- First of all, you should drain excess water after washing your fresh collard greens.
- Putting them on paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible will prevent ice crystals from forming or freezer burn and increase the storage time in your freezer.
- Afterward, blanch collard greens for three minutes.
- Freezing collard greens in a freezer bag is an excellent way to store your vegetables for up to 6 months.
- Boil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add washed, whole, cut, or torn greens to water.
- Blanch. Blanch greens for 2 minutes. Then, remove and plunge in ice water for 2 mins.
- Pack. Dry greens and pack into Freezer Zipper bag.
- Freeze. Remove as much air as possible if using bags, then seal.
How long can you keep cooked collards Greens?
Part 2 Part 2 of 2: Packaging and Storing Collard Greens Download Article
- Chill the boiled leaves in a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes. Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes.
- Drain out any excess water from the greens. Move the wet leaves into a colander, then hold the container over the sink.
- Seal the leaves in freezer-safe plastic bags. ...
- Freeze the collard greens and use them within 10-12 months. ...
How to freeze collards &turnip greens the right way?
Preparing Greens for the Freezer
- After the greens are washed, chop them roughly and put them into a large pot on the stove. ...
- Set the temperature (or fire, if you use a gas stove) to medium. ...
- A large, full pot of greens will cook down to about 1/3 of your pot, maybe even less. ...
- You aren't cooking the greens, you're only wilting them. ...
How to clean and Cook collards?
Part 1 Part 1 of 2: Boiling Greens to Preserve Flavor and Texture Download Article
- Rinse off the collard greens with cool running water. Wash off both sides of each leaf, checking for dirt and insects as you go.
- Cut off any excess stems from the leaves. Use a knife to trim down the collard greens until only the leaves remain.
- Fill a large pot with water and set it to boil. ...
- Boil the collard greens for 3 minutes. ...
How long do you boil collards?
Instructions
- Simmer the ham hock. Bring the water and ham hock to a boil in a large pot over a high heat. ...
- Prepare the collards. Wash the collards well in cold water. ...
- Cut the onion. Dice the yellow onion.
- Cook the collards. After 2 hours, transfer the ham hock to a plate to cool. ...
- Combine and sauté. When the collards are ready, turn off the heat. ...
Can you freeze fresh collard greens without blanching?
You do not have to blanch your collard greens before freezing them, as they are perfectly happy being frozen as is. If you want the full flavors of the greens when you do start cooking them, it may be better to blanch them before freezing.
Can you freeze raw collard greens?
Can you freeze collard greens? Yes, to freeze: (1) Wash greens thoroughly and cut off woody stems; (2) Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for three minutes and chill quickly in ice cold water; (3) Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.
How do I blanch collard greens for freezing?
Blanch in boiling water. For kale, spinach, chard, mustard, beet or turnip greens, boil for 2 minutes. Boil collard greens for 3 minutes. Cool immediately and drain well.
Should frozen collards be thawed before cooking?
The best way to cook and heat your collard greens once they have been frozen is to not defrost them at all. Pop them into your recipe or cook them up using your favourite method right from frozen.
What happens if you do not blanch a vegetable before freezing it?
Blanching helps vegetables keep their vibrant colors and retain nutrients, and stops the enzymes that would otherwise lead to spoilage. Freezing vegetables without blanching them first results in faded or dulled coloring, as well as off flavors and textures.
How do you thaw frozen collard greens?
What is this? You can also speed up the process by placing them in a bowl of cold water. This way, they'll be thawed out in about an hour. If you're planning on sautéing your collard greens, it's best to thaw them first before adding them into the pan completely.
What is the best way to preserve collard greens?
MSU Extension recommends storing unwashed greens in moist paper towels and placing in sealed plastic bags in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. They will keep about three to four days. Use a separate cutting board for your collard greens from raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
Should you blanch collard greens?
1:333:02How To Blanch and Store Collard Greens - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSet up first step is taking your collard greens and i like to take out the big thick part of the midMoreSet up first step is taking your collard greens and i like to take out the big thick part of the mid vein. And leave some of the smaller. Parts but you can choose to leave it or not it's up to you i
Can you vacuum seal fresh collard greens?
The answer is yes, you can absolutely vacuum seal vegetables! However, you need to prepare your veggies correctly BEFORE freezing in order to preserve texture, flavour and nutritional content, while taking advantage of a longer shelf life.
How do you cook frozen collard greens in Southern style?
Cooking DirectionsOPEN package and pour frozen collard greens into a saucepan.COVER with water.BOIL for 3 minutes.REDUCE heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Additional water may be needed.DRAIN and season to taste.
