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Health & Nutrition - Freezing Vegetables
Freezing most vegetables at home is a fast, convenient way to preserve produce at their peak maturity and nutritional quality. The following links provide information on various techniques for freezing and thawing vegetables, as well as a chart outlining the preparation and freezing techniques to use for a list of fresh vegetables.
However, freezing is not recommended for artichokes, Belgian endive, eggplant, lettuce greens, potatoes (other than mashed), radishes, sprouts and sweet potatoes.
Getting Started
Select the highest quality, young, tender vegetables, at the ideal stage of maturity for freezing. Wash all vegetables thoroughly before beginning preparation and freeze as soon as possible after preparation
This section provides information on freezing and thawing vegetables, as well as a chart outlining the preparation and freezing techniques to use for a list of fresh vegetables.
Blanching
Blanching vegetables before freezing (except onions and peppers), preserves their quality, by destroying the enzymes which during storage, can alter their colour, texture and flavour.
To blanch: bring water to a rolling boil in a large covered pot. Use 4 L (16 cups) of water for every 500 g
(1 lb) of vegetables; use 8 L (32 cups) of water for leafy vegetables. Place clean, trimmed vegetables in a wire basket, lower gently into boiling water or add vegetables all at once to the boiling water.
Stir. Cover and immediately begin to count blanching time. Keep heat on high to quickly return water to a boil. Blanch according to recommendations for each vegetable below – do not over or under blanch.
Chilling
Once blanching is complete, remove from boiling water and immediately plunge food into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain vegetables to remove water (a salad spinner is ideal for this).
Freezing
Place chilled vegetables in freezer containers/bags, remove excess air then freeze. For best results, freeze no more that 1.5kg (3 lb) at a time.
Many vegetables can be frozen as individual pieces. Spread on a shallow pan, freeze until firm (1 hour), then pack in freezer containers.
Vegetables store well frozen, for about 1 year.
Thawing
Most vegetables do not need to be thawed before cooking. However, corn-on-the-cob should be thawed slightly before cooking. If thawing is necessary, thaw vegetables in their sealed packages at room temperature. Since frozen vegetables have been blanched they require less cooking time than fresh vegetables.
Cooking Methods for Blanched Frozen Vegetables:
Boiling
Use minimal amounts of water to cook frozen vegetables so as to retain best colour, flavour and nutrition. For each 500 ml (2 cups) container of vegetables, use 50 to 125 ml (1/4- 1/2 cup) water and 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt, if desired. (Cook corn on the cob in enough boiling water to cover. Avoid salt when cooking corn as it toughens the kernels).
Bring water to the boil. Add vegetables, cover, and return to the boil. As soon as water returns to the boil, begin counting cooking time, reduce heat and simmer gently until vegetables are just tender.
(See recommended times in chart below). Drain well before serving.
Reheating
- Reheat frozen vegetables in a heavy saucepan on top of a double boiler, or in the microwave.
- For leafy vegetables and those with a high water content, such as mushroom, reheat 4 to 6 minutes per 500 g
(1 lb); for dense vegetables reheat 8 to 10 minutes per 500 g (1 lb).
- For more information, consult the guide.
Pan frying
Melt butter or margarine* in a frying pan over medium heat, add frozen vegetables, season, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender.
*Use 25 ml (1 tbsp) butter or margarine for each 250 ml (1 cup) of vegetables.
Baking
Frozen vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, peppers and squash can be baked along with a roast or in a casserole. Alternatively, place frozen vegetables in lightly greased baking dish, season, cover and then bake at 160º C (325º F) until tender. Stir occasionally.
Table: Freezing Vegetables
Vegetable |
Preparation |
Blanching Time |
Cooking Method & Times for Blanched Frozen Vegetables |
Asparagus* |
Wash thoroughly. Remove tough ends and sandy scales. Sort into uniform sizes. Leave whole or cut into 5 cm (2 inch) lengths. |
Slender stalks -2 min
Medium stalks – 3 min
Large stalks - 4 min |
Boil - 3 to 5 min. |
Beans - green or wax |
Trim ends.
Leave whole or cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces. |
Whole - 4 minutes
Cut - 3 minutes for |
Whole beans: Boil- 5 to 7 min.
Cut beans: Boil - 4 to 6 min. |
Beets |
Remove tops leaving 2.5 cm (1 inch) stems. Cook until tender. Chill. Peel. Slice. Pack. |
None |
Thaw sliced beets for 30 min. to separate.
Reheat - 9 to 10 min. or
Bake - 90 min. at 160º C
(325º F). |
Beet Greens |
Remove tough stems and imperfect leaves. |
2 minutes
(Keeps for 6 months, frozen) |
Boil - 1 to 2 min. |
Broccoli* |
Remove woody stems. Cut into 3 cm (1½ inch) pieces. |
Medium stalks - 3 minutes
Large stalks - 4 minutes |
Boil - 3 to 5 min. |
Brussels sprouts* |
Trim stems and outer leaves. |
Small - 3 minutes
Medium -4minutes
Large - 5 minutes |
Boil - 4 to 6 min. |
Cabbage |
Trim outer leaves and core. Cut into wedges or shred coarsely. |
Wedges - 2 minutes
Shredded - 1 minute |
Wedges: thaw 20 to 30 min; boil - 9 to 10 min.
