About Blanching Vegetables with Chart:
Blanching Vegetables Chart
| Vegetable |
Minutes to Parboil / Blanch |
Minutes to Parsteam |
Minutes to Chill in Ice Water |
| +Artichoke, whole |
8 - 10 |
- |
12 - 15 |
| Asparagus, medium size |
3 - 12 |
- |
3 - 5 |
| Bamboo shoots |
7 - 13 |
- |
3 |
| Beans - French |
- |
2 |
5 |
| Beans, Lima |
1 - 1/2 |
- |
3 |
| Beans, Shell |
1 - 3/4 |
- |
3 |
| Beans, Green |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Beans, Soy |
4 - in pod |
- |
Cool, Shell and Pack |
| *Bean Sprouts |
4 - 6 |
- |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Beans, Wax |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Beet, Greens |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Beets, Small |
Until tender |
- |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Broccoli, Split |
- |
3 - 5 |
4 - 5 |
| Brussels Sprouts |
4 - 6 |
- |
8 - 12 |
| Cabbage, Leaf or Shredded |
Until Tender |
3 - 4 |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Carrots, Scrubbed |
3 |
- |
5 |
| Cauliflower, Florets |
- |
3 |
4 |
| *Celery, Diced |
- |
Until Tender |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Chard |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Chayote, Diced |
2 |
- |
5 |
| *Chinese Cabbage, Shredded, Collards |
1 - 1/2 |
- |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Corn, Cream Style, White or Yellow |
- |
3 - 5 off the cob, 8 minutes on cob |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Corn, Medium Size, Cut Yellow |
- |
15 on cob, then cut off for packaging |
- |
| *Dasheen |
2 - 1/2 |
- |
5 |
| +Eggplant, 1 - 1/2 inch slices |
4 |
- |
4 - in ascorbic acid solution |
| *Kale |
4 - 6 |
- |
4 - 5 |
| Kohrabi, Diced |
- |
1 - 3/4 |
5 |
| *Mushrooms, Medium, Whole |
3 - 1/2 |
- |
5 |
| *Mustard Greens |
Until Tender |
- |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Okra, Medium, Whole |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Parsnips |
- |
2 |
5 |
| Peas, Black-eyed |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Peas, Green |
- |
1 - 3 |
2 - 5 |
| Peppers |
2 |
- |
2 - 5 |
| *Potatoes, Sweet, Purée |
Until Tender |
- |
Cool over, not in, cold water. Add 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid to every quart potatoes |
| Pumpkin, Purée |
Until Tender |
|
Cool over, not in, cold water. |
| Rutabaga |
2 |
- |
5 |
| Spinach |
2 - 1/2 |
- |
3 |
| *Squash, Winter, Purée |
Until Tender |
-- |
Cool over, not in, cold water |
| Turnip, Greens |
2 - 1/2 |
- |
4 |
| Turnips, Sliced, Peeled |
- |
1 - 1/2 |
5 |
| Mixed Vegetables |
Blanch separately as directed above; combine after chilling. |
- |
- |
* Cook before freezing.
+ Add 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid to each quart of water used in blanching.
# Ascorbic acid solution - 2 teaspoons acid to 2 pints of ice water.
Blanching Equipment:
I don't go too complicated with this.
A large pot for boiling water.
Wire basket is nice to have. :)
Slotted spoon and kitchen tongs.
A large bowl for cold water and ice ( clean sink works ).
Large towels to dry some of the excess moisture from blanching.
Ascorbic Acid - if needed
Freezer bags.
About Blanching Vegetables:
Enzymes Continue to be active in vegetables even after harvesting and unless arrested, will bring about changes which will lead to loss of flavour and nutrition. Some harvests will ripen indoors, however, most of them just need to be dealt with right away.
Therefore, blanching is imperative before freezing.
There are two methods of blanching:
Boiling and Parsteaming.
Both may be used interchangeably although steam-blanching takes 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
Exceptions are the blanching of leafy vegetables, which must be boiled if the heat is to penetrate quickly and watery vegetables like squashes and cut sweet corn, which lose flavour badly through leaching and must be steamed.
Since blanching is not meant to be a cooking process, but a preparatory one, it should be carefully timed to avoid textural and nutritional breakdowns. Removal of excess moisture after blanching and proper chilling before chilling, are two extremely important steps.