Cabbage is one of the important veggies you shouldn’t miss on your grocery list. You can use it for various recipes like making salads or soups.
Cabbages are harvested once per year during the fall season. However, you can’t buy cabbages in bulk when they’re in season and let them stay for days in the open air without rotting. Also, you can’t keep leftover cabbage if its size is too big for a single serving.
What can you do with the leftovers? Can you freeze cabbage and for how long? This article answers all your questions.
Table of Contents
Can You Freeze Cabbage?
Yes. You can freeze your cabbages for some time like months or weeks, depending on the method you’ll use. If it’s raw cabbage, it can stay in your freezer for up to eight weeks.
Blanched cabbage can freeze for up to nine months. But you have to ensure you use the proper procedure before freezing them.
Can You Freeze Cabbage Rolls?
You can freeze cabbage rolls either cooked or uncooked. However, the uncooked one freezes best, although it will lose its taste and texture.
- To freeze the uncooked cabbage, do the following;
- Cover a bigger baking pan with freezer paper. Then prepare the rolls without cooking.
- Put the rolls on the baking pan, leaving spaces in between them.
- Put the baking pan in the freezer.
- After the cabbage rolls are frozen, remove them from the freezer.
- Â Use a freezer bag to store them but ensure the bag has no or little air to avoid having freezer burns. Also, label the bag and write the date.
To freeze cooked cabbage rolls, you’ll use a similar process. However, you should cook them. Here’s how you freeze cooked cabbage.
- Give the rolls time to cool before putting them in the container.
- Pat the rolls with a paper towel to remove any water or moisture before putting them in the freezer.
- Let it stay in the freezer overnight, then put it in the fridge to chill. Don’t cover the rolls while in the fridge.
- After that, wrap each roll using layers of plastic wraps. Twist the edges of the wraps to remove air to make them last longer.
- Put the cabbage rolls in freezer bags, label, and return to the freezer. You should use them within one month after freezing.
Can You Freeze Raw Red Cabbage?
Yes, you can freeze raw red cabbage for three months. But it’s advisable to blanch them to prevent them from losing their flavor or texture. Freeze them either in wedges, shredded portions, or whole leaves. But the method you’ll use to cut them into pieces depends on how you will serve them after defrosting.
Can You Freeze Raw Cabbage for Coleslaw?
Not really. Unless you turn the cabbage into coleslaw first before freezing, then this can be possible. When you freeze raw cabbage, it’ll become soggy after breaking down. When in this state, you can’t use it to make coleslaw, although it’s perfect for use in dishes like cabbage casserole. If you first turn the cabbage into coleslaw before freezing, you’ll get a crispy and delicious dish.
How to Freeze Cabbage
You can freeze cabbage using various methods. Have the right tools which will give easy time during this process. You’ll need a sharp knife, cutting board, freezer bags, and cookie sheet.
How to freeze shredded cabbage
You can freeze either cooked or uncooked shredded cabbage.
1. Wash the cabbage
Remove the outer leaves of your cabbage. Wash it to remove any pest that may be hiding on the leaves. After that, soak it in salty or cold water for about thirty minutes to kill the worms in the cabbage.
Shake off the excess water and pat dry using a paper towel. If your cabbage is store-bought, ensure you thoroughly wash.
Shred the cabbage; Put it on the chopping board with the stem facing down. Slice it into half from top to bottom. Then slice the halves into quarters. After that, remove the stem and the tough parts from every piece.
Slice the quarter pieces into strips, and then cut into smaller pieces. If you have a food processor, shredding your cabbage will be much easier.
2. Blanch the shredded cabbage for 1.5 minutes
Put water in a stockpot and allow it to boil over high heat. Allow the water to reach a rolling boil, put your cabbage in the pot to blanch. Doing this will help kill bacteria and prevent enzyme action so that it can freeze better.
Remove the shredded cabbage from the fire and give it time to cool. Use cold water to cool it and to stop the cooking process.
Get the cabbage out of the cold water and dry them off. Please place them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer.
3. After it gets frozen, put them in a freezer bag
Ensure you remove excess air before sealing the bag. Return the bag to the freezer and let it stay until the day you’re ready to use them.
How to freeze cabbage after blanching it
- The best way to freeze cabbage is after blanching it. If you do so, it’ll help retain its texture and flavor over a long time. You can use the following steps when you want to freeze your cabbage after blanching it.
- First, wash the cabbage thoroughly. Rinsing is better if you’re going to soak it.
- Put enough water and salt in a bowl and soak it for about three hours. Don’t soak already shredded or sliced cabbage since you should do that before slicing them.
- After that, shred, slice or dice your cabbage and divide it into portions. For better results, freeze the whole bulb. Then blanch it in a cooking pot with the right amount of water for about three minutes. Remove your cabbage from the fire. Transfer it into a bowl with cold water to stop the cooking process. Remember, this is the crucial step that will make your cabbage last longer, so do it well.
- Using a baking sheet, put them in the freezer for around six to eight hours. But only pre-freeze if you did slice or dice your cabbage.