Shredded: thaw 2 hours;
boil - 4 to 5 min. |
Carrots |
Remove tops, trim and scrape or peel. Leave small carrots whole. Cut large carrots into
1 cm (½ inch) cubes, slices or strips. |
Whole - 5 minutes
Cubes, slices or strips - 3 minutes |
Boil for 6 to 8 min. for small whole
OR
boil 5 to 7 min. for cut-up
OR
bake for 75 min. at 160º C (325º F), breaking apart after 30 min. |
Cauliflower* |
Cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces. |
3 minutes |
Boil - 3 to 5 min. |
Celery |
Trim. Cut into 2.5 cm
(1 inch) pieces. |
3 minutes |
Add frozen to sauces, soups, casseroles, stews
or
to a stir-fry during cooking. |
Corn - whole kernel |
Remove husks and silk. |
4 minutes- cut kernels from cob Freeze on tray before packing. |
Boil - 4 to 5 min.
|
Corn - on cob |
Remove husks and silk. Trim cobs to even lengths. |
Small - 7 minutes
Medium - 9minutes Large - 11 minutes |
Thaw 2 hours;
boil - 3 to 5 min. |
Fiddleheads |
Leave whole. |
2 minutes
Freeze on tray before packing. |
Boil - 6 min. |
Garlic |
Peel outer skin. |
Do not blanch.
Freeze on tray before packing.
Keeps for 2 months. |
Thaw 20 min. Chop.
Add to sauces, soups, casseroles, stews
or to a stir-fry during cooking. |
Greens - including beet greens, Swiss Chard, collards, kale, mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens |
Remove tough stems and imperfect leaves. For chard, cut into
2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces or separate leafy parts from stalks and cut into 10 cm (4 inch) pieces. |
Greens - 2 minutes
Collards and stems -
3 minutes
Keeps for 6 months. |
Boil - 1 to 2 min. |
Herbs |
Chop or Slice. |
Do not blanch.
Freeze on tray before packing. |
Add frozen to sauces, soups, casseroles, stews
or to a stir-fry during cooking. |
Mushrooms |
Slice. Sauté 500 ml
(2 cups) mushrooms
in 30 ml (2 tbsp) butter or margarine for 4 min. |
None |
Reheat - 15 min. |
Onions |
Remove outer skin, root and stem ends. Chop. |
None
Freeze on tray before packing. |
Add frozen to sauces, soups, casseroles, stews
or to a stir-fry during cooking. |
Parsnips |
Remove stem and root ends. Peel. Cut in 2.5 cm (1 inch) fingers or
1 cm (½ inch) slices. |
1 minute |
Boil -7 to 8 min.
OR
Bake - 45 to 55 min. at 160º C (325º F). |
Peas, regular |
Shell. |
2 minutes.
Keeps for
5 months frozen. |
Boil - 3 to 5 min. |
Peas, edible pods |
Pinch off tips, remove strings. |
2 minutes.
Keeps for
5 months frozen. |
Boil - 3 to 5 min. |
Peppers, green or red |
Remove stem, seed,
leave whole, cut in half or chop. |
None |
Add frozen to sauces, soups, casseroles, stews
or to a stir-fry during cooking.
OR
Thaw -1 hour, stuff and bake. |
Potatoes, mashed only |
Place prepared mashed potatoes in mounds on baking sheet. Freeze 1 hour then pack in containers. |
None |
Thaw - 30 min.
Reheat - 15 to 20 min. |
Pumpkin- mashed |
Prepare mashed pumpkin. |
None. |
Reheat - 30 min. |
Rutabaga, Turnip |
Peel, dice and boil until tender. Mash.
OR
Peel and dice. |
Diced - 2 minutes |
Reheat - 30 min. |
Squash,
vegetable marrow, zucchini |
Trim. Cut into 1 cm
(½ inch) slices. |
2 minutes |
Thaw 5 minutes to separate. Boil - 6 to 8 min. |
Squash,
Acorn, Butternut, Hubbard |
Cut in half. Remove seeds and fibres. Cut into pieces. Bake until tender. Cool and remove from rind. Mash.
OR
Peel and dice.
OR
Peel and dice. Cook and mash. |
Diced - 2 minutes
|
Diced: boil - 7 to 8 min.
OR
Bake - 60 to 75 min. at 160º C (325º F).
Mashed: Reheat -30 min. |
Spaghetti
Squash |
Cut in half. Remove seeds. Cook until tender. Cool. Pull a fork lengthwise through to separate it into long strands. |
None.
Keeps for 9 months frozen |
Strands: Reheat - 30 min. |
Tomatoes |
Blanch for 30 seconds. Cool. Remove skin.
Cut in half crosswise. Remove seeds.
OR
Cut into quarters. Add
5 ml (1 tsp) sugar and
a pinch of pepper to
1 kg (2 lbs) tomatoes. Cook gently until tender, about
5 to 6 minutes. |
None
|
Add frozen to sauces, soups, casseroles, stews
or to a stir-fry during cooking. |
*To remove insects that may be present in broccoli, brussels sprouts or cauliflower, before blanching immerse prepared vegetables for 15 minutes in 1 L (4 cups) water containing 25 ml (1 tbsp) salt.
Rinse thoroughly. Blanch as directed.
Not recommended for freezing: artichokes, Belgian endive, eggplant, lettuce greens, potatoes (other than mashed), radishes, sprouts and sweet potatoes.
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