Sorrel for the winter - 6 homemade delicious recipes

Sorrel in its own juice

Another interesting method of storing greens is in your own juice. The advantage of this method of preserving sorrel is that you can do without adding salt or sugar. This method is very suitable for dishes that are prepared strictly according to the recipe, and excess salt or sugar can spoil the taste. At the same time, you do not need to roll up the cans or boil for a long time, the sorrel, due to its acid, is perfectly stored without the addition of vinegar.

First you need to prepare sorrel: remove dry leaves, remove grass and other debris, rinse from dust and dirt. Take the largest saucepan, fill it halfway with water and put it on fire. Prepare half-liter (in extreme cases - liter) jars and fill them with sorrel leaves. You can cut the leaves or lay them whole, it all depends on your preference and the size of the leaves.

Important! We strongly recommend that you use 0.5L or 250ml jars, as they are the best place to store sorrel. After you have filled the jars, you need to put them in a pot of water.

As soon as the sorrel starts to "sit down" under the influence of the temperature, add more sleep. When you notice that the sorrel juice has risen to the neck of the can, the process is complete. The jars with sorrel need to be cooled a little and closed with silicone lids. Then you can place the jars either in the refrigerator or in the cellar.

After you have filled the jars, you need to put them in a pot of water. As soon as the sorrel starts to "sit down" under the influence of the temperature, add more sleep. When you notice that the sorrel juice has risen to the neck of the can, the process is complete. The jars with sorrel need to be cooled a little and closed with silicone lids. Then you can place the jars either in the refrigerator or in the cellar.

This method does not take as much time as conventional preservation. In this case, you can not be afraid that the cans will "shoot" or the sorrel will turn sour.

Preservation with salt

Not everyone knows how to roll up sorrel with salt. Today you can find a lot of information on how to salt sorrel. It is recommended to do this in late spring or early summer, before the plant has time to grow strongly. It is recommended to pickle salted sorrel and roll it into half-liter jars. Such containers are very convenient, as one can is enough to make a large pot of soup or borscht.

To prepare sorrel in jars for the winter, you will need the following ingredients:

• a kilogram of leaves;
• 10 g of salt for each jar.

To preserve sorrel in a cold way, you need to pour fresh grass with warm water, then close the container with a lid and leave it to infuse for half an hour. This is done so that all dirt, insects and other debris are washed off the plant.

Also, before preparing the plant for spinning, it should be thoroughly rinsed under warm water. Then the wild beets are cut into small strips no more than one centimeter wide. The harvested plant is placed in containers to the very top.

When all the jars are full, cover the salted sorrel with special lids. It is possible to store canned products even at room temperatures, since such greens are stored for a long time in almost any conditions.

Useful Tips

For all its merits, the "spring king" has some contraindications. Oxalic acid, which it is so rich in, in excess quantities can lead to urolithiasis, kidney problems, increased gastric acidity and metabolic disorders.
To avoid trouble, you should adhere to simple rules:

1. For blanks, young sorrel leaves are taken, with a low acid content.
2. At the summer cottage, the plant is harvested, starting from the first spring shoots and until mid-summer. After that, the leaves become rough, accumulate oxalic acid and it is highly undesirable to use them, including canned ones.
3. Sorrel jars rolled up with metal lids should not be cooled by turning them upside down. The reason is the same oxalic acid. It corrodes food varnish, after which the lid rusts and can spoil the preservation.

When used correctly, sorrel will perfectly support the body in the winter, until the appearance of new greenery. You should not give up such a healing product.

Proper nutrition is the key to good health and an active life!

Dried sorrel

The easiest and time-tested way to prepare sorrel for the winter is drying. There are two ways to dry the leaves: in the air or in an electric dryer.

After collection, carefully sort through the leaves, remove rotten or spoiled ones. Rinse with water if dust settles on the sorrel.
To air dry sorrel, you need to collect greens in small bunches, tie with a thick thread and hang in the shade.

Important! The sun's rays should not fall on the sorrel, otherwise the leaves will discolor and begin to crumble. When creating bunches, remember that the leaves in it should dry out equally.

If you tie a bunch that is too thick, then the sorrel in the center will not dry out, but will rot. Therefore, try to stick to a thickness of no more than 5-7 cm.Also provide good airflow if the leaves are to dry indoors.

