Kale is low in calories and high in nutrients. Anyone who tries it outside of the winter harvest time will find that it still tastes excellent. After the first sub-zero temperatures in the field, he gets to know the frost in the freezer.

Kale is blanched before freezing

The time of harvest

Green cabbage or brown cabbage, as this type of cabbage is also called in northern Germany, needs minus degrees in the open field as the crowning glory. It is this cold that helps the cabbage to add a good taste to the numerous healthy ingredients.

As soon as the first frost has grabbed its leaves, it's kale season. Here the weather god plays with our expectations and sometimes makes us wait a long time. However, the frost in the freezer is said to be a good substitute for the flavor enhancer provided by nature.

The kale does not have to be harvested immediately after the first frost. He can spend the whole winter outside without suffering any disadvantages.

The perfect kale leaves

The perfect kale leaves for the freezer are:

  • freshly picked
  • green
  • crisp

They should be frozen as soon as possible, although they will keep for 4-5 days in the crisper of the refrigerator.

Don't worry if it looks like the whole leaves just can't possibly fit in the freezer. After blanching, they shrink into a much smaller heap.

Prepare kale leaves

First of all: A lot of patient hard work is waiting before you can enjoy it. Many of these steps are necessary, regardless of whether the kale is freshly prepared, boiled down or frozen.

  1. Remove the leaves from the hard stalk.
  2. Wash the kale leaves thoroughly. One wash cycle is usually not sufficient. The curled leaves offer many hiding places for fine sand particles and soil.
  3. Fill a large saucepan with water and add salt.
  4. Bring the brine to a boil.
  5. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
  6. Once the salt water is bubbling, add a portion of the kale leaves and let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Scoop out the blanched leaves with a ladle and immediately plunge them into the ice water to chill. This stops the cooking process and preserves the typical colour. The taste and the vitamins also benefit from it.
  8. Remove the cooled leaves from the ice water and drain in a large colander. You can then squeeze them out carefully by hand and then spread them out on kitchen paper so that they lose the last bit of moisture.
  9. Chop the leaves as small as is best for you.

Pack kale for the freezer

In order to be able to remove the kale more easily when needed, it is advisable to freeze it in suitable portion sizes. All commercially available freezer boxes and freezer bags are suitable as containers. These should be labeled with the content and date so that there is always a complete overview in the freezer.

tips

Ready-made kale dishes can also be frozen after they have cooled. You can conjure up a delicious cabbage dish on the table in a matter of minutes within the next three months.

durability

The kale can stay in the freezer from winter to winter. This results in a shelf life of a whole year, which is completely sufficient in view of the annual new harvest.

thawing

The deep-frozen cabbage can be warmed up on the stove over medium-high heat in about 10 minutes with the addition of a little water. The kale can then be further processed according to the recipe.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Season: From the first frost; all winter long
  • Quality: Use freshly picked green, crisp leaves
  • Preparation: Remove the stalk; wash thoroughly several times
  • Blanch: 2-3 minutes in boiling salted water; quench in ice water; Drain
  • Packing: small chopping; portion into suitable freezer containers; label
  • Tip: You can also easily freeze kale dishes that have already been prepared
  • Shelf Life: Kale Leaves: 1 year; Kale dishes: 3 months
  • Defrost: Warm with a little water for 10 minutes over medium heat; process

The garden journal freshness ABC

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

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden