When to collect nettles and how to properly store them? Dried nettles: methods of harvesting for the winter - how to dry nettles at home

Nettle has long been considered healing herb, which saved people from many diseases and ensures the beauty of the body. In addition, the plant is used to prepare all kinds of dishes. It is important to know when to collect nettles and how to prepare them correctly.

Beneficial features

Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers knew about the beneficial properties of the burning plant. Scientists have carefully studied the composition and properties of this medicinal crop. It was found that nettle is rich in various microelements and vitamins.

The mineral composition includes ions of iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, iodine, chromium, sodium and copper. The presence of vitamin K helps prevent bleeding. At regular use A decoction of nettle leaves improves immunity and normalizes work gastrointestinal tract and female gonads are stimulated metabolic processes and the production of interferon, blood sugar levels decrease, and the walls of blood vessels are strengthened.

The roots, leaves and seeds are used to make all kinds of cosmetic products for facial skin and hair care.

What parts of the plant are collected?

Many people are tormented by the question of when to collect nettles so that as much as possible accumulates in it. useful substances? To answer this, you must first clarify which part of the plant needs to be collected. Useful substances are contained in both underground and above-ground organs. The former include rhizomes with roots, the latter include leaves, stems, flowers and seeds.

When harvesting the above-ground parts, it is important that the plant has large leaves. This will allow you to collect in a short period of time large quantity green raw materials.

To harvest rhizomes and roots, you should choose powerful plants that have tall, thick shoots and wide leaves on the stems. The larger the bush, the more developed it is, and therefore more raw materials can be dug up.

Period for preparing nettle roots

Usually the highest concentration active substances detected in mature plants after flowering and seed ripening and before bud swelling in early spring. It is autumn and early spring Before the juice begins to flow, these are the periods when you can collect nettles for treatment with roots in any weather.

To dig up rhizomes and roots, it is better to use a garden shovel, which is immersed at an angle into the soil 10 centimeters from the bush. First, they shake the shovel a little, and then pull the entire earthen lump to the surface.

After digging, the harvested material will still have to be washed with water, so bad weather with rain will not be an obstacle to collecting roots.

Herbalists recommend not waiting until next year, but harvesting rhizomes in September or October before the above-ground shoots die, so that the plants can be easily recognized. In addition, at this time the seeds will have already fallen into the soil, and the plant will be able to reproduce by seeds after digging out the underground part of the bush.

Collection of above-ground parts

The leaves, shoots and flowers contain a huge amount of medicinal substances during the period of full flowering, when it is most advisable to collect nettles for hair and treatment. The formation of flowers and their full opening lasts from June to August, which is why the leaves are prepared during this time period. With a later harvest, the lower leaf blades on the stem wither and dry out, and the upper ones become hard and accumulate in them. harmful products life activity of the plant.

To obtain quality dry herb, it is important when to harvest nettles. Usually it is cut in dry weather, in morning time, after the dew has dried. Moisture can harm and spoil a plant that is being dried.

Where is the best place to collect

Nettle grows in almost all regions. It can be found in the Caucasus and western regions of Siberia, with the exception of the harsh North. Like any plant, nettle has special conditions of existence. It is suitable for moist, shaded areas, such as gardens, bushes, river banks, ravines and wastelands.

Easy accessibility and wide use This plant does not allow you to pick it in any place where it grows, especially when you have to collect nettles to prepare medicines. An example would be plants growing near a car or railway. Dust will settle on such nettles, and harmful compounds contained in the exhaust gas will accumulate in the leaves.

There will be little benefit from treatment with a contaminated plant, which will cause the opposite effect. Industrial enterprises and their drains, construction sites, city landfills, places with high radiation or unfavorable sanitary and epidemiological indicators greatly damage the environment, and chemical composition nettle is getting worse. This is exactly the case when nettles should not be collected. When consuming such a plant, you can also acquire new diseases.

Collection rules

It is necessary to distinguish between when to collect nettles for drying for the winter, and when to use fresh leaves. To harvest dry grass, cut the stems using a sickle or knife. Leave the shoots to lie for a couple of hours so that the leaves stop burning the skin, and only then can they be torn off. If there is no time to wait, then use gloves or mittens to protect your hands from the stinging hairs of the plant.

When collecting nettles for drying in a large and clean area, they are first mowed, then allowed to dry a little, and then the leaf blades are torn off. Thus, you can collect from 70 to 100 kg of raw leaves in one day.