- Remove the cabbage from the freezer and wrap it in plastic wrap. Then put it in an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Write the date and name, seal all the bags and return to the freezer. You can freeze it for about nine months.
How to freeze cooked cabbage
If you cooked too much cabbage, don’t worry since it’s freezable. Freeze it in smaller portions. Or, if you wish, put them in one big container and store them.
Use this procedure to freeze your cooked cabbage;
- Â If you haven’t cooked your cabbage, cook it first. Get it out of the fire and give it time to cool.
- After cooling, ensure it’s dry. Please put it in an airtight container and close well. Wrap the container using foil.
- Label the container and put your cabbage in the freezer for a maximum of five months.
- Note that before eating cooked frozen cabbage, let it thaw on the fridge overnight. Then reheat it over medium heat until warm.
How to Thaw Frozen Cabbage?
If you freeze cabbage, you won’t have a hard time thawing it as it does that faster. But it’s not a must to thaw it. You can put in a soup while cooking and let it melt in the process.
However, if you want to use it raw to make salads, coleslaw, or cabbage rolls, you’ve got to thaw it. Remove it from the freezer and allow it to stay overnight before using it. You can also thaw it over the kitchen counter for one hour. Although it’ll depend on how you froze it; sliced, diced, or whole. After that, your cabbage is ready for cooking or serving.
Uses Frozen Cabbage
You can use frozen cabbage to make different dishes. The following uses are for both cooked and raw cabbage;
- Coleslaws
- Cabbage wraps containing either meat, cheese, veggies fillings
- Fried sausages and cabbage
- Corned beef brisket and cabbage
- Sauté and season cabbage
- Cabbage rolls
- To make salads
The list is endless since you can use cabbage to make almost anything. When you have frozen cabbage, be creative and try different recipes you’ve never tried. If you have cooked frozen cabbage, you’ll have an easy time using it. You can place it directly on the soup you’re cooking or reheat within no time.
How Long Will Cooked Cabbage Last in The Freezer?
If you use the proper storage method while freezing cooked cabbage, it can last for 10 to 12 months. But it must be quality cabbage which can also last past that duration.
Otherwise, cabbage should stay in the freezer for around three to five months when cooked.
How Do You Store Cabbage Long-Term?
You can store cabbage for a longer period, like six months, using various methods apart from freezing it.
Canning
This is the ideal method for those without a freezer. Canning foods have been there for a long period, and you can use them to store your cabbage.
If you don’t know how to make cabbage, consider learning it. It will help you save money and also maintain the nutritional benefits of cabbage. You can make canned pickled cabbage slaw Or pickled spiced red cabbage.
Dehydrating cabbage
You can also store them in dry bags. Put whole heads in the bags, then put them in the ground or cellar.
Also, you can use dehydrator trays after slicing them. Your cabbage will be dry after 10 hours but not ready for packaging.
Ferment the cabbage
Eating fermented cabbage will help you increase the bacteria in your gut. You can ferment whole cabbage or make sauerkraut. Let it ferment for between three and six weeks.
Root cellar
This is a cool dark space for storing different types of food. To store your cabbage, here cover each head using brown paper. Put them on shelves but leave some inches in between each cabbage. Check on your cabbage after some months and see if they’re rotting.
Storing cabbage in the refrigerator
You can also store your cabbage in the fridge for months. But it may not be longer than if you use other methods. If you want it to last longer in the fridge, though consider using preservatives. Don’t wash the cabbage before refrigerating.
Store them in the ground
This method looks old fashion, but it can help you preserve your cabbage. Dig a hole, put them in and cover. If you did store the cabbages with their roots, be sure to find them growing.
What happens if you do not blanch a cabbage before freezing it?
Although you can freeze your cabbage without blanching, it’s not advisable. If you fail to blanch, it will not last long in the freezer. Also, the bacteria on your cabbage won’t die, which is not good for your health.
Another thing enzyme action will not stop if you don’t blanch cabbage. Blanching takes less than ten minutes, and its benefits are immense, so consider doing it always.
Conclusion
Since cabbage is a healthy vegetable with low calories and several nutrients, it should never miss in your to-do recipes. To enjoy these benefits, ensure you stock them in your freezer and make them last longer.
Choose the best method to freeze it and only remove when ready to serve or cook. I hope this article will help you preserve your cabbage better and avoid wastages. If you have feedback, feel free to write it down in our comments section.
How to freeze cooked cabbage
If you cooked too much cabbage, don't worry since it's freezable. Freeze it in smaller portions. Or, if you wish, put them in one big container and store them.
Materials
- Cooked cabbage
Tools
- Airtight container
Instructions
- If you haven't cooked your cabbage, cook it first. Get it out of the fire and give it time to cool.
- After cooling, ensure it's dry. Please put it in an airtight container and close well. Wrap the container using foil.
- Label the container and put your cabbage in the freezer for a maximum of five months.
- Note that before eating cooked frozen cabbage, let it thaw on the fridge overnight. Then reheat it over medium heat until warm.
