How To: Blanching & Freezing Green Peas

I’ve moved recently, and found a wonderful farmer’s market not far from my new home. On my first trip, last Saturday, I found freshly picked and shelled spring peas. It was a lucky find, because it’s much warmer here than in my former Ohio home. Peas are going out here, but aren’t quite ripe up north. I bought all the peas I could to blanch and freeze. Not having to shell all those peas myself was a blessing.Boxes may still be everywhere, begging to be unpacked, but fresh peas won’t wait. In less than three hours, peas were in the freezer, waiting for what passes for a cold winter in southeastern North Carolina.

Click on the photos below to find helpful products from Lehman’s when you are freezing produce.–they’ll make your spring veggie freezing easy!

Here’s how I processed the peas:

For each batch of raw peas, I picked out any leaves or foreign matter, and rinsed well to remove any soil or sand. Raw peas aren't as vibrant green as blanched ones.
For each batch of raw peas, I picked out any leaves or foreign matter, and rinsed well to remove any soil or sand. Raw peas aren’t as vibrant green as blanched ones.
Fill the saucepan half-way with water, and bring it to a boil. I added the peas to blanch (at a rolling boil) for a minute and an half.
Fill the saucepan half-way with water, and bring it to a boil. I added the peas to blanch (at a rolling boil) for a minute and an half.
The peas will foam as they blanch. Skim off foam with a spoon. Be careful: if you overfill the pot, it'll boil over! Keep it at 3/4 full of water and peas.
The peas will foam as they blanch. Skim off foam with a spoon. Be careful: if you overfill the pot, it’ll boil over! Keep it at 3/4 full of water and peas.
After blanching, plunge peas into ice water to stop cooking. I pour them into a colander, and plunge into a sanitized sink full of ice and water. Peas cool in less than a minute. Note the brighter green color after blanching.
After blanching, plunge peas into ice water to stop cooking. I pour them into a colander, and plunge into a sanitized sink full of ice and water. Peas cool in less than a minute. Note the brighter green color after blanching.
Pour cooled peas into freezer box. When box is full, snap on lid and pop into freezer. It's that easy!
Pour cooled peas into freezer box. When box is full, snap on lid and pop into freezer. It’s that easy!
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