All vegetables that are eaten boiled, baked or fried, are suitable for freezing. In this article you will find important information about the processes of blanching vegetables before freezing them.
Preparation requires cleaning, washing and cutting of the vegetables. Blanching is very important because through it, you maintain the color, flavor and vitamins in the products for as long as possible.
To do this you need a deep pot (volume of 2 gal (8 liters)) of boiling water and a deep metal strainer or basket. The pre-cooked and chopped vegetables (no more than one pound at a time) are placed in the metal basket and immersed in boiling water.
The water should boil again within one minute and continue to simmer throughout the entire blanching process. Different vegetables require a different blanching time. For most products, between 3 and 5 minutes is enough.
The exceptions are cabbage (1-2 minutes), peppers (2-3 minutes), spinach (2 minutes). After removal from the boiling water, the vegetables are immersed in cold water, and drained well.
For packaging, freezer bags are used. It is best to form the products into flat rectangular packages. This will save space. There are certain vegetables that need to be placed in plastic containers, among them spinach and chopped leeks. The portions should not exceed 2 lb (1 kg).
The way you defrost products is also essential for the preservation of their taste qualities. Vegetables may be thawed either by placing them into boiling water, or by steaming them in oil.
It is key to know that the cooking time of frozen vegetables is 1/3 less than fresh ones. It is advisable to partially thaw cabbage and spinach before cooking. Once thawed, the products should not be refrozen.
