Why blanching vegetables

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Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. In This Article Expand. Why Blanch? How to Blanch. Cooling Process. Place a lid on the blancher. The water should return to boiling within 1 minute, or you are using too much vegetable for the amount of boiling water. Start counting blanching time as soon as the water returns to a boil. Keep heat high for the time given in the directions for the vegetable you are freezing.

Heating in steam is recommended for a few vegetables. For broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and winter squash, both steaming and boiling are satisfactory methods. To steam, use a pot with a tight lid and a basket that holds the food at least three inches above the bottom of the pot.

Put an inch or two of water in the pot and bring the water to a boil. Put the vegetables in the basket in a single layer so that steam reaches all parts quickly. Cover the pot and keep heat high. For home freezing, the most satisfactory way to blanch all vegetables is in boiling water. General instructions for water blanching follow:. Use a blancher with a blanching basket and cover, or fit a wire basket into a large pot with a lid.

Put vegetable in blanching basket and lower into vigorously boiling water. Place lid on blancher. The water should return to boiling within 1 minute, or too much vegetable is being used for the amount of boiling water.

Change water frequently or use cold running water or ice water. If ice is used, about one pound of ice for each pound of vegetable is needed. Facebook Twitter. Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: info extension.

Processing small quantities at a time, generally 1 pound of prepared vegetables, will mean that water returns to a boil quickly within 1 minute after vegetables are added. Use either steam or hot water for blanching ; avoid microwave blanching. Follow stated blanching times. Use tested recipes for best quality; start timing the blanching process as soon as water is boiling or steam is being produced.

Cool immediately once heating is complete. To cool, plunge vegetables into a bowl of icy water. If you blanch something for 1 minute in boiling water, then cool it for 1 minute in ice water — followed by draining. Drain cooled vegetables prior to packing for the freezer. Excess moisture can cause loss of quality when vegetables are frozen.

Previous Safe Recipe Style Guide. The Style Guide provides specific, concise recipe text to address four major kitchen practices: cooking to safe temperatures, hand washing, preventing cross contamination, and safe handling of fresh produce.