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Yes, you can freeze Brussels sprouts to enjoy later! Freezing preserves the freshness and nutrition of these delicious fall vegetables. Here are the steps (with photos) to freezing Brussels sprouts.
Fun Fact! The correct name IS, in fact, Brussels sprouts (not brussel sprouts) because they were named for Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
You can freeze either Brussels sprouts that you grow yourself or that you happen to buy a large batch in the store. That said, it is especially worthwhile to freeze when you have homegrown or locally-raised fresh sprouts to preserve their freshness. This is especially worthwhile after Brussels sprouts are harvested after frost when they taste sweeter and better.
Once you have sourced your delicious Brussels sprouts, it’s time to prepare them for the freezing preservation process. One pound of fresh Brussels sprouts will yield roughly one pint of frozen veggies.
Begin by washing the sprouts to remove any dirt or insect hitchhikers.
Over a bowl, cut the sprouts away from the stalk and remove any leaves as you come to them.
Then, pick over the sprouts carefully. Remove any that are spoiled or unappealing (these are get for the compost bin!). You will also want to trim away any areas nibbled by insects and cut the bottoms flush with the sprout.
Take the time to wash the Brussels sprouts once again.
Then, divide them into groups for steaming. Many times, it is best to group them based on size so that they will all steam uniformly.
Set up a pot on your stove with an inch of water in it and bring it to a rapid boil.
While the water is heating, get another large bowl ready with cold water and ice cubes. This will be used to rapidly cool the Brussels sprouts and stop them from cooking (a process known as blanching).
Once the water has come to a rolling boil, place the sprouts in a steamer basket in the boiling water and steam them, depending on their size.
Small sprouts = 3 minutes
Medium sprouts = 4 minutes
Large sprouts = 5 minutes
Do NOT overheat or overcook! This is how vegetables get post-freezer mushiness. Start the timer right when you put the sprouts in the boiling water and have a large bowl of very icy water ready to go, so you can plunge them into ice to stop the cooking. If you need to, add more ice cubes to the water to ensure it stays icy cold.
After the steaming time is complete, immediately cool off the Brussels sprouts in icy-cold water for at least four minutes to cool down and stop cooking.
After the Brussels sprouts have cooled, you will need to make sure they are completely dry. I like to use a salad spinner to remove as much excess water as possible.
After spinning the excess water off, place the Brussels sprouts on a clean towel to dry a bit more. It is important to make sure the sprouts are totally dry prior to freezing.
Place the dry Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet, evenly dispersing them. This allows the sprouts to freeze individually. Then, put the whole baking sheet into the freezer overnight.
The next morning, put the frozen Brussels sprouts into pint freezer bags, date and label the bags, and put them back into the freezer. Remove as much air as possible from bags before sealing. These Brussels sprouts will be delicious to get out and bake or steam when the snow flies. NOTE: If you don’t have a big enough space for freezing on a tray, then pack the sprouts in serving-size groups directly into freezer bags. Keep in a single layer and avoid overpacking.
Some people on the internet advise that you can freeze raw Brussels sprouts without any processing. I find that blanching the sprouts helps them to maintain their integrity and flavor.
Celeste is The Old Farmer's Almanac astrologer. She has also been growing virtually all of her family’s vegetables for the entire year for over 30 years. Read More from Celeste Longacre
I agree that brussel sprouts are difficult. This was my first year growing them and I wont bother again. I had such high hopes, but most of what made was small - not like the grocery store variety. I got about as many as Celeste and had 12 plants.
Hey Celeste, thanks for the growing tips! I just place mine into the freezer straight after harvest, without steaming, and they never went bad. They still taste delicious when cooked. Please why do you have to steam most vegetables for a few minutes before freezing? Thank you.
I grew BS for the first time this year. I had posted here and on the FB page at least 3 times asking for info on how/when to trim the leaves and stalks, because the sprouts on my plants are not tight and compact - they are loose and open, like a leafy cabbage..... Thanks to this post, now I know... albeit too late to use the info.