Last month one of my neighbors gave me several fresh eggplants from his backyard garden. Normally I preserve our fruits and vegetables by canning them, but it’s recommended that you ONLY freeze eggplant for later use (not can it). When freezing it you want to process it quickly…within a day or two of picking it.
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How to Freeze Eggplant
Wash, peel, and slice eggplant 1/3″ thick pieces. I toss mine in my colander and rinse them a final time before blanching them. Let the water drain from the colander.
Fill up a pot with hot water containing 2-3 tablespoons of Fruit-Fresh and bring to a full boil. Place eggplant into the hot water and blanch for 3-4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to “fish” out your pieces and place them in a colander under cold running water to quickly cool them down to stop the cooking process. While they’re cooling I had another batch of Eggplant slices into the boiling water and continue with the blanching process until all of it done.
Let all of the water drain away from the colander. I place 2-3 paper towels on a platter and gently lay all of my slices on top. I gently use 2-3 additional paper towels to blot off excess water. Place pieces on a non-stick baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes to help them get a jump start on the freezing process. This will help to prevent sticking later on.
Remove from freezer and gently place your eggplant slices into freezer containers or freezer-safe storage bags. Label bags with contents and date.
Additional Notes: If you want to skip the part on freezing the slices on a non-stick baking sheet you can. Just layer a sheet of parchment paper between the layers in your freezer bag or container to help keep the slices from sticking together.
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