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This year has been a very mild winter and all the Brussels Sprouts in the shops are quite bitter as they have not undergone any overnight frosts.

Can I mimic the effects of an overnight frost by leaving raw Brussels Sprouts in the freezer for some time? How long should I do this for?

I have access to both individual sprouts that have already been picked from their "tree" and also some "sprout trees" that are still intact but have just been sliced off above the ground.

All the answers that Google can find relate to freezing already-cooked Brussels Sprouts for later consumption, but I assume that once cooked it is too late to reduce the bitterness in this way - although I could be wrong about this.

Vicky
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2 Answers2

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I tried this recently. Washed & dried them and put them in a plastic bag in freezer for 30 mins only. It worked well for me - they were much tastier and a better texture.

Mia
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  • That's really helpful, thanks. I ended up putting mine in the coldest part of the fridge for a couple of days, but it did not make any difference. – Vicky Jan 13 '16 at 09:13
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There is a difference between frosting and freezing. When you get frost outside, the temps just hit freezing or a little below. A hard freeze is when everything above ground gets frozen solid.

That's what your freezer does. If you want to mimic a frost, then put your veg in the back of the fridge where the cold air falls down from the freezer.

I don't think it's going to help so much though, because those frosts affect how the plant as a whole behaves biologically. It however can't hurt, and I'd like to find out your results.

Escoce
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