When creating bunches, remember that the leaves in it should dry out the same way. If you tie a bunch that is too thick, then the sorrel in the center will not dry out, but will rot. Therefore, try to stick to a thickness of no more than 5-7 cm.
Also provide good airflow if the leaves are to be dried indoors.

If drying in bunches is inconvenient, then you can lay out the green leaves on paper or on a sieve. Remember that the thinner the layer, the faster it will dry. Even if you have very little space to dry, you cannot lay the sorrel in a layer more than 15 cm thick, as the leaves can rot.

Sorrel can be dried in an electric dryer. This method is faster, but not for everyone.
Chop the sorrel into small pieces before drying. Try to dry a small batch first to know for sure that you like the quality and taste of the finished product. After a few tries, you will know exactly how long the leaves should be in the dryer.

Ready dry sorrel should be dark green in color. When pressed, the leaves should crumble into small pieces

In this case, pay attention to whether the leaves are completely dry or only at the edges. After drying, the sorrel is stored in opaque cans with a twist.

Banks should not be placed in a very humid place so that the sorrel does not deteriorate (even the tightest lid allows moisture to pass into the can).

Important! Oxalic acid is worth mentioning, which can worsen kidney-related diseases. People with high stomach acidity should also eat small amounts of sorrel.

Storage requirements

Let's now look at all the nuances to prolong the enjoyment of juicy and healthy sorrel leaves.

In fridge

The main conditions for keeping leaves in the refrigerator is the presence of water. That is, a bunch of greens must be placed in a container with water, which will increase the period to 2 weeks. It is better not to place aromatic herbs next to sorrel: parsnips, basil, cilantro. Sorrel will be saturated with smell, will become unpleasant to the taste.

Frozen sorrel in ice cube trays

At room temperature

Sorrel does not imply long-term storage indoors, so it will wither or dry out after 3 hours. There are times when there is no time to do greenery, then I pour water into a mug and put a green bouquet in it. In this position, the sorrel will stand for a couple of days.

It is undesirable to put the leaves on the windowsill or table located next to the window. In direct sunlight, they will wither, even while in the water.

Long-term storage

Sorrel can be stored salted. The salting procedure is as follows:

1. I wash the greens thoroughly and cut them into arbitrary pieces.
2. For 1 kg of product I take 3 tbsp. l. salt. I mix all the ingredients in a deep bowl.
3. I tamp it tightly into glass jars with a capacity of 0.5 liters. I seal it tightly with a plastic lid.

Author's note
Natalia Papanova
Blog author

I store containers with sorrel away from sunlight, in the refrigerator or in the cellar.

If these conditions are met, sorrel can be eaten for 1-2 years.

Freezing method

I freeze sorrel in two ways: chopped leaves (preparation for soups) and whole leaves, which I twist and use as a filling for pies.

It is best to freeze the sorrel in a separate sealed container by creating a vacuum. In addition, make sure that the bags do not break, otherwise the leaves will be saturated with the smell and taste of neighboring products.

In the vegetable compartment

The vegetable compartment is a compartment or trays in the refrigerator where vegetable products can sit for a while. If other fruits and vegetables are available, isolate sorrel from them. To do this, I use wet towels (for wrapping whole leaves), or bags for chopped sorrel.

It is necessary to monitor the tightness of the packaging. If the bag is torn, then at high humidity the greens will turn yellow and quickly deteriorate.

How to store grass for a long time: step by step instructions

The following will tell you how much sorrel can be stored and remain usable in the refrigerator.

In the towel

1. A cloth towel should be moistened with cold water, wrung out thoroughly and spread on the table.
2. Gently lay the leaves in 2-3 layers and roll up.
3. To store a small amount, you can simply wrap a bunch of sorrel in a damp towel.
4. Put the finished package on a flat dish and put it on the middle or top shelf of the refrigerator.

The shelf life of sorrel leaves in this way is 7-10 days.

In water

The easiest way is to store the sorrel in water. For this you need:

1. Pour cold, unboiled water into a jar.
2. Dip the plants into it so that the stems are submerged by 3-4 cm.
3. Periodically, every 2-3 days, you should change the water and cut the lower part of the stems.

