Have you bought an overabundance of radishes this month? If not, are you regretting preserving the radishes coming from your home garden? Many people face dilemmas when they have to throw away excess fruits and vegetables not knowing the ways to preserve them. But now, the time has come to stop the waste. You do not have to worry about it any longer.
In this article, I explain everything you need to know about preserving radish. In short, freezing is one of the best options that you can choose. Let us see more details on freezing radish.
Can You Freeze Radishes?
Yes! You can freeze radishes undoubtedly. Commonly, many people have stocks of fruits and vegetables these days due to the pandemic or maybe because of any other personal reasons. So, freezing is one of the best options to store them without subjecting them to spoilage.
Freezing extends the shelf life of radishes for another couple of weeks.
How to Freeze Radishes?
Freezing radishes is followed by a four-step process. To maintain the optimal quality of the vegetable, you will need to strictly adhere to these steps.
In the worst case, freezing radishes change the richness and texture. I hope this process will at least help to minimize those effects.
Prepare Your Radishes
The first step is to clean your radishes. As radish grows underground, it can have soil particles and dirt. Therefore, put them in water and scrub well until the dirt goes away.
If your radishes are straight away from the garden, make sure you separate the green leaves and trim the ends. The radish green leaves can be cooked. It is a yummy dish cooked mostly in Asian countries, especially in Sri Lanka. You can try that too!
After washing the radishes, you can move on to the next step.
Cut the Radishes
The next step is to cut the radishes. First, cut off the radishes both top and bottom which is a thin and tough part. Then, cut the radishes into thin pieces depending on the way you prefer to have them. Usually, I cut them into 1-inch-long pieces. Importantly, avoid peeling radish. It may destroy the nutrients and the quality of the vegetable.
Blanch the Radishes
Boil a pot of water and put your radish slices into it. The radishes retain a high amount of moisture in them and it causes the loss of quality of texture when freezing. Therefore, by boiling you can control the enzymatic reactions of radish to minimize the quality loss to a certain extent. Make sure you boil them for 2 to 3 minutes only.
After boiling get them out of the pot and dip them in cold icy water. Let them drain thoroughly.
Freeze the Radishes
The last step is to freeze the radish slices. Choose a moisture-resistant, air-tight freezing container to store your radish slices. If you prefer to use freezer bags, of course, you can use them too. However, make sure they are airtight and do not contain air bubbles inside the bag.
Now place the blanched radish container in the freezer and leave it. You can preserve radish in this manner for another couple of weeks.
How Long Can You Freeze Radishes?
Radishes will last for about 6 months in the freezer. You can either store them raw or cooked. Cooked radishes tend to last much longer due to the vegetable being cooked and less likely to have ice crystals forming.
On the other hand, raw radishes will last for only about 1-2 months in the freezer. If it’s blanched, it can last for about 5-6 months.
After 6 months, the quality of the radishes will start to deteriorate. The flavor of it will become bland and the texture will be soggy when it thaws.
However, the radishes will still be safe to eat, but you won’t enjoy the taste of it very much.
How to Defrost Radishes?
The radishes do not take a long time to defrost completely. Simply, put them into called water and observe they are getting thawed. Once the ice crystals on them are melted, and they are sort of squishy, you can decide that they are ready to cook.
However, you need to know that radishes taste better when they are fresh. Freezing them destroys the texture and the quality no matter the date you consume them. It doesn’t mean that you should avoid freezing, but you have to know that is not the original radish taste you get when frozen.
Can You Refreeze Radishes?
I do not think there will be any use in refreezing radishes. Even during the first freeze, the radishes change their texture and taste a lot. The refreezing will destroy the taste even more. Therefore, I do not recommend refreezing radishes for any reason.
As a quick tip, I would say, put them in smaller quantities into separate freezer bags. So, whenever you need, unpack one bag, and once it is over open another bag. That way, you can avoid wastage.
Benefits of Eating Radishes
You may be thinking about the benefits of radishes. Radishes are a source of antioxidants and minerals like calcium and potassium. Absolutely, the nutrients of radishes help to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risks for other diseases. Consuming radishes also contributes to improving blood flow. In addition to those,
- Reduce risks for diabetes
The radishes contain essential compounds such as glucosinolate and isothiocyanate. It helps to regulate the blood sugar level. Simply, the radishes can block the formation of diabetes.
- Enhance liver function
The radishes also contain indole-3 carbinol and 4-methylthio-3-butenyl-isothiocyanate. These compounds heal the liver and stand against the damages.
Therefore, it is clear that adding radishes to our diet brings many benefits to our health.
Final Verdict
Not all vegetables and fruits can be frozen. Luckily, radish is one of those that you can freeze to preserve. Though freezing is not the best method to preserve radishes, it is better than wasting them.
I know we all stock food during the pandemic and even because of seasonal reasons. Therefore, freezing them once does not do any harm. I hope you will enjoy your frozen radishes. Also, do not forget, they are good for your health.
If you think this article summarizes everything you need to know about freezing radishes, do not forget to share. Also, let us know your comments and thoughts. We would love to hear.