Freezing Brussell Sprouts

Hi all ... this is not an area I normally venture into but I need some advice please as this is not an area of expertise with me!

Aldi had fresh (packaged on Tuesday in Spain) Brussell Sprouts in yesterday, only 89c for 350g punnets. These are quite a novelty here as the Portuguese prefer to eat cabbages of all sorts, particularly Couve galega (walking stick cabbages used for Calde Verde soup). These Brussells are huge, only 10-12 per pack. I just had to buy two although I am the only one who eats Brussells and I just love them al dente. Now, these two packs will do me for at least 6-8 meals (I eat mini meals) so the question is this ...

How do I freeze them to perfection and how long should they be cooked from frozen?

Thank you in advance.

 

Victoria, you need to peel and trim them first, then blanche them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes before you freeze them. Timing begins the moment the pan comes back to the boil and not from the moment the sprouts hit the boiling water.

I would suggest you put them on a baking tray in the freezer until firm before putting them in a freezer bag.

I steam mine from frozen and I don't time it precisely but pretty much the same amount of time as as fresh (and then test with the point of a slim knife)

 

Alternatively, come back to the UK, grow your own and eat straight from the garden?

There are advantages to living in the UK, best parsnips and sprouts in the world, a damn sight more too....... hmmmm, where did I put that beer? !

 

You surely jest, Vince. ME, go back to the good ole UK, be it Bucks or the IoW, two of the bestest, warmest places you could live in the UK?

Your beer is probably lost somewhere out there in the ice and snow ...

We would truly love one of your babes, but we are a tropical garden full of cats so I'll just have to admire yours from afar.

Oh, going back to the original thread ... these are the sweetest and best Brussells I have ever tasted ...

 

I must admit I've never managed to freeze sprouts without them ending up tasting exactly like the frozen birds eye ones, (can you still get them), yuck.

That is why I think lots of people say they dont like them, fresh from the garden is the only way to eat them, or at least straight off the stem from the farm shop.

Along with frozen carrots and frozen runners it has to be the best way to put people off of eating veg.

 

Sorry to say Pete, they still do frozen sprouts that taste like cardboard! YUK

 

I won't give you a 'like' or 'agree' Pete .. but you are probably correct and I will let you know how things go ...

 

I don't blanch them as in my opinion you are freezing sprouts saturated with water so the freezing process expands the water and in turn ruptures the leaves, which gives a soft texture when eaten.


Think of it this way; when you pick them in winter they are often frozen ( but not blanched) so you just allow them to thaw in doors then you cook them to the way you like them, and providing you do not overcook them the are quite nutty!

In fact we often stick them in to the pan frozen and just allow a couple minutes extra cooking time!

OK the cook books say blanch them to improve the keeping quality, I have found sprouts that have been in the freezer for over a year are still OK as frozen food goes.

But I still prefer them cooked straight after harvesting!