Attention!

To store sorrel in water, it is not required to rinse it from contamination. These greens should be washed immediately before eating.

A bouquet of plant leaves is stored for 7-14 days.

In the package

There are two ways to store sorrel in a bag:

1. Place the prepared leaves in a plastic bag and tie, leaving a little air space. To prevent the appearance of rot, the bag should be opened once a day, ventilated and tied tightly again.
2. In the bag with herbs, make several holes for natural ventilation. In this case, daily ventilation is not required, but a constant supply of air contributes to faster oxidation and deterioration of the product.

Storing sorrel in a bag is the shortest way - the greens stay fresh for 5-10 days.

In container

Storing in a plastic container or glass jar will help preserve the vitamins of green leaves.

1. Prepared leaves should be laid without compaction.
2. Close and place on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the vegetable compartment.

Important!

The main factor in this preservation is the absence of moisture on the leaves and dishes. In this way, you can save sorrel for 15-30 days.

Vacuum packed

Vacuum storage saves space in the refrigerator and keeps the leaves fresh. To do this, you should:

1. Put raw materials in a bag.
2. Remove air with a vacuum cleaner.
3. It is imperative to remove the stalks, as rigid fibers can damage the packaging if compressed.

The shelf life of the product in a vacuum is 15-30 days.

The sorrel packed in this way, stored in the freezer, retains all its vitamins for a year.

How to dry garden grass without heat treatment

This method is the simplest and most affordable. You just need to take the time to sort out the sorrel. It is not recommended to wash it.

Natural dehydration is accomplished by several methods:

1. We tie the greens in small bunches and hang them in a well-ventilated room. Periodically stir up the grass so that mold does not form on it.
2. We spread the sorrel leaves on paper and dry them indoors or under a canopy so that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.

Usually 1-2 weeks are enough. To check the readiness of the tops, you need to gently rub them. If it crumbles, but does not turn into powder, then we distribute it in sealed containers. Even slight moisture will ruin the plant. Before using dry sorrel, be sure to rinse it.

How to freeze sorrel for the winter

There are also several freezing options. The most common one will be described here.

How to freeze sorrel shoots:

1. Fresh sorrel is getting over. This process involves removing other grass, flabby or damaged leaves, and anything in the sorrel bunch that is not sorrel.
2. The sorted product is washed. Since sorrel shoots often come into contact with the ground, when washing, it is better to first dip the sorrel in a bowl of water (it should completely cover the product), and after settling to the bottom of the earth, wash the stems one by one under running water. This may be a more laborious process than it seemed at first, but if you do not do this, then the finished borsch will contain earth and sand.
3. Chop the leaves. It is enough to cut across the sheet into strips 3-4 cm thick.
4. Boil water in a saucepan. Dip the crushed product into it.
5. After 1 minute, remove the product from the boiling water and put it in a colander to drain off excess liquid.
6. Leave the greens in this form until they cool completely and dry as much as possible.
7. Laying out cooled sorrel leaves in portioned bags, you need to calculate the amount of product in the bag at a time.
8. Let the air out of the bag before freezing. Put in the freezer and leave there until the need for sorrel.

How to keep sorrel for the winter?

Due to its taste, the plant is often used in hot dishes and salads. The most popular recipe is cabbage soup or sorrel soup, a very tasty and, most importantly, healthy dish. To enjoy this soup all year round, craftsmen have invented some methods. We will talk about them.

But before preparing the product for conservation, you must do the following:

1. rinse the leaves thoroughly, and even better if you scald them with boiling water;
2. cut off the stems;
3. sort through the leaves and get rid of those that are unsuitable for food (rotten, torn, withered). They may contain an infection that can spread to other plants.

Method 1: salting

This is the oldest and most time-tested way to keep food fresh. Salting as a special storage technique has two distinctive features.

1. This is a quick recipe that doesn't take long.
2. Dishes with the final product do not need to be salted, as the sorrel will absorb the salt during storage.

So, to salt sorrel for the winter, you will need:

• empty clean jar;
• washed leaves;
• salt.

First, cut the sorrel as you like: it can be thin strips or small pieces. Place some sorrel in the jar to cover the bottom. Then sprinkle generously with salt on this layer. Lay a new layer on top, sprinkle with salt again. Fill the entire container in this way, alternating the sorrel with salt.

