Cooking sorrel for the winter and enjoying vitamins all year round
At all times, this unique culture was considered a favorite of the summer table. Is it possible to prepare sorrel for the winter and stretch the pleasure until the next season? It turns out that there are many simple recipes for preserving spring greens for future use. Plus, sorrel contains an abundance of vital vitamins and minerals. Due to the regular consumption of the product, the body is saturated with calcium, sulfur and magnesium. Green borscht, all kinds of vegetable salads are prepared with it and added to meat snacks. Let's figure out how to keep the product for better times.
Sorrel for the winter without sterilization
The easiest way to harvest a plant is salting. The recipe requires 2 ingredients:
- sorrel leaves;
- coarse salt.
For 1 kg of a green product, 5 tablespoons of salt are used. First of all, the sorrel leaves are carefully sorted out, removing the damaged specimens. 
Then put it in a bowl, fill it with water and wash it several times. When sorrel is prepared for the winter, be sure to put it on the table so that the excess liquid is gone.
Dried foliage is cut perpendicular to the length of the plate. Neat green stripes are obtained, which are folded into a spacious container. Sprinkle with salt on top and mix.
Glass jars are sterilized in the oven or under steam. Lids are heated in a similar way. Greens are placed in the container. Lightly tamp and sprinkle with salt on top. Close with lids. Store the workpiece in a cool room. For residents of apartment buildings, a refrigerator is suitable.
When using the product in various dishes, you should reduce the amount of salt.
Basic rules on how to prepare sorrel for the winter in vinegar jars
An amazing variety of recipes allows you to choose the most suitable option.
A fairly simple blank is obtained from the following set of ingredients:
- several large bunches of sorrel;
- table salt (to taste);
- vinegar (9%);
- pure water.
Now let's look at how sorrel is prepared in jars for the winter with the addition of vinegar. Selected greens are thoroughly washed under the tap. Spread out on a kitchen towel to dry. With the help of a sharp knife, dense stems are removed, and the foliage is cut into pieces. The resulting product is placed in steamed jars.
Water is poured into a saucepan. Pour in salt and mix thoroughly. Placed on a hot stove. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Vinegar is added (1 teaspoon is enough for 0.5 l of water and 1 tablespoon of salt). Crushed foliage is poured with prepared brine. Cover with lids, and then take to a cold place. In winter, they add to soup or prepare green borscht.
For workpieces, it is better to use containers with a volume of 0.5 liters or less.
The classic way to prepare sorrel for the winter for soup
There are recipes that are not affected by time and technology. Several generations have been harvesting a green product without salt, preserving the entire set of useful components.
First of all, glass containers and lids are steamed. Then the selected sorrel leaves are washed under the tap. Cuttings are removed. Cut into pieces.
Cold water is poured into a wide saucepan. Put on fire and bring to a boil. Then the sorrel leaves are lowered and the temperature is reduced to a minimum. Cover with a lid. Under the influence of heat, the plant lets out juice and smoothly settles to the bottom of the dish.
After 5 minutes, remove the lid and mix the product well. Chopped leaves simmer for about 15 minutes. Then they are transferred to jars. Seal with lids. Store in the refrigerator. Knowing how to prepare sorrel for the soup without salt for the winter, we can immediately get down to business.
Greens, which have been doused with boiling water, retain their taste.
Recipe for Busy People
The fast pace of life takes time and energy away from people. Therefore, you have to look for recipes for blanks with minimal costs. It turns out that cold preparation of sorrel for the winter is a wonderful alternative for busy ladies.
You will need:
- cold filtered water;
- fresh sorrel leaves;
- suitable container.
The greens are carefully sorted out so as not to use rotten and damaged leaves. Rinse thoroughly under the tap. Spread out on a towel to dry.
The leaves are folded in small slides. Cuttings are removed. Cut into squares and put in jars. Pour in cold water. Cover with lids. They are taken to the cellar. In winter it is used as a dressing for green cabbage soup.
