Asparagus is a straightforward vegetable to like. Along with being filled with spectacular well being perks, asparagus requires minimal prep and is usually finest loved merely ready, like sautéed, roasted or grilled. It's additionally good for rounding out one-pan meals and fast skillet dinners.
When you'll possible spot asparagus within the produce division year-round, this vegetable peaks within the spring. Between the months of February and June, asparagus is in its prime, with probably the most delectable spears harvested in April and Might. If you end up with a bounty of asparagus, whether or not out of your neighborhood farmers' market in peak season or throughout a sale run at your grocery retailer, think about freezing some to savor at a later date.
Right here's every little thing you could learn about learn how to freeze contemporary asparagus so it doesn't go to waste and nonetheless tastes scrumptious.
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Are you able to freeze asparagus?
Recent asparagus might be frozen, which is sweet information for these of us who take pleasure in cooking with this vegetable all 12 months lengthy. Whereas it's finest to make use of contemporary asparagus in recipes the place it isn't cooked (like in some salads), beforehand frozen asparagus works nice in most different recipes. Oftentimes it doesn't should be thawed earlier than grilling, roasting on a sheet pan, or tossing into stir-fries and pastas.
One of the best ways to freeze asparagus
The important thing to freezing asparagus so that you'll really need to eat it later is blanching, or rapidly boiling the spears for a couple of minutes then instantly "stunning" them in an ice-water tub to cease the cooking. The blanched asparagus must be drained nicely and patted dry. Blanching most contemporary greens is a straightforward method to take away extra grime and micro organism and forestall important vitamin losses. Blanching asparagus earlier than freezing can even assist to attenuate texture adjustments and protect its vibrant inexperienced coloration.
When you could also be tempted to toss the blanched asparagus right into a freezer bag at this level, it's finest to flash-freeze it first, a easy further step that freezes the spears or items individually so that they don't stick collectively within the freezer.
How one can freeze contemporary asparagus
Comply with these easy steps to freeze contemporary asparagus:
- Trim the asparagus spears. Hold them entire or lower them into giant or bite-size items. (Consult with this straightforward information for recommendations on learn how to lower asparagus.)
- Blanch the asparagus in boiling water till simply crisp-tender, 2 to three minutes. Use tongs or a fine-mesh strainer to switch the asparagus to an ice tub (a big bowl of ice water) to cease the cooking. (Learn all about learn how to blanch asparagus right here.)
- Drain the asparagus nicely and pat it fully dry with paper towels or a clear kitchen towel.
- Unfold the asparagus spears or items in a single layer on a sheet pan (give them house to maintain them from freezing collectively) and freeze till stable, not less than an hour.
- Switch the frozen asparagus into freezer-safe luggage and seal to shut, eradicating as a lot air as doable. Retailer within the freezer for as much as six months.
How one can freeze uncooked asparagus
Whereas it's doable to freeze uncooked asparagus with out blanching it first, this technique isn't advisable if you wish to protect its taste, texture and coloration (blanching deactivates the enzymes that will in any other case proceed to interrupt down greens). Chances are high, you'll really feel much less inclined to make use of discolored and mushy asparagus down the street, and nobody likes meals waste. Taking the time to prep asparagus for freezing as outlined above will repay later, belief us.
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How one can freeze cooked asparagus
In case you've cooked up extra asparagus than you may eat in per week (cooked asparagus retains for about 4 days within the fridge), you may freeze the remaining. Take into account, shorter prepare dinner instances sometimes end in higher total texture after freezing (scroll again to our ideas on blanching). Asparagus that has been grilled, roasted or sautéed to crisp-tender will fare finest after freezing.
To freeze, cool cooked asparagus fully earlier than transferring to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Take away as a lot air as doable earlier than sealing. Use asparagus inside two to 3 months for highest quality.
How one can prepare dinner frozen asparagus
Most often, frozen asparagus doesn't should be thawed earlier than cooking. Merely toss the spears in oil and season to style earlier than roasting or grilling them, or add them frozen to your sauté or stir-fry. Like different greens out of your grocer's freezer case, frozen asparagus can style simply nearly as good as contemporary in lots of recipes.
Backside line
Freezing asparagus is nice method to benefit from the veg at its peak-season finest 12 months spherical. The important thing to making sure the spears hold their vibrant coloration and crisp texture is blanching them earlier than freezing. And keep in mind to flash-freeze first, so the frozen asparagus doesn't stick collectively in a clump.
Now that you know the way to correctly freeze asparagus, attempt the scrumptious veg in these widespread recipes: Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus, Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon and Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon with Potatoes & Asparagus
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