How to Freeze Kale

Edited by Flickety, Maluniu, Krystle, Elliot Ferro

If you have an abundance of kale and you're not sure what to do with it, freezing it into meal-size portions is one good option.

EditSteps

1
Select the kale. Choose kale that is fresh, in great condition and free of blemishes.

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2
Clean the kale. Rinse the kale under running water to remove soil and grime.
3
Trim off the base of the stem. It is okay to leave the rib in the middle of the leaves, although some people prefer to cut that out too.
4
Fill a pot or saucepan with water. Bring to the boil. At the same time, prepare a bowl of ice water (cold water with ice cubes added) and put to one side.
5
Blanch the kale. This is important to prevent the kale from browning during freezing, allowing it to retain its green color and stay fresh. Add the kale to the boiling water in batches. Blanch for 3 minutes. Repeat with each batch you're preparing for freezing.
6
Remove the kale and immediately dunk into the ice water in the bowl. This stops the cooking process instantly.
7
Drain the kale. First allow it to drain through a colander, pressing down to help remove more water. Then, lay on absorbent paper towels to drain off more water.
8
Package into a resealable bag or airtight freezer-proof container. Package about 1 to 2 cups per bag or container, enough for a standard meal/dish. It is better to have several smaller packages than one large and unusable package. Press down on a bag to remove as much air as possible before sealing.
9
Label and date. Place in the freezer.
10
Use. Add the frozen kale straight to a dish you're cooking, such as pasta sauce, a stew or casserole. If you want to cook the frozen kale just in water, it will require about 8-12 minutes cooking.^[1]

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EditTips

Blanch for one minute more if you live at an altitude of 5,000 feet or more.
Use frozen kale within 8 months of freezing it.

EditThings You'll Need

Cutting board and knife
Colander
Cooking pot or pan
Bowl of ice water (with ice cubes)
Resealable bags or freezer-proof containers
Marker for labels

EditSources and Citations

↑ http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/CFS/CFS-134-W.pdf

https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/districts/anchorage/hhfd/kale.pdf?__toolbar=1 – research source
http://www.gardeningblog.net/2013/01/26/extend-the-harvest-how-to-freeze-kale/ – research source
http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_168.pdf – research source

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