If you are one of the proud and few that knows how to enjoy a good crop of Brussel sprouts, you are in luck. You can start planting even more or buying more in bulk from the grocery store or local farmer’s market. Why, you ask? Because we are going to show you how to freeze brussel sprouts so they stay good for a whole year!

Not only can you freeze freeze them but how to freeze Brussel Sprouts is super easy. All you need to do is, trim them a bit, blanch them, and then stick them in the freezer where they will last 12 months; which is a lot longer than the typical, non-frozen 5 days. You can thaw them overnight in the fridge or stick them straight into the oven and roast them.

Ready to learn how to keep your Brussel Sprouts good for a whole year? Keep on reading and we’ll show you how!

How To Freeze Brussel Sprouts?

Brussel sprouts, just like turnips, often get lumped into a group of vegetables that people think are gross. The worst part is most of those people have never even had Brussel sprouts before, they just think they’re supposed to hate them. But, those people have obviously never tried a delicious pan of hot, roasted garlic Brussel Sprouts.

Brussell sprouts can be super yummy and are one of many foods you can freeze easily.

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it?

Brussel Sprouts are highly recommended as part of a healthy, well balanced diet. They are packed with vitamins and nutrients. So much so that there is evidence that they can decrease your chances of getting cancer and, in those unfortunate enough to have a tumor, it can actually “stop new blood vessels from growing inside [them]”, according to WebMD.

Aside from that, this cabbage look-a-like cousin of cauliflower can also help keep you safe from other common health issues like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, as well as diabetes. If those aren’t enough reasons to keep them well stocked in your household, I don’t know what is!

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• Brussel Sprouts
• 2 colanders (1 for for washing and 1 for blanching)
• knife and cutting board (for slicing if no mandolin slicer)
• large mixing bowl (for blanching)
• large stock pot (for blanching ice bath)
• kitchen timer
• cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer

How To Freeze Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts follow a pretty typical process to other vegetables. We freeze broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, asparagus, okra, and even Bok choy greens using this exact combination process of blanching and flash freezing.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Do you have to cook Brussel Sprouts before you freeze them?

Some people always ask if you can freeze Brussel Sprouts without cooking or blanching them first. Yes, you can but they will not turn out very good. They contain an enzyme that will let them age while frozen and they will lose their color, texture, and flavor pretty quickly.

Blanching destroys that enzyme with heat so that you can freeze them without any issues.

Step One

Toss all of your Brussel Sprouts into a colander and stick them under cool running water. Move them around so you canknowck of any dirt or grime. You will also want to remove any damaged leaves.

Step Two

After washing and cleaning up any dead leaves, it’s time to cut your Brussel Sprouts. Some folks will cut large ones in half or quarters while leaving the smaller Brussel Prouts whole. Whichever is your preference.

When we cut them, we usually cut the entire base off since it is thick and will not blanch at the same rate as the rest of the sprout. You can also cut a straight line or two crossed lines, like an ‘X’ shape, into it which can help it cook a little more quickly.

Step Three

Start a pot of water boiling and, once at a rolling boil, put the Brussel Sprouts in a second colander and lower it into the boiling water. Once the water comes back to a boil, set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size and amount of the batch.

While waiting, fill up a large mixing bowl with cold, cold, ice water. You can also fill up an additional glass or two of ice and place them to the side.

When the timer goes off, quickly, but carefully, pull the colander of veggies from the boiling water and plunge them into the ice bath. If you have the additional glasses of ice, dump them right on top. We want the Brussel Sprouts to cool very, very quickly to stop the cooking process.

Once they are submerged, set the timer for the same amount of time you used for boiling.

When that timer goes off, remove the sprouts from the ice water and place them on a towel or stack of paper towels to dry. You can also use some paper towels to pat dry them. Be sure to remove as much excess moisture as possible.

Step Four

Not that they are dry, we are going to flash freeze them. Wrap a cookie sheet in foil and line your Brussel Sprouts on top in a single layer. Put the cookie sheet into the freezer for 2 to 4 hours.

While waiting for them to partially freeze, pull out your freezer bags and sharpie. Label each of the bags with the contents, freezing date, and use by date. This makes sure that you never end up eating food that has gone bad (yes, even frozen food will eventually spoil).

Why do you flash freeze vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are generally full of water and moisture. When we start to freeze them, especially after washing and blanching, they will end up with a lot of moisture on and just below the surface of their skin.

Freezing draws that moisture out and will cause whatever you have in a bag together to stick and freeze in one big clump. Flash freezing gets them just cold enough to make that outside layer freeze so that when they all go in a bag together, there is no moisture to stick.

When the time is up and the Brussel Sprouts are starting to freeze, pull them out of the freezer and start putting them into your labeled bags. Stick the bags into your deep freezer and let them sit for at least 24 hours before you disturb them.

If you happen to grow lemon, lime, or orange trees, you know that when they start to fruit, you will get a ton of delicious, juices, and fresh citrus. So much so that a lot of your limes and other fruit will end up on the ground and rotting or carried off by animals before you can get to using it. What if you could keep your fruit fresh and useful for much longer? You may ask, can you freeze limes?

QUICK ANSWER: Not only can you freeze limes but freezing them is easy and you have a lot of options to do so. Limes can be frozen whole, cut into wedges, sliced into wheels, or juiced. You can even freeze lime zest!

Frozen limes, in just about any form, will last around a year in the freezer which is a lot longer than a month in the fridge (or only a week on the counter)! If you want to thaw your limes you can pop them in the fridge overnight, run them under cool water, or just leave them frozen and use them as a replacement for ice in your drink.

Ready to learn how to easily freeze limes (or really any kind of citrus fruit)? Keep on reading!

Can You Freeze Limes?

Yes, you can freeze limes. You can freeze them whole, cut, sliced, wedged, basically you can freeze them anyway you’d like. Just prepare them the way you want, pop them in a bag and you’re good to go.

Limes are one of our favorite types of fruit. True, they aren’t as good to munch on as maybe an apple or a banana, but the juice is great in a ton of different styles of recipes and drinks. So we like to always have it on hand and is exactly why we wanted to show you that you can freeze limes.

You can freeze them whole which, when thawed in the fridge, can be juiced. Lime wedges and wheels work perfectly for drink garnishes when you just need a splash of flavor (plus you can do this without thawing them first).

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it?

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• Limes
• cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
• ice cube trays (for juice)
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer
• knife and cutting board (for slices, wheels, and halves)

How To Freeze Limes

These methods of freezing and preserving limes works well with limes in all forms with just a few minor variations.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Freezing whole limes and lime zest

Both whole limes and lime zest can be put into a freezer bag with all the air queened out and just put in the freezer. The whole lime will stay good for a year and can be thawed in the fridge overnight.

Lime zest will also last a year but will start to lose it’s flavor over time after around month 3 or 4. It’s much better to freeze a whole lime and zest it when you need it.

Those are the two easiest ways to freeze. Halves, wedges, wheels, have 2 additional steps with juice having a method all to itself. Let’s get into how they work.

Freezing limes wedges, wheels, and halves

Each of these cuts of lime can all freeze using the same method. This works the same as freezing kiwi. It essentially breaks down to cut, flash freeze, bag, deep freeze. What is flash freezing you ask? Let me tell you.

Flash Freeze

When you flash freeze something you are just barely starting the freezing process. We leave them in the cold just long enough for any moisture on the surface or just below to harden. That makes it easier to store and use them later because they will not stick together.

• Take out a standard sized cookie sheet or baking pan and wrap it in aluminum foil
• After you’ve cut all of your limes into their desired forms, line them on top of the cookie sheet in a single, non-overlapping layer
  • make sure there is enough room between each piece for air to circulate freely around them
• place the pan in the freezer where it can sit undisturbed for 2 to 4 hours (depending on size and amount)
• when the timer goes off, check them to see if the outer layer feels hard to the touch
• if it is, take them out and move to the final steps.

Freezing cut lime

Now that you know how to flash freeze, let’s see where it fits in the entire process.

• Take out your limes and, using a sharp knife and cutting board, cut them into wedges, wheels, halves, or whatever shape you want them to be
  • Halves work well for juicing
  • Wheels are perfect as a cocktail garnish
  • Wedges are also good garnishes but can also be used foehn you just need a splash of lime juice flavor in your drink or while cooking
• follow the instructions above for flash freezing
• while waiting, take out some freezer bags and a marker and write the contents, freeze date, and use by date on the outside of the bag
• when the flash freeze is over, remove the pan from the freezer
• you should be able to easily pop each of the pieces of lime from the cookie sheet and place them into the labeled freezer bag
  • you will notice that the lime pieces will feel dry and move freely in the bag without sticking to each other
• close the bag, carefully squeezing as much air out as possible
• place the limes back in your freezer and allow about 24 hours of minimal disruption for them to freeze

Freezing lime juice

Freezing lime juice is pretty easy and pretty handy. Especially if you make a lot of recipes that call for lime juice. You are going to need an ice cube tray and a Tablespoon size measuring spoon.

