John Myers
How to freeze Brussels sprouts
In order to have the best quality after defrosting, you have to keep your eyes open when buying Brussels sprouts: Only reach for the green and firm florets. Don’t touch the Brussels sprouts if they already have brown spots or feel too soft to the touch. Then it is no longer freshly harvested and has probably already several days under its belt.
- If you have bought the crunchy florets, clean them first. To do this, remove the outermost leaves to reveal the slightly lighter green underneath. Finally, carve the stalk a little.
- Before you freeze the Brussels sprouts, you should blanch them. Blanching keeps the green color nice and strong even after thawing. In addition, the Brussels sprouts taste better later.
- To do this, place a large saucepan with water and some salt on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Put the Brussels sprouts in a metal sieve and hang them in the pot. You should blanch the cabbage with the lid on for about two to three minutes.
- After blanching, hold the Brussels sprouts under cold water. It would be better if you quench it in ice water. This prevents the Brussels sprouts from cooking and becoming soft. In addition, the green color is preserved even better.
- Then pat the florets dry as best you can and spread them out in a form that fits in your freezer compartment, leaving enough space between them.
- Then put the mold with the Brussels sprouts in the freezer for about an hour. This freezes the outermost leaves. In this way, the florets do not stick together during the actual deep freezing. If the Brussels sprouts have hardened on the outside after an hour, you can place them in plastic containers or in a freezer bag in the freezer.
- The sprouts will keep in the freezer for at least six months.
- You don’t have to thaw the Brussels sprouts beforehand to prepare them. It is sufficient if you put it directly into boiling salted water. Note, however, that the cabbage will cook faster than freshly harvested Brussels sprouts since you’ve already blanched them before freezing.
