Cabbage, one of the most versatile vegetables around, even coming in flower form! But today, we want to talk to how to freeze cabbage without blanching about the main, and let’s be fair, delicious use of cabbage. How long can I freeze my cabbage for?
Whether your cabbage is shredded, whole or sliced, doesn’t matter, all that matters is that you store your cabbage or cabbage leaf in an airtight manner, to prevent bacterial growth. There are many ways to seal cabbage airtight, you could use the cellophane method, just make sure you ensure there are no tears or gaps, you could be a little more daring and vacuum seal it, or you could use food wraps, there are even organic food wrap options available if you wanted to use something more eco-friendly. Cabbage will usually last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, so if you are planning on keeping it for longer, it would be wise to freeze it. Freezing is also a good option if you have bought it in bulk as it will keep your cabbages fresher for longer. When you are storing your cabbage in the refrigerator, ensure it is tightly sealed and store it in a drawer or a cool and crisp area, it is usually best to have a shelf in your fridge dedicated to vegetables, halfway down or at the bottom of your fridge. Once you have your cabbage refrigerated it will last a maximum of seven days, but usually estimate around 5 days.
When you use your cabbage, be careful to remove the outer leaves, much like when you take the end tip-off of a cucumber. It isn’t harmful, it just won’t taste as fresh as the rest of your cabbage. Before freezing you want to consider blanching. Blanching is the process of boiling or steaming the food for a short period of time to avoid enzyme actions which can make your cabbage lose flavor, color, and texture. It also cleanses your food of any organisms or dirt while brightening the color and stopping the loss of any vitamins or nutrients. It is recommended that you blanch before you freeze for the best quality for your cabbage after it has been frozen.