For optimum freshness, cover the broccoli head loosely with a plastic bag containing a few holes so that air can pass through. Change the water daily.
Don’t wrap the broccoli too tightly with the paper towels and don’t keep it in a sealed container. Broccoli needs air flow to stay fresh.
To wash homegrown broccoli, mix warm (not hot) water and a few teaspoons of white vinegar in a large bowl. Soak the broccoli for about 15 minutes to kill any small bugs and remove any debris that may be hiding in the plant’s tightly-packed florets. Remove, rinse with cool water, and dry thoroughly before refrigerating. [3] X Research source
You can even use your bare hands to break up the broccoli heads if you need to. Simply grab pieces of the head and pull them off of the main plant so that you are left with a cluster of florets (the “bushy” part) and a short stem. If the florets are more than about an inch and a half across, split the cluster again.
The purpose of blanching is to help preserve the broccoli when it is frozen. All vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria that can cause the color, texture, and taste of the vegetable to become unappetizing during freezing. Blanching kills the bacteria and disables the enzymes, which means that the broccoli will maintain its original delicious properties better after it’s frozen.
The purpose of the ice water is to immediately cool the broccoli down so that it doesn’t continue cooking. The broccoli is boiled to blanch it, not to cook it — if it’s allowed to keep cooking, the broccoli will eventually become soft and unappetizing. Putting hot broccoli pieces directly in the freezer doesn’t cool the steaming broccoli down as quickly as the direct contact of ice water, so the latter is a better choice for our purposes.
To get the maximum lifetime out of your frozen broccoli, use a low-temperature “deep freezer”, not a zero-frost freezer, as the latter periodically cycles above freezing to melt the ice in the compartment, which can reduce the life of the broccoli. [6] X Research source Specialty vacuum-sealing devices (like the FoodSaver) are great for freezing vegetables. By removing all of the air from the bag or container that the broccoli is stored in, they can extend its freezer life and keep the broccoli fresher than with ordinary freezing methods. However, these devices can cost upwards of $100. [7] X Research source For many recipes (especially baking recipes), you won’t want to defrost vegetables before cooking, as this can throw off the moisture content of the final dish. However, for recipes that call for defrosted broccoli, all you need to do to do is soak the broccoli in room temperature water for a few minutes to thaw it.
Look out for yellow florets or patches — this is a sign that your broccoli is past its prime and is about to flower, which will make the plant tough and woody.
You don’t necessarily have to shy away from broccoli with exclusively small florets. These plants won’t hurt you or taste bad — for instance, most frozen broccoli that you can buy from your grocery store’s frozen foods aisle won’t have large florets.
Doing this minimizes the amount of time that your broccoli will have to warm up — the cooler it stays, the better its original taste and texture will be preserved.