Why use damaged grass when you can collect nettles with powerful stems, smooth leaves with even color and without inclusions.

After digging up the rhizomes and roots, large clods of earth are removed from them. Then the washing is carried out hot water until all the dirt is removed, then cut off all the stems with a knife.

If prepared a large number of raw materials, for washing it is better to take a wicker basket in which the roots are placed. The container is then immersed and then removed from the reservoir to drain the dirty liquid. Do not use hot water for washing, as it can wash out useful substances.

Harvesting roots leads to the complete destruction of the plant. For preservation and further propagation, it is recommended to leave 10 to 15% of healthy nettle plants. Repeated harvesting in this place can be carried out only after three years.

Drying of raw materials

After digging, the roots are first dried on a bag, cutting off the remains of shoots, small roots and rotten parts.

Drying of raw materials is necessary for long-term storage. It helps prevent the appearance of mold and bacteria that cause damage to plant preparations, especially when they have to be collected.

Drying prevents chemical reactions inside plants that decompose medicinal substances.

Drying methods

Highlight the following types drying of raw materials: air shadow drying, air solar drying and thermal drying using artificial heating.

The first option is used for harvesting the above-ground parts of plants. Drying places are well-ventilated rooms or attics, or a canopy in dry, windy weather. At night, the grass is brought indoors.

The second option with air solar drying is used to harvest the root part of plants, so the nettle roots are laid out in the sun.

Large rhizomes should be cut into pieces, this will improve the evaporation of moisture. The raw material is laid out in one layer, and it should be turned over once a day. At night, the roots are brought indoors.

Drying time lasts 3-7 days. The end of harvesting leaves can be recognized by the ease of grinding the material, the veins of which easily break.

With the third type of drying, you can prepare any raw material; you just need to set the desired temperature.

A well-dried plant can be stored for about two years.

Storage

The quality of the raw material depends on when to collect and how to store nettles. After drying, you should find a good place for storage so that the raw materials can be easily used if necessary. Improper storage reduces the amount of beneficial substances and makes the herb unsuitable for use.

Usually they take dry containers or bags made of fabric or paper. Room humidity should be low to prevent mold growth. The container should be labeled; it is enough to indicate the time of collection.

Nettle is probably the most frequent visitor to our gardens and vegetable gardens. Stinging, burning, zhigalka, stinging, nettle, great nettle, stinging nettle, strekava, strekuchka - and how they called it in different times! This plant has gracefully shaped foliage, and it seems completely safe in appearance, but the main thing is distinctive feature The problem with nettle is that it can burn your hands. The name “nettle,” which is familiar to us, is translated from Latin as “burning,” and we all understand why. But which of us has at least once Did you get burned by nettles? It has long been known that its burn is not harmful to humans, because nettle sprays us with formic acid - and this acid is not only harmless for us, but on the contrary, it is very useful. If a nettle stings you, consider that you have received a dose of treatment or prevention for arthritis, poor circulation, neuritis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatism and many other diseases. But be that as it may, we try to avoid the nettle thickets. Or maybe it’s worth taking a closer look at nettles, and harvesting nettles for the winter won’t be at all superfluous?

Possessing wonderful properties, nettle has earned respect back in Medieval Europe. She was one of the 12 magical plants, that is, it was used in various rituals of white magic. It was even believed that nettle saves those who carry it with them from danger. Our ancestors were also confident that nettle protected the house from evil spirits, so bunches of this plant were hung over doors and windows, nettle rugs were woven, which were certainly laid near the door - no matter who entered the house, he could not cause any harm to the owners.

Nettles have often appeared in fairy tales and legends. You probably already remembered the fairy tale about how a girl was forced to weave shirts from nettles in order to save her from evil spell their brothers. A fairy tale, as they say, is a lie, but there is a hint in it. They actually made fabric from nettles. From Old Russian the word “nettle” is translated as coprina or “silk”. For many years, nettles were cultivated in fields and in greenhouses specifically for the light industry of that time. It was also grown to make sails for ships and fishing nets. In Siberia, nettles were used to make paper. Amazing, isn't it? But the fact remains a fact.

