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!
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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
| Blanched | yes; 3 to 5 minutes depending on size |
| Prep Style | whole halves quarters |
| Time To Freeze | 2 to 4 hours (flash freeze) 12-24 hours (deep freeze) |
| Time to Thaw | Over night in fridge add to recipes or roast without thawing |
| Uses | anything that calls for Brussel Sprouts |
| Freezer Life | up to 12 months |
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!
You can also freeze cabbage and freeze cauliflower easily if you want to add them to your freezer too!
Frozen Vs Non-frozen
| Freezer Life | Fridge Life |
| up to 12 months | up to 5 days |
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. It is similar to freezing broccoli, freezing zucchini, freezing yellow squash, freezing peas, freezing asparagus, freezing okra, and even how to freeze 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 need more help getting your foods frozen, check out the Ultimate Freezing Food Guide for a complete quick start reference so that you can have a well-stocked freezer.
