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In Cooking, what is Blanching?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Blanching is a cooking process which is intended to enhance the color, flavor, and texture of vegetables. Blanched vegetables are quickly cooked in boiling water or steamed before being shocked by a plunge into a cold bath which arrests the cooking process. After blanching, vegetables can be served on crudité platters, frozen, or used in food preparation. There are a number of reasons for a cook to blanch vegetables, and it is an easy skill to learn.

When foods need to be peeled, blanching makes the process much easier. Tomatoes, almonds, fava beans, and other foods can be blanched to loosen their peels. The blanching may also enhance the flavor of the food, and it will help the food keep its color as it is cooked. The blanched and peeled foods can be used immediately, or preserved in a freezer. In the case of vegetables and fruits treated with pesticides, blanching is an excellent way to remove the peel without transferring the chemicals to the edible part of the fruit.

Broccoli and carrots can be blanched, which keeps them crisp but not completely raw.
Broccoli and carrots can be blanched, which keeps them crisp but not completely raw.

Before freezing food, blanching is highly recommended. Blanching will neutralize bacteria and enzymes in the food which could cause it to go bad. In addition, blanching will ensure that the food stays crisp, flavorful, and colorful in the freezer, instead of allowing it to gray out. Typically, a small amount of salt is added to the blanching water in this case, as it promotes preservation.

A pot of boiling water is all that's needed to blanch food.
A pot of boiling water is all that's needed to blanch food.

For food preparation, blanching is very useful. Cooks who are making a stir fry or a similar dish which involves using foods which have different cooking times can blanch the foods so that they stay crisp and tasty. By turning blanching into parbroiling, a cook can also reduce the amount of time a food needs to be cooked. In busy restaurants, blanching is used in the setup of a cook's station, to ensure that he or she has attractive looking food ready to hand throughout the evening.

Blanching can be useful for cooks making a stir fry.
Blanching can be useful for cooks making a stir fry.

Blanched foods can also be eaten out of hand. The vegetables on crudité platters are often blanched because blanching keeps them crispy and fresh throughout the evening. For things like broccoli and carrots which can be eaten raw as well as cooked, blanching takes the raw edge off the food while leaving it crisp in texture.

In order to blanch food, all you need is a pot of boiling water, an ice bath, and a slotted spoon or removable steaming tray. Dunk the vegetables you are blanching in the water until they are barely cooked, and then plunge them quickly into the ice bath or run cold water over them. Allow the vegetables to drain, and use as desired.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon310519

Blanching keeps the food color and texture fresh.

rallenwriter

@earlyforest -- Blanching tomatoes is pretty painless.

All you do is take the tomatoes, cut a small cross in the bottom of the tomatoes, then put them in a blanching basket.

Don't fill it too full though.

Put them in boiling water for about a minute, then remove the basket, and place the tomatoes in cold water.

When they're cold, then you just peel the skin off, starting at the cross.

Then all you have to do is remove the seeds and you're good to go.

LittleMan

Don't be intimidated when you come across a recipe that calls for blanched almonds -- it's actually really easy.

All you do is bring a pot of water to a boil, then put in the almonds. Only let them sit in the water for one minute, then drain them, rinse them, and drain them again.

You can pat them dry and then the skins will come right off.

Presto, blanched almonds!

Oh yeah, this also works well for blanching beans.

EarlyForest

What are the best tips for blanching tomatoes? I want to can some tomatoes that my grandmother gave me from her garden, but I don't know anything about blanching vegetables.

Does anyone have any advice?

anon27090

How about blanching shrimp?

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    • Broccoli and carrots can be blanched, which keeps them crisp but not completely raw.
      By: monticellllo
      Broccoli and carrots can be blanched, which keeps them crisp but not completely raw.
    • A pot of boiling water is all that's needed to blanch food.
      By: Kelpfish
      A pot of boiling water is all that's needed to blanch food.
    • Blanching can be useful for cooks making a stir fry.
      By: Joshua Resnick
      Blanching can be useful for cooks making a stir fry.
    • Blanching is meant to enhance the color and flavor of vegetables.
      By: Zdenka Darula
      Blanching is meant to enhance the color and flavor of vegetables.
    • Some cooks blanch fresh vegetables in order to preserve their color, flavor, and texture.
      By: Boggy
      Some cooks blanch fresh vegetables in order to preserve their color, flavor, and texture.
    • Vegetables on crudité platters are often blanched.
      By: Profotokris
      Vegetables on crudité platters are often blanched.