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Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,921
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

Re: Freezing Breaded Veggies


@Kachina624 wrote:

@KingstonsMom wrote:

Absolutely you can.

 

Many breaded veggies are sold in supermarkets in the freezer dept. and come out fine.


@KingstonsMom   Processors have special equipment and ingredients for preparing and flash freezing them.  I visualize the homemade variety being a big mess.  I'd preparsmall quanityvas an exoeriment.


@Kachina624 I have heard the breaded okra you can buy in the freezer section is pretty bad.  My frozen breaded okra is good, so unless the eggplant/squash does something funky in the freezing process such that it wouldn't work I see no reason why me freezing it wouldn't work just fine.  In any event, I'm experimenting with a single-serving size of my own personal patio eggplants I grew so I'm not out a lot if the experiment fails.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,473
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Freezing Breaded Veggies

[ Edited ]

@Icegoddess 

 

I assume you're asking about homemade vs. store bought.

 

I love eggplant so I make it in large batch.

 

I always peel & slice - then layer in 13x9 salting "lightly" each layer.  I let sit for a hour or so, if I see moistures out, it's ready.  Lightly rinse and pat dry.  For breading I use panko bread crumbs and fry.  

 

Once fried, I lay on brown paper bag covered with paper towel to absorb any excess oil, salt lightly.  I allow it to cool then transfer to sheet pan lined with silpat or parchment paper.  I freeze -- once completely frozen -- I transfer to freezer bag.  

 

I reheat by putting in oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until "crispy" on wire rack cookie sheet.  Of course, if making it into eggplant parm I put it together frozen and bake 350 degrees covered with foil (I spray foil with Pam so cheese doesn't stick) for about 45 minutes or until bubbly.

 

I've done it with zucchini & sure you could do with other vegetables.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,931
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Freezing Breaded Veggies

[ Edited ]

We have okra in the garden right now.

DH uses it in Gumbo & Jambalaya recipes. He also likes it fried.

DH did not like it in the air fryer. He probably needed to toss it in some olive oil to coat with oil well instead of just a spritz of oil for it to work out.

We slice it up, dip in coating & freeze on cookie sheet before putting in freezer bag.

Forgot we blanch it first. I use pickyourown.org for info on blanching, freezing veggies etc.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,921
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

Re: Freezing Breaded Veggies


@Nightowlz wrote:

We have okra in the garden right now.

DH uses it in Gumbo & Jambalaya recipes. He also likes it fried.

DH did not like it in the air fryer. He probably needed to toss it in some olive oil to coat with oil well instead of just a spritz of oil for it to work out.

We slice it up, dip in coating & freeze on cookie sheet before putting in freezer bag.


@Nightowlz I think you really have to coat all the breading mixture in oil if using flour, which sorta defeats the low fat purpose of air fryers, although still less mess.

 

Try this.  After cutting your okra, while it's still dry, dust well with seasoned flour or finely ground almond flour.  Next soak in buttermilk w/beaten egg.  Regular milk may work just as well, but I always use buttermilk, so don't know.  After you remove from the milk coat in a mixture of regular breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs and fnely grated parmesan cheese.  I then give a good spritz of oil and keep in the fridge until ready to cook.  I cooked it in the air fryer at 370 degrees for about 10 minutes, but I check frequently.  

Valued Contributor
Posts: 767
Registered: ‎08-30-2010

Re: Freezing Breaded Veggies

One of my sisters had a garden. My father loved fresh veggies. One year my sister was out of town most of the summer with her children and my mother went with them to take care of the children. My father asked me to pick all sorts of the veggies. 

I made a lot of items for him and then froze them. I wrote down how to reheat them in the microwave or the oven or the stove. My mother usually did most of the cooking (unless they went out for dinner). So there are recipes that can be searched on the internet to make and then freeze. 

This is a good memory. My father passed in late 2017 and I know he appreciated what I did to help him.

He would say that the reheated food from frozen turned out well. In fact when my mother returned there were still some items left in the freezer. My sister had a large garden and I made a lot.Smiley Very Happy