How to Freeze Broccoli
Broccoli is one of those vegetables that seems to multiply in the garden. Wasting this delicious and nutritious food is out of the question. Take a little time to prepare broccoli for the freezer and enjoy the fruits (or vegetables) of your gardening prowess throughout the year. The following steps will help you successfully freeze broccoli. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Broccoli
- Paring knife
- Salt
- Water
- Deep pot
- Vegetable steamer
- Ice
- Airtight containers
Instructions
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1
Choose tender, young stalks of broccoli to freeze. With a paring knife, take leaves off the bottom of the stalks.
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2
Make a brine of 5 tsps. of salt to 1 gallon of water. Submerge the broccoli stalks in the brine mixture for 30 minutes. This will get rid of any insects that were hiding in the florets.
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3
Rinse, drain and pat dry the clean broccoli stalks. Cut pieces so that the florets are not larger than 1 to 1-1/2 inches across.
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4
Bring a deep pot of water to a boil and blanch broccoli for 4 minutes. To steam blanch instead of immersion blanch, place stalks in a vegetable steamer for six minutes.
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5
Remove the broccoli from boiling water or steamer and plunge immediately into a mixture of ice and water to halt the cooking process.
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6
Drain stalks and place in airtight containers that have been dated. Use frozen broccoli within 12 months.
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Tips & Warnings
Steam blanch the broccoli instead of immersion blanching to keep the bright green color in the vegetable after it's frozen.
Do not freeze broccoli without blanching it first. The florets will break off if frozen without the heat to soften them.
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Comments
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Thank you. We just bought some for.99 a lb. here iin Connetticut and it's mid March. I usually buy the frozen flourettes in the winter as broccolli is a staple in our household.
