Broccoli is rarely stored for the winter. Either because housewives practically do not know recipes on how to do this. Either because they consider such preparations too bland. It’s better to pickle a regular tomato or pickle a cucumber.
But broccoli is a very, very healthy vegetable. And I have told my readers about this more than once. For example, broccoli contains a huge amount of various vitamins and microelements, which means both children and adults should eat it.
And the most interesting thing is that there is much more vitamin C, which is better known as ascorbic acid, than in lemon. Therefore, let's start preparing this vegetable today. And I’ll tell you how to do it correctly, and most importantly, deliciously.
Broccoli for the winter. Classic recipe “Favorite Vegetable”
If you know how to properly pickle white cabbage, then you can easily cope with this simple recipe. The most important thing is to do everything strictly according to the prescribed steps and follow the quantities of the specified products.
What you will need
- Broccoli – 400 g;
- water – 1 liter;
- carrots - a couple of pieces;
- garlic – 6 cloves;
- sugar – 10 tablespoons;
- salt – 4 large spoons;
- laurel;
- black pepper;
- vinegar 9% - 1 glass;
- fresh green dill;
- sunflower oil.
It is best to choose one large floret of broccoli, and divide it into pieces before starting cooking.
How to cook
Boil water in a saucepan.
Cut the broccoli into small florets, after rinsing it under running water.
Cut the carrots. Here you can use your favorite option - rings, half rings, pieces.
Pass the garlic through a crusher.
Add chopped dill to all the vegetables that are in one bowl.
Divide the vegetables into the jars in even quantities.
Add sugar, salt, vinegar, oil, bay leaf and peas to boiling water. Cook the marinade for no more than 10 minutes.
Pour hot brine into each jar, screw on the lid and place in a dark place at room temperature for 2 days.
Now all that remains is to rearrange the jars in the refrigerator and open them in the winter, when you want pleasant memories of summer.
Selecting and preparing broccoli for pickling
The choice of broccoli heads for preservation is carried out taking into account a number of requirements:
- freshness;
- hardness;
- integrity, absence of any signs of damage or decay;
- the presence of a round shape, bright green color, while the tops of the inflorescences may be purple;
- absence of yellowness, as well as gray and brown spots.
It is not recommended to preserve unripe heads of cabbage as they will be too soft and not crispy. The same can be said about overripe vegetables - they are poorly cooked and become tough.
For pickling, vegetables with a minimum number of branches, weighing 500-700 g and 20 cm in diameter are most preferable.
Selected cabbage is poured with warm salted water and soaked for 20 minutes to get rid of insects hiding in the vegetable.
Further preparation for conservation includes several actions:
- washing, removing dirt;
- elimination of damaged fragments;
- division into separate inflorescences;
- drying.
Some recipes call for blanching in hot water for 4 minutes followed by rinsing under cold running water.
Important! Wet heads of broccoli on store shelves indicate that they were immersed in water to simulate lost freshness.
Broccoli for the winter. Freeze the easy way
To ensure that broccoli has a fresh natural taste in winter and does not lose all its vitamins, it can not only be filled with solution, but also frozen. The method is very simple, effective and reliable.
What you will need
- Broccoli - any quantity;
- water – 1 liter.
It should be remembered that broccoli does not tolerate prolonged boiling or baking. The ideal cooking time is just a couple of minutes.
How to cook
Boil water in a saucepan.
Wash the broccoli and divide it into florets.
Place broccoli in boiling water and cook for no more than 2 minutes.
Remove the cabbage, drain and place on a clean napkin to dry.
Transfer the required amount of cabbage into freezer containers or bags and place in the freezer. You should not put all the available quantity in one package.
Portions should be such that they can be used for preparing, for example, vegetable stew only once.
The second method of freezing at home: preserving the beneficial properties
Let's not stop at the first one. Here's another option for you. An important factor in freezing is the preservation of nutritional and beneficial properties. A distinctive feature from other types of cabbage is that it contains more protein. Plus, there is a huge content of vitamin C. 100 grams contains the daily requirement of this vitamin.
We do it according to the standard. Cut into inflorescence. Do not wash the broccoli itself. Just pour boiling water over it and that’s it.
I recommend not cutting the stem too much. By the way, it contains more useful substances.
Pack in bags or containers. And we send it to the stain. If there is vacuum packaging, that's even better.
Pickled broccoli for the winter in “Original” jars
This salad is not only delicious, but also beautiful. This appetizer will come in handy on the table in winter. And the amount of vitamins and minerals in this healthy cabbage will not decrease one bit if properly prepared.
What you will need
- Broccoli – 500 grams;
- laurel;
- black peppercorns;
- clove seasoning;
- chili pepper - one pod;
- carrot;
- onion - one head;
- garlic - a pair of cloves;
- beet.
You will also need water, sugar and salt to prepare the marinade.
How to cook
Divide the broccoli into florets.
Cut the carrots into cubes.
Cut the onion into half rings.
Beets - into thin slices.
Cut the garlic and pepper into 4 parts.
Dip the broccoli in hot water for a couple of minutes, and then be sure to add cold water.