• You can use store bought or freshly squeezed lime juice
• Take out an ice cube tray
• pour a tablespoon or two into each of the open pods
  • if you use a specific amount regularly, feel free to freeze in those amounts
• leave about ¼” of space at the top of each reservoir to allow the juice to expand when freezing
• Place the ice cube tray in the freezer and let the juice freeze over night
• Once the lime juice has frozen solid, remove the tray from the freezer and pop each of the cubes out
• add them into a freezer safe bag and put them back in the freezer
• the Juice should stay good and flavorful between 6 and 12 months

Ginger is one of those spices that is so strong you’d think it wouldn’t be good with anything yet is actually incredibly good with almost anything. It works well with spicy dishes, refreshing beverages, sweet desserts and more. And, best of all, it only takes a small amount for big results. The only problem is that small amount leaves a much larger amount left over. So, to avoid wasting a good herb, we want to know can you freeze ginger?

Well, can you freeze ginger? You absolutely can and it freezes very well. So well, in fact, you likely won’t be able to tell a difference in ginger that is fresh and ginger that has been frozen (if done properly). You can freeze ginger root whole or in slices/cubes, without blanching, or you can make ginger paste and freeze that in ice cube trays.

Any option is easy and will extend the shelf (fridge?) life of this wonderful seasoning from 3 or 4 days up to 6 months and beyond. You don’t even need to thaw it out as it’s much easier to peel and grate frozen solid than it is fresh. The only downside, if you can even call it that, is that it will stay good and safe to use but will decline in flavor after around 6 months.

Now that we know how easy it is to preserve ginger, let’s keep reading to find out the exact easy steps!

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

Freezing methods

Ginger is one of the easier foods to freeze, like turnips which can pretty much go straight in the freezer.

Today we will go over how to freeze ginger whole, sliced or cubed, and as ginger paste. Unlike other herbs, like cilantro and mint, there’s no need to blanch or even flash freeze.

Let’s get into the step by step guide.

How to freeze ginger

Freezing whole ginger

To freeze a whole ginger root all you need to do is stick it in a freezer bag, label it with the contents, freeze date, and use by date. Then stick it in the freezer.

That’s really all there is to it. If you like, you can peel it before hand. But ginger will actually peel more easily when frozen since it is more rigid. Additionally, you can simply snap of a knob from the hand whenever you need some instead of thawing the entire piece.

• Clean all of the dirt and grime from the ginger root in your sink
• Use a vegetable peeler to take off all of the skin
  • You can break pieces off while you do this to get those not-so-easy-to-get crevices
• After peeling, break up the ginger into smaller pieces so they can easily fit and move around in your food processor
• Use the pulse/manual function to chop the ginger into a paste
  • most times you don’t need anything extra but you can add small amounts of water a bit at a time if the ginger is too dry
• Once you have a good thick paste you have 2 options; individual ginger paste pods or a large flat chunk of paste
  • In our opinion, the paste pods are much more functional and easy to use but freezing the full batch in a single flattened bag will save on space
• Ginger Paste Pods
  • Scoop about a tablespoon or so of ginger paste into the reservoirs of an ice cube tray.
  • Place the ice cube tray in the freezer overnight so they can freeze solid
  • Pop the pods out and place them in a labeled freezer bag, squeeze out all of the air, and put them back in the freezer for long term storage
• Freezer Bag
  • Scoop all of the ginger paste from the food processor into a labeled freezer bag
  • Squeeze out as much air as you can
  • flatten the bag as much as possible
  • place the bag into the freezer on a flat surface for about 24 hours
  • After the first 24 hours, it should be frozen enough to move into a more convenient location

Turnips get a bad rap sometimes. I know I grew up thinking they looked disgusting (while I saw and happily ate my mashed potatoes). Turns out, not only are they not disgusting, they are actually quite delicious! So much so that we, in typical fashion, planted waaaaayy more in our garden than we really should have. And that of course leads us to the question, can you freeze turnips and use them later?

So, can you freeze turnips? The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, you can freeze turnips in several different ways; blanched, unbalanced, raw, cooked, roasted, mashed, or sliced. Freezing them will more than double their life from 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge (and less at room temp) to 6 months or more in the freezer.

You don’t even need to thaw them when you are ready to use them. Just toss them in whatever recipe you are making and they’re good to go.

Now that you know there are many ways to freeze turnip, keep on reading to learn how to do them and which is right for you!

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

Freezing methods

Freezing turnips can be done in several different manners just like freezing pumpkin. Essentially, it will all come down to cooked/blanched, raw/unblanched, cut, or mashed.

You can freeze turnips without blanching them first. Unlike other foods like brussel sprouts and peas which contain an aging enzyme and must be blanched first.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

However, as we have said many times before, blanching guarantees your food will stay fresh for the length of time it is frozen. Not blanching will always run the risk of continuing to age, despite being frozen, and will eventually rot.

We recommend that if you are going to skip blanching, make sure you are going to be using the turnips within a week or so. Also, if you cook them (roast, boil, mash, etc) before freezing, you do not need to blanch them as the initial heating that kills the aging enzyme has been done.

How to blanch

Blanching is how we ensure that our frozen food stays fresh and preserved and doesn’t spoil. Basically, exposing the turnips to boiling heat for a short period of time will start the cooking process long enough to destroy the aging enzyme. The ice bath right after stops the turnips from cooking much beyond the raw state.

ALl you need to do to blanch is:

• start a pot of water boiling
• put the turnips in a colander
• dunk your colander of turnips into the pot once you reach a rolling boil
• set a kitchen timer for the appropriate time
  • for turnips we do 1 to 1 ½ minutes per pound (try to stick to 1 or 2 lbs at a time)
• add ice and water to a large mixing bowl
• put the turnips into the ice bath once the timer goes off and reset the timer for another minute to a minute and a half
• when that timer buzzes, pull the turnips from the ice bath
• let them air dry or you can pat the dry with paper towels
• Move to the next steps after they are dry

How to flash freeze

Flash freezing is sometimes done without blanching. We prefer to follow blanching with flash freezing for an extra bit of protection. Basically, flash freezing is a short term freeze (about 2-4 hours) where each individual piece of food is cooled to their freezing point.

This decreases the level of surface moisture on each piece of turnip and keeps them from sticking and freezing together in a large clump.

To flash freeze you just:

• wrap foil or parchment paper around a cookie chest or baking pan
• create a single layer of turnips on the sheep, being careful not to overlap
• stick the cookie sheet and turnips in the fridge for about 2 to 4 hours
• use this time to write the contents, freeze date, and best by date on your freezer bags or containers
• remove the turnips from the freezer when the 2 to 4 hours is up and move to the next step

• As always, wash your turnips and remove any excess dirt
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the turnip skin
• If you want to freeze them whole you can or use a sharp knife to cut them into slices or cubes
• Add the turnips into a labeled freezer bag and stick them into the freezer

Unblanched turnips are best within the first week but can keep for the same 2 to 3 weeks they would in the fridge.

• Wash your turnips, as you do
• peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler
• Decide how you want to prepare them (we will give you complete directions for blanching and tell you where to pick back up for roasted or mashed)
  • Blanch
  • Roasted (allow to cool completely before restarting)
  • Mashed (allow to cool completely before restarting)
• Blanch following the instructions above
• After blanching, follow the instructions for flash freezing (restart roasted turnips here along with blanched)
• once flash freezing is finished, determine your portion sizes and start putting them into your labeled freezer bags (restart mashed turnips now)
• remember to squeeze as much air out of the bags as you can before sealing them
• put the bags back into the freezer in a place where they can remain undisturbed and at a constant temperature for 24 to 48 hours

Whether you are growing a plethora in your garden, or find a great sale and want to stock up, you may find yourself wondering can you freeze cauliflower for later?

Keep reading for all the details on how to freeze cauliflower.

Can You Freeze Cauliflower?

Yes, you can freeze cauliflower. Cauliflower can be frozen without degradation in quality for at least a year. You simply need to clean and cut it. Then blanch for 3 minutes and package it for your freezer.

The fact is, not only can you freeze cauliflower, but (much like broccoli) you can do so in several different ways. From cut into florets to riced and from full blanching to flash freezing. You can choose the method and preparation that will be suit your desired used later.

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

Freezing methods

How to blanch

Blanching is one of the most common methods used in food preservation. When you blanch something, you are just barely cooking it enough to destroy an enzyme that keeps veggies still aging, even when frozen, but not so long that it is out of a discernible raw form.

• boil a stock pot of water using a pot large enough to fit a colander into
• place your cauliflower (or whatever you are blanching) into the colander
• when you have a rolling boil, lower the colander into the pot
• set a kitchen timer for the appropriate time
  • for cauliflower we do 1 minute per pound (try to stick to 1 or 2 lbs at a time)
• Fill a large mixing bowl, also big enough for a colander, with cold water and ice
• when the blanching timer sounds, quickly, remove the colander from the heat and plunge it into the ice bath
• set the timer for another minute (always cool for the same amount of time you blanch)
• when that timer goes off, take the cauliflower out of the ice bath
• you can either let it air dry or use paper towels to pat dry the cauliflower
• once dry, continue with the directions below; most likely flash freezing

How to flash freeze

When we flash freeze something we are basically doing a pre-freeze to harden the outside of the cauliflower before we bag it and store it away for deep freeze.

