How to store onions in winter? What to do if the bow is frozen
Onions, carrots are planted and sown early, as soon as there is an opportunity to go into the garden and prepare a garden bed. Onions even like to be planted in cool weather, they endure frosts without loss. The gardeners have already warmed up the onion sets, some on the battery, some on the stove. A lot of different sets are now on sale - round, elongated, ordinary light and red. The most optimal size for sowing onion with a diameter of 1.5–2 cm, it will not go into the arrow and the bulb will grow large. We have well-known varieties suitable for storage - these are Bessonovsky, Strigunovsky, Stuttgarter Riesen, Ermak and some others, including Dutch ones, that grow well in Siberia.
Have you chosen a place for the bow? It should be placed after cucumbers, siderates, parsley, and after peas it is also good. It is important that the soil is well prepared in the fall. Bad predecessors are carrots, tomatoes, onions, garlic. Onions can be returned to the same place on light soils after three years, on heavy soils after five years.
The best soils for onions are loose, fertile. On acidic soils, liming is necessary - since autumn, a pound of fluffy lime per square meter is required for digging. Now you can use wood ash - 100 grams per square meter at the root depth. If the soil is poor, then you need to apply 4–5 kg of humus, but not manure, superphosphate and potassium chloride per square meter, 40–50 grams each, as well as a little ammonium nitrate, half as much as other mineral fertilizers.
Preparation of sevka before planting, in addition to warming up, includes several more simple operations. Sevok is carefully examined and sorted into fractions: the smallest - 1 cm in diameter, medium - 1.5-2 cm, large - more than 2.5 cm. Each fraction must be prepared for planting and planted separately so that the plants develop equally and evenly.
In Siberia, onions on a turnip grow better at early planting dates, because this plant is a long day. It ripens, as you know, at the end of July. If you are late with planting, then the formation of bulbs is shifted to August, when daylight hours noticeably decrease, the nights become colder. The bulbs do not fill well, do not have time to ripen and are poorly stored. And the thick, raw neck of the onion is affected by rot.
Planting begins with a small fraction of the seed, it takes more time to form a large bulb. As soon as the soil at a depth of 5 cm warms up to plus five, you can plant. Such a low temperature is favorable for root development. When the temperature rises to plus ten, increased growth of roots and leaves begins. The medium and large fractions can be planted three or four days later, but no longer linger. Warming of the soil and air inhibits the development of the root system and stimulates the growth of leaves. Growing up, they require more and more nutrition, but the roots have not grown. So the first days of May are the most favorable time.
Do not forget about such a procedure as soaking the seedlings 10-12 hours before planting. This has a positive effect on development and growth. Soak in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and just in water at room temperature.
Soaking is also important because when stored at home, thrips often attack the sevok. And soaking will speed up their death. Nematodes can also appear in the set.
You can see this pest, or rather, its harmful effects, only during harvesting, and even if you examine each bulb. In the affected, the bottom cracks, turns inside out, the smell is unpleasant. Damaged bulbs should not be scattered; usually they are immediately placed in buckets and burned or poured with boiling water.
An important point is how to avoid shooting. It depends on the storage method. Usually small 1 cm diameter sets cannot be shot. The big one is inclined to it. It should be planted in soil with a temperature above plus 12. If arrows appear, break them out as early as possible, as soon as you notice a swelling at the bottom, almost at the very bottom.
And one more serious remark. Usually gardeners cut off the dried feather residue at the very neck of the set before planting, as this stimulates faster regrowth of leaves, and not roots. And it is necessary that the root system first grows and strengthens.
It seems to be a pleasure to plant sevok. But it happens that there are no shoots for a long time, and then the bulb grows poorly. Or you come to the site, and the sevok is all out - he pushed himself out of the soil, as it were - the roots grow quickly. So the landing was shallow.
Make grooves in advance, spill them, the depth is 4–5 cm from the soil surface for sowing the middle fraction. Small enough depth of 3 cm, and large - two heights of the sevka. That is, up to 5-6 cm. The distance between rows is 25 cm, and in rows 8, 10, 15 cm - depending on the size of the seed. After spreading the seedlings, fill in the grooves, slightly compacting the soil. It is very useful to mulch the beds with peat or humus. It will protect from onion flies not only mulch with peat, but also a thin covering material, and also retain moisture. Friendly shoots of healthy plants will appear.
