Parsnips are versatile. You can boil, fry or bake the "pale carrots", prepare delicious soups and stews, crispy salads or even alternative fries from and with them. In order to preserve a larger quantity of the vitamin-rich vegetables, it is advisable to freeze the parsnips. There are a few things to keep in mind so that the good ingredients and the delicious taste remain.

Freezing parsnips that have already been prepared is a good option

Freezing raw parsnips - is that possible?

In principle yes. However, you should cut the parsnips into small pieces. If you freeze whole chunks of root vegetables, you will most likely end up with greasy chunks after thawing that taste bitter and are no longer particularly edible.

Why is that? During freezing, the cell membranes are ruptured by the water contained. As a result, the roots no longer have any support, so to speak. Of course, this is more noticeable with a large piece than with a smaller one.

Important: Keep in mind that freezing parsnips raw loses a lot of vitamins - about 16 percent per month (this applies to any raw frozen vegetable!). To prevent this, you should use other methods of freezing.

Freezing parsnips - good alternatives

Luckily, there are two other ways to freeze parsnips:

  • First puree the parsnips and then freeze them
  • Blanch the parsnips first and then freeze them

Freeze parsnips pureed

If you would like to conjure up baby porridge from parsnips for your offspring, it is worth pureeing the vegetables first. In the form it is cooked, does not become soggy and lasts longer than raw frozen parsnips.

Blanching saves the good stuff

The ideal method is to blanch the parsnips first and then freeze them. Blanching reduces the loss of vitamins considerably - it is reduced from 16 to just four percent.

Why is that? When frozen raw, the parsnip's tissue enzymes break down vitamins even at very low temperatures. However, these enzymes are largely destroyed during blanching and can therefore not cause any damage.

In short: If you want to freeze parsnips (or other types of vegetables) for longer than three to four weeks, it makes sense to blanch them beforehand - especially since microorganisms and toxic ingredients are also killed off. Also practical: blanching loosens the tissue structures. This will ensure that the parsnips will cook faster later.

Blanch parsnips - instructions

Here is a step-by-step guide to blanching and freezing parsnips:

  1. Clean and wash the vegetables.
  2. Thinly peel the parsnips.
  3. Cut off the top and bottom of each.
  4. Shred the beets as needed.
  5. Place the vegetables in boiling water for two to five minutes.

tips

Blanch small pieces for 2 to 3 minutes, large ones for 4 to 5 minutes.

  1. Drain the parsnips in a colander.
  2. Fill the prepared vegetables into freezer bags or other containers that are suitable for freezing.

At temperatures of at least -18°C, blanched and frozen parsnips can be kept for around a year. However, remember to eat the vegetables as soon as possible to minimize the loss of vitamins.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

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Vegetable garden