Nettle, moreover, has a unique vitamin composition. It's a joke - in its leaves ascorbic acid four times more than in lemon! In addition, nettle leaves contain carotene, vitamins K and B2 and pantothenic acid. This unique plant can rightfully be called a storehouse of health. Healing and beneficial features nettles have long been used in folk medicine, both in cosmetology and in cooking. With such a wide range positive influence on human health wonderful plant It was simply impossible to ignore and not add it to your daily diet. Young nettle leaves are used to prepare soups, salads and main courses. This is especially true in spring and autumn during the period of risk of vitamin deficiency, when our body so needs support. Where do we rush first when spring comes? Of course, go to the pharmacy to buy mineral and vitamin complexes, which often benefit only the pharmacies and manufacturers themselves. Meanwhile, it’s time to turn to nettles - a wonderful source of vitamins and microelements, because they are much more nutritious than any other greens. Fortunately, many have already appreciated the taste and benefits of nettle.

For example, residents of an ancient Russian town with the telling name Krapivna (near Tula) have been organizing a Nettle Festival in late May - early June for several years in a row, where guests can taste traditional Russian pies with nettles and look at clothes made from nettle fiber. And in the small British town of Marshwood, the World Nettle Eating Championship has been taking place since 1986. Every year hundreds of thrill-seekers from all over the world come here.

In summer, there is an abundance of nettles in vegetable gardens, but here’s what to do in winter, how to take advantage miraculous properties this plant in the cold season? Of course, prepare nettles for the winter in order to get some benefits and diversify your menu. Nettles can be harvested from May to August. So let's talk about this.

So, without canning, and therefore without loss useful vitamins, harvesting nettles for the winter is possible in two ways: drying and freezing.

For the first method you will need: young nettle shoots, which you can collect in the spring. If you are late in collecting nettles, do not despair, you can cut off the old shoots of the plant and after a while fresh young shoots will appear in their place. Or go for nettles in the forest, where there is always a chance to find young shoots of this plant, and do not forget to take gloves with you for collecting nettles.

To properly prepare nettles using the first method, you first need to prepare them for drying.

Drying nettles

Wash cut young nettle stems thoroughly under cold water. Do not use hot water under any circumstances - the leaves will immediately soften and wither. Then dry the washed shoots thoroughly. To do this, shake them off the water and place them on a table or, for example, on a tray, after placing paper towels or a piece of gauze on them, which will absorb excess moisture. Nettles laid out to dry should be stirred as often as possible. If the paper towels on which the nettles are placed have become saturated with moisture, they must be replaced with dry ones. Now let's proceed directly to the drying process itself. Spread the dried nettles in a thin layer (no more than five centimeters) on paper towels or plain white paper and put in a dark, ventilated place where direct contact will not penetrate Sun rays. You can also dry nettles by collecting them in small bunches and hanging them in a well-ventilated area. It's your choice. Once the nettles have dried, store them in paper or fabric bags. In city apartments, you can dry nettles using a dehydrator or, more simply, an electric dryer with a fan. The advantages of this method are its simplicity and the absence of the need to constantly monitor the condition of the raw materials - most modern dryers are equipped with thermostats and timers.

By the way, some of the dried nettle can be ground into powder, add 2 tbsp. spoons of cumin and it will turn out great dry nettle soup dressing, which can be used as a seasoning for hot dishes, adding 5-10 minutes before cooking. Nettle “seasoning” will improve the taste of dishes and help the body cope with vitamin deficiency. By the way, thanks to the content of phytoncides in nettle, dishes with it are stored much longer.

Harvesting nettles for the winter using the second method - freezing nettles. For this you will need: nettles, plastic wrap, a tray or large cutting board and plastic bags.

Let's start freezing. First, rinse the nettles thoroughly. Then dry it by spreading it on a cotton cloth or gauze. Next, for convenience, you can chop the nettles if you use them for fillings or sauces, or leave them in the form of whole leaves. Before bagging the nettles, place them on a large cutting board or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. And after it is completely frozen, put it in bags, without compacting it, let there be a little free space. Frozen nettle is an excellent addition to cabbage soup. Try it, amazingly delicious!

Nettles can also be pickled, fermented and even pickled.

Salted nettle

Ingredients:
1 kg nettles,
50 g salt.

Preparation:
Wash and chop young nettle leaves and shoots. Place in jars, sprinkling with salt. It is advisable to store the jars in the refrigerator, since salted nettles quickly deteriorate in a warm place. Salted nettle is most often used to prepare first courses.

Pickled nettle

Ingredients:
1 kg nettles,
2-3 carrots,
2-3 apples,
cranberry, cumin,
20 g salt.

Preparation:
Wash the young shoots and nettle leaves thoroughly. Then put it in some container (for example, a small bowl) and mix with salt. Place the nettles in a jar, layering grated carrots, apples, cranberries, caraway seeds. Be sure to put pressure on top, otherwise the nettle will become moldy.

