanching

This is one of the simplest methods that does not require a lot of time and various actions. We recommend using it if you are going to prepare salads from frozen beans in the future.

Procedure:

1. Pre-select quality peas and remove all debris.
2. Boil the water.
3. Add peas to boiling water. You can drain the beans using a colander.
4. Leave in water for 1-2 minutes.
5. Fill a container with cold water, you can even add ice.
6. Transfer the workpiece from hot water to cold.
7. Leave for 10-12 minutes.
8. Lay out kitchen towels. Dry the peas.
9. Seal the dried beans.
10. Place in the freezer.

Pre-blanched in pods

The process is identical to the previous recipe:

1. Select elastic green pods.
2. Rinse thoroughly in cool water.
3. Boil the water.
4. Place the pods in a colander. You can blanch in several batches.
5. Place in boiling water for 3 minutes.
6. Prepare a container of ice water in advance.
7. Place the pods in cold water for 10 minutes.
8. Lay out a towel.
9. Dry the pods thoroughly evenly on all sides.
10. Pack and put in the freezer.

Important ! Don't forget to cut off the tails of the pods.

Pea pods must be dry. Do not package wet beans.

Peas that are slightly overripe

Fruits of ideal ripeness for freezing are not always available. It happens that the harvest is overripe. What to do? Don't despair - these peas can also be frozen. In this case, the blanching method will come to the rescue again:

1. Rinse the pods. Remove the tails. Do not use fruits with spots.
2. Hull the peas.
3. Put the water on fire.
4. Place the peas in a colander and rinse. Repeat 2-3 times.
5. While the water is boiling, prepare a second container of very cold water.
6. Place a colander in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
7. Transfer beans to ice water.
8. Dry after 10 minutes.
9. Package and store.

The temperature contrast helps preserve the color and shape of the legumes.

Important ! The recipe is only suitable for slightly overripe peas. If the fruits are completely dry, it is impossible to “reanimate” them.

Peas in pods

The pods can be frozen whole or cut into oblong pieces. It all depends on the degree of maturity. If the pod is already becoming convex, it will not be possible to cut it. But a flat one is possible.

Procedure:

1. Cut the tails off the pods.
2. Remove the vein that connects the two flaps. This is easy to do by picking up the edge with a knife.
3. Rinse the pods in cool water.
4. Put the water on fire.
5. Place the workpiece in boiling water for 1 minute. Then dry the scalded pods.
6. Once they are completely dry, pack them in containers or plastic bags.
7. Avoid getting moisture into the container.

Canned peas

It happens that you open a can of peas, but all of them are not useful, and it’s a pity to throw away the rest. Smart housewives know that canned peas can be frozen:

1. Transfer the peas to a colander or sieve.
2. Rinse well.
3. Place on a towel and let dry completely.
4. Place in a container and store.

Important ! You should not count on a high content of vitamins in frozen canned peas.

This product is well suited for adding to salads.

In ice trays

An interesting method that is becoming increasingly popular. Ice trays are provided in any freezer and differ only in shape and size. How to use them to freeze peas:

1. Select quality peas.
2. Clean.
3. Rinse the peas. Dry well.
4. Fill ice cube trays with beans.
5. Fill with water.
6. Freeze for 12 hours.
7. After this, carefully remove the frozen product from the mold and transfer it to a container for long-term storage. You don’t have to do this if you have the opportunity not to use the molds for other purposes for a long time.

Note! Be careful when filling the molds. Remember that when frozen, water expands the shape slightly. To prevent damage, leave a little free space at the top.

Freezing canned peas

An opened can of canned peas has a fairly limited shelf life when stored in the refrigerator. If the product could not be completely used in 1–2 days, then it would be correct to freeze it. Freezing does not harm canned food. Of course, the content of nutrients in peas decreases, but only slightly.

How to properly freeze canned peas:

1. Drain all liquid from the jar.
2. Pour the canned peas into a food container and cover with a lid.
3. Place in the freezer to freeze.

There is no need to specially defrost green peas. Frozen peas should be added immediately to dishes: vegetable stews, soups, omelettes, casseroles, pizza.

