TOP 10 ways to preserve viburnum for the winter at home

Is it possible to freeze viburnum in the freezer?

Viburnum is a healthy and tasty berry. It contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements that cope with many ailments. Knowing how to freeze viburnum berries in the freezer, you can use them for a long time. Since a properly frozen product can be stored for about a year.

Temperature

In order for frozen berries to retain their taste and beneficial properties, it is important to observe the temperature regime. There are three main ranges:

• from 0 to -8°C – at this temperature the benefits of viburnum are minimally reduced. But at this temperature, the product is stored for no more than 3 months;
• from -8 to -18° C – average temperature. Frozen viburnum retains its taste and beneficial properties for 6 months;
• from -18 or more – deep freezing. The blank can be used for 1 year.

Housewives often purchase, in addition to the refrigerator, household freezers, which are equipped with a quick, deep freezing function. Before using the camera, it is important to read the instructions and place the viburnum in the compartment where the optimal permissible temperature will be maintained.

Additional Freezing Rules

In order for frozen viburnum to retain its medicinal properties, you need to follow simple rules:

1. Viburnum is harvested on a dry, frosty day.
2. The berries are picked from the bush along with the clusters.
3. At home, viburnum is separated from the branches, removing debris and spoiled berries.
4. The prepared berries are placed in a deep bowl and filled with warm water for 10-15 minutes.
5. The viburnum is drained in a colander until the moisture is completely removed.
6. The berries are laid out in one layer on a clean towel to dry.

You can freeze viburnum in several ways: whole berries, in the form of puree and with sugar.

Freezing whole berries. The dried viburnum is laid out in 1 layer on a tray and placed in the freezer for 3-4 hours. The freezing temperature should not be higher than -18° C. When the viburnum freezes, it is transferred to bags or containers. The bags are hermetically sealed after removing all the air. The workpiece is placed in the freezer for storage. The shelf life of the frozen product is 10-12 months.

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Freezing viburnum with sugar. A plastic container is filled with berries and sprinkled with sugar in a 1:1 ratio. The container is tightly closed and sent to the freezer. This preparation is used for preparing compote, vitamin tea, and baking filling.

Freezing ground viburnum. The prepared berries are crushed into puree using a blender. The resulting mass is ground through a fine sieve to get rid of the ground seeds. For convenient use, berry puree is frozen in ice cube trays. After 3-4 hours, remove the mold from the freezer, tap the frozen cubes and place them in a plastic bag. The shelf life of frozen viburnum puree is 9 months.

Important! Thawed berries are not frozen again.

Rules for choosing berries

Viburnum is collected in late autumn, after the first frost. At this point, the berries lose their bitterness and accumulate sugar. To get a juicy and sweet harvest, the fruits are cut with brushes. They are stored in this form until processing begins. You can collect the fruits in any container; the skin is quite dense, so there will be no crushing of the berries.



At home, viburnum is stored in a cool, ventilated place. The box or other container is left open to ventilate the crop. You can also hang the brushes in the cellar on a rope. If it is not possible to keep the berries cool, they are left in the apartment. This will not significantly shorten the shelf life.

Viburnum is removed from the bunches only before consumption, as it loses juice.

Beneficial properties and possible harm of viburnum

Viburnum is a tasty, healthy berry.

Thanks to its rich chemical composition, the berry copes with many ailments:

• vitamin C – improves immunity;
• K and Mg – strengthens the heart muscle;
• Fe, Mn, Cu - get rid of waste, toxins, bad cholesterol, increase hemoglobin, normalize blood pressure;
• P, Ca - strengthen the skeletal system, improve joint mobility and muscle elasticity.

Viburnum has found wide use in folk medicine. It is used to treat the genitourinary and respiratory systems. Due to its antibacterial, antipyretic and analgesic properties, the berry is used for colds.

Viburnum is irreplaceable for hypertension. Taking 1 handful of berries with honey daily will help normalize blood pressure within 1 month.

The method is effective, but requires compliance with certain rules:

1. Regular blood pressure monitoring . Since its sharp decrease can lead to fainting and stroke.
2. During treatment, it is important to monitor blood counts . With regular intake of viburnum, there is often an excess accumulation of ascorbic acid, potassium and magnesium in the blood.

In general, viburnum is ideal for hypertension. It renews the blood, cleanses blood vessels from plaques, and increases the overall tone of the body.

Since ancient times, viburnum has been considered a female berry.

Since it is recommended to be used for the following diseases:

• uterine bleeding;
• severe symptoms during menopause;
• painful menstruation;
• mastopathy;
• menstrual irregularities.

Important! Since the berry has contraindications, consultation with a specialist is necessary before consumption.

Despite its positive aspects, viburnum can be harmful to health.

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It is not recommended to consume it in large quantities:

1. Pregnant.
2. For arthritis and arthrosis at the acute stage.
3. Hypotonics.
4. People with gastrointestinal diseases.
5. For thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.

Making vinegar

The benefits of such a natural product are comparable to the benefits of apple cider vinegar. For viburnum vinegar, you need to put half a kilogram of berries in a three-liter jar, a glass of sugar, and pour two liters of water. You can flavor vinegar with blackcurrant and cherry leaves. This jar should stand in a dark place at room temperature for about two months. During the first week, its contents are stirred periodically. Viburnum vinegar is ready when it becomes transparent.

The availability, ease of storage and preparation of these medicinal fruits make them one of the most common products for use as a health remedy.

Viburnum is a very healthy berry that will help cope with many ailments and diseases. It can normalize blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels. I suggest freezing viburnum so that such a useful product is always at hand, because in winter it is quite difficult to find.

What can you cook from frozen viburnum?

If you follow the freezing rules, viburnum can be used throughout the cold period. Thawed berries are suitable for preparing a variety of dishes.

