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Freezing Fruits & Vegetables

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Info & Care Sheets

Freezing Fruits & Vegetables

When summer gives you loads of fresh fruits and vegetables...
Freeze them!

Freezing is a simple and quick way to preserve fruits and vegetables at home. Simply select fruits and vegetables at their peak of freshness, follow recommended methods and you will get high-quality, nutritious foods for year-round enjoyment. It’s easy!

Tips for Freezing Fruits

Freeze when they’re at their peak of freshness.
Store in heavy-weight, air-tight containers or freezer bags. Fill containers to the top and remove as much air as possible from freezer bags..
For better texture, try eating frozen fruit before it’s completely thawed.
Freeze quickly- best at 0-degrees F or colder.
Eat frozen fruits within about a year. (Storing longer is fine, but the quality may decline.)

	Apples Select firm-fleshed cooking varieties, especially those suitable for pies or sauces. Wash in cold water, peel, core, and cut into pie slices. An ascorbic acid powder to prevent browning of fruit may be used. Follow package directions. Fill container, seal, label, date, and freeze. OR: Soak apples slices in brine solution (1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon of water) for 15 minutes. Drain. Pack in sugar syrup using 2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid to 1-quart water. OR: Wash whole apples drain and dry. Place in freezer bags and freeze. To use immediately for pie, sauce or other cooked dessert, run cold water over each frozen apple just before peeling. Peel slice and use immediately.
	Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Gooseberries, Loganberries, Raspberries Wash in cold water and sort For pies, pack berries dry without sugar. Tip: Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag or container. OR Pack in sugar syrup using 3 cups sugar dissolved in 1-quart water and sort. OR: Crush and pack in sugar using 1-cup sugar to 7-8 cups fruit
	Pie Cherries Wash in cold water, stem and pit. For pies, use 1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar to 4 cups cherries for 9 inch pie. To improve color, add 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid.
	Sweet Cherries Wash in cold water, sort, and remove stem and pit. Pack in syrup using 2 cups sugar dissolved in 1-quart water, 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid and either 1-teaspoon citric acid or 4 teaspoons lemon juice.
	Cranberries Wash in cold water and sort and pack without sugar.
	Currants Wash in cold water and sort. Pack in sugar using 1-cup sugar to 8-9 cups fruit. For cooking, pack dry without sugar.
	Muskmelon/Cantaloupe Wash in water. Cut flesh into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes or balls. Cover with sugar syrup, using 2 cups sugar dissolved in 1-quart water. You can add whole seedless grapes. Serve partially frozen.
	Rhubarb Select stalks that are crisp and tender and of good red color in spring. Do not pick after July 4th. Remove leaves and woody ends, wash in cold water and cut in 1-inch lengths. Do not blanch. For sauce, pack in sugar syrup using 3 1/2 cups sugar dissolved in 1-quart water. For pies, pack in dry sugar using 1-cup sugar to 4 cups rhubarb, or pack without sugar for a few months storage.
	Strawberries Choose firm, ripe berries of bright red color, or rich aromatic flavor. Wash in cold water, sort and stem. Pack whole, sliced (preferred), or crushed berries in 1 cup sugar to 7-8 cups fruit. OR: Pack whole berries in syrup, 3-4 cups sugar dissolved in 1 quart water.

Click here to view this U of MN video on "Freezing Fruit for Sweet Success"

Tips for Freezing Vegetables

Freeze veggies when they’re at their peak of freshness.
Blanch first, then submerge in ice water. Dry thoroughly.
Store in heavy-weight, air-tight containers or freezer bags. Fill containers to the top and remove as much air as possible from freezer bags.
Vegetables that hold up well to cooking (corn, peas) generally freeze well, too.
Freeze quickly- best at 0-degrees F or colder.
Eat frozen vegetables within about 18 months. (Storing longer is fine, but the quality may decline.)

Blanching:

Use one gallon of water for each pound of vegetable except for leafy greens, which need 2 gallons per pound.

Bring water to a rolling boil. Immerse wire basket or blanching mesh bag containing vegetable.

Cover kettle and boil at top heat the required length of time. Begin counting time as soon as you place the vegetable in water. You may use the same blanching water 2 or 3 times. Keep it at required levels and change the water if it becomes cloudy.

Cool immediately in ice water for the same time used for blanching. Keep water icy cold. Drain vegetables thoroughly. Extra water will form too many ice crystals.

Pack, label and freeze.

Beans, Green and Yellow Podded

Pick young tender beans that snap when broken. Harvest while seeds are small and tender.

Wash, snip off tips, and sort for size. Cut or break into suitable pieces or freeze whole.

Blanch 3 1/2 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Beans, Lima

Pick well-filled pods containing green, young tender beans (white beans are over-matured).

Wash, shell and sort.

Blanch small and medium beans, 3 minutes; large beans, 4 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Beets

Use garden varieties of good color and quality. Pick smooth, tender small to medium beets.

Remove tops leaving 2 inches of top and wash. Cook until tender. Chill. Remove skins. Slice or dice large beets.