A few helpful tips for salting.

1. The thickness of the layers depends on how salty you want the product to be.The thinner the layer, the more salty the winter preparation will turn out.
2. The jar should be kept in the refrigerator.
3. The finer you chop the plant before salting, the more juice it will produce.

That's all! The finished piece can be added to soups, salads or eaten just like that. Bon Appetit!

Method 2: freeze

A universal recipe for preserving a product is to freeze it for a while. The cold prevents the growth of bacteria, prevents the breakdown of substances and stores vitamins. So how to freeze sorrel for the winter?

Cold preparation of sorrel is carried out according to a recipe even easier than salting: you just need to cut the leaves of the plant, put them in bags and leave in the freezer

This recipe allows you to preserve the maximum of nutrients in the leaves, which is important for maintaining the body's immunity in the autumn-winter-spring period.

What you need to know before freezing sorrel?

• Remember that such preservation is one-time, that is, after defrosting, the product must be eaten immediately.
• Secondary freezing is pointless, since it completely loses the plant's benefits, while accumulating only toxins.
• Before you freeze the sorrel, do not forget to sort through the leaves and discard the rotten, unsuitable for food.

Method 3: conservation

Canning is the most innovative way to harvest sorrel for the winter. Preservation was officially introduced in the 18th century by the French scientist Upper, who decided to take part in the competition for the best way to keep food fresh and won it with his ingenious invention. The judges were especially impressed by the shelf life of the food: the vegetables and fruits on which the experiment was carried out did not deteriorate at all in more than eight months!

What did Upper do? He invented canning (from the word conserve - to store), the recipe for which consisted of the following steps.

1. The product was placed in a tin can, from which air was pumped out through a tiny hole.
2. The jar was boiled in hot water, the temperature of which was higher than the boiling point. This was done in order to destroy harmful microorganisms.
3. The jar was cooled and left for storage.

The recipe spread very quickly all over the world, and now it is difficult for us to imagine that twisting cans every summer is not an old Russian tradition, but just the invention of one chef from Europe.

So, to save sorrel for the winter, we need leaves, salt, boiling water and jars.

1. The first step is to sterilize the cans, that is, to rid them of bacteria invisible to the eye. Do the same with the leaves - you can scald them with boiling water.
2. Cut the leaves into strips and tamp them into a jar.
3. When the jar is full, place half a teaspoon of salt on top (calculated per liter).
4. Pour boiling water into the jar and close the lid.
5. Before you freeze the sorrel in a jar, you need to cool it down. Until it cools completely, the jar should be at room temperature in an inverted state.

Freezing as a way to preserve sorrel during the cold season

In homemade preparations, the main thing is to preserve as much vitamins and nutrients as possible, which fresh greens are so rich in. That is why, when considering how to preserve sorrel for the winter, housewives prefer freezing. Indeed, in this case, the "spring king" does not lose its healing properties and original taste, giving them to the dishes in full.

For all its simplicity, the freezing process has some subtleties:

First, the sorrel is placed in a basin filled with water and carefully sorted out, getting rid of accidental blades of grass, yellowed or spoiled specimens and other debris. During this time, the earth and sand remaining on the plant settle to the bottom and there is no need to keep the leaves under running water for a long time, destroying their delicate structure.
Then the sorrel is rinsed under the tap to finally get rid of contamination.

Allow the water to drain and lay the raw materials on paper towels to dry.
Important! When placing in the freezer, the sorrel should not be wet, then we will get a really high-quality product at the end.

Small leaves can be left intact, and large ones can be cut into long strips and placed in portions in bags, preferably "sliders" or containers. Then freeze it quickly.
There is another option: the greens are crushed, laid out in ice molds and filled with water.

Then they are sent to the freezer. With this method, other seasonings are often added to sorrel, for example, parsley, dill, or cilantro.
Sometimes before storage, sorrel is blanched for 1 minute, then thrown back on a sieve and spread on an absorbent surface. Heat treatment will in no way affect the taste of sorrel, on the contrary, the greens will become more aromatic and after freezing they will acquire a bright color. Blanching helps to preserve the product longer, eliminates putrefactive bacteria and pesticides.

