Water-logged Broccoli - Wildlife Gardeners

Birding Bunch · 06-28-2012, 11:39 AM

We actually have had enough broccoli to put away this year! We blanch, then freeze. But the broccoli is always so full of water and when frozen, turns into a hard block.

The last batch I made, after cooling and draining, I put the broccoli on cooling racks, hoping they'd drain a bit. Nope, the broccoli held on to all that water. Besides hand wringing

, is there anything that can be done?

I am suspecting I am going to have to break down and buy a salad spinner, but would rather not have yet one more thing I have no room for.

Thanks for any help.

biigblueyes · 06-28-2012, 03:16 PM

If you have enough room in your freezer, you can freeze them on a cookie sheet, not touching, and then put the individual frozen pieces in a ziploc bag.

Equilibrium · 07-05-2012, 01:24 PM

Ohhh.... that's brilliant. That'd work for cauliflower florets too. Mostly I blanch and dehydrate but I have tried freezing some before and mine turned into a hard block just like hers did.

Birding Bunch · 07-05-2012, 02:35 PM

Thank you for the tip. I tried it with the last batch and it worked for the most part. A few stuck to the pan, but I was able to scrape them off.

I'd like to dehydrate more foods and my dear husband is going to build a solar food dryer for me. We have garlic I want to mince and dry.

A couple years ago I used the inside of the van and it worked great drying chopped peppers and onions put in cookie sheets, covered in cheese cloth and placed on the dash. Later I learned the plastic fumes from the inside of cars is not good. I just cannot imagine turning on the oven in this kind of weather for any length of time. I do not have room for a dehydrator.

06-28-2012, 11:39 AM	#1
Birding Bunch Grub Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Iowa, USA	Water-logged Broccoli We actually have had enough broccoli to put away this year! We blanch, then freeze. But the broccoli is always so full of water and when frozen, turns into a hard block. The last batch I made, after cooling and draining, I put the broccoli on cooling racks, hoping they'd drain a bit. Nope, the broccoli held on to all that water. Besides hand wringing , is there anything that can be done? I am suspecting I am going to have to break down and buy a salad spinner, but would rather not have yet one more thing I have no room for. Thanks for any help.

06-28-2012, 03:16 PM	#2
biigblueyes WG Facilitator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cajun Country, Louisiana, USA	If you have enough room in your freezer, you can freeze them on a cookie sheet, not touching, and then put the individual frozen pieces in a ziploc bag. __________________ My yarden and I lean a little to the wild side.

07-05-2012, 01:24 PM	#3
Equilibrium The Pantyhose Princess Join Date: Dec 2008	Ohhh.... that's brilliant. That'd work for cauliflower florets too. Mostly I blanch and dehydrate but I have tried freezing some before and mine turned into a hard block just like hers did. __________________ "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-05-2012, 02:35 PM	#4
Birding Bunch Grub Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Iowa, USA	Thank you for the tip. I tried it with the last batch and it worked for the most part. A few stuck to the pan, but I was able to scrape them off. I'd like to dehydrate more foods and my dear husband is going to build a solar food dryer for me. We have garlic I want to mince and dry. A couple years ago I used the inside of the van and it worked great drying chopped peppers and onions put in cookie sheets, covered in cheese cloth and placed on the dash. Later I learned the plastic fumes from the inside of cars is not good. I just cannot imagine turning on the oven in this kind of weather for any length of time. I do not have room for a dehydrator.