National Center for Home Food Preservation. Blanching. Blanching scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time is a must for almost all vegetables to be frozen. It stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture. Blanching cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens the color and helps retard loss of vitamins. It also wilts or softens vegetables and makes them easier to pack. Blanching time is crucial and varies with the vegetable and size. Underblanching stimulates the activity of enzymes and is worse than no blanching. Overblanching causes loss of flavor, color, vitamins and minerals. Follow recommended blanching times pages 2. Water Blanching. For home freezing, the most satisfactory way to heat all vegetables is in boiling water. Use a blancher which has a blanching basket and cover, or fit a wire basket into a large pot with a lid. Use one gallon water per pound of prepared vegetables. Put the vegetable in a blanching basket and lower into vigorously boiling water. Place a lid on the blancher. The water should return to boiling within 1 minute, or you are using too much vegetable for the amount of boiling water. Blanch Green Beans How LongHow to Blanch Beans. Blanching fresh beans is an essential step prior to freezing, but it is also the method professional chefs use to prepare the beans. Step 5 Blanch the green beans. All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color. Blanching green beans brings out the natural sweetness present in the vegetable and transforms them from a dull, pale green to a brilliant, deep color. Blanching also. Start counting blanching time as soon as the water returns to a boil. Keep heat high for the time given in the directions for the vegetable you are freezing. Steam Blanching. Heating in steam is recommended for a few vegetables. For broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and winter squash, both steaming and boiling are satisfactory methods. Freeze fresh green beans from your garden or the farmers market to enjoy them all year long. We take you from blanching green beans to freezing them. Time to start. Steam blanching takes about 1 times longer than water blanching. To steam, use a pot with a tight lid and a basket that holds the food at least three inches above the bottom of the pot. How to freeze green beans so that they retain the best possible taste, color, texture and nutritional value. Sometimes all the freshest green beans need is to be blanched. Its the best way to enjoy their freshness. Blanching green beans is easy and is the start of many a. Cryoblanching before sauting softens these green beans in much the same way that parcooking would, leaving them with a fresh, green flavor and a slight crunch. A. Put an inch or two of water in the pot and bring the water to a boil. Put the vegetables in the basket in a single layer so that steam reaches all parts quickly. Cover the pot and keep heat high. Start counting steaming time as soon as the lid is on. See steam blanching times recommended for the vegetables listed below. Microwave Blanching. Microwave blanching may not be effective, since research shows that some enzymes may not be inactivated. This could result in off flavors and loss of texture and color. Those choosing to run the risk of low quality vegetables by microwave blanching should be sure to work in small quantities, using the directions for their specific microwave oven. Microwave blanching will not save time or energy. Cooling. As soon as blanching is complete, vegetables should be cooled quickly and thoroughly to stop the cooking process. To cool, plunge the basket of vegetables immediately into a large quantity of cold water, 6. F or below. Change water frequently or use cold running water or ice water. If ice is used, about one pound of ice for each pound of vegetable is needed. Cooling vegetables should take the same amount of time as blanching. Drain vegetables thoroughly after cooling. Extra moisture can cause a loss of quality when vegetables are frozen. Blanching TimesVegetable. Blanching TimeminutesArtichoke GlobeHearts7. Artichoke Jerusalem. Asparagus. Small Stalk. Medium Stalk. Large Stalk. Beans Snap, Green, or Wax. Beans Lima, Butter, or Pinto. Small. Medium. Large. Broccoliflowerets 1. Steamed. Brussel Sprouts. Small Heads. Medium Heads. Large Heads. Cabbage or Chinese Cabbageshredded1 12. No Egg Cornbread. Carrots. Small. Diced, Sliced or Lengthwise Strips. Cauliflowerflowerets, 1 inch across3. CornCorn on the cobSmall Ears. Medium Ears. Large Ears. Whole Kernel or Cream Styleears blanched before cutting corn from cob7. GreensCollardsAll Other. Kohlrabi. Whole. Cubes. Mushrooms. Whole steamedButtons or Quarters steamedSlices steamed5. Okra. Small Pods. Large Pods. Onionsblanch until center is heatedRings. Peas Edible Pod. Peas Fieldblackeye. Peppers Sweet. Halves. Strips or Rings. Potatoes Irish New. Turnips or Parsnips. Cubes. lanching times are for water blanching unless otherwise indicated. This document was extracted from So Easy to Preserve, 5th ed. Bulletin 9. 89, Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. Revised by Elizabeth L. Andress. Ph. D. and Judy A. Harrison, Ph. D., Extension Foods Specialists. How do I Can. Cure Smoke. Make Jam Jelly. Store. Home. Publications. Seasonal Tips. Info Request.