How to Freeze Vegetables
Wash your vegetables., Cut your vegetables up., Blanch your vegetables., Have a bowl of ice water ready., Lay the vegetables on a baking sheet., Avoid freezer burn., Place the vegetables in the freezer., Learn how to defrost vegetables here.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your vegetables.
Rinse the vegetables in cold water, making sure to scrub off any lingering dirt.
Washing the vegetables also ensures that you won’t eat the bacteria and pesticides on the surface of the vegetables.
Pat the vegetables dry with paper towels., Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, cut your vegetables up so they are the size you would like them to be when you use them in a recipe.
You can also freeze whole vegetables if you are not sure what you recipe you are going to be using them for. , Many cooks recommend blanching your vegetables before freezing them.
Blanching is when vegetables are briefly cooked in boiling water so they still retain their crispiness but are cooked through.
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
When the water is boiling, put the vegetables in, and cook for several minutes., Take the vegetables out of the boiling water and place them in the ice water.
This process is called shocking the vegetables.
Drain the vegetables. , Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer and the pieces are not overlapping.
If they overlap, they could freeze together.
If this will not be a problem when using the vegetables in a recipe, you do not need to make sure they are not overlapping.You can also freeze a medley of vegetables together.
Dice the vegetables you would like to freeze and place them in ice cube trays.
Fill the trays with water.
This will cause the vegetables to freeze into cubes. , Freezer burn is when food is exposed to the frigid air of the freezer, causing the food to taste strange or develop brown blotches.
Wrap your vegetables in wax paper, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap after they have frozen completely on the baking sheet., Once you have wrapped your vegetables in your wrapping of choice, you can transfer them to a freezer container to be stored until you need them.Another good option for storage is to place the vegetables in resealable bags.
If you have a vacuum sealer, you can also use it to store your vegetables.
Vacuum sealers are handy because they remove all air from the bag.
When frozen vegetables are exposed to the air, their flavor can become slightly ‘off.’ , -
Step 2: Cut your vegetables up.
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Step 3: Blanch your vegetables.
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Step 4: Have a bowl of ice water ready.
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Step 5: Lay the vegetables on a baking sheet.
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Step 6: Avoid freezer burn.
-
Step 7: Place the vegetables in the freezer.
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Step 8: Learn how to defrost vegetables here.
Detailed Guide
Rinse the vegetables in cold water, making sure to scrub off any lingering dirt.
Washing the vegetables also ensures that you won’t eat the bacteria and pesticides on the surface of the vegetables.
Pat the vegetables dry with paper towels., Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, cut your vegetables up so they are the size you would like them to be when you use them in a recipe.
You can also freeze whole vegetables if you are not sure what you recipe you are going to be using them for. , Many cooks recommend blanching your vegetables before freezing them.
Blanching is when vegetables are briefly cooked in boiling water so they still retain their crispiness but are cooked through.
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
When the water is boiling, put the vegetables in, and cook for several minutes., Take the vegetables out of the boiling water and place them in the ice water.
This process is called shocking the vegetables.
Drain the vegetables. , Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer and the pieces are not overlapping.
If they overlap, they could freeze together.
If this will not be a problem when using the vegetables in a recipe, you do not need to make sure they are not overlapping.You can also freeze a medley of vegetables together.
Dice the vegetables you would like to freeze and place them in ice cube trays.
Fill the trays with water.
This will cause the vegetables to freeze into cubes. , Freezer burn is when food is exposed to the frigid air of the freezer, causing the food to taste strange or develop brown blotches.
Wrap your vegetables in wax paper, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap after they have frozen completely on the baking sheet., Once you have wrapped your vegetables in your wrapping of choice, you can transfer them to a freezer container to be stored until you need them.Another good option for storage is to place the vegetables in resealable bags.
If you have a vacuum sealer, you can also use it to store your vegetables.
Vacuum sealers are handy because they remove all air from the bag.
When frozen vegetables are exposed to the air, their flavor can become slightly ‘off.’ ,
About the Author
Charlotte Ward
Experienced content creator specializing in cooking guides and tutorials.
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