Nowadays, thrifty housewives freeze everything they can. Nutritious green peas are no exception. Its harvest occurs once a year in the summer - and sometimes you really want to taste fresh juicy peas in the winter. Freezing allows you to preserve the beneficial properties and natural taste of the product. Choose the method you like and feel free to get down to business!

Useful tips

Any of the methods requires knowledge of several tricks:

1. If you put the peas in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, this will eliminate the bitterness.
2. Blanching helps preserve the color and shape of the fruit.
3. Thoroughly dried peas will never stick together or lose their round shape. But if it's wet, there can be trouble.
4. If you plan to use peas to decorate dishes in the future, maintaining their shape is especially important. To do this, freeze the peas first on a flat surface (cutting board, baking sheet). After 12 hours, transfer the workpiece to a container.

Storing fresh peas with or without pods

Among pea pods intended for storage, you should choose those that have a fresh green color. They should be dense, since inside the flat leaves the peas are still unripe, and inside the wilted ones they have already dried out. There should be no gray spots on the surface.

Fresh peas are stored in the refrigerator. It will remain so in the pods for no more than a week.

But if you free the peas from the wings, pour them into a deep bowl and place them on the shelf of the refrigerator that is located away from the freezer, the beans will last for six months. They definitely need air, so the container cannot be closed tightly.

How long can you store

If you keep peas at a temperature below 18 degrees, 8-10 months of ideal storage are guaranteed. If the chamber freezes at a higher temperature, it is better to use the product within six months. Canned frozen peas should be eaten within 4 months.

How to store boiled peas

Boiled peas must be kept in the refrigerator. At room temperature it will become inedible in just a few hours.

It is advisable to move dishes prepared from peas immediately after they have cooled from the stove to the refrigerator shelf. The soup can be stored this way for up to three days. Pea porridge can be stored for less - two days. Any product not eaten within the specified time must be thrown away, otherwise digestive problems are inevitable.

Which method is best to choose for storing peas depends on the condition of the legume. It is contained differently in dry and fresh forms. If you store peas correctly, they will remain healthy for a long time and will delight you with excellent taste.

How to defrost correctly

We've dealt with freezing, now it's important to learn how to defrost the product correctly. Everything is simple here, there are no special secrets, except perhaps the presence of sugar during cooking.

Procedure:

1. Put the water to boil.
2. Add a pinch of salt and sugar to boiling water. Mix thoroughly.
3. Place the frozen peas in the pan.
4. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Rinse the peas under ice water using a colander or other container.

Thanks to sugar, the rich color of the legumes is preserved during defrosting. Pre-defrosting at room temperature is not necessary, as the peas become too soft and overcooked.

Storing dry peas

In dry form, peas can be:

• buy in a store;
• cook it yourself.

To keep dried peas longer, you need to:

• place the product in a clean container that closes tightly: glass jars, plastic containers;
• Fill small fabric bags with salt and place them at the bottom of each container: this will help prevent the peas from getting damp and moldy.

At home, an oven is suitable for drying peas. Before loading, beans must be processed in the same way as before freezing: blanch, rinse, and dry.

Then the peas are poured in a thin layer onto a baking sheet and placed in the oven (45–55 degrees, door half open) for three to four hours. The finished product becomes wrinkled and takes on a dark green hue.

After cooling, the peas are poured into a container that can be tightly closed, preferably glass.

Dry peas can be stored for several years. But for this the following conditions must be met:

• the presence of sealed packaging that will prevent the penetration of insects;
• Only fully ripened peas can be used for drying, otherwise they will quickly lose their attractive appearance and may become moldy.

Peas are stored in a dark and dry room. The temperature should not exceed 25 degrees.

What dishes should I add frozen peas to?

Frozen green peas are used in the same dishes as the fresh product. When properly frozen, the taste remains unchanged. The salads turn out very beautiful. Canned peas are dull in color and softer in consistency, while frozen peas are firm and bright green.

