Freezing leeks - how to do it step by step

Freezing the leek - the preparation is what counts

Clean the leek sticks

Before the leek sticks are frozen, they must first be thoroughly cleaned of impurities.

First cut off the two ends with a sharp knife. How much you cut from the top of the rod depends on the condition of the leaves. You should remove anything that is not in perfect condition.
Remove the outer layers of leaves.
Thoroughly clean each rod under running water. A lot of sand can still hide, especially in the leaf axils.
Let the leek sticks dry well before processing them further. You can also pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to make it quicker.

Cut the leek sticks into small pieces

Cutting the leek sticks into smaller pieces is useful both when stowing them in the freezer and later when cooking. You can cut the leek into very fine pieces or into whole rings. The ideal size of the rings is between 3 and 10 mm.

Freeze the leek raw

If you don't have time to blanch the leeks, you can put them in the freezer now. The entire amount of leeks is either frozen together in a large freezer bag or divided into smaller portions and placed in separate containers. After labeling the container with the contents and the date, the leek is immediately placed in the chest.

Blanching is recommended

Blanching largely preserves the ingredients and color of the leek. The heat kills harmful germs, so that the bars in the freezer will last longer. Even the taste should be better after defrosting if the leek has been blanched beforehand.

Feel a large saucepan with water and add some ascorbic acid to keep the color and enhance the aroma.
Bring the water to a boil and in the meantime prepare a large bowl of ice water.
Put the leeks in the boiling water, but never too much at once. You can blanch larger quantities in portions.
Let the leek cook for 1-3 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces.
Take the leek out with a ladle and immediately add it to the ice water.
After the blanched leek has cooled down, it must be removed from the ice water immediately and placed in a colander to drain.

Pre-freeze and freeze

The drained pieces of leek are ready for the freezer. You can divide the total amount into suitable portions and place them in labeled freezer containers. If there is enough space in the freezer, you can also spread the leeks in one layer on a large tray and pre-freeze them in the freezer for about an hour.

The frozen pieces no longer stick to each other when they are transferred to freezer containers. This makes it easier to remove partial quantities later.

Tips

You can also freeze the leeks with carrots and celery, so that you always have soup greens ready to hand.

Shelf life of leeks

Leek can be kept in the freezer for at least six months. If it was blanched before freezing, it will keep even longer.

Thawing and Use

Frozen leeks are rarely used raw. As an ingredient in cooking, it can also be used straight from the freezer without having to defrost it first. If, for whatever reason, it has to thaw, it can be done gently in the refrigerator overnight.

Conclusion for quick readers:

Cleaning: Remove the outer leaves; Cut off ends; clean under water
Cutting: into fine pieces or rings of 3-10 mm in size
Blanching: 1-3 minutes depending on size; quench in ice water; let cool down
Freezing raw: is possible; only to be recommended if it has to be done quickly
Pre-freezing: about 1 hour; spread out in one layer on a tray; prevents sticking together
Tip: Freeze with carrots and celery as soup greens.
Shelf life: at least six months
Use: Geforen when cooking; alternatively thaw in the refrigerator