• Cover a baking pan or cookie sheet with foil or wax/parchment paper
• Arrange your cauliflower on the cookie sheet in a single layer with no pieces overlapping
• Freeze the cauliflower for around 2 to 4 hours
• While waiting, label your freezer bags or containers with the freeze and use by dates plus the contents
• After your time goes off, pull the cauliflower out of the freezer and move to the next step

• Use a knife to cut the head of the cauliflower from the leaves and thick base
• Use your hand or a knife to start separating it into small to medium size florets
• Run them under cool water to clean them (we like to put them in a colander and do them all at once)
• Once they are clean, start the blanching process as per the directions above
• Once they are blanched, cooled, and dried start the flash freezing process as per the directions above
• Now that you have that out of the way, start bagging your cauliflower into freezer labeled bags
• Store the bagged cauliflower in a deep freezer until you need it

• Start out the same as freezing florets; remove the leaves and stem
• cut florets but make them pretty small so they rice more easily in the food processor
• wash the cauliflower under cool running water
• put all of the cauliflower into a food processor and use the pulse/manual function until it is a rice like consistency
• label your freezer bags with contents, freeze and use by dates
• measure out a serving or two (we add two 1 cup servings per quart bag)
• dump your preferred serving size into the bag and squish all of the air out of the bag
• place the bag in the freezer and leave it there until you need it
• Place the bags back into the freezer and leave them undisturbed for the next 24 to 48 hours

You can thaw frozen cauliflower rice in the fridge overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Do I have to blanch cauliflower before freezing it?

Yes and no. If you are freezing cauliflower rice, then no. It is small enough that it will be fine. If you are freezing florets, you will need to blanch or risk your cauliflower still spoiling in the freezer.

Q2. How do you keep cauliflower from turning brown?

Make sure after you wash your cauliflower it is thoroughly dry before freezing it. Excess moisture can lead to browning and sometimes mold growth.

Q3. Why does my cauliflower turn black when I freeze it?

If you cauliflower is turning black after you freeze it, that means it has gone bad and is spoiled. Most often this happens because the cauliflower was either already going bad or was not blanched long enough (or at all).

If you have cauliflower that has gone bad, throw it away. Eating spoiled vegetables can be dangerous.

Q4. How do you tell when cauliflower has gone bad?

Cauliflower will give you all of the same tell-tale signs that any vegetation will give when it is starting to go rotten. It will start to turn from it’s natural color to brown and eventually to black. You will also sometimes notice mold, excess moisture (if not frozen yet), and it will start to smell.

Never eat or freeze spoiled cauliflower. Vegetables that are bad can have dangerous bacteria like salmonella, staph, and e.coli. Any of these can make you seriously ill and, in some cases, even lead to death.

Few things are more quintessentially southern than okra; specifically fried okra; even more specifically home grown fried okra. So, when it comes time to plant your garden, it’s hard to fight the urge to grow more okra than you can eat before it goes bad. But, there must be a way to keep it from going bad. Right? Can you freeze okra?

Now, let’s keep scrolling and find out how to freeze okra so you never run out!

Can You Freeze Okra?

Yes, you can freeze okra whole, sliced, and even dry battered. To freeze okra you just need cut off the tops and then either keep them whole or cut in slices. Whichever you do, flash freeze them, place them in a labeled freezer bag, and store until it’s time to use them.

Not only can you freeze okra, but it is really easy to freeze. Best of all you can freeze it with flour and cornmeal so you don’t even have to thaw them out before you throw them in the pan to fry.

They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to a year (4 times as long as the 3 month max in the fridge). You can go straight to cooking them so no need to thaw but they can be defrosted in the fridge overnight if you need to.

The techniques we use to freeze okra are very similar to those used to freeze other foods like: asparagus, beets, yellow squash, zucchini, and carrots.

Can you freeze okra without blanching?

You can freeze okra without blanching first. However, that doesn’t mean you should just run off and throw a bag of okra in the freezer and be done with it. That’s a sure fire way to end up with a spoiled, albeit very cold, bag of okra.

Okra, like other vegetables such as brussel sprouts, rhubarb and peas, contain an enzyme that keeps the food aging even after freezing unless the enzyme is killed via heating.

So, you can freeze okra without blanching but you do need to heat it up in some way to destroy the enzyme that causes veggies to continue aging even when frozen.

We prefer blanching because it is a bit quicker but you can also bake your okra and get the same effect. Pre-heat your oven to 300°F. While it is heating, is layer your okra on a cookie sheet just like if you were going to flash freeze them. When the oven is ready, pop your okra into the oven for the same amount of time you would blanch it, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on their size.

One nice thing about baking is that you don’t have to dry them off like you do with blanching. However, you want to get them bagged and in the freezer as quickly as you can to stop the cooking process once they are finished.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• okra
• cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer
• knife and cutting board
• colander (for washing)
• large stock pot (steamed or boiled)

How To Freeze Okra

You can freeze okra as whole pieces or as slices. Both freeze quickly and easily so it’s really a matter of preference. We will use the flash freezing method in either scenario to keep them from clumping together in the freezer.

How To Flash Freeze

Flash freezing is basically a shorter freeze before the long term deep freeze. It causes the moisture on and just below the surface of the okra to freeze and harden. Since the outside is frozen, there is nothing to cause the veggies to stick to each other in the freezer. If you are unsure how to flash freeze, you just:

• cover a cookie sheet in parchment paper or aluminum foil
• make a single layer of okra being careful not to have them overlap
• place the cookie sheet on a shelf in the freezer and set a timer for between 2 and 4 hours depending on the size and amount of okra you are freezing
• check to make sure they are starting to freeze when your timer goes off, and if so, move to the next step

How to Blanch

Blanching, like the baking tips above, is a way to slightly cook your food long enough to destroy any enzymes that can keep your okra from being preserved.

The way you blanch is easy. You will need a colander, along with a large stock pot and large mixing bowl both big enough for the colander to easily fit in them.

• Boil a large pot of water
• While you wait for it to boil, fill a large mixing bowl with ice water
• Dump your cut okra into the colander and, when the water is boiling, lower the colander into the pot
• Set a timer for 3 to 4 minutes depending on how big your okra is. It’s best to do around a pound at time.
• When the timer goes off, immediately move the colander of okra from the boiling water to the ice bath and set the timer again for the same amount of time you just did for blanching.
• When that timer alerts you, remove the okra from the ice bath and set it to the side so it can dry. You may want to put them in a second, dry colander so air can circulate around them. You can also use a paper towel to pat them dry.

Freezing Okra

• use a colander to hold your okra in the sink while you wash them under running water
• use a knife or mandolin slicer to cut the top, or cap, of the okra off. You can then continue to cut it into slices or keep them whole
• Blanch the okra using the instructions above (you can also use the baking method here, if you prefer)
• Once blanched (or baked), cool, and dry, flash freeze everything
• After the flash freezing timer goes off, pull the cookie sheet from the freeze and start bagging your okra into freezer bags labeled with the contents, freeze date, and use by date.
  • If you like, you can coat the okra in a dry cornmeal batter before freezing them
• Put the freezer bags in a freezer where they can stay at a stable temperature for 24 hours

How do you defrost it?

The best methods you can use to defrost or thaw your frozen okra is to not thaw it at all. Throw it straight into a pan to fry or sauté. You can also add them right into your favorite soup, stew, or with a roast. If you do need to defrost them, you can leave them in the fridge overnight or run them under cool water for a little bit.

How can I use frozen okra?

Like we said above, frozen okra is great to pan fry or sauté. It’s also delicious in various soups and stews.

There are certain times of year when rhubarb is readily available. So making your favorite rhubarb pie recipe is no problem. However, if you happen to have that pie craving and rhubarb is out of season, you may be out of luck! What if you were able to buy more in bulk when it was plentiful? Wondering if you can freeze rhubarb for later in the year?

Well, not only CAN you freeze rhubarb but we are going to show you exactly HOW to freeze rhubarb! It’s super easy, as well, and perfect for making baked good like rhubarb pie.

Now, let’s keep on reading so we can learn the best method for freezing rhubarb!

Can You Freeze Rhubarb?

Yes, you can freeze rhubarb safely and easily. Frozen rhubarb is just as good as fresh rhubarb. To freeze fresh rhubarb (or cooked rhubarb) you will need to trim off all the leaves and then wash the stalks. Pat them dry with a paper towel and then cut them into ½ inch or smaller pieces. Blanch those pieces, flash freeze, and bag them.

It will keep for 12 months! Rhubarb does not need defrosting and can be added right into a recipe.

