Can Zuchinni and Summer Squash be preserved and have any quality left?

[NurseNettie]

I KNOW I've got way too many Zuke and Summer Squash plants going in, but I love the stuff. I'm sure I'll have a LOT left over after I fill myself with it-- so my question is, does anyone have any success freezing or otherwise preserving it to save for later use? I picture it ending up very squishy and not worth saving, but I'd like to try if I can. I've heard you can shred the zuchinni and freeze it for making zuchinni bread, etc, but would love it if I can use it for more than that!
Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

All I know of is the aforementioned zucchini-bread makings. Like you, I am highly skeptical that there's any way to preserve it that you'd want to eat it as an item by itself.

Sorry,

Pat

 

[NurseNettie]

Well, maybe I'll just have to settle on lots of zuchinni bread over the winter, and have a little farm stand and try to sell some of it!

 

[Southern Gardener]

My mom used to cube the leftovers and put them in a freezer bag. She used it for smothered squash w/onions and squash casseroles.

 

[Cassandra]

I have frozen squash before and revived it for use in casseroles or stewed squash. That is mainly how we eat it anyway. It works fine like this for me.

A squash caserole is made with squash, onions, ground beef (or sausage), rice & cheese. Stewed squash is just cooked with butter & onions. I've had frozen squash work fine for either of these dishes.

The only other squash dish we eat is coated with corn meal and deep fried. I haven't tried that frozen, but I think if I did, I would coat it in corn meal first, then freeze. (I have had good luck doing okra this way.)

I don't know about zukes. I really don't care for them.

Cassandra

 

[silkiechicken]

How do they preserve those little zucchini slices in the big costco bags of mixed veggies? They come back out still kind of crispy unlike the mush I ended up freezing last year?

 

[NurseNettie]

Thanks Cassandra!
Silkiechicken-- I know what you mean-- commercially, you can find anything frozen well..... but at home... I am just not sure how it will go.

 

[aee96]

I'm sure commercially they are blast frozen. Which of course, we can't do at home (or at least I can't). Maybe you could find some liquid nitrogen and dip them?

 

[Tutter]

Yes, it's frozen colder and faster than you can at home.

 

[Cassandra]

Have you ever seen the show Good Eats? I remember seeing the strawberry episode where Alton demonstrates how to freeze strawberries. For whatever reason (he explained, but I don't remember) strawberries can only be frozen if you can freeze them REALLY FAST. Since that seems to be the issue with squash, it may help. Then again... it may not. lol

His solution: Dry ice!

He washed the strawberries & put them in a collander in the frige for several hours, so you are starting with cold food. Then he broke up some dry ice in a cooler (using the appropriate protective gear.) Toss the cold berries into the cooler and mix them in with the dry ice. Close the lid and leave for a while. Remove berries with tongs and place in freezer bags. Store in the freezer. Here is a link to his "recipe" on that show:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_19406,00.html

Who wants to give it a try??

Cassandra