Important! Sorrel must be frozen in portions, because when re-treated with cold, it will lose its appearance, taste and useful properties. Add herbs to the dish 5 minutes before cooking

No preliminary defrosting is required.

Freezing sorrel

Many housewives have wondered how to keep the sorrel fresh in the refrigerator. Dried sorrel isn't particularly fresh or tasty, so you can try freezing the leaves to keep them soft and juicy. Sort the sorrel before freezing to remove any grass or spoiled leaves. Then the sorrel is washed in cold water and immersed in boiling water for a minute. The sorrel will darken slightly, acquiring an olive color.

Important! Sorrel color change after hot water does not affect the taste and vitamin composition. After heat treatment, the sorrel is left for a couple of hours to dry and cool.

If you put wet sorrel in the freezer, you end up with just a lump of ice that will take up extra space. After the leaves are dry, they need to be laid out in bowls or plastic bags that can be easily opened.

After heat treatment, the sorrel is left for a couple of hours to dry and cool. If you put wet sorrel in the freezer, you end up with just a lump of ice that will take up extra space. After the leaves are dry, they need to be laid out in bowls or plastic bags that can be easily opened.

When you need sorrel in winter, don't defrost it prematurely. Frozen leaves are thrown into the soup or borscht, which will quickly melt and transfer their taste to the dish.

There is another freezing method that requires a blender. Peeled and washed leaves are crushed in a blender to a puree state, laid out in bowls and frozen. This method is a little inconvenient, since you will have to use the entire food when defrosting. Therefore, chopped sorrel can be placed in ice cube trays. This way you can use as much frozen sorrel as you need.

Sorrel for the winter is frozen not only to preserve the taste or vitamin composition. This is done so that the leaves do not deteriorate (as when drying) or are not very salty (as when salting). Freezing preserves the primary taste of the product, so there is no need to be afraid that the stored product will spoil the dishes.

Did you know? Due to the high content of tannins in sorrel, the roots of many species are a valuable raw material for tanning leather. They are used as yellow and red dyes.

Excellent dressing for green borscht

When the snow is falling outside and the northern evening is blowing, it's time to prepare a refreshing hot meal. Let's get acquainted with an interesting recipe for borsch dressing for the winter.

Components required:

• young foliage of sorrel;
• parsley;
• young dill;
• Bay leaf;
• feathers of green onions;
• peppercorns;
• garlic;
• lemon acid;
• salt;
• water.

It is not at all difficult to figure out how to salt sorrel for borscht for the winter, in the company of traditional greens. The assembled components are carefully sorted out. Only high quality products will do. Then the greens are washed under the tap. Dry on the work surface. Cut into small pieces. Mix thoroughly.

Peel the garlic. Divided into teeth. Cut into cubes.

Chopped leaves of sorrel, parsley, dill are placed in clean sterilized jars to half the capacity. Then a layer of garlic is made, which is again covered with prepared vegetation.

Water is poured into a saucepan and boiled. Add salt, pepper, laurel, as well as the remaining cuttings of herbs. Cook for 5 minutes. The contents of the jars are poured with brine. Pour citric acid on top (0.5 teaspoon). Cover and sterilize in boiling water for 25 minutes. Capped and turned upside down. Cover with a terry towel until it cools completely. Store in a basement or refrigerator.

Best freezing recipes

Freezing sorrel at home is an easy task for those who know the technology and follow it. It is best to freeze greens for the winter along with cuttings as they contain more nutrients.

Among the best recipes for cooking sorrel, blanks in briquettes with nettles are distinguished. The recipe says you need to have nettles and sorrel in a ratio of 1 to 3 (and briquettes). Nettle imparts a specific flavor that is well suited to soup and other dishes. When cooking, you should finely chop the herbs, immerse them in boiling water for 25 minutes and place them in briquettes for storage in the freezer.

The refrigerator also stores portioned cubes with water and herbs, for the preparation of which they use ice molds. After grinding, the main ingredient is placed in molds and poured with 1 tablespoon of water, after which it is placed in the freezer. It will also be necessary to freeze fresh sorrel in molds in order to use the prepared green ice in the future when preparing pies, sauces or omelets.