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Freezing Vegetables
By Jenny Wandersheid
 Here
are some simple guidelines for freezing a variety of vegetables commonly
grown in home gardens.
Artichoke, Globe
Remove outer leaves. Wash and trim stalks. Remove "chokes" and blanch,
a few at a time, for 7 minutes. Cool in iced water for 7 minutes. Drain.
Pack in freezer bags, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
Artichoke, Jerusalem
Peel and slice. Place in cold water with the juice of a lemon to prevent
discoloration. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Cool in iced water
for 2 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30
minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for
6 months.
 Asparagus
Wash and remove woody portions and scales of spears. Cut into 6 inch lengths
and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool in iced water for 3 minutes.
Drain. Place on trays in a single layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack
into suitable containers, seal and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
Beans, Broad
Shell and wash. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minutes. Cool in iced
water for 1-2 minutes. Place on tray in a single layer and freeze for
30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps
up to 6 months.
Beets
Only freeze young tender beets, not more than 2-3 inches across. Cook
until tender and slice. Cool and transfer to plastic containers. Label.
Freeze up to 6 months.
Broccoli
Choose tender young heads with no flowers and tender stalks. Wash well
and divide into sprigs. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool in iced
water for 3 minutes. Drain. Spread on tray in single layer. Cover with
plastic wrap to prevent the smell from permeating the freezer. Freeze
30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps up
to 6 months.
Brussels Sprouts
Remove outer leaves and cut a cross at the stem end of sprout. Wash thoroughly
and blanch for 3 minutes. Cool in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and
spread on tray in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent the
smell from permeating the freezer. Freeze 30 minutes, remove from tray
and pack into plastic bags. Remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6
months.
Cabbage
Remove outer leaves and wash the remainder. Cut into thin wedges or shred.
Blanch 1˝ minutes if shredded or 2 minutes if cut into wedges. Chill in
iced water 1-2 minutes. Drain well. Pack in freezer bags, label and seal.
Keeps up to 6 months.
Carrots
Wash and scrub carrots and cut large carrots into pieces. Blanch 3 minutes
in boiling water. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain. Spread on a tray
in a single layer and freeze 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove
air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
Cauliflower
Divide into florets and wash. Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water.
Chill in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on a tray in a single
layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer
bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Celery
Use young, tender stalks. Wash and cut into 1 inch pieces. Blanch for
2 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water for 2 minutes. Drain and
place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer
bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Chayote
Cook sliced chayote until tender in boiling water. Drain well, mash and
cool. Pack into plastic containers with well fitting lids, leaving space
at the top for expansion. Freeze up to 6 months.
Chilies
Remove seeds, wash and dry. Drain and place on tray in a single layer.
Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and
seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Chinese Broccoli
Remove coarse leaves and thick stems. Wash and blanch in boiling water
2 minutes. Chill in iced water for 2 minutes. Drain and place on tray
in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove
air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Chinese Cabbage
Only freeze crisp and young cabbage. Wash and shred finely. Blanch for
1 minutes. Chill in iced water for 1-2 minutes. Drain and place in freezer
bags, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
Chinese Spinach
Wash and trim leaves off stalks. Blanch 1 minute. Chill in iced water
1 minute. Drain, pack into freezer bags and remove air from bags. Seal
and label. Keeps up to 6 months.
Cucumber
Peel and chop in food processor. Pack into plastic containers with tight
fitting lids. Label and freeze. Keeps up to 6 months.
Eggplant
Cut into slices, sprinkle with salt and allow to stand 30 minutes. Drain
off excess liquid and fry gently in butter or margarine until just tender.
Cool and pack into ]plastic containers. Seal and label. Keeps up to 3
months.
Fennel
Use fresh young stalks. Wash thoroughly. Blanch 3 minutes. Chill in iced
water 3 minutes. Drain, pack in freezer bags and remove air. Keeps up
to 6 months.
Garlic
Place separated bulbs in freezer bags. Remove excess air from bags, seal
and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
Ginger
Separate ginger into convenient sized knobs. Place in freezer bags. Remove
excess air from bags, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
Kohlrabi
Wash well, peel and cut into pieces. Blanch for 3 minutes. Chill in iced
water 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for
30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps
for 6 months.