For the salad

Peas perfectly complement a vegetable or meat salad, so feel free to add this ingredient to your favorite recipes. How to defrost peas for salad:

1. Put water on the fire.
2. Add a spoonful of sugar and salt to boiling water. Stir, cook for 1 minute.
3. Add beans, stir.
4. Pour in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
5. Cook for 5-7 minutes with the lid closed.
6. Remove the peas and cool. You can use a container of cold water.

Important ! It is necessary to cool down. When hot, do not put peas in the salad, otherwise they will lose their shape.

Frozen peas will ideally refresh Olivier salad and go well with salads that contain boiled potatoes. The dish turns out not only tasty, but also satisfying.

Pea garnish

You can make a hearty and healthy side dish from frozen peas at any time of the year with the addition of other vegetables. This dish goes well with fried or steamed cutlets.

Ingredients:

• carrot;
• onion;
• frozen peas;
• salt;
• oil for frying.

Cooking method:

1. Chop the onions and carrots in any usual way.
2. Fry the vegetables over medium heat.
3. After 5 minutes, add frozen peas. No pre-defrosting is required.
4. Close the lid. Simmer for 7 minutes.

Advice . If desired, you can add a small piece of butter to the almost finished dish. The taste will become a little different, and the vitamins will be better absorbed. To add a spicy taste, add a mint leaf a minute before cooking.

Quick soup

The soup turns out light and tasty with the addition of frozen peas.

Ingredients:

• onion;
• carrot;
• chicken fillet (any meat to taste);
• 1 egg;
• salt;
• 1 liter of water per 500 g of meat;
• greens optional.

Preparation:

1. Cook the meat broth.
2. While the broth is cooking, peel and dice the potatoes.
3. Fry the grated carrots and chopped onions in a frying pan.
4. Remove meat from broth.
5. Add all the vegetables to the broth.
6. After 10 minutes, add 1 cup frozen green peas.
7. Add the meat back to the broth.
8. Add salt and cook for 10 minutes.

You can add a boiled egg in portions to the finished dish for decoration. Greens are also added if desired.

Puree

Ingredients:

• potato;
• frozen peas;
• 1 tbsp. l. sour cream;
• butter;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• salt.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the potatoes for 20–25 minutes.
2. Add frozen peas. Cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, drain water.
4. Add chopped garlic, butter and a spoonful of sour cream.
5. Use a masher to give the dish the desired consistency.

Ideal to serve with fish.

Is it possible to freeze peas for the winter?

Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to freeze peas for the winter. First, we suggest you understand what the benefits of this product are. So, this representative of legumes contains:

• vitamins C, B, folic acid, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium;
• amino acids choline, lecithin and methionine, which are responsible for lipid metabolism in the human body;
• protein and carbohydrates;
• vitamin inositol, which is very beneficial for the heart.

In addition, peas are indicated for prevention purposes in diseases such as goiter, anemia and atherosclerosis.

The fresh product has the most energy value, however, those who want to consume peas for a long time can freeze them at home.

Let's sum it up

Freezing peas does not take much time. Blanching preserves taste, color, and shape. Peas can be stored for a long time, up to 10 months. Legumes are frozen in various ways, depending on the features of the freezer and your own preferences.

The frozen product is great for vegetable, potato and meat salads, and a juicy side dish - for fish or meat. Pea puree without spices is included in the children's menu, and chicken soup will be appreciated by supporters of a healthy diet.

HOW TO FREEZE FRESH GREEN PEAS

What can you cook from it?

Green peas, prepared using the methods described, are used to prepare various dishes.

Among them:

• salads;
• stew;
• soup;
• aspic;
• pea puree;
• as an integral part of pies filling;
• as a separate dish.

Considering the simplicity of preparing green peas for the winter, doing this will not be difficult for the housewife, which will allow you to diversify the menu of your household and replenish their daily diet with summer vitamins even in the winter cold.

How long to cook frozen peas

It should be remembered that before boiling frozen peas, they do not need to be defrosted.

For cooking, you need 2-3 times more water in volume than peas.

Bring salted water to a boil, pour the peas into boiling water, stir, wait until bubbling begins again, reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes. After this, place in a colander and cool. Use for salad or as a side dish for meat, add to pasta, mushrooms, risotto or just potatoes, make a sauce out of it. Use your imagination, there are many options.

