Momma Told Me: How to Blanch Brussels Sprouts For Freezing

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How to Blanch Brussels Sprouts For Freezing

 I received kitchenware from KitchenAid in hopes that I may share a feature including it on my website. No further compensation was provided. All photos and opinions are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2015.
How to blanch Brussels Sprouts for shocking and flash freezing. Enjoy fresh Brussels Sprouts any time of the year!
Momma Told Me: I'm not exactly cooking for the president.

Growing up there were vegetables with every meal, and usually more than one. Unfortunately, Momma made it amply clear that she had no patience for the cost, or shelf life, of fresh vegetables when cooking for such a small family. I'd wager near 90 percent of the vegetables consumed in my childhood were store-bought frozen or canned; and it's hard to instill a passion for veggies when the highest quality is determined by a manufacturer. Serving fresh vegetables, direct to table, is the surest way to help children and loved ones fall in love with the flavors and textures of these important dietary components. After all, nothing was less appealing than a pile of mushy microwaved carrots in neon orange goop!
KitchenAid Stainless Steel 12" Skillet #ad
I am far from a master chef, and I certainly reach into my freezer for a frozen pizza more often that I'd like- but I am constantly striving to learn new tools and techniques that will ultimately help me bring fresher food to my family more often. When I received the gorgeous KitchenAid 12" Stainless Steel Skillet with Glass Lid I was immediately intimidated. A skillet of this size and quality could easily become the most used tool in my kitchen for everything from pancakes to sauteed vegetables but it's significant size and heavy build meant I would need to step-up my kitchen skills. Not only is this gorgeous bad boy made with riveted stainless steel handled and a tempered dome glass lid, but it is oven safe up to 500F, opening a whole new world of cooking techniques I look forward to exploring in 2015.
How to blanche Brussels Sprouts for shocking and flash freezing. Enjoy fresh Brussels Sprouts any time of the year! #ad
For now, my first mission was to take some of the beautiful Brussels Sprouts flourishing in season through the end of Fall, and preserve them in Make-Ahead-Meals, and side dishes for the coming Winter. Considered a cabbage, Brussels Sprouts are one of the more criticized side dishes from the vegetable arena. If they are not cooked properly they become dark, tough, and plain unappetizing. Blanching Brussels Sprouts is a great trick to seal in that fresh green snap of color and keep your vegetables as fresh as first pick, even months down the line.

1. Begin by trimming your Brussels Sprouts close to the stem and removing any yellowed leaves. If your sprouts are extra large you may wish to halve them. In a colander, give them a good rinse in room temperature water.
How to blanche Brussels Sprouts for shocking and flash freezing. Enjoy fresh Brussels Sprouts any time of the year! #ad
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and slowly add your Brussels Sprouts, so as not to splash any hot water which may cause burns.  The water will die down as you add the sprouts, be sure to return it to a boil once all sprouts have been added. Allow your sprouts to boil until crisp and tender (about 3-4 minutes depending on size.) You should be able to pierce the sprout with a fork, allowing a little give, but not cutting clear through.
How to blanch Brussels Sprouts for shocking and flash freezing. Enjoy fresh Brussels Sprouts any time of the year!
3. Carefully transfer Brussels Sprouts from boiling water to a ice bath with a slotted spoon or tongs. This will 'shock' the vegetables, halting the cooking process. Remove the sprouts from the ice bath after 10-20 seconds and place them in freezer safe bags for frozen storage, or straight into a saute or roast pan for immediate preparation and serving. When blanched properly and sealed air-tight, Brussels Sprouts will maintain the peak of freshness for up to 6 months in a freezer, making them perfect for Make-Ahead-Meals and least minute side dish portions.
How to blanch Brussels Sprouts for shocking and flash freezing. Enjoy fresh Brussels Sprouts any time of the year!
Getting the pan to a consistent and quick rolling boil was easy with my new KitchenAid 12" Stainless Steel Skillet, and I love that I can transfer the final batch of blanched Brussels Sprouts directly into the oven with a little bit of butter and garlic. Learning to pre-cook, or blanch and shock fresh vegetables at the peak of freshness is a great skill to master for chefs in busy home kitchens where preparation time is often in short demand. For more time saving tips to great food check out our 7 Meals In 70 Minutes series, complete with printable shopping list and instructions, and click the image below to be taken to our Honey Parmesan Pork Roast Recipe! For more great tips and cooking tools follow KitchenAid on YouTube and Facebook.

What Daughter Says: Learn how to cook first class for your family with simple kitchen shortcuts such as blanching vegetables for freezing.


Honey Parmesan Pork Roast with Blanched Brussels Sprouts and Wild Mushrooms

25 comments:

  1. I have been working to stock our freezer up and this is perfect. I love stocking up on fresh veggies when they are on sale and had no idea how to get brussel sprouts ready to freeze.

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  2. I don't care for brussel sprouts but hubby likes them. That pork roast looks terrific!

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  3. I love brussels sprouts, but no one else in our household does. Funny thing, they are a favorite of one of my grandsons. He'll come home from dive practice and fix himself a huge bowl of them for a snack. I'll be sure to send him the link to this post!

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  4. You know, surprisingly my hubby likes brussels sprouts. I don't mind them either but it looks great with the pork roast.

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  5. That is one vegetable that I have never been able to eat. I remember gagging on them while younger, now just the sight of them curls my stomach. Everyone says they taste great, but I've been ruined from ever enjoying them.

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    Replies
    1. If they're not cooked right they can be ruined for life! I have heard all too many stories about tough and overcooked sprouts!

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  6. I love brussel sprouts with lemon juice and lemon pepper. Yum! A friend of mine grew them this year and they were huge and so delicious!

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  7. Thank you! I had no idea how to blanch Brussels Sprouts! I am all about storing up our own food from fresh food. I do a lot of fruits but didn't know how to work the vegetables. So this will get me started on storing up our own Brussels sprouts in the freezer! yeah!

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  8. One of my favorite vegetables. We have little luck growing them though - too many little bugs. I like them roasted with a touch of maple syrup and some walnuts.

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    Replies
    1. That sounds lovely Patty, do you have a recipe to point us to on your site?

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  9. Ohhh I love Brussels Sprouts... this sounds like such an awesome dinner idea, soo gonna add it to my meal plan for the week. Thanks for sharing

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  10. I LOVE Brussels!! This post just made me want to run to the store! I love greens and all veggies really. I did not learn about blanching until I was in my late 20's - nothing better than healthy eating - your post is mouth watering!

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  11. I honestly don't think I've ever had Brussels Sprouts. Your pork roast recipe looks so good, I want to try them now!

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  12. I like the idea of the honey Parm pork roast. I feel it would play nicely against the brussel sprouts which I need to learn how to eat.

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