My beets are ready for picking, but...?!
My beets are ready for picking, but...?
I'm not really wanting to can them all right now. Would it be okay to pick and par boil them, then freeze until I'm ready to can them? Will the beets be mushy this way?
Answers:
Sorry, but no... :-)
You're threatening to sit between two conservation method stools, and there trouble lies. If your beets are ready for picking and you don't want to can them, then boil them fully and then freeze, and from then on treat them as 'fresh' boiled beets in the kitchen when you come to defrost and use.
You can't par-boil them, then freeze, and then defrost to resume cooking in preparation for canning as if nothing has happened to them in the intervening time. Their structure will be destroyed and they'll be no good to you either way.
Can now: fine. Freeze now: fine. Just don't mix and match.
Hope this helps.
I have never heard of doing this. I have never seen frozen beets in the store so I imagine you can't freeze them for later use. If you can put them in cold storage for a week or so and then use them it would be good or just let them continue growing. I can beets every year, all sizes, and have never noticed a difference in taste.
I wouldn't do that. You'd be better off to leave them in the ground until you are ready to can them,
If you were to freeze them, you'd have to fully cook them first.
Are you talking about Silver beet or beets as in Beetroot
*Silver beet. Blanch drain and freeze.
*Boil, bottle and fill with pickling juice.