Leeks
Remove tough outer leaves, wash remainder. Cut away green part of stem,
slice white flesh or cut in half lengthwise. Blanch 2 minutes if sliced
and 3 minutes if cut lengthwise. Chill in iced water 2-3 minutes. Drain
and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to
freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Mushrooms
Cultivated mushrooms need no preparation. Pack clean mushrooms in freezer
bags. Remove air, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
Okra
Wash and trim off stems. Blanch in boiling water 3-4 minutes. Cool in
iced water 3-4 minutes. Drain and pack in freezer bags. Remove air from
bags, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months.
Onion
Peel, chop or cut into rings. Wrap in layers of plastic wrap, place in
a plastic container. Label and freeze up to 3 months.
Parsnips
Peel and dice. Blanch 2 minutes, chill in iced water for 2 minutes, spread
on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air,
label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.
Peas
Shell, wash and blanch 1 minute. Chill in iced water 1 minute. Drain and
place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer
bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Peppers
Wash, remove seeds and cut into slices or leave whole. Place on a tray
in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove
air, label and seal. Freeze up to 6 months.
Potatoes
Scrub new potatoes. Cook in boiling water until almost done. Drain, cool,
pack in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze for up to 6 months. Slice
and deep fry 4 minutes. They should be tender but not browned. Drain and
cool on paper towels. Place on a tray in a single layer and freeze 30
minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze up to
3 months. Prepare mashed potatoes and freeze up to 3 months.
Pumpkin
Peel and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Mash, cool and pack
into plastic containers leaving head space. Freeze up to 3 months. Alternatively,
peel and cut into pieces. Bake until almost done. Pack into freezer bags
when cool, remove the air, seal and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
Rutabaga
Only use tender young rutabaga. Cut to required size and blanch 3 minutes.
Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer.
Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and
seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Shallots
Separate cloves and place in freezer bags. Remove excess air. Keeps up
to 3 months. Snow Peas Use tender leaves. Wash and trim. Blanch 30 seconds.
Chill in iced water 30 seconds. Drain and place on tray in a single layer.
Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and
seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Spinach
Wash well and trim leaves from stalks. Blanch in small quantities of boiling
water for 1 minute. Chill in iced water for 1 minute. Drain and place
on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer
bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Summer Squash
Peel and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Mash, cool and
pack into freezer containers leaving room for expansion. Seal and label.
Freeze up to 3 months.
Sugar Snap Pea
Remove pods, wash and blanch for 1 minute. Chill, drain and spread
on a tray. Freeze of 30 minutes, pack in plastic bags, remove air, seal
and label. Will keep up to 6 months.
Sweet Corn
Clean well and remove all silk. Cut off top of cob. Wash, blanch a few
cobs at a time for 5-7 minutes, depending on size. Chill in iced water
5-7 minutes. Drain and wrap each cob in plastic wrap. Pack in freezer
bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze up to 6 months.
Sweet Potatoes
Peel and cut into pieces. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water, chill in
iced water 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze
for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal.
Keeps for 6 months.
Tomatoes
Wash, remove stems, cut into halves or quarters or leave whole. Dry and
pack into freezer bags. Remove air, label and seal. Keeps 6 months. Dip
into boiling water 1 minute. Remove and peel. Place on a tray and freeze
for 30 minutes. Place in plastic bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps
up to 6 months. Simmer chopped tomatoes in a pan for 5 minutes or until
soft. Push through a sieve or food mill to remove skins and seeds. Cool
and pack in plastic containers, leaving head space. Keeps 6 months.
Turnip
Peel and trim young, tender turnips. Cut to required size and blanch 3
minutes.Chill in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in
a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove
air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.
Water Chestnuts
Bring chestnuts to a boil. Drain and peel off shells. Pack in freezer
bags or plastic containers, remove air, seal and label. Freeze up to 6
months.
Winter Squash
Peel, cut into pieces and cook in boiling water until just cooked. Cool
and place in freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps up to 3 months.
 Zucchini
Slice into 1 inch pieces without peeling. Sauté gently in a little melted
butter until barely tender. Cool, pack into plastic containers leaving
head space at the top. Freeze up to 3 months.
Be Sure to Also Read:
| Jenny Wandersheid is a work-at-home Mom and the editor
of ChildFun.com,
a wonderful resource for families, caregivers and home schoolers. |
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