Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I froze some Brussels sprouts without blanching. Can they be saved?
Of course. Unblanched veggies have a much longer freezer life than originally supposed. I never blanch mine, but they are not kept for longer than a few months, and I've never found any problem.
I love to just wash, dry and package Brussels sprouts, cabbage and sliced/diced onions. All of these seem to do well without blanching and are ready to cook in very short time.
It does seem that my Brussels sprouts lose some of their color but the taste is still very good.
How long will they keep in the freezer?
I have found that my veggies stay "fresher" when placed in my true freezer instead of my refrigerator freezer. I believe this is due to being able to keep my freezer at a true 0 degree temperature and my refrigerator freezer door is opened more often and thus temperature fluctuates and may not stay at the same degree all the time. I just try to use my veggies within two months after freezing.
I tend to use freezer bags most of the time so I try to dry veggies well and remove as much air from bags as possible, then just date and keep putting newer bags behind the older ones. I very seldom have lost veggies when following this method.
If you defrost them to find they have gone mushy watery or disintegrated you could chop them to use in soups
Yes Ma'am, they can. Commercial packers don't blanch Brussels sprouts before freezing. Do keep them as air tight as possible.
Indeed they can be saved. Just make sure they are properly sealed with the least amount of air to prevent freezer burn. Brussel sprouts tend to burn easily.
Yes. You may lose something in the appearance or taste department if they stay frozen too long.
Prepare the Brussels sprouts by easing them, make an "x" in the root end, blanch in simmering salted water for about 2 minutes, immediately remove sprouts and plunge into a bowl of ice water, drain and put into freezer bags and place in freezer.
Yes, my answer would be to use them in soups or stews!
I am só concerned. The brussel sprouts are 10 days frozen. As I was taking it out, its appearance looks not good. They were firm and fresh when placed in the refrigerator.
Can these vegetables be frozen without blanching?
By Enid
Yes you can freeze Brussels sprouts without blanching first. For years, I blanched mine then a friend who had an allotment gave me a glut of Brussels and told me just to wash and dry and then bag. They are better when cooked and taste good. I have been doing this for years now. I also do it with cabbage just cut up first and do the same wash, etc., onions just slice and bag.
I love to roast my Brussels sprouts coated in a little olive oil. Is this still possible if I freeze them? Will I still be able to peel the leaves?
Or should I peel and then freeze? They can't be mushy. Any ideas?Frozen Brussels sprouts will be mushy as the freezing breaks down the cell structure. One way round this is to slice your sprouts up very finely, and then freeze them.
Brussels sprouts don't freeze well. If you do freeze them use them in soup
Do you have to blanch fresh Brussel sprouts before you freeze them?
By Pat
Yes. It will help them to maintain their color and texture.
Do you need to blanch or cook first? How do you freeze them?
By Maureen
Water blanching time table for brussels sprouts heads:
Small - 3 minutes
Medium - 4 minutes
Large - 5 minutes
Be sure to give the veggies an immediate ice water bath after the blanching to stop the cooking process. Pat veggies dry if you are going to be freezing them and remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible because both help to reduce freezer burn.
