If you grow broccoli in your backyard garden or you want to buy it up while it's in season or on sale,you need a way to retain its freshness before it goes bad. Freezing is the best way to preserve broccoli, retaining its color, flavor, texture, and nutritional value. The process requires a few simple steps, including soaking, trimming, blanching, chilling, flash freezing, and storing in the freezer.
Giving the broccoli florets and stems a quick blanching in boiling water before freezing ensures that they will retain a good texture when you get around to cooking with them. The single-layer initial freeze prevents the broccoli pieces from clumping together, which is ideal when you only need a cup of it for a recipe.
What Is Broccoli?
Clean and Cut Into Florets
Before the vegetable can be prepped for any use, it needs to be cleaned. Soak the whole broccoli in cold water for a few minutes to get rid of any dirt or garden bugs. Drain well.
It is not ideal to freeze an entire head of broccoli; for best quality and ease of use after freezing, it should be cut into florets with the stem removed (but not discarded). Begin by cutting off the thick stem, and setting it aside. Use a paring knife to separate the florets into pieces no more than 1 1/2-inches thick.
Broccoli stems are arguably even more delicious than the florets but often are discarded. If you leave the thick skins on the stems they take longer to cook than the florets and can be a bit fibrous to eat. The solution is to peel them with a vegetable peeler, removing the tough outer skin. First, cut off the tough bottom half-inch or so of the stems and compost or discard them. Then peel the rest of the stem and chop into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
While you are preparing the broccoli, have a pot of water coming to a boil on the stove and get a big bowl of ice water ready.
Once you have separated the broccoli into florets and peeled and chopped the stems, drop the broccoli pieces into the pot of rapidly boiling water. Let them cook for 2 minutes. Alternatively, steam the broccoli for 2 minutes in a vegetable steamer rather than boiling it.Drain the broccoli in a colander.
Chill the Broccoli
It is important that you immediately transfer the blanched broccoli to the bowl of ice water. This stops the residual heat from continuing to cook the vegetable. Leave the broccoli in the ice water for 3 minutes. Then transfer the broccoli to a colander and leave it to drain well for a few minutes.
Single-Layer Freeze
Once the broccoli is drained, it is ready for the initial flash freeze. Spread the blanched and chilled broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
Transfer to Containers and Freeze
Transfer the frozen broccoli pieces to freezer bags or containers and label them with the date. Frozen broccoli will keep for one year. It is still safe to eat after that, but its quality will decline.
Using Frozen Broccoli
Whether or not you need to thaw the broccoli before use depends on the recipe. It is not necessary to thaw frozen broccoli before cooking if the dish is warm and can benefit from some moisture, like in casseroles, soups, stews, and pasta dishes. If the broccoli is going to be eaten (almost) raw, or if the dish would become soggy from excess moisture (like pizza topping), it should be cooked beforehand. Just to be sure to subtract the two minutes the broccoli was blanched from the cooking time when you cook your frozen broccoli.
Roasting is one dish that can be made with frozen broccoli. Simply toss the florets with olive oil and salt and cook in a very hot oven until crispy. Keep in mind the broccoli won't be as firm as raw and will become tender quicker.
14 Best Broccoli Recipes
Helpful Links
How to Freeze Asparagus
How to Blanch Vegetables Before Freezing
15 Best Broccoli Recipes
Broccoli Equivalents, Measurements, and Substitutions
Cook the broccoli in the boiling water for 2-3 mins. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon and plunge into the bowl of iced water, then leave for another 2-3 mins. Drain and put on the lined tray. Pat dry, then lay the broccoli on a tray in a single layer and freeze until solid.
For blanching, fill a large bowl with ice water and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add the trimmed broccoli to the boiling water and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath with a slotted spoon.
This is because broccoli is mostly water; when it's frozen, the water turns to ice, and the crystals expand.When the crystals melt slowly, the water seeps into the vegetable, creating a soggy mess.
If you plan to rehydrate your vegetables, we've found that blanching them beforehand will help bring them back to that perfect texture. But, either way, simply spread your vegetables such as broccoli, green beans or Brussels sprout on the freeze drying trays and run them through a standard cycle.
Bring 4 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a rapid boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Carefully lower the broccoli florets into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and just barely tender.
Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture and taste of broccoli will deteriorate into a mushy, grey and unpleasant shadow of its former self, with the goodness leeching away. So, do make sure you blanch it to preserve its colour, flavour and nutrients.
Here's exactly how to cook frozen broccoli without getting soggy. Pre-heat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pre-heating your pan is optional for slightly crispier results! Dump the frozen broccoli straight onto the baking sheet and spread the florets out as much as possible.
First, choose the right broccoli; opt for young, tender stalks. Look for broccoli stalks that are tight and haven't started to open or yellow yet. Wash stalks thoroughly and cut lengthwise into uniform pieces, leaving florets about 1-1/2 inches across.
Add the frozen broccoli to the baking sheet in a single layer, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. This extra step assists in removing excess water. Remove from the oven and add oil and seasonings of choice.
Cut broccoli into small florets. Add broccoli to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, 1–2 min. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop broccoli from cooking.
While most vegetables can be transferred directly to a vacuum sealer bag, cruciferous vegetables - like broccoli and cabbage - must be blanched beforehand.
Unfortunately, if vegetables are not blanched correctly, the vegetables can become too soft and essential nutrients, like vitamin C, can be lost. The high temperature of boiling water or steam weakens the cell walls and the vegetables lose their crunchy texture.
To blanch broccoli, start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.Once boiling, submerge chopped broccoli florets into the pot. It does not take long to blanch broccoli – only about 30-60 seconds, so keep an eye out for when the color changes from dull green to bright green.
If you don't blanch your broccoli, it will turn color and acquire a bitter taste. You can either stick it in boiling water for three minutes to blanch, or steam it for five minutes, whichever you choose.
Blanching helps to preserve the flavor, color and texture of fresh produce that's being frozen. Blanching helps slow the loss of vitamins. Blanching helps cleanse the surface of dirt and some bacteria.
Tray pack by patting florets dry with a paper towel, place on a tray in a single layer, place tray in the freezer for approximately 1 to 2 hours until frozen. Quickly remove the individually frozen florets and place in a freezer container or bag removing air.
Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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