They are incredibly hardy and can survive for several months without losing a single plant. Kale is so productive that you often find at least one bag of frozen Kale in your freezer. Adding frozen Kale to smoothies, sauces, and soups is easy to boost nutrition, color, and flavor or you can make braised kale dish to enjoy with beans if you intend to have something easy to cook and savory to eat in evening or breakfast.
Even if your garden is small, you can stockpile your freezer with Kale when it’s in season. Let us show how to freeze Kale.
Can you freeze Kale?
Yes, you can freeze the vegetable kale. This will allow you to save time and money on cooking delicious meals.
Kale comes in bags, so it is not difficult to finish the bag. You will often see Kale, which is good-looking, turn into slime.
It is also essential to keep any extra Kale you have bought frozen. This will allow you to save money and ensure that you have Kale on hand for any occasion.
How to Freeze Kale?
Kale is a versatile, hearty vegetable that freezes well. You can freeze Kale immediately after you get home from the grocery or after you have harvested it from your garden. Make sure to freeze your Kale as fresh as possible.
Here’s how to freeze Kale to extend its shelf life:
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Clean and prepare the Kale
The Kale should be washed and rinsed in a colander until it is clean and free from dirt and grime. The stems can be chopped finely and used in any recipe.
To remove the stem, pinch the leaf at its base using your thumb and forefinger. Next, slide your fingers along the stem. It shouldn’t take much to get the leaves apart.
Next, chop the Kale into bite-sized pieces.
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Blanch the Kale
Blanching will stop enzyme activity and prepare the Kale for long-term storage.
Place the Kale into a large saucepan or pot of boiling salted water. Cover the pan with a lid. Allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the leaves turn a vibrant green color but are not soft. It will wilt if it is left on the stove for too long. You can also steam your Kale using a steamer basket placed an inch or so (2.5 to 5 cm) above simmering water.
While steam blanching is slightly more time-consuming than regular blanching, your Kale will retain more nutrients than water blanching.
While the leaves are still blanching, prepare an ice bath using half hot water and half ice in a large bowl. You will find that some of the ice melts once you add the hot Kale to the water. To keep the water cool, you’ll need lots of ice. Place the bowl in a bowl.
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Drain, cool, and dry the Kale Leaves
Once the Kale has become soft and bright green, drain any excess water into a colander. Transfer the Kale to the ice bath bowl using a pair or two of tongs. Ice water will stop cooking while retaining the Kale’s nutrients, color, texture, and vitamins.
Allow the kale leaves to soak in the ice water until they are cold to the touch. This should take approximately two minutes. To dry the leaves thoroughly, use tongs to transfer them onto a towel or kitchen drying rack. To drain any excess water, you can pass the leaves through a salad spinner before drying them.
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Flash Freeze Your Kale Leaves
Place a single layer on the baking sheet of Kale. Then, dry the vegetables with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Place several batches of the Kale on a cookie sheet too large for your freezer.
This method is excellent if you want to make sauces, smoothies, or soups from your frozen Kale.
- Mix it to create a paste.
- You can add water if needed to get the right consistency.
- Pour the puree into a muffin pan or an ice cube tray.
- Allow the Kale to cool for at least two hours before storing it in the freezer.
- Take them out of the freezer.
You can either flash-freeze the Kale on baking sheets or place it in a muffin pan or ice cube tray. Once the Kale has frozen, you can put the tray into the freezer.
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Place the Kale in The Freezer and label it.
Once the Kale has been frozen, you can transfer it to an airtight container, freezer-safe plastic bag, or zip-top freezer bag.
Tip– Remove as much air as possible from the container and place them flat in the freezer.
Label the packaging with the date to track how long your Kale has been frozen. Frozen Kale can last for six months. moreover if you frozen kale stock is over and you want to make something with kale then try out kale alternatives to get similar taste and flavor profile for delicious meal.
How to Freeze Kale Without Blanching
You need to do some things to freeze Kale without having to blanch it. First, wash and dry the Kale. Then, chop the Kale into small pieces. This will make it easier to freeze evenly.
After the Kale has been cut, place it on a baking tray and put it in the freezer. Allow the Kale to freeze for at most an hour or until it has completely frozen. After the Kale has frozen, you can transfer it into a freezer bag/container.
Label the container or bag with the date to let you know how long the item has been frozen. You can freeze Kale for up to a year, but it will only last for a while.
It doesn’t matter if you thaw the frozen Kale before using it. You can simply add it to any dish you are making. It cooks faster than fresh Kale, so observe it and adjust your cooking times accordingly. Enjoy!
How to Thaw Frozen Kale?
Freezing kale leaves can quickly defrost at room temperature or by placing the bag in cool water.
You can use the frozen vegetables in small quantities to make smoothies or to add to a dish like soup, curry, or casserole.
Kale releases moisture during defrosting, so adjust the liquid level or increase the cooking time.
Defrosting the kale before adding it to a baking dish, quiche, or batter is the best option. Drain the excess water, and the kale, then added to the other ingredients. This will prevent the batter from becoming too liquid.
How To Use Frozen Kale
It is easy to work with frozen kale. You can freeze kale anytime you want by following the steps. Here are some ways to use frozen kale.
- Add to your green smoothies
- Use in stews, soups, and quiches
- Add to pasta dishes or scrambled eggs
- On top of pizzas
- Use as a substitute for leafy greens in recipes that call for spinach, collard greens, swiss chards, etc.
FAQ’S
Can you freeze-cooked Kale?
You can freeze dishes made with Kale. That’s easy. Put them in a freezer-safe container and leave a space for future use. The shelf life of the dishes may be affected by other ingredients.
Can I eat raw Kale?
Goitrin is a chemical compound in raw Kale that can cause thyroid dysfunction. Cooking can cause goitrin to be released from the cells. If you have thyroid issues, it is best to cook Kale. Healthy adults should consume at most 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of Kale per day for the long term.
Does freezing Kale destroy its nutrients?
You can freeze Kale to extend its shelf life and retain its nutritional value. It is essential to prepare properly and freeze it and use it within the time limit.
Does Kale Freeze Well?
Kale freezes well if blanched before. It will work fine if you intend to use it in a Kale Salad.
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