quick and easy way to preserve kale: do you think this will work?

[emmaegbert]

I have a tiny kitchen (and small fridge) and just got a big, big bag of kale. Trying to think how to best preserve it for use later. What do you think of this plan?

I am thinking I will wash it, remove from the stems, rougly chop, and then cook breifly boiling water, drain, and then freeze? I do not have a chest freezer but I think I could compress it pretty flat into freezer bags to store in the freezer, and then use it easily later in stir fries, soups, etc?

or is there a better idea? (I don't have a dehydrator or a pressure canner, so those preservation methods are pretty much out.)

[MountainMamaGC]

I dont even blanch(boil) it. I just wash it and stuff it into ziploc bags raw, freeze it, and then crumble into foods as needed. I put it in soups, stirfrys, and mashed potatoes.

[emmaegbert]

awesome. that is what I like to hear. the simpler the better!
 

Originally Posted by Lydiah 

I dont even blanch(boil) it. I just wash it and stuff it into ziploc bags raw, freeze it, and then crumble into foods as needed. I put it in soups, stirfrys, and mashed potatoes.

[SpringfieldMom]

Good to know.  I blanched my chard and it was really hard to get the moisture out enough for it to not freeze as a solid block.  Next time I will just wash/chop/freeze.

Incidentally, I freeze celery that way because I don't really care for it except for cooking so if I have a whole head of it, what I don't immediately cook with goes to waste.  So now I wash it and chop it, leaves and all, and freeze in a ziploc to use for cooking, and it works great!