Apples and pears
Many summer residents store their crops on balconies before the onset of cold weather. But when exactly should potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, apples and pears be transferred to a warm place so that they do not deteriorate? Should I do it right after the first frost or can I wait a little longer?
If the balcony is not insulated, then as soon as the thermometer starts to show a negative temperature, apples and pears need to be transferred to the apartment, because they will deteriorate, - says Vitaly VASEKHA, senior researcher at the Institute of Fruit Growing. - You can put a jar of water on the balcony: as soon as you see that the water has begun to freeze, take away the fruits, otherwise they will freeze and become loose, lose their taste. On an insulated balcony, crops can be stored all winter. The optimum temperature for storing apples is +2 - +4 degrees, for pears +1 - +3.
In an apartment, it is best to store apples in the refrigerator, separately from vegetables, but since there is often no place for them there, put them in boxes or nets that allow air to pass through, and put them in the coolest place, away from batteries. Never store apples and pears in plastic bags, as you will noticeably shorten their shelf life. In an apartment at a temperature of +18 - +20 degrees, fruits can be stored for about a month. Part of the apples can be frozen by cutting them into pieces to cook compotes from them in winter.
Potato
One of the most convenient options is to make an insulated box for storing potatoes on the balcony. If it is not there, then in the absence of a basement or cellar, you will have to look for a place in the apartment or on the corridor.
Potatoes should be removed from the balcony when the temperature drops to zero degrees, - advises Ivan Ivanovich KOLYADKO, Deputy Director General for Research, RUE "Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Potato and Fruit and Vegetable Growing". - You need to store potatoes at a temperature not higher than +10 degrees, preferably +4 - +5.
Do not put potatoes in airtight bags or bags - they will deteriorate, and do not put them in the light - they will start to turn green.
Onion and garlic
The hardest vegetables are onions and garlic. They can be stored on the balcony even when the rest of the harvest has already been transferred to the apartment.
The optimum temperature for storing onions and garlic is 0 - -1, but they can withstand frosts down to -6 degrees, - says Nikolai Petrovich KUPREENKO, deputy director for science at the Institute of Vegetable Growing.
When stored in an apartment, the onion can be braided and hung in a dry place (diseases will develop in a humid environment and the onion will begin to sprout). Part of the crop can be packed into boxes. But just do not use plastic boxes - onions breathe and release moisture, and plastic does not absorb moisture, so the crop will deteriorate.
Check the contents of the boxes periodically: remove the softened bulbs immediately from the box so that they do not become a source of infection for others. And do not store vegetables affected by pests and diseases - they quickly deteriorate.
Beets and carrots
They need to be removed from the balcony at zero temperature - they are afraid of frost. The suitable temperature for storing carrots is +2 degrees. If there are not many carrots, then you can put them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator: there are ideal conditions for them.
There are usually no problems with storing beets. Before storing it, the tops are cut off, dried, folded into boxes and periodically checked how it is stored. If you notice any rotten fruit, throw it away immediately.
Cabbage
Cabbage will withstand a slight frost of -1 - -2 degrees, but it is not worth keeping it on the balcony for a long time in late autumn. To keep it well, choose late maturing varieties - their heads of cabbage are denser. Cabbage is stored at a temperature of plus 2 - 3 degrees and high humidity.
It happens that the gardener has grown an excellent harvest of onions, but he does not have a cool place for long-term storage of vegetables. In this case, the onions can be frozen, moreover, it can be done very quickly and easily. In this article, we'll look at how to properly freeze onions for the winter.
Did you know? Onions are a rich source of vitamin C and useful minerals: manganese, potassium and phosphorus. The vegetable is extremely low in calories and high in fiber.
Is it possible to freeze onions for the winter
Not all housewives know whether they freeze onion slices for the winter. Like many other vegetables, turnips can be harvested for future use using low subzero temperatures (freezing). Before freezing onions, it is important to understand that being in subzero temperatures changes the vegetable somewhat. 
When frozen, the crispy firmness disappears, giving the salads an interesting texture. What is left retains a fragrant smell and specific taste, with which the onion still enriches the dish, but after freezing it becomes soft.
