Freezing ready-cooked veg

Question

I really don't like blanching. Could I cook the veg. ready to eat and put straight into the freezer? If so, how long might it last?

OR, as an alternative to blanching, could all the veg be boiled for just 1 or 2 minutes, dried (it's said they're still continuing the cooking process during this time) and then put straight into ziplocked bags and into the freezer?

I get fresh produce from the Farmer's Market and would like to freeze it, mainly short term, up to a month max.

You're willing to boil them for a minute, but you don't want to blanch? Do you just not like the ice water shock at the end? — Joe, Apr 27 '17 at 11:28
If you are getting your produce from a good (non-chilled) source, then there is no need to freeze. It is more than possible to keep your vegetables and fruit for up to 12 months. Believe me I live on a boat, and this is what we do! — dougal 5.0.0, Apr 27 '17 at 12:25
I know it sounds strange Joe but it's the icy-cold water bit that puts me off. Unless I buy bags of ice-cubes, I don't think I could make enough in my fridge for this purpose. Also, I prefer using filtered water, rather than just tap water. I fail to understand why they can't just be parboiled, dried and immediately put into the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes before being bagged and then placed in the freezer. I'll experiment and try your method dougal. I like the sound of that. I will also parboil them, dry and place straight in the freezer to see what the difference is. — Crystyn, Apr 28 '17 at 12:41
If you have the freezer space, you might be able to spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan and put them in the freezer for a bit to cool them down. I'd probably still give them a quick dip in room-temperature water, though, so the freezer didn't have to work as hard. (and try to pull them before they freeze to the pan ... wax paper, parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet would be useful if you have it ... but not wax paper if it doesn't get a cooling bath) — Joe, Apr 28 '17 at 14:12
@Crystyn - if the problem with using an ice bath is not having ice readily available in the quality and quantity preferred, maybe you could try some substitute? Ice-packs don't usually work well for me, but chilling stones (sometimes called whisky stones), might work. You would put them in the freezer for several hours before hand - and store them elsewhere when you don't need them. — Megha, Apr 28 '17 at 19:55

score 9 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 27 '17 at 12:55

Blanching is a necessary step prior to preparing vegetables for storage in the freezer. Blanching deactivates the enzymes, present in fruits and vegetables, which are responsible for browning and potential off flavors during storage. Your blanched vegetables will look and taste better after being frozen. They will also last longer. Blanching is a quick process. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add vegetables. Allow the pot to return to the boil (cover on). This should take about a minute. Remove to an ice bath. Drain. Package. Freeze. If you are ok with boiling for a minute or two, this should not add much time to your process.

For the OP's sake: the reason that just putting them in the freezer doesn't provide the benefits of blanching is that if you put warm/hot things straight into a bag in the freezer, they'll take hours to cool down. If you shock them in ice water, they get down to close to freezing within *minutes*. — Cascabel, Apr 28 '17 at 14:59

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 27 '17 at 13:53

Yes, you can freeze cooked vegetables, there is no problem in that. You can even freeze raw vegetables without any preparation.

Blanching increases the quality of raw frozen vegetables, but if you don't want to blanch, you can do without. There will be some difference in the end result, it is up to you to decide if it is good enough for you.

The "how long will they last" has nothing to do with blanching or not blanching. If you keep them at -18 C, they are safe for indefinite periods of time. And tastewise, they last for as long as you are willing to eat them.

Freezing ready-cooked veg

2 Answers2