The methods used are going to be similar to freezing potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, yellow squash, zucchini, okra and many other types of fruits and vegetables. This method of freezing utilizes both blanching and flash freezing.

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

How To Freeze Rhubarb

How To Flash Freeze

Flash freezing just means to start the freezing process on individual pieces of rhubarb for a few hours so that when you pack everything together they do not stick to each other.

This will work the same as it does for many other vegetables that need to be flash frozen, like radishes.

• Wrap a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or lay down a sheet of parchment paper
• Place your rhubarb on the cookie sheet in a single layer without overlapping pieces
• Freeze the entire pan for around 2 to 4 hours
• Label a freezer safe container or freezer bags with the contents, freeze date, and best by date
• Remove the pan from the freezer and move to the next step

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is rhubarb poisonous if frozen?

The leaves are the part of rhubarb that are poisonous, frozen or not. Rhubarb leaves contain a substance called oxalic acid, which is toxic to humans. The frozen rhubarb poison confusion is because when the plant is still growing and the temperature drops to around 25°F or lower, the leaves will actually move that acid into the stalk of the plant, which is the part that we eat.

Fortunately, affected rhubarb plants will show signs of this happening with wilted and dropping leaves and just all around looking like an unhealthy, dying plant. Those plants are skipped during harvest and disposed of.

So, if you heard somewhere that frozen rhubarb is poisonous, don’t worry. Unless you are eating it fresh out of a garden with temperatures around 20ºF, you will be just fine.

Source: AP News

Q2. Can you freeze rhubarb without cooking or blanching it first?

Freezing any fruits or veggies for long term storage without cooking or blanching them first will end up resulting in poor quality and, in some cases, spoiled food. There is an enzyme that will cause them to continue aging even if they are frozen. The heat from blanching and cooking kills that enzyme so you can freeze worry free.

Q3. Does rhubarb get mushy after freezing?

Unfortunately, most vegetation is going to get mushy after you freeze it. What happens, especially in high moisture foods, is the liquid expands when freezing and causes the cells in the plant to burst on an individual level. When that happens, the entire plant loses it’s stability and becomes soggy and mushy.

The nice thing about rhubarb is that, even though it is mushy when you thaw it, you can throw it into just about any recipe without thawing at all!

We live in a divided house. Kristin loves the colder weather and Justin (me) hates it; both with fiery passion. However, the thing we can both agree on is when the weather gets a little cooler in the Fall and we can make chili. So much chili, in fact, that we had to figure out if you can freeze chili or not.

Do you want to make your chili once and then have it for the entirety of the cold season? Keep on reading to find out how!

Can You Freeze Chili?

Yes, you can easily freeze chili. All you need to do to freeze chili is wait for it to cool, portion it according to your needs into a freezer safe container, and stick it in the freezer. Make sure you freeze it on the day it was made so it is as fresh as possible.

Frozen chili will keep for up to 9 months but is best within the first 4 months. You can thaw it on your stove top, in the microwave, crockpot/slow cooker, in the fridge overnight or under cool running water.

In fact, it’s one of the easier things to freeze. Freezing works well with most chilis, especially thicker chili; the heartier the better, like a good old Texas chili con carne. The only chili you should avoid freezing are, usually dairy based, white chilis; as they do not freeze well at all.

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it?

Whenever we make chili we always make a lot. For one reason, we prefer to use our slow cooker and it takes a while to cook. So we always make extra so we don’t have to cook very often. The other reason is sorta connected. Chili can only stay good in the fridge for a few days; like 3 or 4 tops.

So we freeze for both the convenience of cooking less often and to extend the life of the chili when we make it.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• chili
• Measuring cup
• Freezer bags or Silicon Freezer bowls
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer

How To Freeze Chili

We assume you already have chili and are wanting to freeze it. So, the first thing you need to do is let your chili cool down before trying to freeze it.

Food safety danger zone

Why do you want to let your chili cool a bit before freezing it? There is a temperature range between 40° and 140° Fahreinheit that the USDA refers to as the “Food Safety Danger Zone“. This danger zone is the prime temperature for nasty bacteria (like E.Coli, Staph, and Salmonella, to name a few) to thrive. In fact, bacteria can “[double] in number in as little as 20 minutes” if food is not handled and stored appropriately. Here are some tips to keep your food as safe as possible:

• Do not let hot food dip below 140°F for very long
• Do not let cold food get above 40°F for very long
• Refrigerated food should not be left out for more than 2 hours or just 1 hour if hotter than 90°F
• Cool hot foods as quickly as possible so they do not stay in the danger zone long enough to grow bacteria
• Store small portions of hot foods in shallow containers so they cool more quickly
• Hot food needs to be under 40°F in less than 2 hours when storing in the fridge or freezer
• When reheating, bring the internal temperature of the food up to at least 165°F

Step One

Allow your chili to cool. While it is cooling get together your supplies. If you are using freezer bags, label them with the contents, freeze date, and use by date.

Step Two

Take out your measuring cup and scoop about a cup into each bag (or container, depending on which you use).

Step Three

Lay the bags out flat and squeeze as much air out of them as possible. An easy way to do this is to seal all but the corner of the bag and slowly dip the bag into a sink or bowl of water. The water pressure will push all of the air up and out of the small hole in the top.

Just be careful to not get water in the bag and also to not let the chili get too cold during this time.

Step Four

We flatten the bags of chili so that they will be very thin and freeze quickly. Find a space with a lot of room in your freezer and start putting your chili in there. You don’t want to stack too much as you want everything to freeze quickly and evenly.

How do you defrost it?

The quickest and safest way is to use the microwave. Depending on your serving size sut it in for a minute or so. Once it beeps, stir it and, if still not hot enough, put it back in and try another minute or so.

Remember, you want a temperature of 165°F.

Final word

That’s all the info you need to safely freeze chili so it will last you all season long!

Ever get a huge harvest from your cherry trees or catch a great produce sale at your local grocery store? If so, you probably understand the frustration of them spoiling before you can eat them all. Can you freeze cherries? That would solve your spoilage.

Freezing food can help you to save it from spoiling and can also help you keep a well stocked food supply all year long.

Let’s keep on reading to learn all the ways you can freeze cherries!

Can You Freeze Cherries?

Yes, you can easily freeze cherries. The easiest way to do is flash freeze them, put them in a freezer grade container, and then store them for long term freezing. You can add them to a drink for an icy treat, eat them like candy, or add them to one of your favorite baked goods; all without even needing to thaw them out!

Frozen cherries are great! One could even argue that they are even better than when they’re fresh. They retain all of their flavor and the harder, frozen texture almost makes eating them feel like candy.

Freezing them will extend their life from 5-10 days in the fridge all the way to 12 months (or more if vacuum packed) in the freezer.

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

How To Freeze Cherries

Our preferred method of freezing cherries, as we said earlier, is to flash freeze them whole. This is essentially the same way you freeze grapes, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi and raspberries also.

But, you can also syrup pack them. Don’t worry, both methods are still easy. Let’s first take a look at how to flash freeze.

How To Flash Freeze

Flash freezing is the best method we have found to keep foods with a lot of moisture in them from sticking together when freezing them. Basically, you do a short freeze, just enough to harden any moisture on and just under the surface. The steps to flash freeze are:

• take aluminum foil or parchment paper and use them to cover a cookie sheet
• place the cherries on the cookie sheet in a single layer with enough space between them for air to circulate
• put them in the freezer in a place where they can be undisturbed for about 2 to 4 hours
• pull them out and move on to the next step

Flash freezing is affective with almost anything you can freeze. We prefer to use it with smaller foods with higher moisture content like blueberries, blackberries, carrots, watermelon and cantaloupe chunks, and raspberries.

Freezing Cherries

Start with the largest, freshest, most ripe cherries you can find. You don’t want them to be bruised or damaged at all.

• Wash your cherries first. We pour them into a colander and run them under cold water in the sink
• dry them off completely with a paper towel
• if you like, you can pit them at this time
  • it’s easiest with a multi cherry pitter but you can also do it with a knife
• flash freeze them
• label some freezer bags with the contents, freeze date, and use by date
• pull your freshly flash frozen food from freezing (say that 3 times fast) and add them into the bags
• put the bags back into the freezer, or a different one dedicated for storage and keep at a stable temperature for 24 hours.

Syrup Packing Cherries

Syrup packing cherries is very similar to how you would syrup pack oranges. You will need to make the syrup but it’s really easy and included in the instructions below. The amount of water and sugar you use is dependent on the amount of cherries you are freezing. We use a 4:4:1 ratio or 4 parts cherries and water to 1 part sugar.