Broccoli

Choose firm, tender stalks with bright green compact heads. Discard off-color heads or any that have begun to blossom and remove tough leaves and woody ends.
Cut through stalks lengthwise, leaving heads 1 inch in diameter.
Soak 1/2 hour in salt brine (1/2 cup salt to 1 quart water) to drive out small insects. Rinse and drain.
Blanch 4 minutes in water or steam-blanch 5 minutes. Chill in ice water.
Pack heads and stalk ends alternately in container. Broccoli may be cut into chunks or chopped.

Brussel Sprouts

Pick firm, compact heads of good green color. Wash and trim.

Soak 1/2 hour in salt brine (see Broccoli). Rinse and drain.

Blanch medium heads 4 minutes, large heads 5 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Carrots

Pick smooth, tender carrots before roots become woody. Harvest in cool weather.
Cut off top, wash and scrape. Dice or slice 1/4 inch thick. Blanch 3 1/2 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Cauliflower

Use well-formed, compact heads with fresh leaves. Trim and wash.

Split heads into individual pieces 1 inch in diameter.

Soak a 1/2 hour in salt brine (see broccoli). Rinse and drain.

Blanch 4 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Sweet Corn, on-the-cob

Harvest early in morning in hot weather. Small to medium cobs are preferred. If corn is immature, it is watery when cooked; if too mature, it is doughy.

Process rapidly. Husk and trim ends.

Use a large kettle for blanching. Corn that is not thoroughly cooled may become mushy. The long blanching time is necessary to inactivate enzymes that are in the cob. The long cooling time is needed to chill the cob.

Use 12 quarts water for 24 Midget Ears (1 1/2 inch or less in diameter). Blanch 8 minutes and cool 16 minutes.

14 Small Ears (1 1/4 inch - 1 1/2 inch in diameter)- Blanch 8 minutes and cool 16 minutes

10 Med. to Large Ears (over 1 1/2 inch in diameter)- Blanch 11 minutes and cool 22 minutes

Sweet Corn, cut off cob

Remove silks and trim ends. Use a large kettle.

Blanch whole kernel corn to be cut from the cob 4 1/2 minutes and cool 9 minutes.

Eggplant

Precooked eggplant is usually more satisfactory for freezing than blanched eggplant.

Peel, cut into 1/2 inch slices, or dice. To retain light color, drop pieces immediately into cold water containing 4 tablespoons salt per gallon for 4 to 6 min.

Blanch 4 1/2 minutes. Chill and package in layers separated by sheets of freezer paper.

Herbs

Wash and drain, but do not blanch leaves.
Place clean, whole or chopped herbs into freezer bags. Or, puree herbs in blender with oil or water, and place in ice cube trays.
Generally, blend 2 cups of washed foliage to 1 1/2 cups of water, or 6 cups of foliage to 1/2 cup of oil.

Kohlrabi

Using young, tender kohlrabi, cut tops, wash, peel and dice in 1/2 inch cubes

Blanch 2 1/2 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Mushrooms

Wash and remove stem base.

Freeze small mushrooms whole; cut large ones into 4 or more pieces.

When blanching mushrooms, add 1-teaspoon citric acid (or 3 teaspoons lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid) per quart of water to prevent darkening.

Blanch medium or small mushrooms 4 minutes; cut pieces, 3 minutes. Cool.

Onions

Sweet Spanish types are best. Peel onions, wash and cut into quarter sections. Chop.

Blanch 1 1/2 minutes. Chill in ice water. They will keep 3-6 months.

Peas, Green English

Pick bright green crisp pods with tender, sweet peas, but not over mature.

Wash, shell small amount at a time. Blanch 1 1/2 or 2 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Pea Pods

Select bright green, flat tender pods. Wash, remove stems, blossom ends, and any string. Leave whole.

Blanch 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Peppers, Bell

Wash, cut out stem and remove seeds. Halve, slice or dice.

Blanch halved peppers, 3 minutes, sliced or diced ones, 2 minutes. Chill in ice water. (You can freeze chopped peppers without blanching them).

Potatoes

Wash, peel, and remove deep eyes, bruises, or green surface coloring. Cut in 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes.

Blanch for 5 minutes. Cool.

For French fries a russet potato is best. Cut in thin strips, fry in deep fat until very light golden brown, drain and cool.

Pumpkin

Cut or break into fairly uniform pieces. Remove seeds.

Bake at 350 F, or steam until tender. Cool and scoop pulp from rind then mash or put through a ricer. You can prepare pie mix for freezer, but omit cloves.

Spinach & Other Greens

Select young, tender leaves. Sort and remove tough stems and wash.

Blanch most leafy greens 2 minutes.

Blanch collards and stem portions of Swiss chard 3 to 4 minutes.

Blanch very tender spinach 1 1/2 minutes. Chill in ice water.

Summer Squash-Zucchini

Select when 5-7 inches long and rind is tender. Wash, peel and cut in pieces. If skin is tender, you do not need to peel.
Blanch 1/4 inch slices, 3 minutes; 1 1/2 inch slices, 6 minutes. Chill in ice water

Tomatoes, cooked

Select firm, ripe tomatoes. Wash, core, cut and cook until soft.

Tomato, juice, puree

Select firm, ripe tomatoes. Wash, core, and cut into pieces. Simmer about 5 minutes and put through food mill to juice. Cool. For puree, cook juice until concentrated to about half its volume.

Winter Squash