Have you ever thought that in winter eatables don’t get ruined or attacked by bacteria very easily as compared to summer? It is because at low-temperature bacteria don’t react with food and high temperature is a favorable condition for them to multiply.
Therefore freezing turns out to be an amazing alternative for preserving foods/eatables. One such item is kale, freezing kale can open the way for your tasty side dishes along with smoothies, whenever you want. In this post, you will be learning all the necessary methods to freeze kale and the answer to your question of whether you can freeze kale or not.
What is Kale?
Kale is a vegetable packed with versatility and nutrients. It is one of the heartiest greens around and it tends to look as if, it will remain forever un-spoiled in the refrigerator. Whereas the reality is that kale remains fresh for only over a week.
Can You Freeze Kale?
Yes, definitely you can freeze kale. If you want something simpler in your kitchen, freezing kale can be one of them. The versatility of kale allows it to freeze well and defrost within a small span of time. That makes things easy for you.
If you don’t have any kale, you can easily grow them in your vegetable or flower beds. So, it’s an easy job to accomplish. Therefore, it would be advisable to not ask yourself such an irrelevant question, (Can I freeze kale?) Just begin.
Does Kale Freeze Well?
Yes, kale freezes beautifully, especially when you freeze blanched kale. They are freezer-friendly and rarely show any texture or flavor alterations. Freezing is the ideal technique to preserve it and prevent waste.
How To Wash And Chop Kale?
You must be familiar with the fact that kale is too leafy, so it’s possible that it can trap dirt inside them. Hence, you have to rinse it thoroughly before moving forward.
Separation of leaves and stems is also required because they both get cooked at different temperatures and rates. You got to separate both of them before freezing.
You have to chop the leaves and stems separately, make sure you keep 1-inch pieces in size. Chop them roughly, but again wash them properly and then keep them to dry before preparing them for freezing.
How To Blanch Kale?
You must be wondering, what is the necessity of blanching kale? Well-blanching kale before freezing offers an ample amount of prevention such as it prevents leaves to get bitter and maintains their color long with the storage life.
It is found that blanched kale will last up to 6 months when frozen, whereas if you freeze kale without blanching, it will start to spoil after 3 to 4 weeks.
Below mentioned are some steps to blanch the fresh kale:
- You have to start by taking a pot of water and bringing it to boiling.
- Now you will be putting all of the kale leaves inside the boiling water and allow it to cook until it turns bright in color.
- Take another bowl filled with ice water. Once the kale starts to brighten after 2 minutes plunge them all into the bowl of ice water. (It will stop the cooking instantly and preserve the color along with it.)
Step 4: Drain out the water and dry the leaves thoroughly by keeping them on a dry paper towel.
Step 5: Repeat the above steps for stems too. But, make sure that it is cooked until the stems are just tender, about 3 minutes.
How To Freeze Kale?
This is the method by which you click on the link, this method is why you have gone through the above instructions and processes. Once you have gone through the method of freezing kale properly, you won’t need any other guide for the same.
- If you are looking to freeze your kale without blanching, it’s advised that you should be ready to use them within 4 to 6 weeks. Post that period you won’t be able to use it as the frozen kale will show texture alterations.
- The unblanched kale will probably develop a taste over a period of time. It is due to the fact that you have frozen it unblanched and the enzymes responsible for ripening are still active. (They occur naturally).
- You can have un-blanched kale along with some homemade soups and stews, as they are likely to overpower the bitterness if present in kale.
Freezing Blanched Kale
There are basically two ways you can choose to freeze the blanched kale:
- Freezing in the bunch (It is preferred when lots of kale is present.)
- Freezing in bundles (It is preferred when there isn’t very much amount of kale present.)
How To Freeze Blanched Kale In A Bunch?
Here is a step-by-step approach for freezing the whole bunch of kale:
- You have to take a good-quality airtight freezer-friendly bag and stuff it with blanched kale leaves.
- Squeeze out the air from the bag as much as possible. So that it doesn’t react with kale while freezing.
- Then place the bag of kale in a freezer and it’s good to go for the next 6 months.
Freezing a whole bigger batch of kale turns out to be quite easy and quick. You can use them to make side dishes such as sautéed kale. You can also use them along with stews and soups.
Note:- Try freezing the stem in a similar manner as suggested for the leaves for the best results.
How To Freeze Blanched Kale In Bundles?
If you aren’t looking for a lot of kale in one go, you can freeze them in bundles. Check out the steps below for freezing bundles of kale:
- You have to scrunch the kale leaves into a serving bundle.
- Place them separately on a baking sheet and then put them in the freezer to freeze for a couple of hours.
- Once they turn solid, take them out and put them inside a freezer-friendly airtight bag.
- You have to squeeze almost all of the air out of the bag. Further, seal it properly.
- At last label the bag with the date of freezing and keep it properly inside the freezer.
This method turns out to be more time taking but eventually, it is very much effective if you require a small amount of kale, for preparing kale pasta or a green smoothie.
It is upon you to go for whichever method you like, the only tip I would leave you with is that squeeze as much air as possible. Once you have sucked the air out of the bag, try pressing it so that leaves get pressed and the bags can be easily kept inside the freezer.
How Long Can You Store Kale In The Freezer?
The freezing time of kale depends on whether you are freezing it blanched or unblanched. While blanched kale will last for up to 6 months in the freezer, unbleached kale will have a shelf-life of about 2 months.
If you keep the kale in for more than the mentioned time in the freezer, it will possibly show texture changes. Therefore, it is best to use the frozen kale as soon as possible for the best results.
How To Defrost Frozen Kale?
This process is highly effective if you are looking to thaw or defrost your kale (veggies). Kale gets thawed very quickly in a rapid manner. It gets more easily if you are looking to defrost smaller quantities.
If you are looking to defrost a large quantity of kale. Then try placing the frozen bag of kale in a bowl of cool water to speed up the process.
How To Use Frozen Kale?
Frozen kale goes well with smoothies or well-cooked dishes. You can use frozen kale as a substitute for spinach as well. You can also puree the kale to make dips, saute it with other vegetables, or use it in a salad recipe or soup recipe.
But it is hard to find it along with some recipes that are dependent upon the texture of a leaf or chips and raw salads. Therefore, use frozen kale carefully.
So, now you know how to freeze kale, how to thaw them, and even their ample amount of usage. I guess this was a win-win post for you. Let me know in the comments what best did you liked in this post and what more you were looking for.