# Is blanching really necessary?



## maters (May 25, 2011)

I know it's okay to freeze tomatoes whole. Has anyone had success with other vegetables? It seems I may have done that in the past with no ill effects.

I've read the USDA recommendations and I disagree with the times. It suggests that you vigorously boil summer squash for 3 minutes. To me, it's just about cooked at that point. If you freeze it after that, it's mush. Yuck. I just froze a bunch and I blanched it for ~30 seconds. It looks like it might still have a little structure left after it thaws.

Something else I am thinking about is that, it will only be in my freezer 4-5 months. It will likely hold up fine. 

It's really hot. If I can avoid boiling water in my house, I would like to. 

What are your thoughts and experiences?


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

I have only experience with onions and green peppers, both I was very happy with freezing with no prep. Just wash, cut or chop how you want to have convenient.

Fresh corn cut off cobb and blanched does well, but I haven't done that in years. (I eat it too fast to put any away!)


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## maters (May 25, 2011)

I've frozen peppers, too. No problems. I even froze whole jalapenos. They worked for making deer poppers. And last year, I just threw the corn, husk and all, into an old pillowcase and put it in the freezer. It worked fine. The husk and pillowcase kept the frostburn off.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Summer squash should not be blanched. Blech! I freeze it grated and ready for zuchini bread or for adding to bean soup or spagetti.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I just freeze squash (sliced), maders, peppers, and onions without blanching.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

You blanch if the instructions say to. It destroys enzymes that cause deterioration in frozen foods. You get a better product by blanching most vegetables. Some don't need blanching.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I don't blanch okra, tomatoes or squash. I don't thaw before cooking them either.

Okra: I harvest young pods (or slice up mature ones), clean and trim; then spread on wax paper in freezer. After frozen, bag them.

Tomatoes: I quarter these, place in baggy, fill with cold water, drain water out as I close baggy to make sure no air remains inside and freeze.

Squash: I slice about a fourth of inch thick, lay out on wax paper to freeze and bag. (The smaller pieces with no seeds I package separately from the larger pieces with seeds because I will stew those while I will fry the others.)

I "do" blanch snaps. Place in boiling water for 3 minutes; immediately place in ice cold water for 3 minutes. Then I bag according to meal size, add cold water and close baggy while pushing that water out. This assures me there is no air left in bag. (I do this for all meats I freeze too except ground.)


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I forgot but I do okra that way too.


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## maters (May 25, 2011)

While I do understand the science behind blanching, my point with this query was more about if blanching is going to hurt the quality of the food, which it does in my opinion, why bother heating up the house by boiling water? 

I'm glad to know I'm not alone in my heat avoidance.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

maters, I've been having the same questions about my kale and dehydrating it. Some sites say blanch (which does remove a lot of nutrients) and others say just dehydrate it. I did one batch blanched which turned out just fine taste wise but there is still the nutrient loss situation. 

I don't blanch soft juicy stuff or onions. Beans, peas and broccoli get blanched although steaming would be much better.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

maters said:


> I'm glad to know I'm not alone in my heat avoidance.


I don't blanch anything. I do peel tomatoes and peaches, so I dip those into boiling water for a moment then into cold water and peel. I do prefer to can tomatoes for a better taste, but freeze them once in a while, and always freeze peaches if I have room.

But I really don't purposely blanch anything. It's just more work that doesn't really make that much difference to the end product to me. And I am all for easy and good taste, so I just don't blanch.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Wife does the blanching here and that's the only way that we put up some things. Peas and broccoli are automatic, snap beans and carrots are optional with blanching or canning. Corn-on-the-cob also gets blanched.

Martin


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

mekasmom said:


> I don't blanch anything. I do peel tomatoes and peaches, so I dip those into boiling water for a moment then into cold water and peel. I do prefer to can tomatoes for a better taste, but freeze them once in a while, and always freeze peaches if I have room.
> 
> But I really don't purposely blanch anything. It's just more work that doesn't really make that much difference to the end product to me. And I am all for easy and good taste, so I just don't blanch.


Same here. I honestly thinks it makes most things better tasting in fact.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I just put up 9 large packages of largely diced tomatoes today, without blanching them. (Just filled the ziplocks, add cold water & close while letting the water out.)


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