How to preserve parsley for the winter at home, with or without freezing, and keep it fresh

Of all the aromatic herbs, parsley is the most commonly used. It will infuse any hot meat or vegetable dish with the aroma of summer. Unfortunately, our climate doesn't allow for year-round cultivation, so any home cook will want to know... How to keep parsley fresh for the winter at homeI really want to maintain the variety and healthiness of my daily diet during the winter months, enriching it with as many vitamins as possible.

Harvesting parsley

The herb remains green and juicy until autumn, which is why it's harvested throughout the season. You can prepare it for winter without waiting until autumn ends; you can stock up on the spice in advance. All its nutritional and flavor properties will remain intact; the key is to ensure the plants are high-quality and healthy, with leaves that are a rich, dark green. Many parsley varieties are ready to harvest within 2-3 months of planting. Young, first-year parsley is the most flavorful.

When harvesting greens and roots, it is best to dig up the plant in the fall, when the rhizome has accumulated the maximum amount of health-promoting elements.

When harvesting, the stems should be cut at the base; new branches will soon emerge. Cutting along the edge of the bush will promote better growth of the inner stems.

To prevent the greenery from dying in winter and to be able to expect a harvest next season, it is recommended to cut everything off.

All collected parsley must be divided:

• leaves;
• roots - carefully remove dirt, rinse and dry.

Storing fresh parsley in the refrigerator

Whether you bought parsley at the market or just cut it from the garden, you store it for some time, while protecting it from:

• oxygen access;
• direct sunlight;
• excess moisture and its loss.

A few small tips would be helpful, they are simple but effective:

1. Remove any damaged branches and soil from the bunch, trim the stems, wrap tightly in parchment paper or a cloth napkin, and store in a cool, dark place. Do not wash! Guaranteed shelf life is 3-4 days.
2. Fill a jar one-third full with water and place a bouquet of parsley inside. You can cover it with a plastic bag and refrigerate. Change the water periodically. The herbs will keep for up to two weeks.
3. Sort through, but do not wash, place on a paper towel for a short time (or simply wrap in a napkin), place in a plastic bag (make holes in it beforehand) and put in the refrigerator.
4. You can also wash them. Then you'll need to dry each sprig with a paper towel, lay them out on the paper until completely dry, then place them in a container, seal it, and refrigerate. A month of freshness is guaranteed.

Do not store wet greens.

When storing parsley root in the refrigerator, rather than freezing, pickling, or brining it, it's best to incorporate it into a soup dressing, such as one made with bell peppers and various herbs. This dressing will keep well in the refrigerator.

Methods for storing parsley in winter

There are fairly simple ways to preserve it at home. There's no need to experiment and try every single recipe. You can use the one that seems most suitable and simple.

In any case, all the vitamins contained in the spice, its unusual taste and aroma will remain unchanged.

So, here are the options.

Freezing

Before freezing, first untie the bunches and remove any wilted, yellowed shoots or leaves with spots. Then, soak the parsley in water for a while, stirring constantly, and changing the water two or three times. Be sure to rinse the parsley under running tap water and drain in a colander for about 15 minutes.

Place the spice on a towel and roll it into a roll. The spice is now practically dry and ready for processing.

There are several ways to freeze parsley:

• In bags.

Finely chop the parsley leaves before placing them in bags. For easier freezer storage, we recommend rolling the bags into rolls.

• Ice cube trays.

The main difference from the previous method is that the greens don't require drying. Remove the stems, chop the leaves finely, arrange them in molds, fill to the brim with boiled water, and then freeze for 4 hours. Remove the frozen cubes from the freezer compartments and package them in bags for winter storage.

• In a bunch - this method is the fastest.

Gather the greens into small bunches for later use once or twice. Wrap each bunch tightly in cling film and store.

Frozen parsley will keep in the freezer for at least a year. Refreezing it is not recommended, as this will significantly reduce its flavor.

Drying

A simple way to preserve parsley all winter without freezing. The key is to dry it in a shaded, ventilated area; direct sunlight will not preserve the flavor, and the leaves will turn yellow. The herbs are easily dried in bunches: tie a few sprigs with kitchen string and hang them for a week.

Carefully separate the dried parsley from its stems and place it in a glass container. Store under a tightly closed lid.

Some prefer to dry chopped herbs. They simply spread them on thick paper and place them in the shade, or use an oven (no hotter than 50°C).

Pickling

Salting, as a way to preserve food for a long time, was used by humans before refrigeration. Salt is a natural preservative. It's not used often today, but it perfectly preserves the properties of herbs and prevents the development of harmful microorganisms.

Pickle parsley. It's easy:

1. Grind it (grate the roots).
2. Add table salt 5:1 (spice/salt).
3. Mix and place in glass jars.

Place in refrigerator or other cool place for storage.

In oil

Without a freezer, it's necessary to avoid freezing. Sunflower oil is sometimes used. It's poured over dried, chopped, and tightly packed greens in glass jars. Make sure there are no air pockets between the leaves. Keep the jars tightly sealed and refrigerated.

The methods suggested above preserve the quality of preserved parsley. Even on the coldest days, you'll always have fragrant dishes with this summery seasoning on your table.