Freezing Peas

ReptileAddiction · Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:05 pm

So this fall-spring my main crop is going to be peas. I want to grow sugar snaps. I want to freeze some of them to have as a side with a dinner. My question is how do I freeze them? How do I prepare them to eat when I want to? Is suger snap even the right kind for freezing? If I want to eat them as a side fresh how do I prepare them? Thanks.

Cheryl Litchfield · Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:11 am

If you want to freeze the peas you will need to blanch them, you need to make sure you have a saucepan of boiling water on the go and a bowl of extremely cold water with ice in it. You place the peas into the boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes then you remove them and immediately put them into the cold freezing water. You can then drain them and they are ready to freeze. Like any frozen vegetable they are then ready to eat at any time and the cooking time is the same as any other frozen peas. About 10 to 15 minutes in a lightly salted water, if you want salt that is.

Hope this helps

jal_ut · Mon Sep 24, 2012 1:15 pm

Some pea varieties put on a large crop all at once and are excellent to grow for freezing peas (shelled). Other varieties seem to bloom as they go along and spread out the harvest.

Examples of freezer types are Lincoln and Victory Freezer.

Sugar Snap is an edible pod pea I believe?

Any can be frozen. Cheryl gives good advice on that project. Have fun.

Dillbert · Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:08 pm

and here's my lazy way - works just fine for freezer life of "until next season"

plant peas
pick peas
shell peas
put shelled peas in zip lock freezer bag
freeze.

as best I've read, the blanching kills off enzymes which can cause things to go off color in ,,, what obviously I have discovered , , , is too long a time in the freezer..... June to Mar freezer time, no blanch, (around here) has not been an issue.

ReptileAddiction · Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:08 pm

jal_ut wrote:Some pea varieties put on a large crop all at once and are excellent to grow for freezing peas (shelled). Other varieties seem to bloom as they go along and spread out the harvest.

Examples of freezer types are Lincoln and Victory Freezer.

Sugar Snap is an edible pod pea I believe?

Any can be frozen. Cheryl gives good advice on that project. Have fun.

That is what shelled peas are for. This makes a lot more sense now...

Yes sugar snap in an edible pea pod.