Can You Freeze Okra – How To Freeze Okra In Simple Steps?

by

Can You Freeze Okra?: Okra is a vegetable that tastes amazing when fried, made into side dishes or even as a stir fry. However, there is a high possibility that you end up with too much, especially if you have managed to get to a large quantity of okra. So you may wonder what you do with the excess. Have a look and find out how to freeze okra, how long frozen okra lasts, how to thaw frozen okra, to use frozen okra, how to refreeze them etc.

Can You Freeze Okra

Can You Freeze Okra?

Yes, you can definitely freeze okra for up to 12 months. It can be frozen raw or fried. However, if you are freezing okra raw, it should be blanched beforehand to make sure that you retain the flavour and texture.

How To Freeze Okra?

Given below is the step-by-step process of freezing okra:

  • Wash your okra pods. You can throw out any okra that is damaged or shows signs of spoiling. You should also cut off any stems.
  • You can either freeze them as a whole or chop them into smaller pieces before you store them.
  • Next, you have to blanch the okra. Place them in boiling water for a minute or two and soon put them into ice-cold water to prevent overcooking.
  • Allow the okra to drain and dry.
  • Lay the okra onto the baking sheet in a single layer and freeze it for up to 5 hours.
  • Once you are sure that the okra has frozen, place them in a freezer bag.
  • Place the freezer bag in the freezer.

Tips For Freezing Okra

Given below are three simple tips that you should keep in mind while freezing okra:

  • Blanching is very significant when it comes to freezing okra. This helps to maintain the texture and flavour of okra.
  • You can soak the okra in vinegar for a few minutes to destroy any bacteria and remove these pesticides.
  • Chopping okra can be a good option. Frozen chopped okra can easily be cooked.

Read More:

How Long Can You Freeze Okra?

You can freeze okra for up to a year. So if you want to save your leftover okra you can use your freezer whenever you need it. Fried okra however can be stored only for a little less time than this, that is you should use it within three months if possible.

How To Defrost Okra?

One of the best things when it comes to freezing your okra is that you don’t need to defrost it before using it. You can cook it right from frozen, and this helps you to save a lot of time. However, if you want to defrost the okra, you can do this by placing it into a bowl and placing it in the fridge to defrost it for several hours.

Can You Refreeze Okra?

Once you have your okra frozen, thawed and heated, it is not recommended that you refreeze it. This would end you up with spoiled okra that doesn’t taste good and It isn’t worth the risk.

Do Okra Freeze Well?

As long as you blanch the okra well, it does freeze fairly well. However it will never be quite as good as fresh, but the change in flavour and texture will be minimal and you won’t even notice that.

How To Use Frozen Okra?

Frozen okra can be used to make several dishes. These include:

  • Soups
  • Stews
  • Casseroles

Can You Freeze Okra Without Blanching?

Yes, You can freeze okra without blanching, but the okra you get will be of lower quality and won’t last long. Blanching stops the decay of okra, which saves the okra for longer. If you freeze okra without blanching, the enzymes may survive in the freezer and shorten the shelf life of okra.

To know more about vegetable collard greens and the freezing method of it do visit our article on Can You Freeze Collard Greens and clear your concerns.

Interesting Facts About Okra

Given below are some lesser-known facts about okra:

  • Okra is a wild crop that originated in Africa
  • Okra is also known by the name ladies finger.
  • It’s not necessary that you have to cook okra always, raw okra also tastes delicious.

FAQs on Can You Freeze Okra

1. Can you freeze okra?

Yes, you can definitely freeze okra for up to 12 months. It can be frozen raw or fried. In fact, freezing okra is one of the easiest ways to extend its store life.

2. How long does frozen okra last?

You can freeze okra for up to a year. So if you want to save your leftover okra you can use your freezer whenever you need it.

3. Is it necessary to blanch okra before you freeze it?

Yes, You can freeze okra without blanching, but the okra you get will be of lower quality and won’t last long

Conclusion

Freezing is one of the easiest ways to preserve okra. Thinking of freezing okra when you have extra on hand won’t be an issue anymore. In addition, having a great number of leftovers of okra is never going to overwhelm you again. Freeze the okra pods the right way to make sure that you enjoy them always! Keep in touch with us to have updates on Can You Freeze Aloo Gobi and others.

Leave a Comment