Can you freeze cauliflower? Peppers?

[bonkboo]

I found myself with a fair bit of raw cauliflower and peppers just before I leave for vacation. Time is tight so I won't be able to prepare any dish. Can I freeze those raw vegetables? Will anything change?

[gfweb]

They'll be fine to cook or pickle but will lose a little snap if eaten raw.

[Plantes Vertes]

Yes, no problem with either vegetable; cut, blanch 2mins, cool and lay on baking sheets to freeze, then transfer to a ziplock. Do not freeze the veggies from raw as they will discolour and go mushy when defrosted.

[Shel_B]

Do not freeze the veggies from raw as they will discolour and go mushy when defrosted.

 

Is that the case with all vegetables?

[Plantes Vertes]

As I understand it, it has to do with the action of enzymes on the vegetable. Brief boiling will kill the enzymes, which would otherwise continue active in the freezer and destroy the flavour and texture of the food. As far as I know it's the case with all home freezing, but I wonder whether rapid commercial freezing at lower temps would be enough to kill the enzymes without blanching.

[Darienne]

Probably too late, but I would have roasted them and frozen them.

[gfweb]

As I understand it, it has to do with the action of enzymes on the vegetable. Brief boiling will kill the enzymes, which would otherwise continue active in the freezer and destroy the flavour and texture of the food. As far as I know it's the case with all home freezing, but I wonder whether rapid commercial freezing at lower temps would be enough to kill the enzymes without blanching.

Freezing tends to preserve enzymes though it ruptures some cells, releasing the enzymes that can then act when thawed again.

 

I would imagine that unblanched veg browning could be stopped by thawing in the fridge, or perhaps with lemon juice.  Interesting experiment.

[heidih]

I found this interesting/helpful http://letspreserve.blogspot.com/2010/08/blanching-vegetables-is-must-before.html

 

I was always told that you needed to blanch to avoid mush

[Anna N]

Yes, no problem with either vegetable; cut, blanch 2mins, cool and lay on baking sheets to freeze, then transfer to a ziplock. Do not freeze the veggies from raw as they will discolour and go mushy when defrosted.

I often freeze sweet peppers after seeding and slicing them and never had any issues. I toss them into stir-fries right from the freezer. It's what I do when I suspect they won't be used before they rot.

[gfweb]

Time for an experiment!

[FauxPas]

I often freeze sweet peppers after seeding and slicing them and never had any issues. I toss them into stir-fries right from the freezer. It's what I do when I suspect they won't be used before they rot.

 

I often do this as well - sometimes I dice them before freezing and then use them in fried rice or chili or soups or a cooked salsa. If I'm really rushed, I throw them in the freezer whole.  They can be cut up later. Also, here is info from UNL Extension:

 

https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-peppers

 

(I also freeze raw tomatoes whole - just wash and cut out the stem, they can be peeled later.)

 

More guidelines for freezing veggies:

 

https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-vegetables

 

Raw onions also can be frozen, though I have never bothered. 

Edited April 10, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[Anna N]

I often do this as well - sometimes I dice them before freezing and then use them in fried rice or chili or soups or a cooked salsa. If I'm really rushed, I throw them in the freezer whole.  They can be cut up later. Also, here is info from UNL Extension:

 

https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-peppers

 

(I also freeze raw tomatoes whole - just wash and cut out the stem, they can be peeled later.)

 

More guidelines for freezing veggies:

 

https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-vegetables

 

Raw onions also can be frozen, though I have never bothered.

I freeze all sorts of hot peppers whole and unblanched.