Topic: freezing veg

[littlebabybird]

Hi every one,
this may be a stupid question but....
if i grow lots of peas can i freeze them OK?
would i need to blanch them?
will they taste any better than the ones from the supermarket?

i know i will feel better about my family eating them because They will hopefully be organic
and they wont have been shipped half way cross the country and all that, but is there really a point or should i grow something more expensive and leave the peas corn and carrots to the supermarket?
i hope that makes sense but i just got my lotty and i want to make it all work OK
LBB

[kt.]

Opinions vary regarding blanching. I have blanched in the past. Some stuff preserved some didn't. Probably didn't get it quite right. Now I just clean and freeze.

[Lindsay]

I blanch peas before freezing and it has worked so far!  And they definitely taste better than those from the supermarket as they are fresher - being able to pick pea pods you've grown yourself and eat the peas straightaway is one of the highlights of the year! 

I don't think it is a matter of growing the more "expensive" vegetables - more a question of having the satisfaction of growing your own and eating fresher vegetables that obviously taste better. 

[saddad]

We used to Blanch but don't anymore.. we currently have 3kg of various homegrown peas in the freezer but they won't last beyond Xmas... not because they don't keep but because we will eat them.. grow what you like to eat but try something new/unusual every year... we grew celeriac for the first time, not very successful but tastes so good we will try harder next year!
 ;D

[cornykev]

As said already, if your storing for quite a while then blanch, but if like Saddad you eat them sharpish theres no need to blanch.  ;D ;D ;D

[tim]

But IF you blanch, DO do the whole thing right - like accurate timing (I much prefer steaming), chilling in iced water for the right time, drying, & open freezing at the right temperature before packing.

And then DON'T expect them to last for ever!

I have to say that shop peas are so good these days that we no longer grow our own. And hopefully, being grown in their own packaging, are protected from at least scontact sprays.

[timf]

http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/Storing_the_Surplus_Freezing.php

may be useful

[cornykev]

You beat me to it Timf thats the one I use, you Tracter boys are quick.  :o    ;D ;D ;D

.

[tim]

Still prefer steaming.

[Susiebelle]

Tim I like the sound of steaming as so often I find blanched veg becomes soggy! can't get my OH to eat frozen French or Runner beans even though they are from the lottie ???. How do you get the timing right if you steam? do you used same guide lines as blanching?