Sweet filling for pies
For lovers of homemade baking, consider the original way of preserving sorrel for the winter in jars of granulated sugar. Someone will be surprised at this idea. In fact, the product comes out with excellent taste.
Ingredients needed:
- young leaves of sorrel;
- granulated sugar.
Greens are collected in bunches. Immersed in cold water. Leave for 2 minutes. Take out and repeat the procedure 2 more times. During this time, the rest of the soil will settle to the bottom of the dish. When the foliage is dry, it is shredded on a plastic cutting board.
The product can be simply cut into pieces. Then it will be convenient to put into the dough.
Pour crushed sorrel with granulated sugar and mix gently. To prevent the product from turning into a green "porridge", do not change it. When the granulated sugar dissolves a little, the sorrel is packaged in glass containers.
There is another method of preparing sorrel for the winter with sugar. To do this, the leaves are stacked in a steamed jar in layers. Each of them is sprinkled with granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate. Used as a filling forhomemade piein.
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 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 with a lid and sterilize in boiling water for 25 minutes. Cork and turn upside down. Cover with a terry towel until it cools completely. Store in a basement or refrigerator.
How to properly freeze sorrel for the winter at home
Modern housewives come up with various methods of storing greens for the cold season. The easiest option is to put it in the freezer. The leaves of the plant wonderfully tolerate low temperatures without losing their taste.
The process of how to properly freeze sorrel for the winter consists of simple steps:
- selection of suitable greens;
- rinsing the product under the tap;
- drying on the countertop;
- shredding foliage.
Next, prepare plastic containers or tight vacuum bags. Fill with chopped herbs. Packed so that air does not enter. Placed in a freezer maintained at -18 ° C.
If plastic containers are used for freezing, it is advisable to cover them with cling film.
How to dry sorrel leaves for the winter
Summer residents are considered to be extremely busy people, especially in spring and early summer. Therefore, we will consider a simple way to harvest sorrel for the winter, which many housewives like. This is a traditional plant drying.
To date, the following process options are known:
- in a ventilated area;
- on air;
- using an electric dryer.
To dry the sorrel indoors, the leaves are first washed thoroughly. Leave in a colander for a few minutes. When the liquid is gone, chop it with straws. Spread out on a cotton cloth in a thin layer. Turn over periodically until completely dry.
The procedure for drying herbs in the open air begins with a careful selection of the product. Then it is tied into small bundles. Hang out under some kind of awning, away from direct sunlight. Readiness is checked as follows: dry sorrel is gently squeezed in the hand. If it crumbles and does not turn into dust, it is packed in paper bags. Store in a ventilated area. If an electric dryer is used, the greens are washed, chopped and sent to the device. After 7 hours, the product is ready.
Bonus tip on how to keep sorrel fresh in the fridge for several days
Unfortunately, the sour-tasting foliage is very quick to shoot. The greens become tough and grow in size. I really want to enjoy the vitamin product longer. We will learn how to keep sorrel fresh in the refrigerator, quickly and efficiently.
First of all, the greens are carefully sorted, removing to the side:
- yellowed specimens;
- damaged items;
- excess grass.
Selected leaves are poured with cold salt water in a spacious bowl for 10 minutes. The procedure will help the plant to straighten out. The soil particles will sink to the bottom. Insects, invisible at first glance, will "leave" their habitat.
Using a slotted spoon, the herbs are taken out of the bowl. They are laid out neatly on the table. Leave until dry. Cut into pieces or strips. Packaged in plastic trays. Cover with cling film or lids. Send to the bottom section of the refrigerator. Used for cooking hot dishes, scrambled eggs and salads.
So, sorrel is harvested for the winter in various ways. Sprinkle with salt or granulated sugar. Pour in brine or blanch. Freeze fresh or dry. In any case, the result is an excellent product for the first and second courses.