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wertach2

Any suggestions on freezing squash?

I didn't realize this forum was here. I posted this on the vegetable forum first.

I have tried freezing them whole, cut up, blanch, no blanch, canning them and all I get is mushy watery squash. The only way I have ever liked them preserved is sweet pickled or mixed in with tomato soup before freezing. I just put the cut up squash in the hot tomatoes after blanching the tomatoes and froze it.

I don't think my squash will still be around when my tomatoes get ready this summer because of the heat, 90+ every day for a month now, so mixing in with tomato soup is out of the question.

I've thought about thawing out some of the veggy soup left over in the freezer from last year and heat it up to almost a boil take off of the heat, drop in the squash and repackage. Think that would work?

Comments (12)

  • pixie_lou
    12 years ago

    I shred mine and freeze in ziploc bags, 2 c. per bag. I then add the thawed zucchini to pasta sauce or soup, filler for meatloaf, zucchini bread or muffins, saute up with garlic and olive oil to top pasta.

  • sosusie
    12 years ago

    You may want to experiment with dehydrating them.
    SOS

  • retsec
    12 years ago

    I cook my yellow squash just like I am going to eat them now and then freeze them. They taste just like fresh squash when you take them out of the freezer. I used to just blanch and freeze but they didn't taste like fresh. An older lady told me to do this and they are much better.

  • denninmi
    12 years ago

    Well, I have one kind of "out there" idea.

    Instead of growing summer squash and trying to preserve them for winter, try growing some "winter melon" aka "wax gourd" -- I grew them last year, and for all intents and purposes they ARE a summer squash. The flesh has the exact same flavor and texture when cooked. But,these suckers STORE. Really, really well, like the best winter squash. I put probably close to 40 of them in the basement last October, and only had about 3 of them try to rot on me, and those were the "scruffy" ones that developed late in the season during the drought and had funny shapes, small, with thin spots. I've still got 3 down there, which I'm leaving to see how long they'll keep, going strong approaching the 10 month mark.

    I never would have guessed what a great veggie this was before I tried it. It was so nice to be able to pull on in the depths of winter and have fresh "summer squash".

  • bejay9_10
    12 years ago

    I made a beer batter - the same type as for fish or shrimp, cut up squash in individual pieces, dip in flour, then batter, and freeze on either waxed paper or plastic wrap.

    When ready to eat, heat peanut oil to about 350 to 375 degrees, and fry until crisp and golden color. Nice addition to batter fried fish, etc.

    I found a recipe for zucchini cookies - with chocolate chips, which called for 2 cups of zukes, I thawed them, but next time I will drain the zukes. Don't know why 2 cups of fresh zucchini and 2 cups of frozen thawed zucchini are NOT the same in recipes, but "that's the way it is."

    Bejay

  • missemerald
    12 years ago

    I have the same problem here-- between my CSA deliveries and my very generous neighbor, there are lots of squash in my kitchen (and mine aren't even producing yet). I just got through making a chocolate-squash cake, shredding and freezing a bunch (don't blanch, just freeze in baggies. I find that 2 cups is enough for most recipes) and next up is summer squash pickles (Ball recipe). For freezing, I don't blanch; just slice and freeze on cookie sheets, then put in freezer bags. My girls love them. Hope this helps.

  • tracydr
    12 years ago

    I do the same as Pixie Lou. Grated and stored in 2 cup amounts, mainly for zuchinni bread but can also be used for other recipes.

  • amysrq
    12 years ago

    I shred and freeze for zucchini latkes (mixed with potato) and Patricia Wells' Zuchinni Galette recipe which is very good.

    ZUCCHINI GALETTE Patricia Wells

    1 pound zucchini (4 medium), trimmed

    2 teaspoons fine sea salt

    2 large eggs

    1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

    1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

    1 teaspoon curry powder (see Note)

    Fresh tomato sauce (optional)

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

    Using the coarse grating blade of a food processor, coarsely grate the zucchini. Transfer to a colander, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and let sit to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse the zucchini under cold running water, spread it out in an absorbent dish towel, and press to remove as much liquid as possible.

    Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the bread crumbs, cheese, curry powder and final teaspoon of salt. Add the zucchini and stir to thoroughly coat the zucchini with the batter. Place in a 10 1/2-inch round baking dish and even out the top with the back of a spatula.

    Place in the center of the oven and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with a fresh tomato sauce, if desired.

  • coffeehaus
    12 years ago

    Another shredded squash/zucchini freezer here, without blanching. I just got done freezing 2 c. portions today after making my favorite zucchini cake, but this time I made it into cupcakes. I rationalize making this by convincing myself that the 2 cups of squash in it makes it a little more healthy in spite of the butter, sugar, and oil.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

  • cozy
    12 years ago

    The wife suffers from carpal tunnel after years of cutting hair. She came up with a quick, easy way to handle squash this year that I just thought is smart and may help others with a similar condition.

    Years ago, I bought her a "vegetable cutter" ... the kind that makes French Fries out of potatoes. She never used it.

    This year, she thought about it ... and used it on the squash.

    {{gwi:897142}}

    We boil our squash and pack it up for casseroles.

    {{gwi:897143}}

    Just thought that it was slick and perhaps it will help a few others.

  • zabby17
    12 years ago

    wertach,

    I've always found the texture of frozen summer squash unpalatable as well, whether I blanch it or not. Somehow both watery AND rubbery.

    What I do with squash bonanza is shred it and bake endless loaves of zucchini bread. I freeze dozens of loaves of zucchini bread, cut into portions that will make a breakfast for DH and me (and a leave a couple whole to take out when company comes).

    When it's coming too fast and furious to even do that, or is too hot to turn on the oven, I freeze the shredded squash itself---it thaws into a watery mush but works fine in baking. (Put the watery stuff in too--all that moisture would have ended up in the zuke bread if you hadn't frozen it.)

    If your family doesn't like zucchini bread, I'm afraid I don't know what to suggest. Something else that can make use of it shredded---that's the only way I've found it worth freezing at all.

    Best wishes,

    Z

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks to all,my squash didn't last long, bugs and fungus got it. :( I didn't get to try shredding any.

    Just planted some more seed this weekend for a fall crop, which usually doesn't do too well, but I had the seed.

    My family doesn't like zucchini bread. The only baked squash we like is in a casserole! I love it in veggie soup, added when the soup is almost done so it has a little crunch.