Here's a step-by-step guide on how to freeze swiss chard from harvesting to blanching to freezing. Frozen Swiss chard is great to use in soups, stews, casseroles and so much more.
Properly rinse both the leaves and the stems under cold running water. An additional step to this method includes filling a sink or large bowl with cold water and allowing the chard to soak for a good 10 minutes.
Prepare a bowl of ice water large enough for your chard pieces to submerge in.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
Add the Swiss chard stalks and blanch for 3 minutes.
Remove and plunge chard stems in the bowl of ice water. This immediately stops the cooking process.
Transfer to a colander to drain.
Next, repeat the same process with the chard leaves but blanch for only one to two minutes.
Use your hands to squeeze the excess moisture gently. As an alternative, use a potato ricer to squeeze out the excess water. There is no need to separate the stalks from the leaves.
Place in resealable ziplock bags.
Use a straw or a sealer to remove as much air as possible. This, in turn, will reduce the formation of ice crystals.
Properly label your bags by indicating the date and place your bag in the freezer.
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Notes
Avoid cutting up the leaves or stems into small pieces before freezing. This can contribute to a loss of nutrients and increases the possibility of degradation.
Use a large stockpot to ensure there is plenty of volume for the chard to blanch quickly.
When blanching the stems and the leaves, please do not leave them in too long. You do not want to cook the chard during this process.
Start the timer (3 minutes for stalks and 1-2 minutes for the leaves) when the water returns to a rolling boil after adding the chard pieces.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.