[Jo-n-Neil]

to freeze broadbeans, peas and mangetout without blanching? I just gave them a really good wash and froze them. Same with some parmex carrots. Please tell me they will be ok

 :shock:

Jo x

[Poolfield2]

Peas I think you will get away with and if the broad beans were small probably ok but I don't fancy your chances with carrots :?

[Trillium]

We've never bothered blanching our peas and they always come out fine. But all our beans get blanched, mostly to extend the freezer life and texture. I'd be sure to eat the non-blanched items first. Broad beans just need a quick blanch, not even a minute as it needs only 3 minutes for larger beans to cook for the table. I'm not a fan of frozen carrots myself, but I'd blanch them first.

[Sharon]

Iv'e never blanched carrots or anything else for that matter.
You just have to remember that they will only need a brief steam when you come to cook them and cook them from frozen.

[compostqueen]

If you eat them up soonish I think they'll be fine

[Jo-n-Neil]

Cheers me dears. Ah well they are frozen now so its a bit late. Il know for next time tho.

Just out of interest whats the best way to store carrots parships etc. We are  getting another shed as we have now aquired a second plot. I wondered about covering them with sawdust or somthing. Will this work or have i been watching too much Victorian Kitchen Garden  :oops:  

[Trillium]

I'm buying some bags of clean sand and making a large wooden crate lined with weed barrier this year. I'll dampen the sand a bit before layering carrots and parsnips (in separate boxes) with the sand. I have a cold cellar in my freezing winter climate where they'll stay through winter. I never had luck with peat moss or sawdust, only dried out carrots. Come  spring I'll rinse out the sand, let it dry to kill any fungus spores, then  bag it dry until next fall. I used to do this method years ago and it worked well.