Freezing Fresh Vegetables? Blanch Them First

The Boiling Water Method Preserves Produce for Months

Jun 11, 2009

Home vegetable gardeners can harvest crops through mid-summer to enjoy all year. Blanching is necessary to preserve the quality of most vegetables before freezing.

More people than ever are planting and picking fresh vegetables to avoid paying supermarket prices. Nothing beats home-grown corn, beans, and carrots at the dinner table. Gardeners are encouraged to freeze surplus vegetables for the months ahead.

It's not enough to wash, bag, and toss fresh-picked vegetables into the freezer. Many vegetables must first be blanched before freezing in order to preserve taste, appearance, and nutrients. Why? The enzyme action responsible for promoting growth does not stop when vegetables are picked.

Vegetables can be blanched by using one of three methods: Water, steam, and microwave. This article focuses exclusively on water blanching.

Equipment Needed to Water Blanch Vegetables

Blanching is the term used for partially cooking a vegetable that's fully ripened to prevent over-maturing and spoilage. The process is easy – rather tedious – but there is no point in growing a fantastic garden if the vegetables are carelessly stored so that they rot or have an "off taste" Blanching in boiling water also removes any hidden dirt and bugs.

To water blanch vegetables, you'll need:

Large pot. Vegetables are blanched in small amounts at a time, but the pot must be big enough so that the water fully covers the produce. Corn on the cob is easier to manage if the ears are broken in half.
Wire basket to hold the vegetables or a large slotted spoon. A basket makes it easier to quickly transfer the vegetables from boiling water to ice water.
A clock with a second hand. Blanching times are exact and it's easier to keep track of cooking times with a face clock than with a digital.
Plenty of ice. Blanched vegetables require immediate chilling in ice water. Depending on how many pounds one intends to blanch, one or two bags of ice may be needed for 10-15 lbs. of vegetables.
Large bowl for ice water.
Freezer storage bags (quart or gallon size), or tightly-sealed storage containers (pint or quart). Invest in top quality bags and/or containers for best results. Vacuum sealing devices for food storage work well, too.
A chart showing vegetable blanching times. These can be found in many cookbooks that feature food storage. Charts are available online, as well.

The Web site, University of Missouri Extension, offers the article, "Quality for Keeps: Freezing Vegetables" which offers valuable information on blanching times, freezing tips, and reheating frozen vegetables. The site also recommends water blanching, stating, "For home freezing, the best way to blanch vegetables is in boiling water."

The Process of Water Blanching Vegetables

Each vegetable variety requires an exact time for processing. Under-cook a vegetable and the enzyme action will not be stopped. Overcooking results in mushy food that won't survive freezing. To begin, have all equipment ready.

Fill the large pot with water and bring the water to a boil.
While the water is heating, prepare vegetables. Corn should be husked and washed to remove silk strands; break in half if desired. Do not cut other vegetables, such as carrots or summer squash, until just before blanching (to prevent browning).
Once the water is at a rolling boil, submerge only enough of the vegetable so as not to stop the water from boiling. Begin timing.
Fill the large bowl with ice and cold water.
When the time is up, immediately remove the vegetable from the boiling water. (The wire basket makes this easy, but a slotted spoon can be used if one quickly removes the vegetable from the water.) Immediately submerge the vegetable into the bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process.
When the vegetables have cooled, package carefully in containers or bags. Remove as much air as possible from the bags without damaging the produce.
Place containers or bags in the freezer.

A Word about Freezing Tomatoes and Vegetables that Can Be Frozen without Blanching

Tomatoes can be frozen, but the process is slightly different. The skins are removed for best results because they can toughen. After partially cooking and skinning, the tomatoes are chopped and frozen for such delights as homemade spaghetti sauce.

Some vegetables do not need blanching, such as onions. The Web site, Braswells, offers information on freezing Vidalia onions in the article, "Vidalia Onion Info". According to the article, "To freeze a whole Vidalia® onion, peel, wash, core and place onion in freezer bag. Frozen onions should be used for cooking, because freezing changes their texture." Bell peppers don't need blanching, either. Just wash the pepper thoroughly; cut and remove the stem and membranes. Slice into strips and then place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze the strips first and then put them in a storage bag.

Properly freezing vegetables is a time-consuming process, but is well worth the effort when the savings are tallied; plus, the summer harvest can be enjoyed all year 'round. Blanching not only stops the enzyme process from spoiling vegetables, it also kills bacteria and cleans away hidden dirt and bugs. Timing is important during water blanching and sanitary cooking methods should always be observed when handling foods. Some vegetables don't need to be blanched, but only need to be washed, cut, and stored. Enjoy the harvest while it lasts. Fall vegetable planting is just around the corner.

The copyright of the article Freezing Fresh Vegetables? Blanch Them First in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Mary King. Permission to republish Freezing Fresh Vegetables? Blanch Them First in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.