• As with the flash freezing method, choose the best cherries you can and wash them well
• Pit them to avoid biting into a frozen pit later
• Use a measuring cup to to determine how many cherries you have (let’s us 4 cups, as an example)
• Pour the same amount of water (4 cups) as you have in cherries into a stock pot and heat to boiling
• Once it boils, add in your sugar (using the 4:4:1 ratio that would be 1 cup of sugar) and bring back to a rolling boil; stirring occasionally
• Now, stir in your (4 cups) of cherries and bring to a rolling boil again
• When the water boils again, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for about 20 minutes or so
• Once the cherry syrup concoction is cool, use a spoon or ladle to scoop the cherries and syrup into a Mason Jar leaving about ¼” of head room at the top of the jar
• Hand tighten the lid and write the contents, freeze date, and best by date on top

Asparagus is one of those vegetables that is so good. Nothing is better than lightly covering them in some olive oil and tossing them on the grill alongside whatever else you may be cooking. In other words, we love it and we want to make sure we always have it available. So, can you freeze asparagus and still have the same delicious meal?

So, let’s scroll on down and keep reading to find out how you can freeze these wonderful veggies!

Can You Freeze Asparagus?

You can easily freeze asparagus using an easy blanching and flash freezing technique. The best way to freeze asparagus is to blanch, flash freeze, and then bag it for deep freezing. It will last you about a year or so and will retain most of it’s flavor the entire time, with the peak in the first 2 or 3.

It is the same method we use with many of our more dense veggies like yellow squash, zucchini, radishes and beets as well as some less dense veggies like cabbage and Bok choy.

Not only can you freeze asparagus, but it turns out great when you do! Admittedly, it will lose some of it’s crisp texture like any other vegetable, but you were going to cook it until it was tender anyway, right? It can be added directly into a recipe without being thawed first or can thaw in the fridge overnight.

Can you freeze asparagus without cooking them?

If you plan to eat the asparagus relatively soon (like within a week), you will probably be fine not to freeze asparagus first. But, if you plan to go any real length of time, you should always blanch your veggies before freezing them.

Why do we say blanch instead of cook? Blanching works because it is essentially starting the cooking process. Many fruits and veggies have an enzyme that cause them to continue aging even if they are frozen. Blanching kills that enzyme and stops the aging process. When we quickly remove the food and put it in an ice bath that sudden temperature change stops the cooking process.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Freezing Stats

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• asparagus
• cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer
• knife and cutting board
• colander (for washing)
• large stock pot (steamed or boiled)

How To Freeze Asparagus

You can freeze asparagus as whole stalks or cut into pieces. Whole stalks seem to hold up a little better but both work just fine. We will use a combination of blanching and flash freezing to get them ready for the deep freeze.

Many foods are frozen with this same technique.

How To Flash Freeze

We use flash freezing to make sure everything is frozen evenly and does not clump and stick together. It is kind of like the opening act to the deep freeze headliner.

• cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper
• lay the food in a non-overlapping, single, layer
• put the cookie sheet into the freezer for 2-4 hours up to overnight (depending on what you are freezing)
• removing the cookie sheet from the fridge and continuing with the instructions

This method will give you the best results with smaller, more moist, foods and portions like blueberries, blackberries, carrots, watermelon and cantaloupe chunks, and raspberries.

How to Blanch

We’ve talked a lot about blanching already but not actually how to do it. Here are the basic steps.

• Set a pot of water to boil on the stove
• Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water
• Place what you are blanching (asparagus, in this case) in a colander that will fit in the pot of water
• Once the pot of water is at a rolling boil lower the colander into the boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes.
• After the timer goes off, take the colander out of the boiling water and immediately put it into the ice bath.
• reset the timer for the same amount of time you did for blanching
• once cooled, pat or air dry your asparagus before moving on to the next step

Freezing Asparagus

• wash your asparagus in the sink in a colander
• before or after washing, sort your asparagus into piles of small, medium, and large stalks
  • Small is thinner than a pencil
  • Medium is about the thickness of a pencil
  • Large is anything thicker than a pencil
• use a knife to cut the thicker, more branchlike, ends down to the more tender, edible part
  • you can usually find that line by bending the asparagus until it snaps
• Trim your asparagus all to about the same size and length
• Blanch the asparagus following the blanching instructions above; 1 lb at a time. Here are the times for each size:
  • Small: 2 minutes per 1 lb
  • Medium: 3 minutes per 1 lb
  • Large: 3-5 minutes per 1 lb (up to 5 depending on thickness)
• Once blanched, cool, and dry, flash freeze everything
• Now that everything is good and cold, sort your asparagus into serving size portions and place them into labeled freezer bags
  • Bag labels should have contents, freeze date, and best by date
• Put the bags in your long term storage freezer and allow 24 hours to freeze with minimal disturbances

Technically, yes, you can freeze lettuce. However, lettuce has a load of moisture in it , so it does not make a good freezing candidate. But, if you need to, you can flash freeze both full leaves and shredded lettuce and then bag it in freezer bags. The best way to freeze lettuce is to puree it and freeze it in an ice cube try for use in smoothies.

So, freezing lettuce is possible. Any way you freeze it, it will be mushy and not good for salads or sandwiches. It will work just fine in soups and other recipes that do not rely on it’s crisp texture. Frozen lettuce has a freezer life of up to a year with the first 2 or 3 months still retaining the most flavor and quality.

If you want to learn more about how to freeze lettuce (or more exact reasons why you shouldn’t) keep on reading!

Can you freeze lettuce?

As you have already learned from above, freezing lettuce isn’t a great idea. It can be done, though, so let’s talk more about how to get the best results.

If you want to freeze lettuce you should try and stick to freezing types of lettuce with thicker leaves. While none of them are going to come out still firm enough for a salad, the heavier leaf varieties of lettuce do much better.

Freezing Stats

Why do some fruits and vegetables not freeze well?

The more moisture in the fruit or vegetable combined with the fragility of the cell wall is how you can determine if something will freeze well or not. Essentially, what happens is when you freeze lettuce, or something similarly thin like cabbage or Bok choy, the moisture, in this case water, expands while it freezes.

This expansion causes a rupture in the cellular wall which leads to overall instability. An individual, micro, instance of this would not be a problem, but when it spreads throughout the entire body of cells, it changes the structure completely. That is how you go from a crisp, even rigid at times, piece of lettuce to a handful of mushy goo.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

So, how can you preserve lettuce?

As you may know, preserving food especially via freezing your fruits and veggies is a great way to stay stocked up on the food you eat and cut down on your good costs.

Unfortunately, lettuce is not a great candidate for preservation. Freezing and thawing it destroys it’s cellular structure and makes it very mushy.

The best you can do, if you want to keep it crisp, is prolong it’s fridge life. You can loosely wrap lettuce in a wet paper towel, bag it, and stick it in your crisper drawer in the refrigerator. You can also store individual leaves in a bag but dry them off first. Neither method will extend the amount of time they are good. They will however, preserve some of the crisp texture for much longer.

Supplies

• lettuce (any kind, but we’re using Romain)
• colander
• mandolin slicer with protective gloves (for shredding)
• knife and cutting board (for shredding if no mandolin slicer)
• cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer

How To Freeze Lettuce

We’re going to cover two ways to freeze lettuce; flash freeze and puree. Flash freezing can be done with whole leaf, separated from the stalk or head, or shredded lettuce. Puree will be made into lettuce ice cubes.

Whether you grow your lettuce or buy it from the store, these methods will work.

Flash freeze

Flash freezing is commonly used when freezing a lot of vegetables. Basically is a pre-freeze before you store for long term freezing. You get individual pieces of what you are preserving cold enough that the moisture closest to their surface will harden and they will not stick together.

This method keeps foods with more water from sticking and clumping together and makes it easier to only thaw or use what you need at a time instead of the whole container.

You do this by:

• covering a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper
• laying the food out in a single, non-overlapping, layer
• sticking the cookie sheet into the freezer anywhere from 2-4 hour up to overnight (depending on what you are freezing)
• removing the cookie sheet from the fridge and continuing with the instructions

This method will give you the best results with smaller, more moist, foods and portions like blueberries, blackberries, carrots, watermelon and cantaloupe chunks, and raspberries.

Whole leaf or shredded

• Wash your lettuce in the sink over a colander (the colander is in case you drop any so it won’t get in a dirty sink)
• Either separate the leaves from the stalk/head or use a mandolin slicer/knife to shred your lettuce.
• Flash freeze.
• Once frozen, place the leaves or scoop the shredded lettuce into freezer safe bags.
• Label the bags with the contents, freeze date, and use by date
• Place in a freezing location that will remain as undisturbed as possible for about 24 hours

Puree

• Wash your lettuce in the sink over a colander (the colander is in case you drop any so it won’t get in a dirty sink)
• Cut the lettuce enough to fit the leaves into a food processor
• Use the puree function until it is no longer solid (sometimes the pulse or manual function works better)
• Pour liquid into an ice cube tray, leaving about ¼ open at the top to allow for expansion
• Flash freeze for up to 12 hours
• Once frozen, pop the lettuce cubes out of their tray and put them in a labeled freezer bag.
• Place in a freezing location that will remain as undisturbed as possible for about 24 hours

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the more common questions about freezing lettuce.

Q1. Does freezing ruin it?

Q2. Can you freeze a bag of shredded lettuce?

