How to freeze different vegetables?

foxgloves

A good idea might be to look through the books in your local charity shops & see if you can pick up a cheap book on freezing. There are usually some around because it was a bigger thing in the 1970s when people started to get domestic freezers & needed to know how to use them. I picked up a little paperback for pence and it's basically an alphabetical list of everything you might possibly want to freeze with the best way to do it. The other day I was clearing out my baking cupboard and was wondering what to do with some big pieces of whole candied peel I bought to go in the Christmas pudding & cake that was not far off its use-by date. I picked up the old freezer book, thinking I'm sure this isn't going to be in here and it was!! Apparently candied peel is fine to freeze for up to a year, either chopped or in whole pieces, just wrap in foil or bag it. So that's what I've done & I shan't have to buy anymore for next year's cake. If you can get hold of a little 2nd hand book like this, you'll have all the answers.

thriftykitty

Thanks for the tips! :A

I had read somewhere else about high water content veg not freezing too well, just couldnt for the life of me remember where!
And I'll be sure to have a root through the charity shops this weekend, was planning to anyway but will now have to add that to the list

Linda32

I've had that problem with courgettes. We have an allotment and courgettes are pretty idiot proof in the growing department, good for me but you get a glut

I've got a tip though, if you have them frozen in discs, now this is abit of a faff but it seems to work.

Defrost them first for half an hour or so, then pat dry and cook in the oven for 10 mins. worth a go.

lil_me

No need for expensive books in my opinion, all you need is google

I put in 'freezing vegetables guide' and loads came up including this http://www.gardenguides.com/416-freezing-vegetables.html

I freeze everything but lettuce and cucumber I think......most I don't even blanche apart from potatoes (I boil them for about 8 minutes and freeze...so can be finished boiling then mashed, defrosted than wedges etc) Also freeze left over veg I cooked for a meal.

Most important thing for me is freezing un usable amounts, for example no point me freezing a full swede chopped in one pot as I'd use only half for a meal so do it in 2 lots.

baby_fuzz

Can you cook them up before freezing?

angelavdavis

I freeze a lot of veg when I get the chance to pick up bargains!


I freeze the following without pre-cooking in any way:

• sliced red/green/yellow peppers - just slice, tray freeze and then pop into a resealable bag - perfect for shaking into soups, bolognaise, etc.
• sliced onions - just slice, tray freeze and bag up as for peppers
• sliced leeks - as for onions
• Mange tout

Veg I blanch beforehand, usually tray freezing and bagging up into portions:

• Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli
• Parsnips, turnips and swede
• Cabbage - perfect for bubble and squeak
• Mushrooms - good for adding into bolognaise
• Runner beans - sliced using a bean slicer
• Sweetcorn cobs - blanched whole
• Peas/carrots - very briefly blanched

Other veg, which through trial and error, I prefer to do differently:

• Tomatoes - I usually freeze these as passata, etc
• Courgettes - I tend to make up batches of ratatouille which can be added to bolognaise, pasta sauces, etc.
• Potatoes - I freeze as mash in portions to add to thicken soups, or use as a cheesey mash topping on fish pie, etc.
• Herbs - I chop up and fill ice cube trays so I can pop these into soups, etc from frozen
• Aubergines/courgettes - I find these also work well if you salt them first, rinse, then fry them, tray freezing them then bagging them up - perfect for a quick moussaka!
• I also freeze lemon slices for an impromptu G&T!

anitasmith

Hi,

How do you freeze items such as carrotts and ounions.

I always purchase too much, and end up wasting. I have made soups in the past from left over veggie.

We have a wonderful shop, close by that sells veggies in bulk and at low cost. I can save money, but not if I waste.

Any ideas.

Regards

Anita

Kirri

I've done carrots, according to a book I have they need to be blanched (believe it was 3 mins boil then cold water ie slightly longer boiling time than some other veg) and then freeze on open trays then once frozen put into bags (ie when frozen open/separately they don't stick together when later bagged up. This was in slices.

I've not tried freezing onions though as they store for quite a while anyway.

ariba10

If we are only going to keep them in the freezer for a month or two we prepare them as if we are going to use them now.

Then stick them in a plastic bag or container and put them strait into the freezer.

Onions, celery. leeks, parsnip, swede, any veg bar potatoes.

geoff11

http://www.vegetableexpert.co.uk/how-freeze-keep-vegetables-you-ve-grown.html