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freezing veg

(10 Posts)
bichonmad Mon 02-Dec-13 14:46:08

does anyone know do you have to blanche veg before you freeze i have a box of veg,brussels,turnips,swede,leeks,and cabbage must i blanch them first,?

Kate13 Mon 02-Dec-13 14:51:30

I cook turnip swede parsnip and then bag it and freeze it. Keeps well. I would par boil brussels. Doubtful whether leeks and cabbage will freeze but they will keep in cold storage (garage)for quite a while.

merlotgran Mon 02-Dec-13 14:54:42

They should all freeze so long as you blanch them first.

thatbags Mon 02-Dec-13 16:44:06

I usually just chop veg that I want to freeze, give it a one minute zap in the microwave (blanching in effect), let it cool and freeze. Haven't encountered any problems with this method.

Granny23 Mon 02-Dec-13 16:53:29

In general, I follow Bags' method but for leeks or sprouts I leave them in the garden until required, sometimes picking them 'ready frozen' grin

Granny23 Mon 02-Dec-13 16:56:22

PS Cabbage does best if frozen in chunks the size of a Brussels sprout.

tiggypiro Mon 02-Dec-13 17:00:39

The turnips, swede and leeks are fine just chopped up and frozen without blanching - they are afterall fine left in frozen ground if not picked. They are best cooked from frozen so do not defrost.
Cabbage needs blanching but only do it in a little water with maybe a knob of butter added and very quickly as cabbage doesn't need much cooking.
I don't like frozen brussels so never do them but they will need blanching.

FlicketyB Mon 02-Dec-13 17:45:48

Leeks and cabbage will freeze. I freeze vast quantities of vegetables and never bother with blanching. I have yet to have a problem.

sherish Tue 03-Dec-13 11:36:33

I had an extra cauliflower a couple of weeks ago after buying two for one. I just chopped it into flourets and bagged it and froze it. It was fine when I cooked it. I steamed it as I usually do. I know you are supposed to blanche veg then plunge in cold water. I couldn't be bothered to do that so just bagged it and froze it to save throwing it away.

annodomini Tue 03-Dec-13 12:15:22

I once did that with cauliflower and it came out of the freezer looking most unappetizingly black. I always blanche any extra veg.