[stompy]

Hi guys,

Went to my dads plot on saturday to pick some srouts, when i came to pick them they were frozen.
I still picked them and took them home, will they be ok now their defrosted and how should i store them until the 25th.

Andy

[mumofstig]

IMO you will need to use them asap before they go mushy.

I would have put the frozen ones straight in the freezer to use when you needed them at Christmas. See what the other think.............

[Jonajo]

yes use them soon once picked for the reason above. However, if you have picked them as frozen they will definitely freeze fine at home and cook well enough when needed.

However, if they have started to defrost already, slice them thinly, saute with butter, garlic, bacon and chestnuts for about 10 mins max. Cool, then freeze like that - On Christmas day simply defrost and heat through. It is a similar recipe/technique to Heston's on the Waitrose adverts but I have often cooked sprouts that way ie) sliced etc, (as well as cooking whole when the mood takes me)

[peapod]

I think this extreme weather the past couple of years has taught me not to leave crops in the ground after the first frosts and just pick them when they are ready and freeze them.  I don't notice any taste difference, and its certainly made my life easier prepping over Christmas.

What with all the shopping, wrapping and work, Im glad that we decided to pick and prepare early, it would have been hard work to get the snips and sprouts this week!

[yorky]

I have grown sprouts every year since I got my first garden in 1968 and never once have they been ruined by frost and ice. They really are a true winter veg.
Having said that, this present cold snap is as bad as anything I can remember, so I wonder if some of the modern hybrids have retained the hardiness of the old varieties.

[stompy]

Well ive just taken them out of the fridge and they seem fine, still hard.
Im going to keep them in the fridge until Christmas day and hopefully they will be ok.

Andy

[Brassica Blaz]

hi, mine are frozen too.what happens to them when it thaws ,will they go abit mushy on the plant or do they recover? i'm wondering weather or not to pick them all and freeze them.will they taste as good as fresh sprouts?