Help a newbie please with freezing veg

Sunflower1227

Hi everyone, as you can see I am new to this site, but love reading everyones ideas and how you all help each other, and I am learning so much, wish I found you all years ago.

Could you please advise me on the best way to freezer vegetables, do you cook them first or leave them uncooked before you pop them in the freezer.

Thanks

Pink.

Hi sunflower,

Welcome!

I think it depends on the veg and how long are intending to keep them frozen for on whether or not you need to blanch. Some I prefer to blanch and some I don't bother because I don't think it makes a difference. Is there any particular vegetable that you have in mind?

This thread has some advice that may help:

Freezing vegetables

I'll add your thread to that one, once you've had more replies.

Pink

meritaten

I like to blanch the veg first in boiling water for about a minute, as I think it sort of sterilises them! any dirt etc is then rendered harmless! I then cool them down under the cold tap and put into freezer bags, sealed and flattened out and put in the fast freeze in my freezer. I flatten the bags out cos they take up less space that way! and freeze faster.
when I want to cook the veg they first get slammed onto the kitchen floor to break them up then plunged into boiling water with the salt added and cooked for about three minutes less than if they were fresh! dunno why that is when they only had a minutes cooking but - thats what i have found if you want them still al dente! oh and DONT add salt to the blanching water! stops them freezing properly!

Sunflower1227

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi sunflower,

Welcome!

Is there any particular vegetable that you have in mind?

Pink

Just the usual, leeks, carrots etc.

Had a look at the link, its great, thanks Pink

Pink.

Sunflower1227 wrote: »

Just the usual, leeks, carrots etc.

Had a look at the link, its great, thanks Pink

Carrots I always chop and blanch....no idea why, but I do. Probably because I normally use them in casseroles/stews. With leeks I chop, open freeze on a tray, then pop them into a bag. Open freezing means they don't stick together which means I can use as many as I want at a time ...again no idea why I don't blanch them, but that's the way my Mum used to do it. Also I tend to use leeks up quite quickly whereas carrots can hang around in my freezer for months.

These threads have more opinions:

Freezing carrots

Can I freeze fresh leeks?

If you have any other veg you need help with, post them into this thread and I'm sure someone will come up with advice.

Pink

Linda32

Hiya,

Personally, I don't blanch anything, just chop up into the sized you want, I prefer long sticks IYSWIM, rather than discs but its up to you.

I just put into a freezer bag and put in freezer. If I get anymore, I just add these to the existing bag. - No need to use another one