Fresh berries at any time of the year, especially in winter, are a real delicacy. To preserve their freshness, taste and beneficial properties for longer than two weeks, you can only by freezing them. There are various technologies that allow you to save so any berry, vegetable and fruit.
Is it possible to freeze a watermelon for the winter? It stands out from other berries in that water is its main component. The pulp fibers are destroyed during the freezing process, therefore, after complete thawing, the watermelon really turns into water. This fact greatly complicates the freezing process. But it can be done.
Regardless of the variety, a low-calorie product, even in a frozen state, is rich in antioxidants (lycopene), minerals, vitamins: up to eighty percent of useful substances remain in the berry.
After defrosting, watermelon is used to create cocktails, juices, smoothies, desserts. It is better not to wait until the product has thawed completely, and immediately put it in a dish. Eating it just isn’t worth it - the frozen pulp of a watermelon will differ significantly from the fresh. Unfortunately, not everyone knows this.
Frozen Watermelon: Reviews
Can a watermelon be frozen? After all, not every berry is easily amenable to this process. That is why frozen watermelon can hardly be found in supermarkets. But the desire to enjoy the wonderful taste of the berry did not stop enthusiasts. There are a lot of people who tried to freeze a watermelon. Their reviews can be divided into two groups: positive and negative.
Those who could enjoy the frozen watermelon rushed to brag about it on the Internet. They demonstrated frozen berry wedges and provided many recipes. All of them say that in a frozen state the watermelon retained its juiciness and taste. Unfortunately, enthusiastic reviews did not always contain important rules for freezing, so not everyone was able to repeat a successful experience.
The second group consists of negative reviews. Not knowing all the features of freezing, people just ruined a watermelon. After thawing, it was very different from the original form. Watermelon resembled a jelly-like mass that quickly melted and turned into either water or jelly. Seeds spoiled the whole impression even more. The product was practically impossible to use for confectionery purposes: as a water with a small characteristic aroma, watermelon was practically not used. Unfortunately, the number of people who left their negative reviews is greater than the number of those who speak positively about the result. It is with this that the prevailing opinion is that watermelon should not be frozen. But this is not so. It is important to do everything right.
The process of freezing watermelon
In order to get a product whose taste can be enjoyed in any season, you need to know how to freeze a watermelon. The process is simple, but it is important to comply with each stage. So, is it possible to freeze a watermelon? Yes. To do this, do the following:
- Watermelon is cut into familiar pieces.
- A whole crust is cut from a fresh product, including the entire dense part.
- All seeds are removed.
- The pulp is cut into small pieces (preferably in the form of cubes).
- The baking sheet is covered with foil or parchment paper.
- Cubes are laid out on it so that they do not touch each other. It is not necessary to cover the pieces.
- The sheet is placed in the freezer.
- Once the watermelon is completely frozen, it neatly unfolds in sachets or small containers.
- Bags and containers are sealed and put back into the freezer.
Secrets of Freezing Watermelon
How to freeze a watermelon? At first glance, it seems that the process is very simple, but there are secrets here.
- It is important to do everything quickly, since the berry releases water, which can significantly complicate the cooking process.
- If a container is selected as a storage container, then you do not need to completely fill it with berry. It is worth leaving a free place. In the process of freezing, the watermelon begins to expand.
- The plastic bag must be airtight, before laying the pieces of the berry, air is completely removed from it. The tightness of the package is due to the fact that the watermelon, like any other liquid-rich product, absorbs odors well. In order to feel a characteristic aroma after defrosting, and not the smell of another product, this feature should not be neglected.
- Packaging should be only plastic. Glass will not withstand sudden changes in temperature.
Features of freezing watermelon for the winter
Is it possible to freeze a watermelon for the winter, and what is its shelf life? The fruit in the frozen state can be stored for no longer than twelve months. But the peculiarities of this particular berry are that the longer the product is stored, the more taste it loses. Watermelon will be much sweeter if eaten within a month after storage. For prolonged freezing, it is better to choose varieties where the flesh is loose and sweet. As a rule, Krasnodar berry varieties possess such features.
In order for the storage duration not to affect the taste of the watermelon, the housewives resort to various tricks. Sugar or syrup is often added to the recipe. This can be done both before and after freezing.
The berry should be frozen at minus temperature (from eighteen to twenty-three degrees). The berry is stored better if the temperature is not higher than eighteen degrees. After thawing, the fruit will be valid for four days. It is impossible to freeze it again.
It’s easy to get a quality product if there is a quick freeze function in the freezer. It is for the structure of watermelon that this feature is very important. It is important to adhere to a certain technology, so that you have a delicious frozen watermelon in the winter. Recipes will be presented to your attention below.
Recipe number 1
How to freeze a watermelon? Everyone knows that sugar crystallizes well and helps retain water. Due to this property, a watermelon after defrosting remains as sweet as fresh. If you sprinkle five kilograms of pulp with sugar (half a kilogram), you can get not only the desired taste, but also help to retain aroma and water. By the way, sugar on the surface of the watermelon does not dissolve.
If the watermelon is not very sweet, then the amount of sugar can be increased to four hundred grams per two kilograms of pulp.
Recipe number 2
In addition to sugar, syrup is required. Both ingredients are added to taste, but too many of them can ruin everything. Syrup is prepared separately. It can be a classic combination of water and sugar. Instead of water, watermelon juice or orange juice is suitable.
The freezing process does not differ from the previous recipe. After a day, the watermelon is taken out of the freezer. Already frozen berries cubes are poured with syrup and placed in a container. After two days, it opens. Warm water pours into it, which rinses off the syrup a little. Each cube is wrapped with a film and placed in the freezer.
Recipe number 3
Instead of sugar and syrup, you must choose a sweet fruit or berry juice. Pineapple and orange juices are best. Instead, you can choose ginger ale. Too sweet or sour juices should be avoided, as they will not be combined to taste with watermelon.
Cubes of the fetus are cut in the usual way. They are placed in a container and completely poured with juice. Pieces should not rise above the juice level. For these purposes, wax paper is placed on their surface . After that, the container is closed and placed in the freezer. But the resulting fruit ice is stored for no more than six months.
Watermelon Juice Freeze Recipe
If you need to freeze a very juicy watermelon containing a large amount of water, then this will not work in the usual way. The liquid will constantly flow out of the fruit, and the frozen pulp will resemble tasteless ice. In this case, it is better to freeze watermelon juice. It is poured into a container for freezing ice and placed in a freezer. Then the cubes are transferred to the container.
To improve the taste, juice of grapefruit or orange is often added to watermelon juice. Their flesh crystallizes well, which allows you to keep the water in the form of cubes.