Freezing - Tips and Quick Questions thread

domesticgoddess789

hi I have a couple of leftover carrots, parsnips and peppers that I doubt I'll get chance to use this wk. could I peel and chop them up and freeze them in a freezer bag for use another time?

hayley

OrkneyStar

Personally I'd chop the carrots and parsnips and blanche them (immerse in boiling water for approx 3 mins, then plunge into cold water) before freezing.
I also routinely chop or slice peppers and freeze in freezer bags or small tubs. They can be used from frozen in a stir fry, pasta sauces etc.
hth

radiosupply

Hi Hayley,

My experience with root vegetables - growing and storing - is that they are the best-keeping veg out there. I come from a place in Canada where winter lasts 6 months, and even though the potatoes grow sprouts and the carrots get a bit hairy by the end, they're still ticking as long as they don't go soft!

The easiest way to store root vegetables - carrots, parsnips, beets, potatoes, turnips, etc. - is in a wooden, breathable box full of dry sand. The drier they stay, the longer they last, so if you have a cellar, that's best. Otherwise I'd recommend keeping them in paper bags, because plastic doesn't breathe. Even plastic bags with holes in them keep moisture in, and when the plastic clings to the vegetable, it causes rot.

Store them in the driest part of your house (airing cupboard? I've seen stranger...) and use them anytime until they either go soft or moldy. Even a carrot that goes soft at the tip is fine - just use the part of it that isn't soft.

As for freezing, I always recommend blanching vegetables first, especially green ones. You can freeze all of those, but I would recommend first cutting up the pepper, putting it on a plate with a bit of water and microwaving for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on the wattage of your machine. Otherwise you can do it on the hob in 1cm of simmering water. Just dry them on some kitchen towel before freezing, or they'll get freezer burn!

Hope this helps!

Pink.

Hi hayley,

Yes you can chop them up and freeze them but I prefer to blanche carrots and parsnips. Peppers are fine frozen chopped as they are. There is more advice on these threads:

how to freeze parsnips?

Freezing carrots

Can I Freeze Peppers???

I'll add your post to the main Quick Questions on freezing thread as your query may help others.

Pink

newlywed

Hi - I want to make chicken and leek cobbler...

I know I can freeze the chicken and leek bit but can I make a cobbler topping and freeze that uncooked with it? Or should I freeze them separately? and put together after defrosting?

Off out for the day soon and want a throw it in the oven dinner for when we get back

thriftlady_2

newlywed wrote: »

Hi - I want to make chicken and leek cobbler...

I know I can freeze the chicken and leek bit but can I make a cobbler topping and freeze that uncooked with it? Or should I freeze them separately? and put together after defrosting?

Off out for the day soon and want a throw it in the oven dinner for when we get back

I would freeze them separately. Assuming the cobbler bit is scones I would cut them out and freeze on a tray until hard, then bag them up.

When you want to eat defrost the chicken and leek, put in a dish and put the scones on still frozen but allow a little extra time for them to cook. They don't need long in the oven actually, so maybe you should heat the chicken up on the hob first then bake with the scones.

newlywed

thriftlady wrote: »

I would freeze them separately. Assuming the cobbler bit is scones I would cut them out and freeze on a tray until hard, then bag them up.

When you want to eat defrost the chicken and leek, put in a dish and put the scones on still frozen but allow a little extra time for them to cook. They don't need long in the oven actually, so maybe you should heat the chicken up on the hob first then bake with the scones.

Thanks - yes scone type cobbler mix (flour rubbed into butter and then water added to make a dough) - that sounds like a good plan - I'll defrost then zap the chicken mix and bung cobblers on top still frozen Knew someone would have an idea

littlesnuggy

I bought my first tin of chickpeas yesterday! Used half the tin, and tipped the other half plus liquid into a container, which is currently in the fridge. Can I freeze this, and should I drain the liquid out first?

Pink.

Hi littlesnuggy,

Chickpeas freeze well. I normally use dried chickpeas but if I was using tinned I think I would drain the liquid out before freezing.

Pink

domesticgoddess789

hi i cant seem to find a definite answer to whether raw mushrooms freeze ok?
can anybody advise?
thanks,