You must know by now how I love to take care of my own garden and plant as many vegetables as I possibly can. There is a certain joy that comes whenever it is time to pick up my fresh ripened fruits and vegetables from their stems.
I specifically like to go crazy when it comes to planting Turnips. Besides the fact that I love to add Turnips to absolutely anything, whether it is stew, soap, or even salads, and the fact that Turnips usually can withstand being left in a cold dry area for quite some time without spoiling because of how dry it is. It is mainly because of how easy it is to freeze Turnips!
So if you are asking yourself right now this question “Can you freeze cooked Turnips” know that the answer is an easy YES.
Can you freeze raw turnips?
Here’s the trick though, it is not really advised to freeze raw turnips as they will become soft and lose their taste, as well as their texture.
You have to at least blanch it first, which is fairly easy. All you have got do is peel your turnips, cut it into chunks, then place the chunks in a boiling water for about two minutes. Transfer the boiled chunks to a bowl filled with cold water and some ice cubes. That’s it. Now they are ready for the freezer!
Can you freeze cooked turnips?
Yes. In fact, it is recommended to first cook your fresh Turnips or at least blanch them before you store them in the freezer.
You can easily freeze cooked Turnips in a stew, soap, or even mashed ones with some swede or carrots.
Turnip vs swede
I know how confusing it can be to distinguish between both of these delicious vegetables. That’s why I am going to try to break down for you the differences between both. The Turnips are usually smaller and have a white center, unlike swede which is usually colored, either yellow or orange.
How to freeze cooked turnips?
- Start by making sure that the cooked turnips are cold enough to at least room temperature. In case of blanching them, then ice cold water will suffice to lower their temperature enough.
- Drain the excess water from them, then move them to a freezer bag or an airtight container.
- Label the freezer-friendly container with the date and content of the container so it is easier for you to later distinguish it from other food stored in the freezer.
It is advised to divide your turnips into small portions, each stored separately in the freezer, so that it is easier for you to later on defrost each portion without taking the whole batch out of the freezer.
Frozen cooked Turnips can withstand a whole year in the freezer without any change in taste or texture.
Can you freeze cooked turnip greens?
Yes. You can easily do so by following the same exact steps!
How to defrost cooked turnips?
Move the container containing the Turnips from the freezer to the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight. In the case that you have frozen a small portion, then it shouldn’t take more than a few hours in the fridge to completely thaw. However, if you have a large batch, then just leave it to defrost overnight.
A faster approach could be taken for thawing your frozen cooked turnips is by microwaving it on the “Defrost” setting.
How to reheat cooked turnips?
Well, fortunately for us, there are many methods you can try to reheat your frozen Turnips with. My preferred one is by placing the chunks of turnips in a pot filled with boiling water, and leaving it to reheat for a few minutes. You will know that they are ready once you try to stab the chunks with a knife, and it goes to the center easily without much resistance.
As for the mashed turnips, then heating them in a pan on the stovetop might be your best option. Just add some heavy cream, and stir the mix while it is on a medium heat for a few minutes. It will start regaining its smooth texture again and will be ready in no time!
A final option that you can try is to just microwave your turnips for a few minutes on “High” power. This might be the quickest one, although not my favorite option.
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