How to Blanch Peas for Freezing

It is pea picking time in my garden. Is it time to harvest peas at your house too? I will teach you how to blanch peas for freezing so that you can enjoy the fresh garden taste all year long!

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A Few Peas Everyday

My peas seem to enjoy making me pick them everyday. I never get a large harvest all at once. Most days, there aren’t enough for a single serving. I was frustrated by that until I discovered blanching. Now I can harvest my handful of peas each day and save them in the freezer until I have enough for dinner.

I like to pick peas early in the morning, when it isn’t so hot outside. Plus, if I’m out early enough, the bugs aren’t awake yet. I’m talking about you buffalo gnats!

I have found that most often my peas all grow on one side of the plants. Last summer, I had complained that my pea plants hadn’t produced any peas yet. My dad looked at the plants and pointed out that they were LOADED with peas. I had always looked at them from the same side of the garden, therefore I had missed the pea pods entirely. That was also the only time that I had one large pea harvest.

I have spent many summer afternoons sitting on my front porch shucking peas. I even have a special pea shucking song. Yes, I’m sort of nerdy that way. The song is done by my favorite band, The Alfred Packer Memorial String Band from Lawrence, Kansas. They sing funny, nerdy, bluegrass songs. I first saw them at a bluegrass festival with my grandparents. Papa got me a shirt and both of their albums because I was so in love. He still keeps an eye out for them at any local bluegrass festivals. My pea shucking song is The Ballad of Gregor Mendel. Gregor Mendel helped discover genetics through his pea research. His pea experiments taught us about heredity and dominant vs recessive genes. Although the people of his time found his research silly, after his death his research was deemed accurate and relevant.

I’m sure the neighbors enjoy listening to me sing about the father of modern genetics while I shuck peas.

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3 Reason Why You Have to Blanch Peas Before Freezing

Blanching peas before freezing them is important for 3 main reasons. It is not just an extra step to lengthen your time in the kitchen. Blanching is actually an important part of preservation.

It keeps them from getting mushy in the freezer. This is a big deal if you are using them in a stir fry or as a side. While you may not notice mushy peas as much in a casserole, we can all agree that crisp is preferred.
Blanching peas will keep them green. This is all about aesthetics. My mom always told me that if the food was pretty, then it tasted better. I would have to agree with her, that a bright green pea tastes better than a dull green pea. The dull green peas that come in a can from the store remind me of baby food.
They won’t taste raw anymore. I don’t like the taste of raw peas, although I love cooked peas. Blanching the peas will cook them just enough that they won’t taste raw anymore. I like to eat frozen peas, so the raw flavor is a deal breaker for me. It is seriously the best little snack in the summertime.

How to Blanch Peas for Freezing

Shuck the peas. This means removing them from their pod. I pinch the point of the pod and then it just pops open. Brush the peas out and throw the pod into the compost bin.
Put the peas in a strainer and give them a good rinse.
Boil a pot of water. There should be enough water to cover the peas. When the water is boiling, throw the peas in and start a 1 minute timer.
Grab a bowl and fill it with ice and water, while the peas boil.
After a 1 minute boil, drain the peas in the strainer again.
Put the peas in the bowl of ice water and allow them to cool off. I usually wait until the ice melts completely.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Drain the peas in the strainer before spreading them out in a single layer on the parchment lined baking sheet.
Put the peas in the freezer to flash freeze. Once they are frozen, they can be stored in a plastic bag.

Tips to Blanch Peas for Freezing

You can blanch small batches of peas at a time. Store them in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have enough of them for a meal. This is how I deal with my small pea harvests. Doing it this way will also be less overwhelming than doing it all at once.

Make sure the peas are in a single layer and spread out on the baking sheet. This allows them to freeze, but not freeze to each other. It makes measuring them out later much easier.

You can save a couple of days worth of peas in the fridge if you don’t have time to blanch them the same day that you harvest them. Occasionally, I will get a tiny harvest and will do this until I have enough peas to justify blanching them.