You can freeze bagged lettuce. You would want to follow the same process above that we use for shredded lettuce; wash, shred, flash freeze, bag, deep freeze.

Q3. Can you freeze lettuce soup?

Lettuce soup actually freezes very well. Lettuce soup is probably the best use of frozen lettuce other than lettuce ice cubes for a smoothie.

Q4. How do you defrost it?

Don’t thaw it out. You can use the ice cubes frozen and they will blend easily. The leaves/shredded are thin enough that they will thaw quickly in whatever recipe in which they are used.

Q5. How can I use frozen lettuce?

Unfortunately, the two most popular uses of lettuce, salad and sandwiches, are not an option once lettuce is frozen since it will become too waterlogged and soggy. If you have some recipes that do not rely on the crispness of lettuce then frozen lettuce can work. But, again, your best bet is going to be ice cubes for a smoothie.

Final word

Now we know that freezing lettuce isn’t very good unless you are planning to use it for smoothies or different recipes. If you are hoping for a nice refreshing salad in about 2 months or so, you are in for a big disappointment.

If there is one thing we are more than comfortable freezing, it is mozzarella cheese. Not only can you freeze mozzarella cheese, but it barely loses any of it’s flavor and thaws like a dream when used as a melted topping for pizza, casseroles, soups, or anything else you want.

If you want to learn more about the best methods to freeze mozzarella cheese, keep on reading!

Can You Freeze Mozzarella Cheese?

You can freeze mozzarella in just about any way you can find it; shredded, blocks, fresh mozzarella balls, even battered and breaded mozzarella cheese sticks! Mozzarella cheese will go from keeping fresh up to 2 months in the fridge to almost 9 months in the freezer.

All you have to do to thaw it is put it in the refrigerator overnight or, if shredding it on a casserole or pizza, use it frozen. In fact, grating a frozen block of mozzarella is easier than grating it fresh!

We freeze a ton of mozzarella. Whatever we can’t grow or make ourselves, we wait for it to go on sale and then load up our stock pile with our other frozen food. Since cheese makes just about everything better, we buy a ton of it and then freeze it.

We say all of that to say, yes, you can freeze mozzarella cheese. If you are expecting to freeze expensive, fresh mozzarella and then have it retain it’s same quality later, it will leave you disappointed. Some higher quality cheeses are prized specifically for how soft and creamy they are.

Once any kind of cheese has been frozen, it will not be able to go back to it’s softer, creamier older self. However, it will usually keep it’s flavor; usually best in the first 2 to 3 months while slowly losing it over the next 5 or 6 months.

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it?

Frozen mozzarella is best used as a melting cheese. If you want to put it on top of a casserole, pizza, or pre-made freezer meal, you will be pleasantly surprised with how much flavor your cheese will retain.

Mozzarella already can have a very long shelf life without being frozen. Some types can last up to 2 months if kept cold. That may be all the time you need. But, if you’re like us and stock up when you can or just bought too much you can more than quadruple it’s useful life.

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• Goat cheese: crumbles, logs, or spread
• cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
• cling wrap
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer
• knife and cutting board

How To Freeze Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella is one of those cheeses that is available in several different forms for several different uses. Today we are going to focus on freezing shredded (fresh and store bought), full blocks, and fresh mozzarella balls.

There are two things that are used in almost all of the methods below; flash freezing and bag labeling. Bag labeling is easy and just means to use a sharpie to write the contents, freeze date and use by date on the outside of the bag.

Flash freezing has a few more steps.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

How do you flash freeze mozzarella cheese?

Several of these methods will involve flash freezing. If you are not familiar with flash freezing, it is essentially a pre-freeze before the deep freeze. The steps are:

• cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper
• spread the food you are freezing on top of the cookie sheet in a single layer
• place the cookie sheet in the freezer and leave anywhere from 2 hours (shredded) to overnight (thick slices or cubes)
• Once the food has started to harden, remove the sheet from the freezer and then continue with the rest of the freezing preservation process

Shredded mozzarella

Freshly shredded

• Shred or grate your mozzarella onto a covered cookie sheet for flash freezing
• Spread the cheese out as thin as you can to prevent it from clumping together.
• Flash freeze following the instructions above
• Once pre-frozen, scoop your shreds and add them into a freezer bag
• Squeeze as much air out as you can and seal
• Place this bag into a second labeled freezer bag
• Squeeze the air out of the second bag and seal
• Place the bag into the freezer and allow up to 24 hours to completely freeze

Store bought

All you need to do with store bought is stick it in the freezer and keep it at a steady temperature (which applies to all frozen food).

Mozzarella block

A solid block of mozzarella will, once frozen and thawed, will become very brittle and crumbly. It will still taste good, but it’s texture will not be great for some things you would use it for.

We recommend thinking about what you will need that block for in the future and then prepare it accordingly.

If you are going to want to grate or shred it, either do that first and freeze using the method above or freeze the block solid and then grate without thawing it.

However, slices for sandwiches and things are generally what you would use a block of cheese for. Use a knife and cutting board to slice your block up BEFORE you freeze it.

If you’re freezing slices follow all of the steps or skip the slice specific steps at the beginning and go straight to the wrapping step if you’re freezing a solid block.

• Use a knife to cut according to your needs
• Lay all of your slices in a single layer on a covered cookie sheet and flash freeze them. Once frozen, take them out and prepare to wrap.
• You can either freeze individual slices or, bundle them in groups according to what you will need per meal.
  • For example, if you have a family of 4 that will each eat 1 sandwich for lunch, wrap 4 slices together so you can thaw them at the same time.
  • Pro tip: place a small square of parchment or wax paper in between each slice prior to wrapping to keep them from freezing together.
• (Block steps start here) Wrap your cheese as tight as you can in cling wrap.
• Then put a second layer of cling wrap around the cheese.
• Put the wrapped cheese in a freezer safe baggie and push out all of the air.
• Place the bag in the freezer and let it freeze for about 24 hours.

Pro tip: You can use a straw to literally suck the extra air out of the bag if you leave a small opening at the top of the zipper bag.

Double pro tip: Use physics to your advantage and dip the mostly closed bag in a large bowl of water. The water pressure will push the air towards the top of the bag. Then, just zip it tight.

Fresh mozzarella balls

This is the good stuff that you find in the specialty cheese section, individually wrapped in it’s own brine. Fresh mozzarella balls are similar to other soft creamy cheeses, like Boccincini and Burrate, which should not be frozen but enjoyed fresh.

Freezing, while a great way to preserve your cheese so it will last much longer, will destroy the creaminess of these types of cheeses.

But, if you still want to do it anyway, this method, similar to the block method above, will give you the best results.

• Drain all of the liquid off of the mozzarella balls and pat them dry with paper towels.
  • You don’t want to freeze it in the liquid. At worst you will end up with soggy, frost bitten cheese and at best it will just take longer to defrost with no discernible advantage from having been frozen in liquid.
• Decide if you are freezing whole balls or if you want slices, cubes, etc and cut accordingly
• If you are cutting it, place all of the pieces in a single layer on a covered cookie sheet and flash freeze them. Once frozen, take them out for wrapping.
• (Ball steps start here) Wrap your cheese in cling wrap very tightly.
• Wrap another tight layer around the first.
• Put the wrapped cheese in a pre-labeled freezer bag.
• Place the bag in the freezer and let it freeze for about 24 hours.

This method will also work with marinated mozzarella balls. You just want to make sure they are tight enough that the air and moisture cannot mix in the freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How do you defrost it?

As we mentioned earlier, you can use grated and shredded frozen mozzarella straight from the freezer without thawing first. It is thin enough that, even if put on a salad, it will not stay frozen for long.

For the other types, take the bags from the freezer and put them in the fridge. Allow them to slowly thaw over 24 to 48 hours. This will make sure that they keep as much of their flavor and texture as possible.

Q2. Can I refreeze thawed mozzarella?

Like pretty much any type of dairy product, you can’t refreeze mozzarella. The initial freeze and thaw already wreaks havoc on the texture. Refreezing will make it even worse while also destroying the flavor and overall quality.

Take it from us, freeze small portions and only thaw what you need.

Q3. Can you freeze mozzarella sticks?

Mozzarella sticks are really easy to freeze. Line them up on a cookie sheet, flash freeze, and put them in labeled bags. When you are ready to make them, skip thawing and put them straight into the oven at 350° for 10 minutes.

Q4. How do I freeze mozzarella curd?

Follow the same instructions as the fresh mozzarella balls above. Double wrap them in cling wrap, bag them, and stick them in the freezer. They should keep pretty much forever

Can you freeze goat cheese? Goat cheese seems to be one of those things that is really polarizing. You either love it for it’s sharp flavor and creamy texture or you hate it for those very same seasons.

We, and probably you too since you’re here, are firmly in the “Love it!” camp. So, when you find a good sale or have made too much from your own goat’s milk you have to find a way to preserve it so it doesn’t go bad before you can eat it.

Keep on reading to see exactly how you can freeze goat cheese in any of it’s (very delicious) forms!

