Go Back

How to Freeze Asparagus - Real Life Guide

Renee Groskreutz
Can You Freeze Asparagus for More Than a Year? Yes! This is how to freeze asparagus that have been blanched so that you can enjoy it all round the year.
4.50 from 2 votes
Course How To Freeze

Ingredients
  

  • Paring knife
  • Pot
  • Ice cubes
  • Large bowl
  • Timer
  • Baking sheet
  • Plastic bags
  • Vacuum packing
  • Plastic wrap

Instructions
 

  • Select freshly-harvested asparagus. Ideally, freeze your stock when the seasonal demand of the asparagus nears its peak, i.e. from early to mid-spring.
  • Wash each spear with cold water to remove any dirt or impurities. Keep washing thoroughly until it becomes entirely clean.
  • Trim the woody ends of your spears. The bottom end of the asparagus hardens with time. Therefore, you have to slice off the bottom third of your spears. 
  • Next, snap the spears into two. If not, cut with a sharp paring knife. Repeat this step for all the spears. 
  • Chop the asparagus into pieces that are about two inches in length. Althoughyou can freeze the whole spears, cutting it is necessary for the next process: blanching.
  • Use a pot that is big enough to hold the asparagus pieces. Fill two-thirds of the pot with water. Bring the water to a boil.
  • Pour water and ice cubes in another large bowl.
  • After boiling the water for three minutes, drop your asparagus spears or pieces into the water. Set a timer for three minutes to cook the asparagus.
  • Immerse all the boiled asparagus into the icy bowl immediately after taking it out of the pot. Set another timer for three minutes. 
  • Use a dry towel and dry off the damp asparagus. If you are careless during drying, then your asparagus will be frosty in the freezer and could become freezer burnt.
  • Lay down a baking sheet and distribute your asparagus pieces evenly. Use a plastic wrap as a covering for the sheet.
  • Add the baking sheet to your freezer so it can be flash-frozen in an hour.
  • Use plastic bags that are considered reliable for extended use (around a year). Stick labels with dates on your containers so that you can determine the condition of your asparagus.
  • Make sure that you pack asparagus tightly, eliminating any air from the container. To do this, you can apply vacuum packaging. 
  • Lastly, freeze the asparagus for a year or longer.

Notes

  • Don’t thaw asparagus just before cooking it.
  • You can take out the blanched asparagus out of the freezer and eat it even if a year has passed.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!