Freezing Grated Zucchini

[Panaderia Canadiense]

OK, so I've got a dilemma. It was cheaper at the market today to buy a case of zucchs for $3.50 (about 20 large zucchinis) than it was to pay $1 each for the same size ones on an individual basis. Now, for my pocketbook, that's a wonderful thing. However, I'm left with a surfeit of zucchini!

The question is: does it freeze well? It's a main ingredient at my bakery, but I also know that there's no way in Hades that I'll be able to use all of what I've got before it starts going funky. If I can grate and freeze it in vac-pac baggies with few weird effects, I'd much prefer to do that (not to mention that it would cut production time on the things that use it in half easily).

Any thoughts?

[Kerry Beal]

I've done it successfully. It weeps a bit when thawed.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Weeping is not an issue - it's in the recipes it's in precisely to provide moisture and texture. Sweet!

[nikkib]

what do you make with them?

[Panaderia Canadiense]

A couple of types of salt bread and a hypermoist death-by-chocolate cake.

[Darienne]

I like a happy ending.

[Kouign Aman]

Weeping may be an issue.

Perhaps make a test cake the first time you thaw the zucchini, so you can adjust.

Fresh zucchini is holding onto the moisture until its cooked out of it and into your cake.

The frozen zucchini strands are going to let go of some of that moisture, which will pour away easily if not careful. The remaining zucchini isnt as moisture-laden as the fresh stuff.

of course, if you froze it in 'batch' size, I am impressed, because you set yourself up to mix in the entire bag, weep and all.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I'd be freezing it in batch-sized bags. I already do that with applesauce and squash puree (other recipe components that often come in incredibly large volumes from the market - I have yet to find a squash here that weighs less than 20 lbs) and so it's no skin off my nose to pre-measure the zucch shredlets before freezing them.

[sparrowgrass]

USDA says for best quality, you should grate and then blanch for 1 minute. Let the zuke shreds drain thoroughly before packing.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I figured that you might like an update on this: the frozen bags of zucchini weep more than a bit when thawed - so I've taken to draining off about half of the liquid before I use them. However, on the upside, the result is actually better in the death-by-chocolate cake with frozen zucch than it is with fresh.

[Kerry Beal]

I figured that you might like an update on this: the frozen bags of zucchini weep more than a bit when thawed - so I've taken to draining off about half of the liquid before I use them. However, on the upside, the result is actually better in the death-by-chocolate cake with frozen zucch than it is with fresh.

Interesting - more 'meat', less stray liquid I guess.

[SylviaLovegren]

I figured that you might like an update on this: the frozen bags of zucchini weep more than a bit when thawed - so I've taken to draining off about half of the liquid before I use them. However, on the upside, the result is actually better in the death-by-chocolate cake with frozen zucch than it is with fresh.

Happy endings are great! Boy would I like some death-by-chocolate cake right this second, too -- with veggies it's healthier!