What do you think of pickled nettle? The main thing is that with such processing, nettle retains its color and looks very appetizing.

Pickled nettle

Ingredients:
1 kg nettles,
salt, sugar, vinegar to taste.

Preparation:
For pickled nettles, collect top part young shoots 6-8 cm long, no more. Rinse them thoroughly in hot water(in this case, the nettles are washed with hot water). Pack the shoots tightly into a sterilized jar, cover with boiling water and let stand for 5-8 minutes. Then drain the water into a saucepan and add sugar, salt and vinegar. Bring the marinade to a boil and pour it over the nettles. Cover the jar with a lid and place in a pan of hot water. Be sure to place a small kitchen towel under the jar, otherwise the jar may crack. From the moment the water boils, sterilize the half-liter jar for 5 minutes. Pickled cabbage is ready. Seal the jar with a tin lid and after it has cooled completely, store it in the refrigerator.

Harvesting nettles for the winter will provide you and your family with important vitamins for the whole winter.

Nettle with spinach

Ingredients:
1 kg nettles,
2 kg spinach,
1 liter of water.

Preparation:
Collect fresh, young, dark green leaves and rough stems (before flower stems form) of stinging nettle, and remove damaged, dried leaves. Rinse in cold water, soak particularly dirty ones for 1-2 hours, cut into 8-10 cm pieces and place in a pan. Pour hot water and boil for 4-5 minutes. Hot mix place in jars, cover with lids and sterilize jars with a capacity of 0.5 liters - 25 minutes, 1 liter - 35 minutes.

Nettle with sorrel

Ingredients:
1 kg nettles,
2 kg sorrel,
1 liter of water.

Preparation:
The method for preparing nettles with sorrel is the same as for nettles with spinach. Only instead of spinach they use sorrel. You can take sorrel in the same quantity as nettles, rely on your own preferences.

You can also preserve it for the winter as a wonderful dressing for nettle soup.

Winter seasoning for soup with nettles

Ingredients:

700 g nettles,
300 g sorrel,
100 g green onions,
1 teaspoon salt.

Preparation:
To prepare a dressing for soup with nettles, rinse the greens thoroughly with cold water, chop finely, place in an enamel bowl, add salt and 1 glass of water. Bring the greens to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. After time, pour into sterile jars and seal with sterilized lids.

How nice it will be to add a little summer green to your favorite soup in winter!

It turns out that, despite its “prickly” character, nettle is a true, faithful green friend of man. Many tasty and delicious dishes are prepared from nettles. healthy dishes, added to various salads as a vitamin spring green, in casseroles and omelettes, amazingly tasty cabbage soup is cooked, and used as a seasoning. With our preparations for the winter, you can prepare dishes from nettles not only in summer, but also in winter. This is what a tasty and healthy weed grows in our beds. So let us skillfully and gratefully use what nature gives us.

Bon appetit and a bright, healthy and green summer, like young nettle leaves!

Larisa Shuftaykina

A unique nettle plant! With its vitamin and mineral composition, and medicinal properties, no plant, vegetable or fruit can compare. And to be able all year round To strengthen your body with the beneficial components of this miracle plant, I suggest you freeze nettles.

Total cooking time – 3 hours 0 minutes
Active cooking time – 0 hours 40 minutes
Cost - very economical
Calorie content per 100 g - 33 kcal
Number of servings – 10 servings

Ingredients:

Nettle - 1 kg or any amount
Preparation:

Only young leaves and shoots of nettle should be frozen and eaten. Such nettles can be collected not only in May. Nettle tends to produce new shoots all summer long, you just need to find them. You can also cut off old shoots and wait until young branches grow on the bush.

After collecting nettles, you need to act very quickly; cut shoots with leaves quickly wither, darken and can become deformed

Before freezing, nettles must be properly prepared.
Many small insects can live in nettles, so you should definitely get rid of them. Simply rinsing under water is not an option.

Place in a saucepan or large deep bowl cold water and add salt until the water is salty enough. Dip the stems and leaves of nettles into salt water so that they float freely and can rise to the surface. If you have a lot of nettles, then make several containers with salt water. All spiders and other insects will quickly leave the plant and float to the surface. 20 minutes will be enough.

Now you need to dry the nettles very well.

