Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600513
10/13/97

### TIPS FOR FREEZING VEGETABLES

     The  best  vegetables for freezing  are fresh, tender  and

    straight
    from the garden.  The fresher  the  vegetables  are

    when
    frozen, the more satisfactory the frozen product.

    FIRST
    STEPS

     Wash  vegetables thoroughly in cold water.  Lift them  out

    of
    the water as grit settles to the bottom of the pan.

     Sort vegetables according to size for heating and  packing

    unless
    they are to be cut into pieces of uniform size.

     Peel, trim  and cut  into  pieces,  as  directed  for each

    vegetable.

    HEATING
    BEFORE PACKING

     An important step in preparing vegetables for freezing  is

    heating
     or "blanching" before packing.    Practically   all

    vegetables,
     except  green peppers,  maintain better quality

    in
    frozen storage if blanched before packing.

     The  reason  for blanching vegetables before  freezing  is

    that
     it stops the action of enzymes.   Up until  the   time

    vegetables
     are  ready to pick, enzymes help them  grow  and

    mature.
      After that they cause overripening, loss of flavor

    and
     color  changes.   If  vegetables are  not  sufficiently

    blanched,
     the enzymes continue to be active  during  frozen

    storage.
     The vegetables may develop off-flavors,  discolor,

    or
     toughen so that they  may  be  unappetizing  after a few

    weeks
    of freezer storage.

     Blanching also wilts  and  softens  vegetables which makes

    them
     easier  to  pack.  Blanching  time   varies  with  the

    vegetable
    and size of pieces.

     To blanch

     For home  freezing, the most  satisfactory  way to  blanch

    blanch
     vegetables is in  boiling water.  A blancher,  which

    has
    a blanching basket and cover will make the  job easy.  A

    wire
     basket  fitted  into  a  large  kettle (and  lid) will

    substitute
    for a blancher.

     For  each  pound of prepared vegetables, use  at  least  1

    gallon
     of  boiling water in the blancher  or  kettle.   Put

    vegetables
    in a blanching basket or wire basket and lower it

    into
    the boiling water.  A wire cover for the basket can  be

    used
    to keep the vegetables down in the boiling water.

     Put  the lid on the blancher or kettle and start  counting

    blanching
    time  immediately.    Keep  heat  high  for   time

    given
      in directions  for vegetable you are freezing.

    COOLING

     After vegetables are heated they should be cooled  quickly

    and
    thoroughly to stop the cooking.

     To   cool   blanched  vegetables, plunge  the   basket  of

    vegetables
    immediately into  a  large quantity  of  ice cold

    water.
      Change water  frequently so that is stays ice cold.

    It
    will take about as long to cool  the food  as  it did  to

    blanch
    it.  When the vegetable  is  cool, remove it from the

    water
    and drain thoroughly.

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