Learn how to Freezer Okra if you are growing fresh okra in the garden!
Freezing okra is something every gardener and cook should know how to do. You’ll be grilling, frying, and adding okra to curries all year long!
As the gardening season takes off and then winds down, we end up with a plethora of produce for our garden. What do you do with all that produce? We can it or freeze it to preserve it all year long!
One veggie that I have my husband plant plenty of is okra. I absolutely love okra, as does the rest of our family. I use it year-round and having it fresh out of my garden makes it easy to freeze and keep on hand throughout every month of the year.
Tips for Freezing Okra:
Freezing okra is one of the simplest ways to store it for long periods of time. I tend to be a lazy freezer, which means I like to just chop or slice mine then stick it in a bag and freeze it.
Why should you blanch okra before freezing it?
This does work well, but there is a better way to do it. Blanching okra before you freeze it keeps all the flavors intact.
Blanching basically helps prevent loss of flavors and colors. It helps to stop the enzyme process that breaks down produce.
The process of blanching is simple, it means that you will first boil the okra for exactly 3 minutes – then immediately drain and toss it into ice water. Once this is done, then you can store the okra in a freezer-safe bag.
I like to cut my okra before blanching; however, you can do it after as well. One of the most important factors in blanching is to be sure to watch the times.
Each vegetable has a different blanching time appropriate for what it is, and it is very important to keep to that guideline. If you under-blanch, you could be worse off than if you didn’t blanch them at all. This chart will give you a great overview of the times of each vegetable.
Throughout the year, my favorite way to eat okra is in this grilled okra. It’s absolutely amazing and gives you a ‘fried’ taste without all the calories!
Steps to Freezing Okra
1. Trim the okra stems, and cut if you would like into the size you prefer.
2. Boil a pot of water, then place the okra in the boiling water for exactly 3 minutes.
3. Remove and drain.
4. Immediately toss it into a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes.
5. Drain and cool.
6. Place them in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer.
Find more recipes for okra too on Food Fanatic.
Comments & Reviews
After blanching okra will it be slimy
It hasn’t been when I’ve done it. I do have that issue though with store bought frozen okra sometimes though. It always seems to be hit or miss with it. I haven’t had any issues though with my own okra and this method.
After blanching should we dry the okra before freezing
It will drip off just a bit, but you do not have to completely dry it before freezing.