Take a clean, dry towel and place nettle leaves and sprigs on it. In order to speed up the process of drying the leaves from moisture, you can spread the nettles on the windowsill and create a draft. And also, lay out the nettle shoots in one layer. It will dry for about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. Just don't leave the nettle leaves on more time. It is also important to dry nettles only in a dark (!) place, never in the sun.

It is advisable to stir the greens every twenty minutes to dry faster. If the towel becomes wet, it must be replaced with a dry one.

And now dry twigs and leaves of nettle can be frozen. I will show you several options for freezing nettles for the winter and at the same time preserving all of them as much as possible. healing properties and taste. I recommend freezing nettles in different ways, because each of them has its own advantages and is suitable for preparing different dishes.

A. Freezing nettle leaves in a bag.
Place the dried nettle leaves in a plastic bag.

Release excess air. I do this with a drinking straw - I inhale air from the bag and close it tightly. It is important not to compact the leaves into the bag so as not to damage them. After defrosting, the leaves will be intact, almost like fresh. This method freezing allows you to preserve the integrity of the plant, but takes up a lot of space in the freezer.

Nettle leaves frozen in this way are perfect for preparing the filling for pies (quiche with nettles) or rolls (chicken fillet in a steamer), salads and for decorating dishes.

B. Freezing nettles in crushed form.
As a rule, after soaking and drying the nettles, they no longer sting. Therefore, you can easily pick it up with your hands and cut it with a knife. I finely chop not only nettle leaves, but also young twigs.

Spread the chopped nettles in an even layer on a tray lined with parchment or cling film in the freezer and freeze slightly.

At a temperature of -18 or -22 degrees, after 30-40 minutes the frozen greens can be poured into a bag, released the air and closed tightly.

Chopped nettle is suitable for preparing the filling for pies and for calzones with nettle and cottage cheese.

C. Freezing nettles in the form of bunches of greenery.
Place young stems and tops of nettles (washed and well dried) on cling film in the form of bunches.

Wrap them well in several layers of film.
Place bunches of nettles in the freezer. Such bunches can be used to prepare nettle salad.

D. Freezing nettles as a puree.
Place the clean leaves and tips of nettle shoots in a blender and grind to a puree.

Slightly dilute the finished green mass drinking water and place in ice cube trays. You can additionally pour water into each cell so that after freezing the cubes are of the correct shape.

Place the trays of puree for one and a half to two hours in the freezer at minus 20 degrees.

After freezing, carefully remove the nettle cubes and place them in a bag. Close the bag tightly and place it back in the freezer. These cubes can be used to make pureed soup (for example, nettle and blue cheese soup), and can also be used as a flavorful and vitamin supplement in sauces, gravies or vegetable purees.

E. Freezing nettle juice.
Grind the well-washed nettle leaves into a paste in a blender. Add some drinking water to the resulting mass. Squeeze the juice from the liquid puree through clean gauze. Pour the juice into ice cube trays.

Next you need to do similar actions Same as with freezing nettle puree - freeze the cubes, take them out, put them in bags and put them back in the freezer. I recommend adding vitamin cubes from nettles to broths.

Thanks to in different ways If frozen, you can enjoy nettle dishes all year round.

All bags of nettles must be signed and the freezing option must be indicated on each one. For example: nettle, whole leaves, month and year of harvesting.
Store nettles in the freezer for 10-12 months at minus 18 degrees.

Nettle is mainly added to first courses - borscht, cabbage soup, soup. In this case, there is no need to defrost it; just add it to the broth during a certain cooking process. If it comes to preparing the filling for pies or nettle salad, then the leaves or twigs need to be thawed. Take out the required amount of frozen product and leave it on the kitchen table; the plant will melt very quickly.
Re-freezing greens is not recommended.

That's all about how to properly freeze nettles for the winter.

Fresh nettle contains a large amount of vitamins K, B2 and C (four times more than lemon), so it should be consumed all year round. Let's consider several options for freezing nettles for the winter so that its healing properties and taste are preserved.

Why do you need to freeze nettles for the winter?

Many people unknowingly destroy nettle thickets, but it contains much more useful substances than the greens already familiar to our tables. For a long time it was used only in the summer or dried, but with the advent of new technologies, people wondered - is it possible to freeze nettles for the winter? The first experiments were crowned with success, but there were some mistakes, thanks to which it was possible to compile certain rules plant storage. Now you can enjoy your favorite cabbage soup and pies at any time of the year.

You only need to collect young shoots of nettles or their tops. If the plant has bloomed, you need to cut it and wait until new leaves appear. It is recommended to cut the stems in June so that it has time to grow by August. Thus, you can prepare dishes with fresh nettles at the beginning and end of summer.

