How to Freeze Purple Hull Peas

Purple hull peas can be frozen to preserve both texture and flavor, without suffering freezer burn or other related issues. Blanching your frozen purple hull peas before freezing is important to avoid freezer burn.

This process involves quickly boiling peas before shocking them in ice water for immediate cooling, to protect their color and texture from being overcooked. This ensures they retain their shape.

Choose Fresh Peas

Purple hull peas are full of essential fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. Enjoy them fresh from your garden or stock up at the grocery store or farmer’s market; freezing is an easy and quick process that will extend their quality for longer. If you find yourself with too many peas on hand at one time or want to preserve some for later consumption – freezing them can help ensure quality long into the future!

Step one in freezing peas is selecting fresh, plump peas with vibrant green color that are firm but not overripe or mature. Make sure they are shelled – either manually or using an automated sheller – as soon as they arrive home from their farm visit, discard any discolored or damaged ones immediately and shell as required before freezing them.

After harvesting peas, they should be thoroughly rinsed to rid themselves of dirt or debris before blanching (dipping quickly in boiling water for approximately one minute). After being blanched, cooled in ice water will ensure their freshness and texture remain undamaged.

Freezing peas without blanching them may take longer and may result in them not remaining crisp when frozen, while blanching is an efficient and quick way to guarantee they remain in their optimal form, texture, flavor and color when stored for later consumption.

Once drained and cooled, peas should be spread out on a kitchen towel to pat dry – this will prevent them from sticking together once frozen. Next they should be transferred into airtight freezer bags or containers with as little air left inside before sealing as possible.

Frozen purple hull peas are an irresistibly tasty ingredient to add to soups and stews, salads, side dishes or side salads. Pairing frozen purple hull peas with warm cornbread and sweet onion rings creates a nutritious side dish for lunch or dinner! They’re an especially great choice when used to craft southern classics such as Hoppin’ John; when properly defrosted they will keep their taste and texture for up to four months!

Blanch the Peas

Purple hull peas are an adaptable vegetable, perfect for use in many different recipes. From boiling and sauteeing them to steaming them. When freezing purple hull peas for later consumption, blanching before freezing helps ensure their color and texture remain preserved, and also minimizes any risk of bacteria growth during storage time.

Blanching, also known as submersion blanching, is an easy and essential step when freezing purple hull peas to preserve their flavor, texture, and color. Blanching involves immersing them in boiling water for one or two minutes before placing them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and stop any potential over-cooking of their delicate kernels. Blanching also ensures you receive delicious results when defrosting after freezing purple hull peas!

Before blanching, it’s essential to use a colander and cold running water to gently rinse them under. Any damaged or discolored peas should be identified before being transferred into a bowl and patted dry using kitchen towels or paper towels.

When ready to blanch, fill a pot with enough water to submerge all of the peas when fully submerged. Bring this pot of boiling water up to a boil, depending on the size and variety of your peas. After they’ve been cooked through, immediately transfer them into an ice water bath for cooling before returning them to their respective bowls of ice water for storage.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the peas from the boiling water and transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Allow them to stay there for 2-3 minutes to cool off and stop the cooking process.

Before freezing peas, drain and pat them dry thoroughly before packing in small batches to ensure they won’t overcrowd when cooking, which could result in uneven cooking that leads to their losing their color or texture.

Once done, transfer the peas to an airtight freezer bag and seal tightly, labelling it with their contents and date. Freeze for up to 12 months before refrigerating overnight to prevent them from turning into mush.

Package the Peas

Purple hull peas are an enduring Southern dish, beloved for their protein, vitamin and mineral-rich content and ability to be stored and enjoyed year-round. Easy to prepare on the stovetop and delicious served alongside cornbread as a satisfying meal on any special occasion – these legumes make delicious culinary memories!

Purple hull peas are equally delicious when frozen; their texture may differ slightly, however. To preserve them properly for long-term storage, blanching should first take place, followed by packaging in airtight containers or freezer bags for storage and labeling – up to one year of storage is possible when properly managed and labeled.

Purple hull peas (also referred to as cowpeas, black eyed peas, Mississippi purple peas and heirloom field peas) are an annual crop that thrives in sandy soil. Originating in Africa during slavery trade routes in 17th and 19th century America, they quickly became part of southern cuisine as an integral ingredient.

Peas are packed with soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Furthermore, they are an excellent source of vitamins C and folate – essential components in southern cuisine! Furthermore, these vegetables grow quickly so can be enjoyed all year long.

To prepare the peas for freezing, first rinse them under running water to remove any dirt or debris from their pods, shell the peas with your fingers or use a pea sheller if necessary, blanch for two minutes in boiling water then shock in cold water before freezing – this step is essential in maintaining their color and taste after they’ve been frozen!

Clean the jars and lids thoroughly by filling each with hot water or running through a dishwasher, filling each one with frozen peas while leaving about 14 inch of headspace in each. Next, add the ham hock broth, aromatic vegetables and dried onion soup mix; finally stir to incorporate evenly.

Store the Peas

Purple hull peas can be frozen to preserve their freshness for later consumption, provided they are blanched before freezing. Blanching will prevent any chance of becoming mushy while maintaining their sweet flavor and crispy texture, extending their shelf life up to six months when stored properly in an airtight container dated with their contents date stamped, while vacuum sealing offers another method that removes as much air as possible from their packaging and protects from freezer burn.

Start the blanching process by placing peas in a colander and thoroughly rinsing them under running water, inspecting for damage or discoloration and discarding those that are damaged or discolored. Next, transfer to an ice bath bowl quickly so as to stop cooking and prevent overcooking.

Once the peas are cool, drain and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels before dividing into portions that you would typically use for meals and placing in airtight freezer bags or containers – be sure to squeeze as much air out as possible prior to sealing! Finally, label and date them.

When you are ready to use frozen peas, either place them in the refrigerator overnight or use your microwave to thaw them out. Doing this at room temperature could result in their freshness being compromised and texture being damaged as a result of overexposure to air and light.

The ideal method of freezing peas is to do it as soon as they’ve been harvested or purchased – this ensures the freshest, tastiest peas possible! For maximum quality and taste, only ever use freshly shelled and blanched beans that have been cleaned to their highest potential.

Proper storage and handling techniques can extend the shelf life of cooked purple hull peas in the fridge up to three days, provided any overcooked or shriveled peas are discarded, while healthy ones should be spread on newspapers for another four or five days in order to fully dry before being frozen.