Carrots are a very popular vegetable and are usually included in most households’ weekly shopping trips. Lucky for us, they are able to remain intact for quite a long time in the freezer which makes them a great option to start with when learning how to freeze vegetables.
How To Freeze Carrots With Blanching
Freezing carrots is easy and straightforward. The only thing you need to do is blanch them first before putting them into freezer bags or containers.
What is blanching?
Blanching is a process that slows down the enzymes in vegetables that cause discoloration and loss of flavor after being frozen. It also kills bacteria present on the surface of these products which helps prevent contamination.
How to Freeze Carrots Step by Step
- Wash your carrots thoroughly by giving them a quick bath in boiling water for two minutes.
- After you’re done washing and cooling the carrots, cut off both ends of each piece.
- The next step is blanching. Place your newly cut carrots into boiling water for three minutes before plunging them immediately into an ice-water bath for another three minutes (or until they’re cold to the touch). Blanching stops the carrots from cooking any further.
- Now it’s time to freeze your carrots! Place them in either freezer bags or containers. Then seal tightly before placing them into the freezer. Be sure not to overfill.
- Write down what is in each container (e.g., “carrots”) and the date that they were frozen. This helps you organize your food storage and get a grip of what is expiring and what food you need to use before others.
Frozen carrots stored properly will maintain their quality for about 9-12 months.
How To Freeze Carrots Without Blanching
You can also freeze carrots without blanching. However, this method is not preferred because it reduces the quality of your frozen vegetables. You can expect mushy carrots without blanching once defrosted.
Another drawback to freezing raw or unblanched carrots is that much of the nutrients (Vitamin A and C) are lost when not using the proper methods for cooking veggies prior to freezer storage.
However, if you don’t have the time:
- Rinse off in cold water
- Pat dry
- Place into freezer bags or containers
- Label your food storage container with the date before placing it into the freezer
Do I Always Have To Freeze Baby Carrots?
Carrots can come in any size; you don’t necessarily have to use baby carrots when looking to freeze vegetables. However, it is easier to manage the smaller sizes. Also, consider cutting up larger carrots into smaller pieces. Just remember not to overfill your freezer bags.
Freezing Carrots In Water Or Juice?
When it comes to prepping veggies like carrots for freezing you can always add either water or juice if desired when placing frozen veggies into storage container(s). Adding liquid will help prevent freezer burn and increase the overall flavor of your frozen veggies.
Best Way To Defrost Carrots?
Defrost carrots in the refrigerator overnight or under cool running water. Once thawed, carrots can be eaten as is (for cooked carrots) or used in recipes where they will be cooked again (i.e., soups, stews, etc.). Enjoy!
Do you have any tips for freezing carrots?