Can You Freeze Bok Choy?
Bok choy is a variety of Chinese cabbage that is lately used in many recipes. It can also be cooked as an individual dish. You must be using bok choy to prepare meals at home, right? So you know it cannot last for more than 5 days in the refrigerator.
What can be done to keep the freshness intact? Can you freeze bok choy? Yes, you can freeze bok choy. The good news is freezing rapidly increases its shelf life for a longer period, thus making it suitable for later use.
In this article, I have mentioned the way to freeze bok choy and other related information that will be beneficial for you to know before you freeze bok choy. Check them out in the following sections.
How To Freeze Bok Choy?
Freezing bok choy is a very straightforward method. But it might take a little effort and time. I mean you would not want your fresh bok choy to go bad, right? Therefore, freezing them step-by-step is beneficial.
Check out the following points to freeze bok choy effectively at home:
- To freeze bok choy, the very first step is to wash the vegetable under running water. This will remove all the dirt if any. Cut the stem.
- You can choose to either cut the bok choy into smaller pieces, just separate the leaves, or keep them as it is. It is suggested that you chop them for ease of use.
- Once this is done, spread the bok choy in a baking tray and flash freeze them in the freezer for about 3-4 hours.
- After flash freezing, transfer the vegetables into freezer-friendly ziplock bags. Remove all the air and tighten the seals.
- Label and date the bags with adequate information, and stack the bok choy packages in the freezer. Your bok choy is all set to freeze.
Note: Flash freezing benefits the process of freezing as it minimizes the formation of ice crystals. Therefore, do not forget to flash-freeze your bok choy sufficiently.
Does Bok Choy Freeze Well?
Yes, bok choy freezes relatively well when kept under proper storage conditions. You need to ensure that you have followed the freezing guidelines adequately and have stored the packages away from the edges of the freezer, for bok choy to freeze perfectly.
How Long Can You Freeze Bok Choy?
You can freeze bok choy for about 6 months safely. Yes, that will keep the quality and freshness intact for a long time for you to use the frozen bok choy anytime. Also, remember that you need to wrap them tightly for bok choy to freeze nicely.
However, you can keep the bok choy in the freezer for more than 6 months, but it is not suggested. This is because it might start developing freezer burns, thus leading to a degradation in its quality and freshness. Therefore, consume frozen bok choy within the first six months.
How To Defrost The Frozen Bok Choy?
While there are several methods to defrost bok choy, one of them that works best is to thaw the frozen bok choy in the refrigerator for a few hours. This is because then the bok choy will come to normal temperature gradually from frozen.
On the other hand, you can also use the frozen bok choy directly from the freezer, if you are making a stew or broth. Bok choy can be directly added to other such recipes that require hot boiling water as it will immediately thaw.
Another possible way to defrost bok choy quickly is to remove the frozen packages and let them sit in warm water for some time. This method is only suitable if you will cooking the bok choy soon. Otherwise, go with the refrigerator defrosting method.
Note: Never use hot water to defrost bok choy as it will turn it mushy and thus unsuitable for cooking. Therefore, go with warm water always.
Can You Refreeze Bok Choy?
Technically you can attempt to refreeze bok choy, but it is highly advised that you should not freeze it again and again. This is because freezing repeatedly will turn the cabbage mushy and it will eventually lose its flavor and texture. Hence, it will be unfit for consumption.
Also, it is not suggested to refreeze cooked bok choy. If you want to avoid refreezing the food, you can defrost only the required amounts at a time. Or you can store them in smaller portions so that there is no waste.
Can You Freeze Cooked Bok Choy?
Yes, you can freeze cooked bok choy. The process is just the same as you would do with raw bok choy. Just remember that you will have to allow the cooked recipe to cool completely before you begin freezing.