Several proven ways to properly defrost viburnum:

• in a microwave oven, on the “Fast defrost” mode. Defrosting time 2-3 minutes;
• in cold water – 10 minutes;
• in the refrigerator - up to 6 hours.

Important! Frozen berries do not need to be thawed to prepare the filling for pies. At high temperatures, the berry releases juice, thereby making the dish more fortified and healthy.

Healthy recipes

To surprise your household, you can prepare original dishes that will appeal not only to children, but also to adults. There are many cooking recipes, choosing the one you like most, an everyday day can turn into a holiday.

Viburnum compote

The compote turns out tasty and healthy. The recipe is simple and even a young housewife can handle it.

Ingredients;

• viburnum – 750 g;
• water – 2 l;
• honey – 1 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Thawed berries are ground into puree.
2. The released juice is poured into a separate container, and the cake is transferred to boiling water.
3. After 15 minutes, add honey and juice.

Viburnum sauce for meat

The prepared sauce will be an excellent addition to meat dishes.

Products:

• viburnum – 0.5 kg;
• sugar – 1 tbsp;
• citric acid – ½ tsp;
• spices - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Thawed berries are ground in a blender.
2. To get rid of seeds, grind the prepared puree through a fine sieve.
3. Place the viburnum puree into a bowl and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. 2-3 minutes before the end of cooking, add sugar, citric acid and spices.

Viburnum jelly

Viburnum jelly will become a favorite delicacy for children and adults.

Ingredients:

• water – 1 l;
• berry – 300 g;
• starch – 1.5 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 100 g.

Preparation:

1. The thawed berries are ground into puree, transferred to a saucepan, filled with water and boiled for 7-10 minutes.
2. The compote is filtered, sugar is added and put back on the stove.
3. Starch is diluted in ½ tbsp. warm water until the lumps disappear completely.
4. Starch is added to the boiling compote in a thin stream.
5. With constant stirring, boil the jelly for 2-3 minutes.

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Viburnum juice

Highly concentrated juice is rich in vitamins and microelements. This drink will boost your immunity and get rid of colds.

Ingredients:

• water – 1 l;
• berry – 700 g;
• sugar – 130 g.

Cooking method:

1. The viburnum is thawed and ground into puree using a blender.
2. The resulting mass is ground through a sieve and the juice is squeezed out.
3. Place the juice on the stove, add sugar and bring to a boil over low heat.
4. The prepared juice is bottled, sealed with airtight lids and stored in a cool place for storage.

Making the liqueur

A medicinal liqueur can be prepared from these healthy berries, preserving their healing properties for the winter. It includes:

• viburnum juice – 100 ml;
• water – 100 ml;
• sugar – 100 g;
• vodka – 500 ml.

All components of this recipe need to be moved and kept at room temperature for two days, then seal the liqueur and bottle it. This drink can be stored at any temperature, even room temperature.

The use of frozen viburnum in cosmetology

In home cosmetology, you can use both fresh and frozen viburnum. Juice and berry pulp are used to care for facial skin. Viburnum can degrease the skin, get rid of acne and pimples, and eliminate pigmentation. Popular cosmetic procedures:

1. A napkin soaked in viburnum juice is applied to the pigmented areas. The procedure is carried out 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes. After the mask, the skin is lubricated with a nourishing cream. The procedure is suitable for oily and combination skin.
2. A mask of viburnum juice and egg white has a whitening effect. The products are mixed in a 1:1 ratio. The prepared mask is applied to problem areas for 30 minutes. The course of treatment is 15-20 days.
3. To remove freckles and acne, viburnum juice is mixed with sour cream in equal proportions. The prepared mass is applied to the face. After 15 minutes, the mask is washed off with warm water, and the face is lubricated with ghee.
4. A mask made from berry puree with honey gives a good whitening effect. The mask is applied to the face and kept for about half an hour. Then wash off with warm water and lemon juice.

In winter, it is very difficult to find fresh viburnum, so housewives often stock it for future use. To do this, freshly picked berries are frozen in portions. On cold days, to maintain immunity, you can prepare fruit drinks, compotes, and jelly from frozen products, which will not only warm you up on cold winter days, but also enrich the body with vitamins and microelements.

Viburnum oil

For this product, you can use the cake left over from making juice. It is passed through a meat grinder and filled with vegetable or olive oil in a ratio of 1:4 (four times more oil than cake). This remedy should be left in a dark place for three weeks to infuse. After squeezing the cake, it is poured into containers. The value of this undeservedly forgotten recipe is comparable to the benefits and healing properties of sea buckthorn oil.

How to use it correctly?

Below are the answers to the most popular questions regarding the consumption and use of viburnum:

1. Dosage. The recommended intake for fresh berries is 75 grams per day, 4-5 times a week.
2. Time of receipt. Viburnum is strictly forbidden to be taken in the morning on an empty stomach (due to the possible irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract), as well as in the evening (before bedtime, it will cause overload of the digestive system and insomnia).
3. Use in cooking. Viburnum is actively used for making jams, syrups, preserves, jelly, juice and fruit drinks. The fruits, flowers, branches and leaves of viburnum are used to prepare decoctions, teas, tinctures and other medicinal drinks.
4. Properties of the seeds. Viburnum fruit seeds contain many antioxidants and are used to alleviate a number of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and urolithiasis.
5. Application of oil . Viburnum oil is rich in vitamins (A and E). It reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors. It is also used to relieve gastritis and peptic ulcers (orally) or speed up wound healing (topically).
6. Application of bark. Viburnum bark is commonly used to stop local bleeding (nosebleeds) and as an antimicrobial agent for inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity.

There are a number of rules that will allow you to get the maximum benefit from berries.