How do you saute frozen collard greens?
InstructionsPlace a skillet over high heat (9) and add broth.After 3 minutes, or when the broth comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high (7).Add the collard greens, butter, vinegar, seasonings, and sugar, then stir well.Let the greens cook for 17-18 minutes or until desired tenderness.
How do you freeze leafy greens?
Place the prepared greens in freezing containers or in ziplock bags. Squeeze as much air out of the bags as you can. Label and date the bags and place them in your freezer. Properly prepared, leafy greens will keep for 8 to 12 months in the freezer.
Does Freezing Affect Collard Greens?
Yes, freezing affects collard greens. Freezing damages the texture of collard greens and will change their taste.
How to Freeze Collard Greens?
Like most other leafy vegetables, you should blanch them before freezing.
How to Thaw Frozen Collard Greens?
Now that you know how to freeze collard greens, how would you thaw them?
How to Cook Thawed Collard Greens?
Once you’ve successfully thawed your collard greens, it’s time to cook them.
How to Tell if Frozen Collard Greens are Bad?
Since frozen collard greens are kept on the same shelf as other frozen veggies, you might be wondering: How can I tell if my frozen collard greens have gone bad?
Conclusion
In conclusion, collard greens are very healthy, whether you’re cooking them or freezing them.
Can You Freeze Collard Greens
You can freeze collard greens that have already been cooked for up to 12 months, placing them in small plastic bags and allowing them to freeze as-is. Some of the best meals can be spiced up by adding a few of the already cooked collard greens during the cooking process.
Can You Freeze Raw Collard Greens?
When you have a newly bought batch of fresh collard greens, it may seem intimidating to start boiling all of them before freezing, especially if you have a smaller kitchen. This is why many people have started to freeze their collard greens while they are still fresh, giving them the same shelf life as boiled collard greens .
Do You Have To Blanch Collard Greens Before Freezing?
You do not have to blanch your collard greens before freezing them, as they are perfectly happy being frozen as is. If you want the full flavors of the greens when you do start cooking them, it may be better to blanch them before freezing.
How Do You Prepare Collard Greens For Freezing?
The traditional way of preparing collard greens starts by cleaning the greens, blanching them, and then putting the freshly blanched collard greens in a bucket of ice water. After this, you remove the collard greens by using a colander and then bagging each set of collard greens, placing them in the fridge.
What Is The Best Way To Freeze Fresh Collard Greens?
Freezing fresh greens can be more complicated than simply throwing them in a baggy and allowing them to freeze. While this can be done for the maximum amount of taste to be kept for the long-term it is best to vacuum pack and then freeze the collard greens. This ensures that the minimum amount of ice crystals can form within the leaves.
How Do You Reheat Frozen Collard Greens?
Reheating collard greens is the simplest step in the process. If they are already cooked, then you can simply add them to your dish. The collard greens will unfreeze in the dish as everything is being cooked and may even help you cool the dish down if you are getting ready to add in ingredients that enjoy lower heats.
Can You Leave Cooked Collard Greens Out Overnight?
Depending heavily on the weather conditions for your area, you can leave cooked collard greens out overnight. The greens must be freshly cooked, in a covered container, and not have come into contact with the sun. Otherwise, you should not eat any collard greens that have been cooked and left at room temperature for over 2 hours.
What Are The Types Of Collard Greens?
Before moving onto the discussion of freezing leafy greens without blanching, let’s learn a little more about the varieties of the collard greens that you can find in the market or grow in the backyard of your home.
What Are The Benefits Of The Greens?
Though we will talk about ‘can you freeze collard greens’, let us talk about the benefits of greens.’ The collard greens might be a cultivar variety. But you cannot ignore the various health benefits of the leaves, which have been tempting the human race for a long time.
Blanching Collard Greens
When people store the green vegetables, they blanch them so that the raw vegetable’s moisture does not spoil the leaves and the stems. This is why blanching can be seen in the collard greens before storing them in the refrigerator for further use.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Blanching Greens?
For learning more about can you freeze fresh collard greens without blanching, you need to understand the disadvantages of the process first. Here, we have discussed certain bad effects of blanching, which will wreck your collard beans. So, let’s hear them out!
Can You Freeze Fresh Collard Greens Without Blanching?
Greens have a lot of moisture in their cells. When they are frozen, the water particles transform into ice, which keeps the leaves fresh and prevents decaying. However, for a long time, people have been using the process of blanching.
What Are The Ways Of Freezing Collard Greens Without Blanching?
In this section, we will describe the ways of freezing greens without blanching. So, instead of wasting time, let’s get on with the discussion on how to freeze greens.