Did you know? Shredded onions can be used to polish silverware and other metal objects for a bright, shiny finish.
How to choose and prepare the right onion
To get quality frozen vegetables, you need to follow a few rules:
- They choose only fresh vegetables that have not lost their tissue density. The bulbs must be free from rot or signs of fungus inside the bulb itself (black coating on the white flesh). There is nothing wrong if the onion starts to sprout, in this case it is quite suitable for freezing. Sluggish or drying vegetables are not suitable.
- After a thorough examination, the bulbs are distributed according to their intended purpose: large and partially damaged ones - for slicing, small ones - for whole freezing. If work is scheduled for the next day, the bulbs are taken out to a cool room overnight. This will make it easier for the chef to cut the vigorous vegetable.
- Before starting cutting work, the turnip is peeled from the husk, leaving the bottoms with the roots intact, and washed well in several waters. The washed onions are laid out to dry for a couple of hours, after which they proceed directly to chopping. The consistency of grinding depends on the method of freezing chosen by the culinary specialist.
Preparing the refrigerator or freezer before freezing
If the hostess already plans to freeze vegetables for the winter, she needs to prepare a freezer a few days before starting work:
- The freezer is disconnected from electricity, freed from food, and then washed well with the use of detergents.
- If a foreign smell has firmly settled in the freezer, you can rinse the shelves and walls of the freezer with water to which baking soda (per liter of water, 1 tablespoon of soda) or table vinegar (per liter of water, 100 ml of vinegar) has been added.
- The freezer is washed both inside and outside, after which household appliances are dried with the door open and turned off. The dry freezer is turned on the network one day before the start of freezing work. During this time, the freezer will return to the desired temperature.
Important!If, after slicing, the onion smell has eaten into the palms, they are washed with warm water with any aromatic soap, after which they wipe the skin with a drop of lemon essential oil. In addition to the fact that this tool will cleanse the skin of odor, the essential oil nourishes and moisturizes the nail plate.
Ways to freeze onions at home
Since large freezers appeared in houses, housewives have appreciated the vegetable preparations. Onions can be frozen either in the form of chopped rings or cubes, or as a vegetable puree. After freezing, the vegetable does not lose its inherent aroma and taste, but irretrievably loses its elasticity.
In general form
You can freeze whole onions with or without blanching. Blanching is a culinary technique in which peeled vegetables are immersed in boiling water for a short time. For small onions, the blanching time is three minutes, for large ones, seven minutes. For proper freezing, blanching should warm up the onion right down to the middle. 
Shredded in bags
To freeze a vegetable, you need to chop it. You can chop the onions using regular slicing with a knife, or place the vegetables in a food processor (blender). At the same time, the hostess needs to remember that thawed onions lose their shape, therefore, after cutting in a food processor, the defrosted product may resemble porridge. The cut is placed in plastic spare parts bags (with a zipper) and distributed inside a thin layer.
Did you know? Onions contain flavonoids, unique compounds that are very beneficial to human health. The vegetable contains the bioactive compound quercetin, which is a powerful antioxidant with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects.
Once frozen, the cut bag will resemble a thick piece of cardboard. If there are many packages, they are stacked on top of each other in the freezer. You can also quickly freeze the onion rings by placing the onion rings on a tray covered with parchment paper and placing it in the freezer. When the slices freeze, they are packed in freezer containers with lids or spare parts packages. 
In fried
Before freezing, finely chopped onions can be fried until golden brown, that is, caramelize them before freezing. Frying is carried out over moderate heat in olive oil or fresh butter. The finished frying is cooled and packaged in a mold for freezing ice. This type of vegetable freeze adds new flavors to cooked food. 
In ice cube trays
If the onions have sprouted and become soft, rub them in a blender or food processor with a little olive (refined sunflower) oil. The resulting vegetable puree is laid out in a mold for making ice cubes. When the onion cubes are frozen, they are stored in a container with a lid or in a zippered bag. They are used as a condiment for soup or sauce.
Important!The method of freezing vegetables in a bottle is also suitable for chopping green onion feathers.
In a plastic bottle
Also, onions can be frozen in liter plastic bottles. In addition to its low cost, such a container is very convenient, since its neck acts as a dispenser and at the same time it closes tightly and hermetically. Only finely chopped slices are suitable for freezing in a bottle; the sliced fraction should pass freely through the neck. In no case should vegetables that have been chopped in a blender or food processor be placed in the bottle. 
