Fresh Vegetable Recipes

Why and how to blanch fresh vegetables for freezing?

Will Purple Hull Peas, Okra, Squash be okay without blanching before feezing for a short stoage?

Public Comments

1. No U need 2 Blanch them before U put them in the Freezer otherwise they won't be any good.Grandma told me this one
2. Blanching slows or stops the action of enzymes which caus off-colors, off-flavors and toughening. Blanching time varies according to the vegetable and its size. Okra needs to be blanched for two minutes, cooled under running water and then patted dry. Spread it in layers on wax paper and then freeze . Once frozen, transferto small ziplock bags and return them to the freeze. Peas will freeze well even without blanching. Just shell them and freeze immediately in a zip lock or a tall freezer box. Wash and cut off blossom and stem endsof the squash and slice in 1-inch pieces.Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes cool and freeze leaving a bit of head space.
3. I have always blanched before freezing, except for squash. Depending on the kind of squash you have, I grade different squashes to use in breads, soups, and casseroles. If you intend to eat as a vegis, slice the squash1 inch, drop in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, lets them cool before packaging and freezing.Peas and okra do the same except for the slicing. Okra has a tendency to become bitter so I add 2 -3 teaspoons of sugar in the boiling water and it seems to make quite a difference. The length of time you intend on freezing does not matter. What you are accomplishing by blanching is breaking down the enzymes and eliminating the toughness. God Bless Grandma