Freezing asparagus is an easy way to make sure you have access to this yummy veggie all year (even when it is not in season). You can freeze the stalks whole or in slices.
1lbAsparagusyou can certainly do more, it will just take multiple rounds of blanching.
Instructions
Rinse the asparagus under water in the sink. Using a colander helps so that you can sit it in that and let the water run over it.
Sort the asparagus stalks into similar sized thickness. This will help later during blanching.Small is thinner than a pencil; Medium is about the thickness of a pencil; Large is anything thicker than a pencil
Trim the ends off the stalks of the asparagus. Usually about ½ an inch or so. Try to get each stalk the same length.Tip: if you want to freeze as slices, then slice the spears up now. 1 inch slices works best for blanching.
Set your pot of water on the stove and bring it to a roiling boil.
Toss your asparagus into the pot to blanch it. Try to do it in batches according the the thickness you sorted earlier.Blanching times:Small: 2 minutes per 1 lbMedium: 3 minutes per 1 lbLarge: 3-5 minutes per 1 lb (up to 5 depending on thickness)
Remove the asparagus from the boiling water and place into a container filled with ice water to quickly cool it down. This prevents it from overcooking.
Once cooled, remove it from the water and thoroughly dry it off so no excess water remains.
Flash freeze it by laying it in a single layer on a cookie sheet and placing it into the freezer for a few hours.
Once partially frozen, remove it from the freezer and portion it out into the amounts you will use when thawed.
Bag each portion into freezer bags, making sure to squeeze out any excess air before sealing.
Label each bag with amount and date before pressing flat and putting it into the freezer.
Notes
Tips for success:
Dry completely. Make sure you have gotten any excess water off of the asparagus before flash freezing. This ensures it won't be too mushy when thawed.
Don't overcook. Although you must blanch the asparagus before freezing, fully cooking it can make it mushy when thawed. Make sure to quickly cool it and sort it by thickness so that you only blanch as long as necessary.
Squeeze out the air. Remove all of the air from the freezer bag before sealing it. This will help to lock in maximum quality.