I was an adult before I saw how Brussels sprouts grew on a long thick stalk. Prior to that I had only eaten Brussels sprouts that come out of a bag and I guess I just thought they came like that. I never liked them as a child, but still we ate them, steamed and sprinkled liberally with salt and doused with butter. They were so bitter and terrible that I remember really disliking that my parents made them.
I had an awakening on Brussels sprouts the first time I had them roasted. Unlike the bright green steamed Brussels sprouts, when roasted, they become dark green. Instead of being squeaky when you chew them, they are tender and delicious. They are everything that steamed Brussels sprouts are not.
Brussels sprouts are quite good when cooked from fresh, but they are also easily frozen for storage in the winter months. When Brussels sprouts are in season (late fall), they are a common fixture at the farmer’s market and other farm stands. If you grow them, they are all ready at once, which can be overwhelming when you grow several plants.
Brussels sprouts are easy to process for freezing, making them a great option for using this simple blanching method to stretch their shelf life. I do prefer Brussels sprouts fresh, but when they are not available, this is a good solution to still enjoy them. They can be turned into these roasted Brussels sprouts with little effort.
How To Freeze Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are harvested in the fall months and can be found for good prices at local produce markets near me at this time. I like to stock up and freeze several quart bags of Brussels sprouts to have on hand when they are not in season.
Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts
Directions
- Step 1 Bring a large pot of water to boil and prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
- Step 2 Remove the Brussels sprouts from stalk by cutting them off at the base with a small knife. Trim to remove any hard stems and discard any outer leaves that fall off. Wash them well in water.
- Step 3 When the water boils, add the Brussels sprouts. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Brussels sprouts and transfer to the ice bath for at least 3 minutes, or until cool.
- Step 4 Let the cooled sprouts drain in a colander placed over a bowl to catch the dripping water. Shake them a few times while you work on something else to get as much water out of them as possible. Excess water left on frozen vegetables will cause a loss of quality while frozen so get them as dry as you can.
- Step 5 Pack in freezer safe bags or containers, label and freeze.
