Kale is a leafy greens vegetable that can be used in many dishes. Here in Canada, it can be grown in the summer months and is ready to harvest throughout the year. If you are having a hard time eating these leafy greens grown in your garden, consider freezing kale to make your kale last throughout the winter by adding kale in the freezer along with other freezer vegetables you can freeze or can.
If you only purchase Kale at your local grocery store, then if you find a deal, you may want to consider freezing part of it if you don’t think you can eat it all before it goes bad in your fridge.
Some people prefer to juice kale, so they don’t have to eat it. They still get the nutritional value but do have to eat the kale. Learning how to freeze kale so you can use it as you need it is straightforward. Just follow the steps below to have a batch ready to use when you need it.
There are two ways to Freeze Kale, one is without blanching, and one is Blanching kale for freezing. It’s your choice, try both and see what works for your family.
FAQ when it comes to freezing Kale
Can I freeze kale without blanching?
Yes
Can I freeze fresh chopped kale?
Yes
How to Freeze Kale
Regardless of how you plan to freeze kale, there are a few things that remain consistent, and that’s prepping your fresh Kale greens.
Prepare the leafy greens ( Kale)
The very first thing you need to do is separate the leaves. Kale is very leafy, and some of those leaves tend to stick together. If they are stuck together, you can’t clean them properly, and you won’t be able to use them like you want to. Just pull the leaves apart until they are completely separate from each other.
Rinse
The next thing you are going to do is rinse the kale off. Place each leaf under running water and use your hands to remove any dirt or debris. After you rinse it off,
Dry your Kale
If you are going to freeze fresh kale, you will need to let your Kale dry – by using a salad spinner or wipe with a cloth or paper towel to take out the moisture to avoid ice crystals in the freezer months for better stability of the kale.
Freezing Raw Fresh Kale
Items needed:
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Salad spinner or cloth to dry kale.
- If flash-freezing keeps big pieces from not sticking to each other during the freezer months, cookie sheet.
- freezer bags or containers
How to FLASH Freeze
You can flash freeze them first to make things easier. To do this, use the following steps.
Directions on Flash Freezing
- Lay each separate kale leaves on a flat sheet-like a cookie sheet.
- Place the sheet in the freezer for an hour or two.
- When the kale is frozen, place one leaf at a time in a bag or container.
- You might even break each leaf into pieces and put the pieces in a freezer bag.
Why you should Blanche Kale
it is best to always Blanche your kale or any other leafy vegetable just due to bacteria – That’s how recalls were born, lots of bacteria issues when it comes to the process of leafy vegetables, that’s why its always best to rinse the fresh kale, and to always Blanche the kale to give your kale the best chance to not make your family ill by eating leafy greens.
How to Blanche Kale
Items Needed to Blanche kale:
- Large Pot
- Large Container
- Ice cubes
Directions on Blanching
- Fill a large pot with water and create boiling water.
- Place each kale leaf in the water.
- Allow the water to boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove the kale from the water and immediately drain it.
- Rinse each leaf with cold water using a container filled with ice cubes to create ice water, so it does not continue to cook.
Tip: The blanching process stops enzymes and bacteria from growing. Freezing the food does not stop this process. That’s why you should Blanche your vegetables to be safe.
How to thaw frozen kale
If you are tossing the frozen kale into a soup or a stew, throw it in frozen, or let it thaw in the fridge.
Ways to use frozen kale
- Smoothies
- stews
- soups
- pesto
