Can You Freeze Cabbage: Cabbage is one of the unsung heroes of the vegetable garden. And using it whole head of cabbage at a time is difficult even after making a couple of recipes using cabbage.
You will still have leftover cabbage. Instead of letting it rot in your fridge, it is always better to try freezing cabbage for later use.
You may be wondering by listening to this and you will get some questions in mind like how can you freeze cabbage, the freezing process, defrosting process, and many others. To know the answers to all your queries, check out the article below.
In this comprehensive guide, we have discussed how to freeze cabbage, how to defrost and use frozen cabbage, how long can you freeze cabbage, tips & tricks to follow while freezing and many more.
- Can You Freeze Cabbage? Can You Freeze Shredded Cabbage for Coleslaw?
- How To Freeze Shredded or Chopped Cabbage?
- Freezing Cabbage Leaves or Wedges
- How To Freeze Whole Cabbage
- How To Freeze Cooked Cabbage
- How To Defrost Frozen Cabbage?
- Uses of Frozen Cabbage
- Is it Possible to Refreeze Your Frozen Cabbage?
- Which cabbage types are best for freezing?
- Can you freeze cabbage without blanching?
- How long does frozen cabbage last in the freezer?
Can You Freeze Cabbage? Can You Freeze Shredded Cabbage for Coleslaw?
Yes, you can freeze cabbage in the freezer for a few months. To freeze the cabbage for a long time, you need to follow the best freezing process that is shown below.
Yes, of course freezing shredded cabbage is a great way if you do not use it all at once. Use the freezing process of shredded cabbage that was provided in the below sections. That cabbage can use for coleslaw.
If you would like to know if can you freeze coleslaw, you can check the link that was provided by us.
How To Freeze Shredded or Chopped Cabbage?
As the cabbage has many leafy layers, cabbage requires thorough cleaning. And prepping the cabbage is needed. After that, you need to follow the freezing process to freeze. Below we have provided you with the step-by-step process. Check out below.
Step 1: First, prepare the cabbage to chop. To do that you need to discard the coarse outer layers and wash the cabbage. Then by removing the core and chopping the cabbage leaves.
Step 2: Next after completion of your preparation you need to use the blanching process. Blanching the cabbage helps you to store it for a long time and the texture, color, and flavor also will not change.
- To blanch the cabbage, just take the bowl of tap water and boil it on the stove, after the water comes to the boiling stage, add the cabbage to the water and
- Wait for 2-3 minutes and then remove from boiling water and add it to an ice water bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Once the cabbage cools down completely, just drain the water and dry the cabbage.
Still, if you are getting confused to blanch the cabbage, you can check out our blanching vegetables guide for a more detailed explanation.
Step 3: After the cabbage was dried completely, just add some seasonings to the cabbage and then transfer the cabbage into freezer-safe bags, and seal it tightly by squeezing the air completely. Finally, put the cabbage bags into the freezer by labeling them with the name and storage date.
Freezing Cabbage Leaves or Wedges
The freezing process of cabbage leaves and shredded cabbage are very similar with few differences. Below we have shown the freezing process of leaves or wedges step by step.
Step 1: You need to Prep the cabbage leaves or wedges to freeze. To do that, just wash the cabbage and then separate the leaves or wedges.
Step 2: After completion of prepping you need to blanch the cabbage leaves or wedges. This process can see above in shredded cabbage.
Step 3: Once after blanching, pre-freeze the cabbage leaves or wedges, by placing the cabbage leaves on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Step 4: And flash freezing or pre-freezing is done, then take freeze bags and place the flash-frozen cabbage leaves or wedges into the bags based on your future use. Then remove the excess air and seal it tightly.
Step 5: Label the bags with the name and storage date. Then put the bags into the freezer.
How To Freeze Whole Cabbage
Normally, freezing whole cabbage is not recommended as it will take up too much room. But if you have much space in the freezer and if you dont have any time to prep the cabbage, freeze the whole cabbage. Below we have provided you with a step-by-step guide.
- Firstly, soak the whole cabbage in a gallon of water containing 3 tablespoons of salt. So that if there are any insects or beetles, they will get rid of it.
- Next rinse the cabbage heads and remove the outer cabbage leaves which are coarse.
- Then dry the soaked cabbage and then place the whole cabbage in the freezer bag,
- Seal it tightly by squeezing the air completely.
- Label it with the storage date and name.
- Finally, put the bag in the freezer.
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How To Freeze Cooked Cabbage
Freezing cooked cabbage is also easy and simple. But following the steps properly one by one is necessary.
- Firstly, cook the cabbage by adding tomatoes, onions, herbs, and others. Then cool it completely.
- After it cools down completely, place the cabbage dish in the freezer bags.
- Seal it tightly by squeezing the air completely.
- Label it with the storage date and name.
- Finally, put the bag in the freezer.
How To Defrost Frozen Cabbage?
To defrost the cabbage we use the natural process, just take out the cabbage from the freezer and then place it into the fridge.
Leave it in the fridge until the cabbage is thawed. It may take upto 2 days to thaw. And if you want the cabbage to thaw very quickly, just place the freezer bags in warm water.
Once after the completion of defrosting, you can just cook the cabbage by draining the excess water in it.
Uses of Frozen Cabbage
Cabbage is a wonderful complementary vegetable in many dishes. And you can also use frozen cabbage in the same way as a fresh one. Here are some of the ideas we have provided below on how can you use frozen cabbage.
- You can use frozen cabbage to make ham and cabbage soup.
- Make cabbage rolls, a simple red cabbage salad.
- You can use it in the garlicky roasted cabbage steak dish.
- And also you can use it in stews, slaws, and rolls.
Is it Possible to Refreeze Your Frozen Cabbage?
No, refreezing is not recommended for frozen cabbage as the texture and flavor change. And also when you defrost the cabbage, it is very easy to develop bacteria at room temperature, so if you freeze that cabbage again there will be a high risk of spoilage.
So, it is always better to use the defrosted cabbage completely otherwise discard it. To avoid food wastage, it is always better to freeze the cabbage in portions.
FAQs on Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage
1. Which cabbage types are best for freezing?
As cabbage is a hearty cruciferous vegetable, any variety freezes well in the freezer. Some of those varieties are napa, purple, savoy, and even smaller relatives like bok choy are the different types of cabbages that are best for freezing.
2. Can you freeze cabbage without blanching?
Yes, you can freeze cabbage without blanching, but blanching cabbage can help you to freeze the cabbage for a long time in the freezer. To freeze the cabbage without blanching you can prep and freeze the cabbage in freezer bags by skipping the blanching process.
3. How long does frozen cabbage last in the freezer?
Frozen cabbage can last in the freezer for upto 14 months if you freeze it by blanching process, otherwise, you can freeze it for upto 4 weeks.
Key Takeaways
Here, we have provided you with the best freezing ways to freeze cabbage. Hope you understood well and used the freezing process properly to get the best results.
Frozen cabbage will work best in cooking dishes than raw dishes. The knowledge that we have shared on Can you freeze cabbage is useful.
For more vegetable freezing articles like Can you freeze sauerkraut, can you freeze Brussels sprouts and many more, check out our site canyoupreserve.Com and also bookmark our site for more interesting new updates,