Can You Freeze Goat Cheese?

You can freeze goat cheese. There are a few ways to do so and, when frozen and defrosted properly, your cheese will lose very little flavor and only a bit of it’s original texture.

Freezing in small, meal size or single serving cubes works best, but you can also freeze goat cheese spreads, goat cheese logs, goat cheese crumbles, homemade goat cheese balls, heck, even cranberry goat cheese can be frozen.

The most important part is to wrap your cheese tightly in cling wrap twice, and then put it in an airtight container or baggie before freezing it. To thaw, move your goat cheese from the freezer to the fridge and let it slowly defrost over 24 to 48 hours. Goat cheese will stay good in the freezer up to 6 months but is at it’s peak before the 3 month mark.

As we’ve already said, yes, you can freeze goat cheese. Goat cheese freezes very well, as a matter of fact. Some forms freeze better than others. For example, Goat cheese spreads freeze but will usually be a bit watery when you unfreeze them. Logs, or chèvre, freeze a bit better and will generally keep their soft exterior but turn grainier towards the center.

Goat cheese crumbles freeze the best overall with very little, if any, change to it’s original flavor and texture. Similar to freezing mozzarella cheese, that is mostly due to it’s very low moisture content. Moisture and oxygen are the enemies of well preserved frozen foods. The more moisture and air you can keep away from what you are freezing the higher quality it will retain.

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it?

Goat cheese has a very short fridge life. Usually only a week or so. If you eat a lot of it, made a bunch, or just found a great deal on Costco goat cheese (or anywhere else) and bought a ton, you will want to be able to keep it for much longer than if you just kept it cold in your refrigerator produce drawer.

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• Goat cheese: crumbles, logs, or spread
• cling wrap
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer
• knife and cutting board

How To Freeze Goat Cheese

We will cover how to properly freeze 3 forms of goat cheese today; spreads, logs, and crumbles. All 3 are easy to do and essentially break down to, wrap tightly and keep the air out. Before starting, make sure to label your freezer bags and/or containers with the contents, freeze date, and use by date.

Let’s see more details.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Goat cheese spread and/or Goat cheese crumble

Crumbles are the best form of goat cheese you can freeze. Because they are already hard, crumbly, and lack much moisture, they do not have as much of a change during the freezing and thawing parts of food preservation.

• If you have already opened the container of goat cheese spread you will need to wrap it before freezing.
• Remove the lid from the spread and wrap the container tightly in cling wrap. Then, put the lid back on over the wrap (it will secure the wrap in place).
• With the lid back on, wrap the container a second time, just as tightly as the first.
• Place the wrapped container into a freezer bag and squeeze all of the air out before sealing.
• Place the bag into the freezer and allow around 24 hours to freeze completely.

Unopened container

• If you have yet to open the container, you can leave it as is without wrapping it in cling wrap.
• Place the unwrapped container into a freezer bag and squeeze all of the air out as you did in the steps above.
• Place the bag into the freezer and allow around 24 hours to freeze completely.

Goat cheese logs or chèvre

You can freeze logs whole. Follow the same steps below, just skip the part where you cut it first. However, we do recommend you freeze in smaller portions. Goat cheese cannot be refrozen without disastrous effects to the quality, flavor, and texture.

We like to cut ours into cubes or chunks that are either the size for a meal or single, individual servings. That way, when you thaw, you only thaw what you need and nothing goes to waste.

• Use a knife and cutting board and cut your cheese log according to the size portions you need.
• Wrap each piece individually in cling wrap. Make sure it is tight and no air at all can get to the cheese.
• Take another section of cling wrap and wrap the cheese a second time.
• Do this for all of your cheese servings.
• Place all of the wrapped cheese in a freezer bag and push the air out.
• Pu the bag in the freezer and let it freeze for about 24 hours.

Pro tip: Close the zipper bag with only a small corner unzipped. Use a drinking straw to suck the rest of the air out of the bag before zipping it shut.

Super pro tip: The most efficient way to remove air is to use a bit of physics. Zip your bag with just a small corner open as in pro tip 1. Then, lower the bag into a large bowl or sink of cool water (cool so it does not melt the cheese). Submerge the bag all the way to the opening but without getting any water in the bag.

The water pressure around the bag will squeeze all of the air out of the bag as you lower it. Think about what swim trunks or a t-shirt look like when someone is coming out of the water. The way the water almost makes the cloth suck and stick to their skin is the same concept as the pressure pushing the air out.

How do you defrost it?

Generally, thawing a frozen food does not take too long and can be done quickly under running water, in the microwave, or just on the counter. Goat cheese, however, is a little different. To thaw any types of cheese discussed today you will need to put it into the fridge and let it slowly defrost for 24 to 48 hours.

Goat cheese does not always melt very well. If it reheats too quickly, or overheats, it will change in texture and become very grainy. Some types, like spreads, will even start to separate.

If you do try and thaw a log more quickly over heat (not recommended) do it very slowly and only to the point where the goat cheese starts to melt but not fully melted. It may separate but can be mixed back together with okay results.

Final word

As you now know, goat cheese, in all of its various forms, can be frozen with great results. As long as you follow the right packing methods and use the slow thaw method you’re goat cheese should taste almost as good as the day you bought it!

Can you freeze honey? It is certainly possible to do so. Freezing honey is a fantastic way to keep it’s temperature at a steady level so it will retain it’s taste, quality, texture, and nutritional value over long periods of time. It will also help prevent future crystallization.

The easiest way to freeze honey is to put it into a Mason jar, close the lid tightly to keep out the moisture, and stick in a chest freezer where it can stay undisturbed. It can also be frozen as single servings in an ice cube tray.

You can even freeze full honeycombs if you are a beekeeper. Honey is naturally long lasting and can keep, on its own, for thousands of year. Under the right conditions, your frozen honey can last a lifetime or more. When you are ready to defrost it, place the jar in a bowl of warm water so it can reheat gradually to a thickness you can use.

If you are curious to learn multiple ways to freeze honey and the benefits therein, keep on reading!

Can You Freeze Honey?

You can freeze honey using a few different methods. Here are some quick freezing stats to help you decide if and how you want to freeze your honey.

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it?

Honey has a low level of moisture and a low pH level so it retains a high level of quality when frozen for much longer than most foods. It will also retain it’s flavor and texture which is the most common complaint about freezing as a food preservation method.

Honey can have it’s quality affected over time if it is in an environment that experiences large fluctuations in temperature. Freezing will keep honey at a consistent temperature while also keeping bacteria growth from occurring. Similar to freezing jam, the high sugar content in honey will keep it from freezing into a solid block of ice. Instead it will become almost like an incredibly thick and viscous gel.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Why should I not freeze honey?

The thickness of the honey and need to keep moisture out at risk of crystallization are really the only drawbacks to freezing it; mainly the moisture concern. It is best to freeze in a glass jar because it is the best at keeping out moisture. However, honey cannot be refrozen so the thickness becomes an issue when trying to only thaw what you need.

The best way we can figure around this is to pre-freeze in ice cube trays for single use portions and either accept they may crystalize in a plastic freezer bag or have less efficient storage space and pack the cube into a glass Mason Jar.

Another thing to keep in mind concerning storage and crystallization is where it will be kept while frozen. For honey to freeze up to the solid gel phase of freezing it needs to get down to ast least -43.6° F. The standard home freezer will usually get under -50° F. However, a kitchen freezer is often opened a few times a day and can cause the temperature to fluctuate and risk crystallization.

Honey freezes best and maintains it’s quality best if it is kept in a deep chest freezer where it is open less often.

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• honey or honeycomb
• Mason Jars
• ice cube trays (for ice cubes)
• Measuring cup
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer

How To Freeze Honey

We recommend three ways to freeze honey. As we mentioned above, there are pros and cons each with their own tradeoffs for each method. Pick whichever one works best for you.

Step One

Decide how you want to freeze. Full honeycomb freezing really only has one way, which will be listed on it’s own below. Here is a table that will give you the pros and cons of freezing full jars or single serving ice cubes.

Determine the method you want to use, gather the appropriate supplies, and move on to step two.

Step Two

If you want to measure out the amount of honey you put in the Mason Jars, you can. We will usually just fill them about ¾ of the way full leaving a space at the top to allow the honey to expand.

If you want single serving honey ice cubes, you’ll do the same as when freezing cilantro or jam in ice cube trays.

Fill the pods of an ice tray with a tablespoon or 2 of honey. You can use an actual measuring spoon, if you like, or just eyeball it. Make sure to leave about ¼ of the pod open, just like with the Mason Jars.

For those freezing a full jar, continue to step three. If you are freezing ice cubes place the trays in the freezer for around 4 hours or until solid to the touch.

Step Three

Regardless of which method you are using, this step is for labeling the storage unit. Use a Sharpie to write the contents (honey), freezing date (today), and use by date (forever ∞).

Step Four

Once you label your lids, hand tighten them down on the Mason Jars as much as you can. Then stick them in the freezer for long term storage.