For How Long The Raw Collard Green Can Be Kept In The Freezer? Can You Freeze Raw Collard Greens?
Since now you have your answer to the question of can you freeze fresh collard greens without blanching, you need to understand the longevity factors of the raw greens in the freeze. The maximum time for which you can preserve the raw greens is 12 months. But, this time will get reduced if you are not following these rules :
Turn up the heat
When exploring how to freeze fresh collard greens, blanching is an essential step. First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then add washed, whole, cut or torn greens to water. Start counting blanching time as soon as the water returns to a boil. Boil greens for 3 minutes, then remove and plunge in ice water for 3 minutes.
Dry off
Drain and dry greens thoroughly. Any residual moisture can negatively impact the quality of the frozen greens.
Pack it up
Pack greens into a freezer bag such as a Glad® Flex'n Seal ® Freezer Quart Bag.
Freeze with ease
Remove as much air as possible, leave 1-inch headspace to ensure an airtight seal.
Collard Leaves
Collards are a Southern dish that has been enjoyed for generations. They’re related to other types of leafy greens like kale and mustard, but they still maintain their own unique taste profile thanks in part to being cooked with bacon grease!
Nutritions
Collard greens may not be the first vegetable that comes to mind when you’re looking for healthy options, but they are one of many leafy green vegetables with nutritional benefits. Collards contain calcium and vitamins A through K; these nutrients help keep your bones strong as well metabolic processes working normally!
Freezing Your Collard Greens
Freezing collard greens is an easy way to have a delicious and healthy meal ready at any time.
Benefits Of Freezing Collard Green
Don’t forget about the benefits of freezing cooked collard greens! You can save time when you’re ready to use them, so it’s an excellent idea if they are pre-cooked.
Cleaning Process Of Collard Greens
Collard greens are a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, as well as minerals like calcium.
How To Cook Collard Greens?
The next time you prepare collard greens, be sure to use a vegetable peeler! You can also steam or boil them depending on your preference.
Can you freeze spinach kale and collard greens?
Yes! Spinach and kale are both great options for freezing. Just follow the same steps as above, but add the greens to a freezer bag but make sure they are dry from any water that you have used to wash or clean them before sealing it.
Can Collard Greens Be Frozen After Cooking?
This is one of the most popular ways to freeze collard greens after cooking.
Do You Have To Blanch Collard Greens Before Freezing?
No, you do not have to blanch the collard greens before freezing however there are some advantages in doing so.
Freezing Greens Without Blanching
The best way to preserve greens is by freezing them without blanching them first. This will prevent any discoloration and loss of nutrients.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Blanching Greens?
Blanching greens before freezing can be seen as removing some of the nutrients or destroying the fragile vitamins. But blanching will keep them from turning brown, but it won’t stop them from losing nutrients. If you blanch them, they’ll still lose some vitamins and minerals during the process.
Does Freezing Kill the Nutrients in Leafy Greens?
No, it does not. The freezing process may cause some cell damage, which means that nutrients like vitamins and minerals will be lost. If you want to preserve leafy greens for longer than a few days, it’s best to freeze them.
How Do You Prepare Collard Greens For Freezing?
To prepare frozen collard greens we feel that blanching gives the best result.
Why Should I Freeze My Cooked Collard Greens?
Not only can you freeze cooked collard greens, but it’s an excellent way to extend the life of your vegetables. Pre-cooking your collard greens will also save you time when you’re ready to use them, so you’ll thank yourself later on those busy school nights when you already have so much on your plate.
How To Cook And Freeze Collard Greens?
Freezing cooked collard greens is a simple process and doesn’t take much time at all. Follow the step-by-step process below for the best results.
How To Cook Frozen Collard Greens?
The best part about already having cooked collard greens in your freezer is the convenience. All you need to do is pull out the amount you need for your recipe and throw it into whatever you’re cooking, whether you’re sauteeing, simmering on the stovetop, or making a crockpot dinner.
What Can I Cook With Frozen Collard Greens?
Collard greens are so versatile, and you can enjoy many recipes when you have cooked collard greens on hand in the freezer. It’s easy to give all your standby recipes a Southern flare (without adding fat, calories, or sodium). Luckily collard greens pair well with any other vegetables, including onions, garlic, or tomatoes.
Final Thoughts
Not only can you freeze cooked collard greens, but it’s such a convenient way to make weeknight dinnertime less stressful and nutritious for you and your family. Having frozen vegetables on hand saves so much time that you might need to help with homework in the evenings or drive the kids to and from activities.