Asparagus is a vegetable that grows in thin stalks and is available in green, white or purple varieties. If you purchase fresh asparagus, it must be cooked and eaten within two days or it will begin to lose its flavor. To ensure you don’t waste a fresh asparagus bunch, you can freeze any stalks that you don’t have time to eat within two days. Asparagus is temperamental and doesn’t freeze as well as other vegetables, so you have to take extra precaution during both the freezing process and cooking it afterward.
Fill a large bowl with cold water and add five to six ice cubes. Pour 3 cups of water into a large pot on your stove top.
Turn your stove to “high” and heat the water until it starts to boil. Add the asparagus gently into the water and boil for one minute.
Use your tongs to quickly remove the asparagus and place it directly into the ice water. Let the asparagus sit in the water until the stalks feel completely cool when you touch them. If your water isn’t cold enough to reduce the asparagus temperature, transfer the bowl into your refrigerator and chill.
Pat the cooled asparagus dry with a towel, then arrange in a single, even layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in your freezer for approximately one hour or until the individual stalks are frozen.
Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place the frozen asparagus stalks into a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag. Store your asparagus in the freezer for up to eight months. Remove it from the freezer when you’re ready to use and cook the asparagus immediately while it is still frozen--if you defrost asparagus prior to cooking, it will become too soft.