How to freeze eggplants for the winter in the freezer is a question facing many housewives during the harvesting season. Fresh eggplants, and even those soaked in salt water, retain their bitterness after thawing and the texture becomes watery. Therefore, eggplants, regardless of the cutting method, are subject to any heat treatment: blanching, frying or baking.
Freezing fresh eggplants for the winter
Freezing fresh eggplants for the winter will not take you much time. The form of cutting or without it is determined by the hostess. In this recipe, cut the eggplants into circles and soak them in hot salted water under a weight, which will remove bitterness and excess liquid from the vegetable.
- Eggplant 500 (grams)
- Salt 2 tbsp with a slide (stone)
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Freeze, or rather prepare, fresh eggplants for freezing for the winter quickly, otherwise they will turn dark. Rinse the eggplants with cold water, dry with a napkin and remove the ends. -
Then cut into circles no more than 0.5 cm thick and place in a deep bowl. -
Sprinkle them with two heaped tablespoons of rock salt. -
Pour boiling water over the sliced eggplants. Place a plate with any weight on top and leave for 25 minutes. -
After this time, rinse the eggplants well under running water and remove excess water with a napkin or leaving them in a colander. -
Place the prepared eggplants in a freezer bag or container. -
Close the bag tightly, because eggplants easily absorb the odors of other foods, and put them in the freezer. -
Frozen fresh eggplants for the winter retain their flavor well throughout the year. You can use them to prepare various dishes, not forgetting that the eggplants are already seasoned with salt. Happy preparations!
How to freeze fried eggplants in the freezer
Freezing fried eggplants is becoming quite popular, because with this method, thawed eggplants retain the taste of fresh and can simply be eaten, seasoned with garlic sauce, or added to other dishes.
Cooking time: 50 minutes.
Cooking time: 50 minutes.
Servings: 4.
Ingredients:
- Eggplants – 1 kg.
- Salt – 1 tbsp.
- Vegetable oil - for frying.
Cooking process:
Step 1. For freezing, select fresh elastic eggplants. We wash them, dry them and remove the ends.
Step 2. Then cut into circles or cubes. Sprinkle them with salt for half an hour and after the specified time, remove the juice with a napkin.
Step 3. Heat a sufficient amount of vegetable oil in a cast-iron frying pan and transfer the sliced eggplants onto it. Depending on the volume of the workpiece, you can fry it in portions.
Step 4. Fry the sliced eggplants over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
Step 5. Then transfer the fried eggplants to paper napkins to remove excess oil and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6. Place the cooled fried eggplants in zip-lock bags for freezing, close tightly and place in the freezer.Good luck and delicious preparations!
Eggplants baked in the oven for freezing for the winter
The option of baking eggplants in the oven for freezing for the winter is simpler compared to frying the vegetable, and you don’t need oil and salt. In this recipe, we bake the eggplants whole and then use them for various dishes, such as rouge, stuffing or caviar.
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Cooking time: 10 minutes.
Portions: as desired.
Ingredients:
- Eggplants - any quantity.
Cooking process:
Step 1: To bake, select medium eggplants that are approximately the same size. Rinse them under running water, without removing the ends, and wipe dry with a napkin. Then prick each fruit frequently with a toothpick.
Step 2. Turn on the oven at 200°C. Place the prepared eggplants in one row on a dry baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes.
Step 3. Cool the baked eggplants slightly. Using a sharp knife, remove the ends and make deep cuts on one side.
Step 4. Then place the eggplants in a colander with the cut side down. Place a flat plate with any weight on top of them and leave for 20-25 minutes.
Step 5. During this time, the juice will flow out of the eggplants and the texture will become denser.
Step 6. After this time, portion the eggplants baked in the oven into bags, close tightly and place in the freezer. Happy preparations!
Eggplant, frozen in slices
Eggplants, frozen in slices in this recipe, are prepared with a short heat treatment - blanching. Eggplants will not be bitter, and their taste will be like a fresh vegetable. These eggplants are suitable for baking or frying and do not need to be defrosted.
Cooking time: 2 hours.
Cooking time: 30 minutes.
Servings: 10.
Ingredients:
- Eggplants – 2 kg.
- Lemon juice – 1 tbsp.
- Vegetable oil - for frying.
Cooking process:
Step 1. Wash the eggplants, remove the ends, remove the peel with a vegetable peeler and cut into circles at least 0.5 cm thick.
Step 2. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add a little salt and a spoonful of lemon juice to it, which will preserve the light color of the eggplant. At the same time, pour cold water into another bowl and add ice cubes to it. Place sliced eggplants in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
Step 3. Using a slotted spoon or, better yet, a sieve, transfer the blanched eggplants into ice water.
Step 4. Transfer the cooled eggplants to a separate bowl.
Step 5. Use a napkin to completely remove any remaining liquid from the eggplant circles.
Step 6. Cover the cutting board with film. Place the prepared eggplants on it in one layer and freeze for an hour in the freezer.
Step 7. Then put the frozen eggplant mugs into zip-lock bags, close them tightly and store them in a chamber at a temperature of no more than minus 18 degrees, which is optimal for freezing. Good luck and delicious preparations!
How to freeze eggplant cubes
Eggplants are frozen in diced form for making salads or stews. The principles of freezing are the same as in other options - heat treatment of vegetable slices. In this recipe, you are invited to pour eggplant cubes with vegetable oil and bake in a sleeve in the oven.
Cooking time: 1 hour.
Cooking time: 20 minutes.
Servings: 5.
Ingredients:
- Eggplants – 1 kg.
- Vegetable oil - to taste.
Cooking process:
Step 1. Wash the eggplants selected for baking, wipe dry with a napkin and cut into cubes approximately 1x1 cm in size.Place them in a separate bowl, pour over vegetable oil and mix well.
Step 2. Then transfer them to the sleeve, distributing them in one layer. Secure the edges of the sleeve with clips, removing the air.
Step 3. If you have a sleeve without special holes for steam to escape, prick it with a knife in several places. Transfer the cubes in the sleeve to a baking sheet, place in a cold oven and turn it on at 180°C. Bake the cubes for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven. Cut the sleeve and cool the eggplants completely. Divide the cooled eggplant cubes into ziplock bags, close tightly and place in the freezer for storage until winter. Good luck and delicious preparations!