The consistency of such grinding is more like mashed potatoes, and under the influence of low temperatures in the bottle, an ice monolith will turn out, which can only be removed completely and only after cutting the container. Freshly chopped onions should not be immediately poured into the bottle and placed in the freezer to freeze. Preliminarily, the slicing is laid out on a tray in a thin layer and slightly frozen (until flowing). After that, the vegetable slices are poured into the neck of the bottle.
Important!After any vegetables have been frozen, they will no longer fully match their fresh counterparts. After freezing, their tissues will be soft, because the water inside the cells, when frozen, expanded and destroyed them.
To make it more convenient to pour frozen vegetables inside the bottle container, in the area of the neck, the bottle is wrapped with food foil in the form of a funnel with a wide diameter. The slices are poured into this funnel. When filling, a few centimeters of free space is left between the lid and the vegetables, after which the bottle is tightly closed with a lid and placed in the freezer.
Video: how to freeze onions
Shelf life frozen
Frozen onions should be used within six months of the day of freezing, during which time they taste best.
How to properly defrost and use onions
When it's time to use vegetable freeze, you just need to break off part of the ice cream layer and, if desired, defrost it. Frozen onions are easy to defrost in the microwave or without it for a few minutes. 
Many culinary experts are convinced that frozen vegetables absolutely do not need to be specially thawed before adding to any dish. The culinary specialist simply adds frozen cubes or sprinkles the desired portion of frozen onions directly into the food being prepared.
Young housewives may not know what can be prepared from it later. Freezing onions is best used for preparing the first and second hot dishes, various sauces, gravies, marinades. Such a product is absolutely not suitable for adding to salads from fresh vegetables or for frying.
How to make it easier for a culinary specialist to freeze onions:
- In order not to cry, preparing the onion slices for freezing, it is advisable to chill the vegetable for 30 minutes before slicing. Peeling off the husk begins from the neck of the bulb, while not cutting off the root, but leaving it entirely. The root system will keep the onion from splitting into slices when hand-sliced. Sulfur compounds in onions, the release of which occurs during the destruction of cells (cutting), are concentrated in the zone of the bottom of the bulb, at the roots.
- You can also carry out all the work on grinding a caustic vegetable in the open air so that the overloaded gray onion vapors are rendered harmless by fresh air.
- Some chefs claim that a lit candle placed next to an onion chopping board helps them to avoid tears, the flame of which absorbs the sulfur fumes. No need to throw away the bottoms of already chopped onions. At the end of the work, the roots are cut off and the remaining pulp is used to prepare a fragrant dish.
- Regardless of how the onions are frozen, they must be stored in an airtight container to avoid the onion smell in the freezer. When packing slices in containers with lids, you must leave a couple of centimeters of free space. Layers of frozen vegetables in spare parts bags are folded into one or more common thick plastic bags for long-term storage in the freezer. This technique will help to avoid the onion smell that penetrates everywhere.
Any of the above methods are suitable for freezing onions. Freezing vegetables for future use will help an experienced housewife save crops and reduce cooking time, which is important for working women.
- a real storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. Plus, it tastes great and serves as an invariable ingredient in a wide variety of dishes. If you follow simple rules, you can freeze this vegetable, making a useful preparation for the winter. After all, this method allows you to maximize the preservation of nutrients in the product. Moreover, it can be immediately used for culinary purposes without resorting to pre-processing, which will shorten the cooking time.
Vegetables intended for long-term storage must be fresh and of good quality. When choosing tubers for freezing, pay attention that there are no traces of mold, stains, softened spots and other defects on them. Selected bulbs must be peeled, rinsed and dried on a waffle towel. However, if you just send the vegetables to the freezer, the experiment will not be successful. The fact is that this culture is poorly friendly with low temperatures and, with a good minus, can become watery and lethargic... Therefore, we bring to your attention some of the most popular and proven by experienced housewives options for how to freeze onions for the winter.