For ice cubes, once they are solid enough to handle, pop them out of the tray and put them in a pre-labeled baggie or Mason Jar and into the freezer.

Pro Tip: For the absolute best quality with minimal crystallization, use glass for either method and use a chest freezer or dedicated freezer that is only opened rarely.

Beekeeper Honeycomb Variation

We are not beekeepers so we are not going to offer too much commentary on those best practices. However, we have learned the methods used by experienced beekeepers so we could include them in this guide, as well.

The short and sweet version is:

1. Do not harvest the honey by uncapping the hive.
2. Take the entire honeycomb frame and wrap it tightly in plastic. You can use large rubber bands or string to hold the plastic in place.
3. Place the frames into a dedicated, deep, chest freezer that will stay closed until it’s time to harvest the honeycomb.

Do anything you can to minimize moisture. Moisture can soak into the wooden frames and start to mold.

How do you defrost it?

Honey is easy to defrost. You will want to let it reheat gradually. Simply put the jar in a bowl of warm-ish water and let it sit on the counter until it is thin enough to use.

Can I refreeze honey?

You should not try and refreeze honey. It will freeze again, but it will degrade in flavor, quality, texture, and nutrients. If you are going to use frozen honey regularly, it is better to freeze in smaller, single use portions like you can do with mint leaves, jam, and even cilantro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some more common questions about freezing honey.

Q1. Will freezing destroy the nutrients in honey?

Not at all. Freezing honey is great because it makes it last even longer than normal while maintaining it’s nutritional qualities as well as retaining it’s quality and flavor.

Q2. Why is my honey crystallizing?

The primary reason that honey crystallizes is due to the combination of cold temperatures and the presence of moisture, typically water. The glucose and water will react to the cold and turn into crystals. It’s funny that the sub zero temperature in freezing is a better way to avoid crystallization than simply keeping honey in the fridge.

Crystallized honey is still perfectly safe to eat. It is just thicker and more difficult to use.

Q3. How can I remove the crystals in my honey?

Getting rid of the crystals in your honey is really easy. You will want to heat the honey up very, very slowly. Place the honey in a sauce pan of water and put it on very low heat. As it heats, the crystals will start to dissolve. Once the crystals are all gone, remove the honey from the water, put the cap on tightly to keep out air and moisture, and return it to your pantry.

Can you freeze jam? As a matter of fact, jam, both homemade and store bought, freeze very well. Because of the presence of sugar, it already has preservation qualities. Freezing it just enhances them and allows them to keep even longer.

Ready for more details on how to use the food preservation methods mentioned above? Keep on reading and find out!

Can You Freeze Jam?

Freezing jam is really easy. The two best methods are the full jar method, which uses a freezer safe plastic container or, preferably, a Mason Jar and the ice cube method, which freezes jam into smaller, personal use size portions. Either way will preserve your jam an additional 12 months, although you will get the best quality in the first 6 months.

Thawing in the fridge overnight is recommended as it can be kept a bit longer but you can also “quick thaw” in a bowl of cool to warm water.

We are going to show you the two best methods for freezing depending on your own personal needs.

Jam, because of it’s consistency, is similar to freezing apple sauce, salsa, half and half, or even sauerkraut. However, it is unique in that the high sugar content will cause it to freeze a little differently.

First, though, let’s go over a few basics so you can get the best result no matter the method you use.

• Make sure you use an airtight, freezer safe container. We prefer Mason Jars for large batches and ziplock bags for ice cubes.
• It’s best to freeze in portions you will use right away instead of thawing everything at once
• Do not freeze homemade jam while it’s still hot
• Label your jar lids or freezer bags with the contents, freeze date, and the use by date.

Freezing Stats

Why should you freeze it? (Reason or reasons)

You should freeze jam to make sure it keeps for as long as you need it. Generally, freezing is done with homemade jam. That’s because making jam can take a while so it is usually done in larger batches than one could, or should, at least, eat before it would go bad.

The table below will show you a comparison of jam life when frozen versus being kept in the fridge.

Frozen Vs Non-frozen

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• jam
• ice cube trays (for ice cube method)
• Measuring cup
• Mason Jars
• Freezer bags
• Sharpie or marker
• Freezer

There are two ways that we think are best for freezing jam; large batches in Mason Jars or small, single use portions as ice cubes. We will cover them both below.

How To Freeze Jam

These methods work for homemade and store bought jams.

Step One

Determine your portion size. If you want to freeze large batches you will want to gather together your Mason Jars or freezer safe containers.

For freezing single servings of jam, get out your ice cube trays.

If you are freezing store bought jam, move to the next step. Homemade jam needs to completely cool to room temperature before moving to the next step.

Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.

Step Two

You may want to get out your measuring cups or measuring spoons for step two.

You can simply fill a Mason Jar ¾ of the way up, leaving ¼ of the jar with headspace. The headspace is left so the jam has room to expand without cracking the glass. If you want more exact measurements, you can use your measuring cups to see exactly how much jam you are freezing in each jar.

Single servings ice cubes of jam (or jam cubes) are very easy and, in our opinion, the most useable method of freezing. You do this essentially the same way you freeze honey or cilantro in ice cube trays.

Take out an ice tray and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of jam into each open pod. You may be able to fit more or less depending on the size of the tray you are using.

Just like with the Mason Jars above, leave about a ¼ of the pod open so the jam can expand when freezing. Once the tray is filled, stick them in the freezer for about 4 hours.

Step Three

If you have not already, get out your jar lids or freezer bags and a sharpie. You will want to write the contents, the current date you are freezing everything, and then the day you need to use it by.

Step Four

Once labeled, place your Mason Jars of jam in the freezer, where they can stay for up to a year. It will take around 12 to 24 hours for them to completely freeze. During this time, try to keep the freezer closed as much as possible. this will ensure a quicker freeze and lessen the chances of freezer burn later.

Once your ice cubes have had about 4 hours to freeze, or are solid enough to handle. Remember, jam will not freeze completely solid so transfer the jam cubes from the tray into a freezer bag as quickly as you can so the heat from your hands will not start to melt them.

Once bagged, put them in the freezer and allow them time to completely freeze, same as the jar method above.

How do you defrost it?

There are two methods you can use to defrost jam; the “slow thaw” and the “quick thaw”.

Slow Thaw (Recommended)

Simply place your jar or ice cubes in the refrigerator for a few hours (best if left overnight). The slower warming in the, still cold, fridge will help cut down on the jam getting too watery. It will also keep bacteria growth at bay.

Quick Thaw

The quick thaw method is when you place the jar or freezer bag of jam on the counter or in cool to warm water. Typically your jam will defrost within an hour but, the quick thaw can make the jam more runny and the fruit mushy.

Plus, the quick change from frozen to room temp can accelerate the growth of bacteria so only use this method if you need jam right away and only thaw what you need. If you unfreeze too much, dispose of it instead of trying to refreeze it.

Why…?

Can I refreeze it?

Jam, when refrozen, loses a considerable amount of quality and can be unsafe depending on how it was thawed. The “slow thaw” method from above will remain safe but still poor quality upon refreezing.

“Quick thaw” in the sink should be used immediately and not refrozen. At best, the quality will suffer greatly, at worst, bacteria growth can make the jam unsafe if left too long.

So only thaw what you will use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the more common questions about freezing jam.

Q1. Can you freeze marmalade?

Marmalade can also be frozen using the same techniques as freezing jam. The main difference is going to be the effect freezing has on the large fruit pieces in marmalade. Freezing will draw out moisture which can make them a bit soggy.

Q2. Can you freeze store bought jam?

Store bought jam freezes just as well and just as easily as homemade jam. We recommend you transfer the jam from the original glass container to a freezer safe plastic container or Mason Jar.

Q3. Does jam freeze solid?

The sugar in the jam will not freeze all the way. The jam will just become thicker but never truly become solid. That will not impact how well it is preserved, however. Your jam will still keep.

Q4. How can I tell if jam has gone bad?

Bad jam is easy to spot (and also a terrible band name). You can tell by the way it looks, smells, and, hopefully you catch it before you find out, by taste.

• Your first clue is separation and liquid pooling at the top. The jam will also start to turn a darker color. Sometimes you will even start to see some mold growing.
• Bad jam will have a rancid smell to it. Instead of the sugary sweet fragrance you are used to, it will smell more like a public park trash can after a hot summer picnic (or something similar)
• If the sight and smell does not catch you, the taste certainly will. Instead of a delicious fruit explosion in your mouth, it will have a sour and rotten taste to it. Hopefully you catch bad jam before tasting it.

If your jam exhibits any of these sign, throw it away and do not use. You do not want to freeze or consume bad jam. If you use a clean spoon while serving your jam, it can help down how quickly your jam will turn. Using a dirty spoon can introduce new bacteria into the jam which can then accelerate the spoiling process.

Final word

As you can see, jam is easy to freeze. You can freeze full batches for up to a year or, our preference, freeze smaller single use portions. Both methods work great and are guaranteed to keep you in jam as long as you want it.