onions and (big) carrots

**Dutchie** · 05-18-2009, 02:18 AM

Most times here we can buy onions and really big carrots for very little money.
I use these for stew a lot.

Storing the carrots in the fridge takes up a LOT of room.
Because I use onions a lot some months and very little another month, I have been getting a lot of rot in them.

My question - can I freeze these veggies?
Actually, I know that you can freeze them because I have bought ready cut, thinly sliced veggies before when they were on offer at the supermarket and thrown the bags into the freezer.
I then used them, still frozen, in soups and sauces. The worst thing that happened was to the onions - they became a little 'glassy'.

But now I'm talking about whole onions and really huge (what we call winter) carrots.
Can anyone help me? Can I peel the onions and freeze them whole (that's how I put them in the stews)?
What do I have to do to the carrots to freeze them (these are carrots that are about 1 foot long and about 2 or 3 inches in diameter)?

Thanks for your ideas!

**mamamia** · 05-18-2009, 04:14 AM

As far I know from past experience, raw onions that are even just refrigerated lose alot of their flavor, so I would think freezing would be even worse. If it was me, I'd at leat cook them until they were soft, and then freeze. I've bought a bag of those frozen onions in a pinch, and also occasionally buy frozen pearl onions, and they're always slightly pre-cooked.

Not sure about the carrots, but again, I would par-boil 1st, then freeze.

I'm sure somebody on here knows what's really best. I'm just speaking from what ~I~ would do.

HTHs

Theresa

**baxjul** · 05-18-2009, 07:07 AM

I have frozen onions before, but they did become rather limp and glassy.

I have frozen carrots after I par boil them!

**ladytoysdream** · 05-18-2009, 07:31 AM

I would try freezing a few onions and see how it works out for you. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I buy bags of frozen peppers and onions to have on hand for stews, soups, and pan frying meat. I have froze our own peppers from the garden.
Sounds like you have BIG carrots, wow, on the size. I would be canning them. Try freezing a few small batches and see how you like them.

This year we have onions, carrots already in the garden and have peppers here just waiting on the frost to get gone. I plan on doing freezing and canning a lot this summer. Our garden is 3X the size it was last year

**Grainlady** · 05-18-2009, 07:38 AM

How to freeze onions: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/onion.html

How to freeze carrots: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/carrot.html

I quick-freeze prepared onions or carrots (and most fruits/vegetables destined for the freezer) in a FLAT FoodSaver bag (place the bag on a cookie sheet for support). When the veggies are completely frozen, I vacuum-seal the bags shut. The bags are "filed" in a plastic tub in the freezer. Now you can open the bag, give it a rap on the counter to loosen the vegetables, pour out what's needed and vacuum-seal the remaining shut and put it back in the freezer. Vacuum-sealing them will help them keep MUCH longer.

**Judi Dial** · 05-18-2009, 08:19 AM

Here is a description of storing carrots in clean sand in a 5 gal container.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/gist82.html

Or you can shred the carrots and freeze them in 2C bags, which is what I did a month or so ago. Very handy for chili, soup, stews, and baking I found.

Re the onions? I'd take onions, celery, and some of the carrots and make mirepoix and freeze that. Or, at least that's what I did! Here's a wiki article about that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirepoix_(cuisine)

Anyway, no they won't have the same consistency as when fresh, but I find it much easier to use the shredded carrots or mirepoix than store the whole vegetable.

IHTH!

Judi