Heat treatment as a way to prepare onions for wintering
For frying, cut the onion into cubes or half rings and simmer it lightly in a little vegetable oil. After that, fold in a colander, pack in a plastic bag. The vegetables can now be safely placed in the freezer. They will surely preserve flavor and density. The advantages of this method of harvesting include the fact that onions fried in vegetable oil do not completely freeze and harden. This can shorten the cooking time, as no preliminary defrosting is required.
In this case, the main thing is not to overdo it, because over-fried foods can also hardly tolerate sub-zero temperatures. By the way, if there is not enough space in your freezer, then you can put the blanched onion in a glass jar in dense layers, close the lid and store it in the refrigerator.
For boiling, cut the peeled onion into cubes. Pour 2 liters of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of table salt, place the vegetables in a bowl, and blanch for five minutes. Then you should take out the onion, rinse in plenty of cold water. Let the liquid drain, put the workpiece in plastic containers and send to the freezer.
Onions, cut into small cubes, can be put into a bag after heat treatment. At the same time, pay attention to the fact that about two free centimeters remain in the upper part of the bag, because freezing makes this vegetable expand slightly. Close the bag tightly, gently squeeze out the collected air. This is necessary in order to ensure the tightness necessary for high-quality freezing and long-term storage. Using your hands, spread the slices evenly over the surface of the bag, lay out the baking sheet and gently press down on the surface with your palms. With the help of this manipulation, you will not only get rid of excess air, but also save space in the freezer.
Can onions be frozen without heat treatment?
Freezing onions for the winter is possible without thermal exposure, but you will have to resort to minimal pickling. Cut the vegetable into half rings, place in a deep bowl and sprinkle with one to three ratio of table salt. After that, pack the resulting workpiece into the intended containers. Before cooking, the onion rings must be soaked in cold water for 30 minutes so that excess salt comes out.
Onions can be lightly dried in the oven before freezing for the winter. The process will eliminate excess liquid, ensuring long-term preservation of the workpiece. Put the pre-prepared, thoroughly dried and chopped vegetables on a baking sheet greased with sunflower oil, and put it in the oven for five minutes (at a temperature of one hundred and eighty degrees). The product is ready to be frozen.
It is recommended to freeze onions at minus eighteen degrees. Store the workpiece at 5–20 ° C below zero. The maximum period is about six months, however, it is recommended to use the product within two to three months.
Foil can be used. For this preparation, mix the chopped product with herbs and butter. Place the mass on food foil, wrap and crimp to release air. When this sausage freezes, cut it into slices and re-freeze them. They will then serve as the basis for the preparation of second courses, because such a "tablet" contains onions, oil, and herbs.
Also, by freezing, you can save green onions for the winter, which will be useful for decorating dishes and giving them a special summer taste. So, rinse the green feathers, dry them on a wooden board. This is necessary so that the greens do not become clumped during the freezing process. Chop finely after drying. Spread the chopped greens in handfuls in special bags or airtight containers. In order for the preparation to be better stored and tastier, knowledgeable housewives recommend adding a little dill to it. This will allow you to provide your household with fresh herbs without resorting to dried spices, which are of no use.
Defrosting properly and using onions
Such a blank can be used to prepare various culinary dishes - vegetable stews, various soups, minced meat, etc. Such an additive will give food a special taste and aroma, and also saturate it with vitamins and nutrients that are rich in onions. It is not recommended to add frozen vegetables in raw form, without heat treatment. It is impossible to re-freeze the product, since it becomes slippery, lethargic, gets an unpleasant odor and loses most of its useful properties.
Defrosting can be done by the following methods:
- In fridge. The process will take quite a long time (up to three hours), but it will preserve the solid consistency of the product and the characteristic aroma.
- At room temperature. To do this, just leave the workpiece on the table. The speed of the process depends on the temperature of the freezing and storage of the product. It should be noted that in this case the vegetable softens and becomes watery. However, the taste is preserved, so the product can be used in cooking.
- In the microwave. This option allows you to significantly save time, the process will take no more than five minutes. But if you overdo it, then defrosting can go into the cooking process. To prevent this from happening, set the power indicators of the microwave oven to the lowest mode.
- In water. It is believed that if frozen onions are placed in a bowl of cold water for several hours before use, then their taste will be exactly the same as that of a fresh vegetable.
- In some cases, the product is used without defrosting, for example, if you have prepared pre-fried onions.