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Here’s how to freeze fresh broccoli, including how to trim fresh broccoli plants in the garden, whether you need to blanch it, and how to cut up broccoli to freeze for yummy recipes from quiches to soups andmore!
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) has many followers and also abundant detractors. For those who have only tasted the supermarket variety, I can surely understand the lack of enthusiasm expressed when this topic israised.
However, for those of us who garden, broccoli is terrifically tasty as well as a trouper in the veggie patch. Learn how to plant, grow, and harvest broccoli.
ReadNext
How to Freeze Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, and Beet Greens
If you have more broccoli than you can eat, freezing is a simple, easy, and convenient way to preserve vegetables. Freezing also preserves nutrients and savesmoney.
This sturdy plant begins by giving us a large head that needs to be trimmed and eaten before it becomes a flower. Choose young, tender vegetables tofreeze.
Trim Broccoli in Garden at anAngle
When you’re ready to harvest your broccoli, it’s important to slice the stem at an angle. This allows any subsequent rain or watering to slide harmlessly down the side. If it is trimmed flat, water can pool on top and begin to rot in the center, thereby ruining the future crops that broccoli is waiting to deliver. Use a sharp knife or garden shears to cut off the stem at a slight angle, leaving about 2 to 3 inches of stalk beneath the broccoli crown.
Several days later, you can return to the plant to see two slightly smaller heads peeking up at you. Slice these off (again on an angle), and in another few days, there will be four even smaller heads to harvest. This process continues—with the heads getting tinier and tinier—until well after the first fewfrosts.
Wash and Cut Broccoli into LargePieces
Before freezing my broccoli, I start by washing the stalks and shoots thoroughly in cold water so they’re both fresh and clean. Then I cut into largepieces.
BlanchBroccoli
I steam blanch my broccoli. Blanching is important for frozen vegetables to preserve the favor, nutrients, and texture. I place the broccoli in the top of a steamer and steam them for 5 minutes. Often, I will use tongs partway through and move the large stems around so that all of them get someheat.
If you have a steamer basket, you can suspend in steamer above several inches of rapidly boiling water and cover.
Cool and DrainBroccoli
I use my salad spinner next. I fill the base with cold water and add a bunch of ice. Putting the basket on top of the ice, I slip the steamed broccoli into the basket to cool it down. It’s important to cool any vegetables rapidly in ice water to keep them fromcooking.
Next, I spin the broccoli to get off the extra water and place it carefully in bags. You may need to do this severaltimes.
Pack and FreezeBroccoli
Pack vegetables tightly in freezer bags to save space. Squeeze air from bags before sealing. Here’s a photo of two bags of large broccoli for us, one for company and one for a stir-fry. When you’re ready to use the broccoli, it can be cooked without thawing, but cook in only 1/2 cup or less of water per pint package to maintainnutrients.
I always plant marigolds right in the beds with all of the brassicas (broccoli’s family). This greatly helps to keep the cabbage moth away. I didn’t find a single small, green worm when I harvested this broccoli. Otherwise, these worms can make a mess of the crop and render itunappetizing.
My cut broccoli will be taken out of the freezer and made into broccoli over toast with a cheesy sauce or added to baked chicken or pot roast. Some of it will be cut slightly smaller so that it can be added to chicken or steak stir-fries. The very small heads that come later will be used inquiches.
Recipes With FrozenBroccoli
Here are a few delicious recipes that work well with frozenbroccoli:
Cook the broccoli in the boiling water for 2-3 mins. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon and plunge into the bowl of iced water, then leave for another 2-3 mins. Drain and put on the lined tray. Pat dry, then lay the broccoli on a tray in a single layer and freeze until solid.
Broccoli — florets and stems — must be blanched for effective freezing. If you freeze it raw, you'll wind up with bitter, drab green, shriveled stems. Blanching preserves the bright green color and tasty flavor. You can either blanch in boiling water for three minutes or steam for five minutes.
Lay the broccoli in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray or plate. Place in the freezer until completely solid, 1 to 2 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic container or resealable freezer bag. The broccoli should stay fresh-tasting and free of freezer burn for 6 to 8 months.
This is because broccoli is mostly water; when it's frozen, the water turns to ice, and the crystals expand.When the crystals melt slowly, the water seeps into the vegetable, creating a soggy mess.
Tray pack by patting florets dry with a paper towel, place on a tray in a single layer, place tray in the freezer for approximately 1 to 2 hours until frozen. Quickly remove the individually frozen florets and place in a freezer container or bag removing air.
Unfortunately, if vegetables are not blanched correctly, the vegetables can become too soft and essential nutrients, like vitamin C, can be lost. The high temperature of boiling water or steam weakens the cell walls and the vegetables lose their crunchy texture.
Bring a large pot of water with salt to boil and fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Lower the broccoli florets into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and tender-crisp.
Add the frozen broccoli to the baking sheet in a single layer, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. This extra step assists in removing excess water, which will help your broccoli get nicely browned and crisp.
The fastest way to cook frozen broccoli is to blanch it in boiling water. Two to four minutes in salted boiling water is all it needs to become bright green and tender.
Start by allowing your frozen broccoli to thaw before cooking. This step is crucial to ensure that the broccoli doesn't release excess moisture during the cooking process, resulting in a mushy texture. Simply transfer the frozen broccoli to a colander and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to thaw.
Can you freeze fresh cauliflower without blanching? We'd strongly recommend blanching cauliflower first, otherwise the high water content in the veg will turn it mushy if you freeze raw. To prevent deterioration of texture and nutritional value, it is best to partly cook (blanch) cauliflower florets before freezing.
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, turnips and other cruciferous vegetables emit a gas when refrigerated, but not when frozen. You can use vacuum sealing to preserve these vegetables in the freezer, but not in the refrigerator.
The best vegetables to consider are corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, squash and winter greens such as spinach, kale, chard and collards. Onions, peppers, celery and herbs can also be frozen.
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, turnips and other cruciferous vegetables emit a gas when refrigerated, but not when frozen. You can use vacuum sealing to preserve these vegetables in the freezer, but not in the refrigerator.
You can sauté frozen broccoli just as you would fresh broccoli. Add oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Add your frozen broccoli and season as desired.
Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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