4 easy ways to freeze lingonberries for the winter at home

Lingonberries are rich in vitamins, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Thanks to their tannins, organic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids, they strengthen the immune system and improve digestive and cardiovascular health. Frozen lingonberries contain the highest concentration of macro- and micronutrients.

Can lingonberries be frozen for the winter?

Freezing berries is considered the gentlest method of preserving them. It preserves their structure, composition, aroma, and flavor. It's recommended to divide the berries into portions—it's more practical and convenient. Once one portion has been defrosted, it must be used immediately; further storage of the fruit in the freezer is not allowed.

Are frozen berries healthy?

The fruits have diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative properties. They promote blood clotting and hemoglobin production, and restore skin elasticity. The berries are used in cosmetology, pharmacology, and homeopathy.

Regular consumption of lingonberries is an excellent preventative measure against urolithiasis, diabetes, hypertension, gastritis, and rheumatism.

Selection and preparation of fruits

It's recommended to choose ripe, greenish berries. Overripe, damaged, or rotten specimens should be discarded. The fruits are harvested in early September, when the concentration of nutrients in the fruit reaches its peak.

The lingonberries are sorted and cleaned of debris, leaves, and stems. The final preparatory step is washing them under running cold water. Before freezing, the berries are dried with a paper towel.

Methods and rules for freezing lingonberries

Before preserving fruits for the winter at home, remember that they are bitter. This can be neutralized by adding sugar, which will improve the flavor and reduce the acidity.

In portioned packages

The preparation takes place in stages:

• The berries are sorted, cleared of stems, leaves, and spoiled specimens.
• Rinse in cold water and dry.
• Place into portioned bags, seal tightly, and place in the freezer.

Place the berries in a single layer in the bag to save space in the freezer compartment.

Grind with sugar

In this version, the berries are frozen with added sugar. To prepare the preserve, you'll need:

• lingonberries 1 kg;
• sugar 0.5 kg.

Preparation of the workpiece involves the following steps:

• The washed and dried fruits are poured into a container and covered with sugar.
• The mixture is ground using a meat grinder/blender until it becomes a paste.
• The berry puree is poured into a storage container.

The container is sealed hermetically and placed in the freezer.

Whole berries

You can freeze lingonberries whole—this will preserve more vitamins, organic acids, and minerals:

• It is recommended to use only whole, ripe berries.
• They are washed, dried, and placed into containers.
• The workpiece is placed in the freezer compartment.

If the berries aren't dry enough, freeze them in stages. Lay them out in a single layer on a tray and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, remove them, transfer them to a freezer bag, and return them to the freezer.

Preparations in syrup

To prepare, you need to stock up on:

• 1 l of water;
• 2-3 tbsp granulated sugar;
• 0.5 tsp salt

How to cook:

• The fruits are washed and placed in a bottle.
• Boil the syrup in a saucepan with water, salt, and sugar. Add cloves and cinnamon to give the berries a spicy, piquant flavor.
• The syrup is boiled on low heat for 10-15 minutes and poured into a bottle.

After cooling, the workpiece is stored in the refrigerator.

Shelf life

It is recommended to store lingonberries at -18 ^OC, as the temperature decreases, the shelf life decreases. The shelf life of whole fruits is 1-3 years. Berries, ground with sugar, can be stored for 10-12 months.

How to defrost properly

Lingonberries can be defrosted in several ways:

• the jar/container with the berry contents is placed in a saucepan and filled with warm water for 20 minutes;
• the berries are laid out on a plate lined with paper towels;
• rinse the sealed bag under warm running water;
• Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 10-11 hours.

To speed up the defrosting process, you can use the microwave in the fast defrost mode.

What can you make with frozen lingonberries?

Frozen lingonberries are suitable for:

• jelly, tea, fruit drinks, juices, cocktails;
• sweets (baked goods, fruit salads, casseroles, cottage cheese products, jam, preserves, marmalade, marshmallows, candied fruits);
• salads;
• sauces;
• meat;
• seasonings;
• porridge

Preserving berries without losing their flavor or valuable qualities is easy. The key is to select containers and ingredients responsibly. If stored within the specified timeframes and defrosted correctly, the berries are suitable for consumption and use in various dishes.