Do I have to dry the blanched and cool-rinsed basil leaves before freezing?
I harvested all my basil today. I plan to blanch for 3 to 5 seconds and cool quickly with ice water. (In batches.) Now what? Do I really have to spread out the leaves and dry them before freezing? Sounds tedious!
Best Answer
Because they are blanched, they will never be as good as fresh.
I'd squish the water out of them and freeze them packed in ice cube trays and store the resulting cubes in ziplock type bags
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What is the best way to freeze basil leaves?
Simply chop leaves, stuff them into ice cube trays, cover with cold water, and freeze. The frozen basil bits will turn black as soon as they thaw, but they will still taste like basil. Frozen basil cigars are a great way to store basil with large leaves that can hold up to brief blanching.How do you prepare fresh basil for freezing?
Wash and dry basil leaves. Place them in a food processor and puree with a bit of oil. Then transfer the pureed leaves to ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Pop frozen basil cubes out of the tray and place in a plastic bag.Should I blanch basil before freezing?
Freezing Basil Leaves WholeTo freeze basil leaves whole, you'll first need to blanch them for 2 seconds in boiling water (I like to lower them into the pot and remove them using a metal sieve).How do you freeze chopped basil?
Thinly slice the basil. Divide the basil slices into a silicone ice cube tray. Drizzle a little oil over each cube, and then push the leaves into the oil. Freeze until hardened, and then pop the basil cubes out of the tray and move into an airtight freezer bag.The BEST Way to Freeze Basil
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