Thawing asparagus

[jes]

My favorite vegetable is asparagus. I have experimented with thawing it as I find it more convenient to keep some frozen than to get fresh. It always seems to be soggy and rubbery.

I have tried thawing by steaming and I have tried moving it from the freezer to the fridge and then briefly steaming it. Same rubber both times.

Any advise?

 

[Andy M.]

Not to be a wise guy, but stop freezing it. No method of thawing can reverse the damage done by freezing.

 

[Dawgluver]

Are you talking frozen fresh by you, or bought frozen? I nuke it still frozen. Just a very brief minute in the MW. Maybe a drop of water, cover with plastic wrap with a corner vented.

And will go with Andy, frozen is probably best in a cooked dish.

 

[jes]

I could try the microwave method.
I buy it fresh and freeze what I don't use immediately.
I don't know how else to preserve it!

 

[Dawgluver]

If you use a Foodsaver, you can snip off a corner and nuke it in the bag.

 

[jes]

I will try the MW. I don't use a Foodsaver.

What about other plant life? Blueberries are expensive and rare in the winter here but when thawed blueberries are bitter.

 

[Dawgluver]

Huh. I haven't had a problem with bitter blueberries, it might be regional. Some of the domestically grown ones I've found to be mushy and tasteless. The wild grown ones, it depends. You are probably better off with wild grown. If making pancakes or muffins, just throw them in frozen, without defrosting. And I find smoothies to taste much better when the berries are still frozen.

 

[CWS4322]

I've frozen a lot of asparagus and wild blueberries. The asparagus, blanch for 1 minute, drop in an ice bath to stop the cooking, spin in a salad spinner to remove excess water, lay out on a cookie sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes. The wild blueberries--pick over to remove any leaves, freeze, do not wash first. I usually lay the blueberries out on a cookie sheet, freeze them, and then put them in a ziplock bag. Same with the asparagus. I am counting the days until the start of wild asparagus season in MN and when I'll be there. My wish is to pee green the whole time I'm there (okay, TMI, sorry!)

 

[pacanis]

I freeze asparagus like CW and don't have a problem with it.

 

[letscook]

It doesn't last long in my house even if I buy a lot of it.
I like to cook it up and keep it in the fridge, use it scrambled eggs, green salad, Pasta salads, antipasto, snack on it as it is.
Never has time to get to the freezer.

 

[Addie]

It is the ice crystals that form in the freezer that damage the product. CWS has the best advice. Blanching is your answer.

 

[CWS4322]

It doesn't last long in my house even if I buy a lot of it.
I like to cook it up and keep it in the fridge, use it scrambled eggs, green salad, Pasta salads, antipasto, snack on it as it is.
Never has time to get to the freezer.

During wild asparagus season (which, BTW, wild and cultivated asparagus are genetically the same), we often get 3 garbage bags (brown paper) of asparagus every 2 weeks (mid-May to the 4th of July). That is a LOT of asparagus. We eat it for every meal, but still end up having to freeze some.

 

[jes]

You have inspired me. I will try blanching.

Jesse

 

[Kayelle]

Asparagus is my favorite vegetable too, but I've never tried to freeze it. It sounds like you have the answer CWS. I'm looking forward to pickling some when it comes down to door buster prices, I'd be in heaven with your free wild ones!

 

[CWS4322]

Asparagus is my favorite vegetable too, but I've never tried to freeze it. It sounds like you have the answer CWS. I'm looking forward to pickling some when it comes down to door buster prices, I'd be in heaven with your free wild ones!

I've planned my trip to MN this spring to be there during asparagus season. When I lived there, we would get sick of asparagus and I would freeze it for the winter.

I plan on bringing home at least one bagful! It grows profusely along the road in the forest about 3 miles from my parents. Here, I'm lucky if I get 12-14 stalks every 10 days (I have to fight off the deer and the dogs for it). I won't leave MN until I get my asparagus.

 

[pacanis]

...(I have to fight off the deer and the dogs for it). I won't leave MN until I get my asparagus.

My Ridgeback can be sound asleep in the other room, with two TV's going, hear an asparagus stalk snap and be in the kitchen in half a second. Funny how he discerns that over all the other noises of cooking. He loves his asparagus, too.

 

[CWS4322]

My Ridgeback can be sound asleep in the other room, with two TV's going, hear an asparagus stalk snap and be in the kitchen in half a second. Funny how he discerns that over all the other noises of cooking. He loves his asparagus, too.

I had a Saint Bernard that ate all the asparagus in my asparagus patch. She was nice enough to let me have the first harvest, but after that, she knew it was there each year and she'd beat me to the patch every time. She died in October (2003). My asparagus did not come back the next spring, not one stalk. I swear, she took it with her. Asparagus grows for 40-50 years. I had had the patch for about 20 years. Not one stalk has come up since she died. If any does come back, I'm in trouble...that means her spirit will be coming back to me (and yes, I do check every spring). I love RRs. I had an RRx--she was a wonderful dog. I love the way they smell...reminds me of Fritos!

 

[pacanis]

Wow, talk about a Twilight Zone movie. That's weird.

Fritos... I hadn't noticed, lol.