Prepare the jars. Place garlic, bay leaf, and a couple of black peppercorns on the bottom of each.
Next, place some carrots on the bottom. Then a layer of broccoli, and then another layer of carrots. And so on until the jar is full.
Place layers of broccoli and beets in the second jar. This will be the best option, since beets produce juice that will color the vegetables only one color.
Now all that remains is to prepare the marinade and pour over the vegetables.
Pour a liter of water into a saucepan. Add vinegar, sugar and salt to the water. Place on fire and bring to a boil.
Pour the prepared solution into the jars, close the lids and store them first on the table, and then move them to the refrigerator.
Prepare the necessary ingredients
When starting to prepare broccoli for the winter, you need to consider the following requirements:
- choose freshly cut cabbage heads of rich green color with unopened inflorescences. After lying for a long time, the fruits turn yellow and are not suitable for harvesting;
- the size of the fruit should be from 8 to 25 centimeters in diameter;
- the vegetable must be fresh and strong, without signs of rotting or damage by pests;
When choosing cabbage, the fruit is picked up and squeezed tightly. If after this the vegetable is not deformed and does not break up into inflorescences, then it is suitable for preservation.
- ripe fruits have elastic green leaves and a pleasant smell.
Important! When purchasing broccoli, you should avoid vegetables rich in nitrates. Such plants are distinguished by thick leaves and greater weight than heads of cabbage without nitrates.
Preparing vegetables for cooking includes:
- Cut off the protruding stalk and large leaves from the cabbage.
- Divide the head into inflorescences, removing small leaves.
- Cut off the long petioles from each inflorescence.
- Rinse the fruits with running water and place in a colander.
- Dry the buns on cotton towels.
To get rid of pests and insects on a plant, you need to transfer the vegetable into a basin and pour it with saline solution for 20 minutes (40 grams of salt per liter of liquid). Then rinse the broccoli well with cold water and leave in a colander until the water drains completely.
Broccoli, canned with tomatoes “Wonderful Beauty”
Have you tried preparing broccoli for the winter in the same jar along with tomatoes? I've never done this before either. But just recently I found an amazing recipe that I liked so much that I decided to share it with the readers of my blog.
What you will need
- Broccoli – 600 grams;
- carrots – 300 grams;
- fleshy tomatoes – 4 pieces;
- bell pepper – 2 large;
- garlic – 4 pieces;
- sugar - a couple of large spoons;
- salt - two large spoons;
- liter of water;
- vinegar 9% - 30 ml;
- citric acid – teaspoon;
- Bay leaf.
The appetizer turned out surprisingly tasty and incredibly aromatic. My family happily ate a couple of jars that I made for testing.
How to cook
Place the broccoli in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then let the water drain.
Send carrots there too, which need to be cut into round pieces. Then also cool.
Cut the pepper into arbitrary slices. Cut the tomatoes into pieces no more than 2 cm thick.
Place layers in sterile jars: first - cabbage, second - peppers, third - tomatoes, fourth - carrots, last - garlic.
Put a pan of water on the fire, bring to a boil, add vinegar, citric acid, sugar, salt. Wait until it boils again and pour into jars with vegetables. Roll up the finished salad with lids, let it cool on the table and store it in the cellar.
Broccoli salad for the winter in sweet and sour marinade “Winter's Tale”
This salad will be the highlight of any holiday table or daily menu. It will especially appeal to those who are always looking for new recipes and want to treat their family and friends with excellent dishes.
What you will need
- Broccoli – 1 kg;
- bay leaf - a couple of things;
- mustard seeds;
- peppercorns;
- water - liter;
- citric acid - half a teaspoon;
- vinegar – 6% – 200 ml;
- sugar - a couple of large spoons;
- salt - two large spoons.
If desired, you can add bell pepper to this salad. Then such assorted vegetables will acquire an unusually delicate taste.
How to cook
Wash the broccoli, take it apart and boil in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then remove and let the water drain.
Then place the cabbage in pre-sterilized jars.
Pour water into the pan, add salt and sugar, vinegar and your favorite spices. Boil the marinade for 15 minutes and pour hot into jars. Roll up the jars, let cool and store in a cool place.
Broccoli is an incredibly healthy vegetable. It is recommended for feeding people who suffer from heart disease, diabetes, obesity and joint problems.
Broccoli is also unique in that it is an excellent preventative against winter colds.
Features of storing workpieces
Vegetable mixtures that were prepared without sterilization under nylon lids are stored in the refrigerator. Shelf life is about 3-4 weeks. Salads, marinades and assorted dishes, sealed and sterilized, are stored for about 2–3 years. The storage location should be cool. The jars should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Under its influence, an accelerated breakdown of vitamins occurs.
Important! To prepare marinades, use enamel dishes or stainless steel. It should not enter into chemical reactions with salts or acids that are present in marinades.
The benefits of broccoli for the body are enormous. Its consumption for several months reduces the level of “bad cholesterol” and the risk of cancer. If possible, include this healthy product in your diet. Prepare cabbage according to these or other recipes on our website and delight your family with delicious dishes.