As for salads, peas go well with both vegetables and fruits and equally with meat and even fish. You can even add it to an omelet.

Do not use a lot of spices; you can add only the most necessary ones to the peas. As it turns out, seasonings sometimes ruin the delicate taste of the product.

If you want to cook soup with peas, then add it 10 minutes before the end of cooking, without defrosting it first. This is also a good addition for vegetable stew. In this case, add frozen peas 10 minutes before the end of cooking.

Do you prefer steamed vegetables? Place the peas in a steamer and cook for 15-20 minutes. So it retains a lot of useful properties.

How to prepare dried peas?

There is not always enough space in the freezer at home to preserve the required amount of green peas until the new harvest. The harvested crop can be dried.Ingredients:

Green peas 6 kg

Yield of the finished product – 1 kg

There are several ways to dry peas, as well as freezing them. Therefore, we will consider the three most common options that are suitable for use at home.

Preparation:

First way

1. Pea grains are sorted, washed, and treated with a calcium chloride solution.
2. After soaking in the solution for 3-4 hours, the peas are transferred to a napkin in a thin layer.
3. Dry in a ventilated area or outdoors, but in the shade. Peas must be turned periodically to dry evenly.

Dried peas are stored in dry, sterile jars and sealed tightly. Periodically, during storage, peas are poured into other dishes, checking for the presence of pests.

Second way

Prepared peas are sorted and washed

Additionally, to increase shelf life, peas are kept in a three percent saline solution to disinfect the product, then washed again with running water. Attention! The salt from the surface of the peas must be washed off: when dried, it draws out too much moisture, and under the influence of temperature, the peas covered with salt crack and deform, become hard and require prolonged cooking during subsequent cooking.

1. The second drying method is to use heating to speed up drying. The peas are dried in the oven in 3 stages, increasing the temperature each time. Spread the peas in a thin layer on baking sheets or sheets and place in the oven, preheated to 30-40°C. The oven door should be left ajar.
2. After 30-40 minutes, turn off the oven and let the peas cool. Then turn on the heating again, increasing the temperature by 10°C.
3. For the third time, heating is increased to 60-65°C. Hot peas are poured into glass jars, tightly closed with lids, and left for a day. If during this time condensation does not appear on the inner surface of the cans, then the cans can be stored in a dark place. If moisture appears in the jar, the peas must be reheated in the oven, cooled and stored as described above.

Now drying peas and any vegetables and fruits has become more accessible, thanks to inexpensive and compact electric vegetable dryers. If you have such equipment in your kitchen, then harvesting good quality peas will not be difficult. The manufacturers of these devices claim that peas dried in electric dryers do not lose their original properties after soaking.

Advice! When storing legumes and dried vegetables, place a bay leaf, a couple of cloves of unpeeled garlic, a hot pepper pod or mustard seeds wrapped in a gauze bag in a storage container. This method helps prevent food spoilage. Also, only store green peas in a dark place or in opaque containers.

Third way

Green vegetable peas move from the stage of technical ripeness to the next phase, biological ripeness, within 5-6 days. If green peas have become “overripe” for canning or freezing fresh, then it makes sense to boil them until soft before drying. This method helps remove excess starch, which slows down the cooking process and cooking of dried peas. After preliminary steaming, the peas are dried in the oven, as described in method No. 2.

During pre-heat treatment, you can add spices and herbs to the water. Freezing and drying peas are the simplest options for winter preparations, which even a novice housewife can handle. But the methods for long-term storage of the product are not exhausted. All that remains is to master canning peas and shoulder blades in various marinades, in combination with vegetables and even meat - after all, canning in jars is convenient because they can be stored indoors or, for example, you can take a jar of pea porridge or soup with you to a picnic or on a hike.

The benefits of green peas

The main beneficial property of green peas can be considered the content of high-quality vegetable protein, which is easily absorbed by the body. Green peas also contain a large amount of iron, as well as various antioxidants, which helps strengthen the immune system. Green peas are also rich in B vitamins and amino acids, which are responsible for the normal functioning of the nervous system.

