Freezing cauliflower – a step by step guide
Would you like to know how to freeze cauliflower so that it remains fresh and can be eaten a long time after? Read the following guide.
Cauliflowers belong to a family of leafy brassicas, which are perfect for freezing.
Make sure to check out how to freeze cauliflowers so that they remain fresh for a long time and are ready for you to use to prep dinner or a delicious afternoon snack.
How to prepare a cauliflower before freezing
You can use cauliflower to prepare tasty soups or vegan patties. The vegetable is most often eaten parboiled and served with bread crumbs. It is also commonly served deep-fried, coated in bread crumbs or batter.
It’s not recommended to eat raw cauliflower.
Before you decide to freeze your cauliflower, choose one that looks best and is fresh. If your cauliflower seems off before freezing, it will certainly look much worse when you take it out of your freezer in a couple of months. So select the best one possible, making sure its color is bright and there is no visible discoloration.
Always pick fresh and intact veggies.
To prep the cauliflower for freezing, wash it well and dry it carefully. You can use a strainer or paper towels to speed up the process.
Because of its sizable heads, it’s rarely possible to freeze a cauliflower as a whole. I’d recommend cutting the vegetable into smaller florets, adjusting the sizes to your needs.
If you intend to make cauliflower patties or want to add it to your soup, cut the head into tiny pieces. That way you’ll be able to fit more in your freezer. If you want to serve it coated in bread crumbs or boil it to be served as a side dish, the florets should remain slightly bigger.
Place the florets in a ziplock bag or a container for frozen foods.
How to freeze cauliflower properly
The perfect scenario would be to put the cauliflower in a refrigerator for a couple of hours before freezing. The effect is much better and the vegetable will stay fresh for a longer period of time.
Remember to dry the florets well before freezing – you can use paper towels to do that. The drier the cauliflower is before freezing, the better its taste afterward!
Once the cauliflower is cooled, you can place it in your freezer. Some freezers have Fast Freeze containers, which are perfect for freezing your products quickly.
One important thing to remember…
Once thawed (because of a power outage or if your freezer is down), your cauliflower can’t be frozen again! It applies to all frozen fruits and vegetables. You have to use them right away or throw them out.
Thawing cauliflower. What to pay attention to
If your cauliflower was prepped and frozen properly, you can keep it in your freezer for up to 12 months.
It’s great if you use it in that timeframe, but I personally keep my food in the freezer even longer and it is still perfectly fine and good to eat.
Before you boil or fry your cauliflower, it would be best to thaw it first. While it’s not an issue with boiling, as the process happens by itself once the vegetable is placed in boiling water, it’s important to thaw it before frying.
It’s an obligatory step if you don’t want to spoil the end result while thawing.
I’d recommend thawing slowly at room temperature or in a refrigerator, but it’s crucial to determine what the cauliflower will be used for. If you want to use it to make soup, you can place the frozen bits in boiling water along with other vegetables. Yes, you can mix frozen food with fresh vegetables! It’s all going to mix in a pot anyway and the tastes will combine.
If you intend to use cauliflower to make patties or a side dish, it’s best to thaw and dry it well first.
The final piece of advice: remember that it’s not recommended to thaw your cauliflower in a microwave. The process will deprive it of the majority of vitamins and make it squashy.