Preparing nettles for freezing

Before freezing nettles for the winter, they need to be cleaned and prepared. After assembly, the plant should be washed as quickly as possible and left to dry, otherwise the leaves will lock and darken.

1. To begin, place the stems in a container with salted water for half an hour. This is enough to get rid of small insects and particles of earth and sand.
2. Carefully remove the nettles and rinse under running water.
3. We spread it in a thin layer on paper towels; they absorb moisture faster, and the leaves should not lie for more than two hours.
4. Place the tray in the shade under a draft.
5. Approximately every 15-20 minutes we turn the greens so that they dry on all sides.

Some people blanch the shoots in boiling water after washing, but then some of the beneficial substances are lost.

Frozen nettles are added during the cooking process, without allowing it to melt. The only exception is the preparation of nettle filling, where it cannot be used in any other way.

Choosing a method for freezing nettles for the winter

There are several ways to properly freeze nettles for the winter, each of them has its own advantages and is used for specific purposes.

• Freezing in a bag- after drying, place the leaves in portions into bags and place them in the freezer without tamping. This method saves appearance, but requires a lot of space.
• Crushed nettle- cut the leaves, like seasonings in store packages, place on a baking sheet and cover with cling film. In this form it goes into the freezer. After freezing, it is poured into bags.
• Frozen nettle juice- grind fresh herbs and dilute with a small amount of water. Next, squeeze out this mixture through cheesecloth and pour into ice cube trays. After freezing, pour the pieces of ice into one bag and store them in the freezer.
• Nettle puree- finely chop the nettle leaves and mix with a small amount vegetable oil. Ready mixture Place in ice trays. Further everything is as in the previous version.
• Bunches of greenery- We place the washed and well-dried branches into small bunches and wrap each one with cling film. After wrapping, store them in the freezer.

It is advisable to use various ways- the cubes are good for broths, and the branches are good for decorating or preparing cabbage soup and filling.

is a truly unique plant, a storehouse of vitamins and useful microelements. An undeservedly forgotten plant in cooking... But you can make a delicious one from nettles; it can be added to pies filling or used in spring salads.

Nettle - beneficial properties

Many people treat nettle as an annoying weed, but it is rich in vitamins C and A. Nettle contains more ascorbic acid or vitamin C than lemon or black currant. Just 30 grams of nettle covers daily requirement human body in vitamin C. A 20-30 nettle leaves saturate our body with vitamin A.

Nettle is also rich in microelements - copper, iron, calcium. The leaves and stems of nettle also contain tannins, phytoncides, tannins, flavonoids, and organic acids. A rich set of vitamins, microelements and biologically active substances allows a simple weed to occupy worthy place as a therapeutic, prophylactic and general strengthening agent. Nettle decoctions are successfully used in for cosmetic purposes for hair treatment and restoration.

Preparation of nettles

When I decided to prepare nettles for the winter, I had only one goal - to pamper myself and my husband with vitamin nettle soup in the winter. It is best to collect nettles in early - mid-May, when they have not yet bloomed. This year we had a late spring, the snow melted at the very end of April, so young nettles can be found in June.

By the way, a little secret! If you are late in collecting nettles, you can simply trim them with scissors and cut off the young shoots after a month.

There are two ways to prepare nettles for the winter - drying and freezing.

General rules for harvesting nettles

1. We take scissors and rubber gloves and go to the country house or to the far corners of the forest.
2. We collect only young nettles that have not yet begun to bloom; the leaves and stem must be intact.
3. At home, forest prey should be sorted out and thoroughly washed to remove spider beetles. To do this, place the nettles in large capacity, fill it with water so that the nettle floats (I poured the nettle into the bathtub) and add a couple of handfuls of ordinary salt. Small forest animals cannot tolerate salt and settle to the bottom.
4. We leave the nettles to bathe for 20-30 minutes, then we spread a towel on a large surface, preferably terry, it absorbs moisture well and spread the nettles on it.
5. Leave to dry for 1-2 hours.

Drying nettles

Frozen nettle is very good for green vitamin soup!

We chop the nettle leaves quite large and chop the stems finely.

We put it in portions into freezer bags, put it in the freezer, after 2-3 hours we take it out, shake it so that an ice block does not form and put it in the freezer again.

In the same way I used dill, parsley, cilantro. It’s very nice to add a generous handful of summer greens to a prepared dish in winter)))

See new recipes.