Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
tain veggie you love, plan in advance to make sure you plant a suffi-
cient amount so you can freeze some to enjoy later. You may get a
bumper crop of a certain vegetable, and freezing or canning is a
great way to use the produce so it does not go to waste. Freezing
will preserve the nutrients and flavor of the vegetables.
When you are planning to freeze your produce, pick it and freeze it
the same day. That way you will be getting the full nutrients when
you eat the food later. It is best to pick the veggies early in the
morning when the temperature is lower. Choose the freshest and
most tender veggies, and then keep them cool until they can be put
into the freezer. If left at room temperature for more than two
hours, the vegetables start to lose their nutrients so you want to
work fast to preserve them.
FREEZING AND BLANCHING
VEGETABLES THAT WILL FREEZE
WELL
AMOUNT OF TIME FOR BLANCHING
Asparagus
2 minutes
Beet, collard, spinach, Swiss chard
greens
2 minutes
Broccoli
3 minutes
Carrots
5 minutes for whole; 3 minutes for sliced
or diced
Corn
4 minutes for whole cob; 1 minute for
kernels
Peas
1 minute
Blanching, also known as scalding, is done to destroy enzymes in
your vegetables. Enzymes will affect the color and flavor of your
vegetables if they are kept frozen for any length of time. If you are
planning to eat your frozen veggies such as string beans, peas, or
small carrots within a month, you do not necessarily have to blanch
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