Freezing veggies without blanching?

[finnteara]

End of the season I have a lot of veggies (mostly squash, tomatoes and peppers) that I would like to freeze. Can't Can and don't want to blanch. Can I just cut the veggies up, bag em, and throw them in freezer?

[Lavandula Girl]

When the water in food freezes, it stops much of the cellular activity that normally causes spoiling. But there are certain enzymes in vegetables that can continue their process after freezing. Blanching — either steaming or boiling the food briefly — destroys the enzymes that cause the loss of nutritional value.(Not only will they not be as nutritious, the color and flavor will be off, too.) Onions, peppers, and herbs do not need to be blanched. Squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin should be fully cooked before freezing. All other vegetables should be blanched. Why wouldn't you want to blanch them?

[sparrowgrass]

FWIW, I never blanch peppers or tomatoes. I wash them, then cut the tops off the peppers, and the stems out of the tomatoes, and put them in plastic bags, whole.

When you get ready to use the tomatoes, let them thaw just a little, and the skins will slip right off. Chop the tomatoes up a little--I find that they get stringy and unpleasant if not chopped up.

They will last thru the winter, and taste quite nice.

[GreenZone]

How abot garlic? Can I freeze garlic without blanching and have it stay good? For that matter might it still grow after freezing??

[Lavandula Girl]

The info I have is that you can freeze it, unpeeled, but you should expect some texture change,lowering of nutritional potency, and that the refrigeration may make it get kind of dry. One of my books suggests freezing the peeled cloves in oil, but I don't get that, since the oil itself has some preservation quality. I'd be interested to know whether there's a real difference in storage viability between a root cellar and freezing.

[wilderness1989]

FWIW, I never blanch peppers or tomatoes. I wash them, then cut the tops off the peppers, and the stems out of the tomatoes, and put them in plastic bags, whole.

When you get ready to use the tomatoes, let them thaw just a little, and the skins will slip right off. Chop the tomatoes up a little--I find that they get stringy and unpleasant if not chopped up.

They will last thru the winter, and taste quite nice.
That's exactly the way we've been doing it for years and it works fine.

[Nutter]

That's exactly the way we've been doing it for years and it works fine.

Yup me too... no problem... garlic is so cheap.. I never freeze or preserve it.. and you can buy it in a jar ready to go in a pinch.. I don't trust preserving garlic really.. so I get fresh

Nut

[bluelacedredhead]

Here's a recipe from the Ball/Kerr/Bernardin home canning website on preserving garlic. But note that they say specifically NOT to change any of the ingredients or directions for safety sake due to the fact that garlic is a veg and low acid.
I cut this recipe out of the newspaper years ago. Now if only I would remember to make it :P
http://www.homecanning.com/can/AlRecipes.asp?R=104

[D'Butterfly]

I don't blanch/can because it isn't cost effective for us. By the time I heat the house and raise the humidity, the ac then has to work very hard to compensate -- it is already on overtime in this heatwave and continued drought. My husband and son have asthma and they have to have ac to breathe.

[johno]

I froze green beans without blanching them and they tasted like lawn clippings. It really doesn't take long or require much equipment...

[mrtomatoexpres]

D'butterfly i now walk your talking about i have asthma to maybe iam lucky i have not had a attack in 6 years i stopped taking all the sprays they gave me when they gave me steriods i looked like i should be in the macy's day parade at thanksgiving i looked like i would float away.

[GreenCap]

I was wondering the reason for blanching as well, I am glad you asked :) Mrtomato it is good you are off the steroids, must be all that good food you are growing :D

[justdoit]

I agree with those who say it's best to blanch or cook before freezing, except for tomatoes, peppers, and onions. If in a real pinch for time, I have frozen corn on the cob without, but for no more than 3 weeks. Cut the tips off and remove about half the shucks. When ready to cook, hold frozen corn under cold water...pull the shucks off and most of the silks will come off with them. Boil about 10 minutes because it's still frozen in the center. Any more than 3 week storage and you will begin to taste the cob. Note: I only do this when I am swamped with too much produce to handle.

[dandelion meadow]

My experience with freezing garlic that was intended for planting was regrettable! Poor little guys turned to mush when defrosted. If your climate is too conducive to premature sprouting or perhaps spoiling when they are stored at room temperature, try refrigeration. They may still sprout, but slowly and can be planted as is when the time comes. I've done this. Have read that it's best not to refrigerate garlic, but I think that has to do with flavor, not viability.

[Orgarden]

Has anyone tried freezing food with dry ice first? I first learned the technique from Alton Brown's show with strawberries but have not tried other fruits or veggies.

[johno]

Isn't that basically freeze-drying?

[GeorgeSims]

I INSISTED that sweet corn and purple-hull peas MUST be blanched before freezing. My wife just smiled, then put them up without blanching while I was away. So far, they seem just fine. They are from this summer's crop.

[Orgarden]

Johno, it does not dry them... just freezes them faster than putting it into the freezer directly. Has something to do with water and oxygen accumulating in the fruit or veggie during the freezing process (which dry ice cuts both down).