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Vegetable variety with a long season

The savoy cabbage has a very long season in this country. The summer savory season gets its time from May. It comes with light green, loosely set leaves that hide a mild taste.

Winterwirsing conquers the gardens and market stalls from October. Its leaves, especially the outer ones, are dark green in color, strong and form a firm head. The intense aroma is particularly suitable for hearty stews. When the cabbage has got frost in the field, some of the bitter-tasting substances are converted into sugar, which makes it milder.

Why freeze at all?

If the savoy cabbage is almost always in season, why freeze it at all?

• a large head of savoy cabbage can seldom be used all at once
• Growing your own supplies a large harvest yield
• a large amount of stew was prepared

Process and freeze impeccable quality

As soon as the savoy cabbage has lost its living connection to the ground, the race against time begins. The leaves wither and lose more and more valuable ingredients.

• Harvest savoy cabbage just before freezing
• only buy specimens of plucked fish on the market
• with intact, plump and crisp leaves

Step by step preparation

You don't get a healthy supply of vegetables for free. After the savoy cabbage has found its place on the worktop, there is still a lot of work to be done before the freezer.

1. Remove the outer, loose-fitting leaves.
2. You can wash these thoroughly under running water and also use them for freezing. Unless their taste is far too strong and bitter for you.
3. First remove the thick leaf veins with a sharp knife and then cut the leaves into strips.
4. Use a long knife to cut the firm head of cabbage into four. A lot of muscle strength is required for this. If you have an electric kitchen knife in the drawer, you can save yourself this hard work.
5. Carefully remove all parts of the stem so that the leaves do not fall apart.
6. Cut the quarters into strips crosswise. Fine or coarse as required.
7. You should also thoroughly clean the strips of savoy cabbage under running water, as sand tends to hide in the frizzy leaves.

Blanching as a color and vitamin saver

In order for the green savoy cabbage leaves to retain their beautiful color and most of the healthy ingredients, they must be briefly blanched in boiling water before freezing.

• Blanch in salt water
• 2-4 minutes are enough
• Quench in ice water
• Drain after cooling

Just portion and pack

Chilled and drained savoy cabbage should be frozen as soon as possible. Put it in the freezer in protective containers that can be hermetically sealed. Large quantities are divided into several containers so that only the required quantity is thawed out when needed.

durability

Frozen savoy cabbage strips can be kept for ten months. Ready-made stews have a shorter shelf life, around three months.

thawing

Stews are best thawed in the refrigerator overnight, as are frozen savoy cabbage leaves. Sometimes it is also a good idea to put these frozen in boiling liquids, where they quickly thaw due to the effect of heat.

Conclusion for quick readers:

• Sommerwirsing: Season starts in May, the light green leaves are mild
• Winterwirsing: harvest from October; strong in taste; Frost makes it milder
• Freezing: Savoy cabbage leaves and prepared savory cabbage dishes can be frozen without any problems
• Quality: use fresh specimens; with intact, plump and crisp leaves
• Cleaning: peel off the outer leaves; Remove leaf veins; to wash; cut into small pieces
• Head of cabbage: cut into four; Remove parts of the stem; Cut leaves into strips; to wash
• Blanching: 2-4 minutes in salted water; quench in ice water; Drain
• Packing: in portions in well-closing containers; label
• Shelf life: strips of savoy cabbage: ten months; ready-made stews: three months
• Thawing: In the refrigerator overnight; in boiling liquid; in microwave