| Vegetable Freezing Chart | ||
| Blanching time is in boiling water. Unless otherwise noted, chilling time in ice water should be the same as blanching time. | ||
| Vegetable | Preparation | Blanching Time/ Chilling Time |
| Asparagus | Wash and sort stalks according to size, discarding blemished stalks. Break off ends. Stalks may be left whole or cut into 1-1/2" to 2" long pieces. | average diameter stalks - 3 minutes thicker stalks - 4 minutes. |
| Green Beans | Snap off tips. Rinse, then cut or break into desired sizes or freeze smaller beans whole. | 3-1/2 minutes. |
| Lima Beans | Wash, shell and sort beans according to size. | small and medium beans - 3 minutes large beans - 4 minutes |
| Italian Snap Beans | Wash, snap off ends and slice into 1" to 1-1/2" pieces. | 3-1/2 minutes. |
| Beets | For young, tender beets- Remove tops and cook until tender. Chill,then remove skins. Leave small beets whole. For medium to large beets, slice or cut into pieces. Pack into freezer boxes or bags. | not applicable |
| Broccoli | Remove leaves and tough ends. Cut through stalks lengthwise, leaving stems with 1" to 1-1/2" diameter heads, or cut into pieces. Soak in salt water (2 tablespoons salt to 1 quart water) to remove any insects and larvae. Rinse with tap water and drain. | pieces - 4 minutes stems - 5 minutes. |
| Brussels Sprouts | Wash and trim any tough outer leaves. Soak in salt water (2 tablespoons salt to 1 quart water) to remove any insects and larvae. Rinse with tap water and drain. | medium sprouts - 4 minutes large sprouts - 5 minutes. |
| Carrots | Remove tops, peel, and wash. Cut into 1/4" thick slices. | 3-1/2 minutes. |
| Cauliflower | Remove leaves, trim and wash. Split into individual 1" to 1-1/2" pieces. Soak in salt water (2 tablespoons salt to 1 quart water) to remove any insects and larvae. Rinse with tap water and drain. | 4 minutes. |
| Corn-on-the-Cob | Husk, remove silk and trim off ends. Blanch in a large stockpot with 10 - 12 quarts of boiling water. | 24 small ears, under 1-1/4" diameter - 8 minutes 14 medium ears, 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" diameter - 8 minutes 10 large ears, over 1-1/2" diameter - 11 minutes Chilling time in ice water should be twice as long as blanching time |
| Corn - Cut from cob | Husk, remove silk and trim off ends. Use a corn cob cutter or a curved grapefruit knife to remove kernels from cob. | 4-1/2 minutes |
| Kohlrabi | Remove tops, wash, peel and cut into 1/2" cubes. | 2-1/2 minutes. |
| Mushrooms | Wash and remove stems. Freeze smaller mushrooms whole Cut medium and large mushrooms into 1/4" slices. To prevent browning, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid per quart of blanching water. | small whole mushrooms - 4 minutes sliced mushrooms - 3 minutes. |
| Onions | Chopped onions can be packed and frozen without blanching To freeze larger pieces of onions or small whole onions - Peel onions, wash, and cut into quarter sections (except very small whole onions). | 1-1/2 minutes |
| Green Peas, shelled | Wash and shell peas. | 1-1/2 to 2 minutes |
| Sugar Peas or Edible Pod Peas | Wash; Remove stems and blossom ends; Leave whole. | 2-1/2 to 3 minutes |
| Peppers | Chopped bell peppers can be packed and frozen without blanching. For pepper halves or slices...Wash, remove stem and seeds. Cut in halves or slices | halves - 3 minutes slices - 2 minutes. |
| Pumpkin | Cut; scoop out seeds; peel; and cut into pieces. Bake or steam until tender. Cool, then strain in a ricer, food mill or process in a food processor until smooth. Pack into containers and freeze. | not applicable |
| Spinach | Sort; remove any blemished leaves and tough stems; Wash. | 1-1/2 to 2 minutes |
| Zucchini | Select 5" to 7" long, tender zucchini. Wash, peel and cut into 1/4" to 1/2" slices. | 1/4" slices - 3 minutes 1/2" slices - 4 minutes |
Can I Freeze It?: How to Use the Most Versatile Appliance in Your Kitchen This book features all the tips, tricks, and rules for freezing... from containers and wrappers (foil or Tupperware?), to the best methods for retaining moisture and flavor, to what ingredients and dishes can and can't be frozen. It includes a wealth of recipes, along with color photos, for whole and part dishes. Some are completely preassembled (think chicken in a marinade) and then frozen and cooked later. Still others combine frozen ingredients with fresh onespair a pastry from the freezer with berries from the farm stand, or defrost a sauce and use it to top fish straight from the market. It's the ultimate guide to saving time and money in the kitchen! |