However, if you consume green peas in large quantities, it can lead to minor gastrointestinal problems. Allergic reactions are extremely rare.

How to freeze peas: options for vegetable mixtures with peas

The technology for freezing vegetables and fruits is the same in all cases, and frozen vegetable mixtures can be prepared in any way, depending on the culinary preferences of the housewife and her family

With this method of preparing vegetables, it is important to take into account the duration of heat treatment of the ingredients included in the frozen mixtures, along with peas. Blanch hard vegetables (carrots, peas, corn) for 10-20 minutes. Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, asparagus just need to be kept in boiling water for 3-5 minutes

Prepared vegetables are dipped in chopped form into boiling water. If desired, add herbs and spices to the boiling water. Try preparing several options for vegetable mixtures at home using the recipes offered below.

Hawaiian blend

Ingredients – 6 ingredients in equal proportions by weight:

• Vegetable peas
• Salad pepper
• Rice
• Sweet carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn (kernels)

Preparation:

1. All vegetables are washed and peeled. Peppers and carrots are cut into cubes, cabbage inflorescences are cut lengthwise into 2 or 4 parts. Sorted peas and corn, washed and soaked long rice.
2. Blanch the peas and corn separately in boiling water for 10 minutes. Table grains at the stage of technical ripeness are suitable for the frozen mixture. Calcium chloride is added to the blanching water at the rate of 10 mg/1 l. If desired, add a bunch of fresh spinach or nettles to the boiling water for the peas.
3. Pour steamed rice with cold water in a ratio of 1:2, cook until half cooked. Drain, rinse and dry.
4. Pepper can be added raw to the Hawaiian mixture, and it is better to steam carrot cubes in a frying pan with the addition of refined oil and a small amount of sweetened water: the carrots will acquire a bright color and their taste will improve significantly.
5. All components of the mixture must be slightly dried before freezing. Then combine them and mix. Spread in a thin layer and freeze at -18°C.
6. Divide into portions. The mixture is packaged in plastic bags and carefully sealed. It is desirable that less air remains in the bag. Store the mixture at home at a temperature of -18°C for six months. Do not re-freeze.

Similar to this composition, you can prepare other mixtures that are useful for quickly preparing soups, side dishes, vegetable stews, salads and snacks.

Mexican blend

Compound:

• Green pea;
• Corn kernels or chopped cobs;
• Asparagus (green beans)
• Red carrots;
• Colored salad peppers.

The proportions of the mixture when preparing at home are arbitrary.

Preparation:

1. All ingredients of the mixture, except the lettuce, are blanched and cooled before freezing.
2. The humidity of the mixture components should not exceed 65-70%. Be sure to dry blanched foods before placing them in the freezer.

Spring vegetables

Compound:

• Broccoli;
• Brussels sprouts and cauliflower;
• Green beans;
• Green pea;
• Carrot.

Green peas and other vegetables can be frozen individually, and in winter you can make the necessary combinations. Sugar snap peas are frozen in the same way. Peas and sweet corn grains at the stage of “milk” ripeness can be frozen without prior heat treatment.

Remember! Frozen mixtures are not defrosted before cooking, but are immediately dipped into boiling water or a heated frying pan.

Tips for preserving green peas

Peas are tasty, healthy and nutritious. Green balls are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamin B, contain minerals and fiber. Use as needed and desired. Frozen peas will be just as fresh and delicious as freshly shelled ones.

Freezing fresh fruits will allow you to have a quality supply for the winter. Use peas in soups, curries, salads or any dish containing a green vegetable. Add variety to your winter menu.

Freezing a vegetable is also a technique. If you wash it and freeze it, you won’t get a good taste and color. Therefore, to preserve flavor and color, it is important to peel properly before freezing.

Green balls tolerate freezing well, the sweet taste does not disappear. Peas are frozen with or without blanching. Blanching takes a little longer, but helps maintain the vibrant green color of the raw vegetable. Freeze freshly picked peas within 24 hours.

The longer fruits are outside the plant, the more nutrients they lose and the less stable they become. I give ways to store peas in the freezer.