Frosting parsnips

[Brengirl]

I have just pulled a few parsnips. I have learned that frost improves the flavour so what if I freeze them for a couple of minutes. Just to make them think it's really cold outside?

[Jeanied]

Time for you to get scientific, I think, Brengirl. Try freezing one overnight (I don't think a few minutes would simulate a frost well enough) and then cook the frozen one and the unfrozen one to do a taste test with.

Then let us all know if freezing them makes them sweeter, as a frost is reputed to do!

[rustylady]

I'm with Jeanie on this one. Would love to know if there is actually any difference.

[Two_Sheds]

I have never eaten a frosted parsnip, because we don't get frosts until Feb/March. My parsnips are still yummy whether eaten Nov, Dec or Jan

[Gemmalaveen]

My grandpa insists on freezing his parnsips before eating them and based on taste I think it does make a difference... if anything they come out slightly crisper as the starches in the veg change when they freeze.

I have also bought frozen parsnips from the supermarket and have noticed they are much easier to roast than fresh (in terms of getting them crispy).

[zazen999]

I always freeze mine if they are harvested before the first frosts and am of the belief that it works.

More than a couple of minutes though - a couple of hours should do it.

[Gemmalaveen]

Agreed... they need to be properly frozen. In fact you could just leave them in the freezer until you are ready to use them but I suppose that depends on what you plan to do with them?

If you are planning to make a soup, casserole or boil them in any way I probably wouldn't bother freezing them as it doesn't matter if they are starchy or not.

[BarleySugar]

This is definitely not scientific, and probably a load of rubbish, but if you pull a parsnips from the ground, does it die? (probably not completly as it will sprout again, but enough to stop it functioning) Is the conversion from starch to sugar dependant on the plant continuing to live? Also a freezer gets down to -18C, far colder than we would get in the garden, so is that too cold?
Just some woozy thoughts on a Sunday night

[reetnproper]

This is definitely not scientific, and probably a load of rubbish, but if you pull a parsnips from the ground, does it die? (probably not completly as it will sprout again, but enough to stop it functioning) Is the conversion from starch to sugar dependant on the plant continuing to live? Also a freezer gets down to -18C, far colder than we would get in the garden, so is that too cold?
Just some woozy thoughts on a Sunday night

OMG Too complicated for a Monday morning.

Especially a Monday morning after a Sunday night when you've invited your very elderly but spritely neighbour round for Sunday lunch/tea - you know, the one with the drinking capacity of the average squaddie . Thank heavens the school run doesn't start until tomorrow for me .

Very interested to know wether or not:
a) you did the experiment Brengirl and, if so;
b) you noticed a difference.

Reet
x

[gojiberry]

From a recent article that I read somewhere, it is a myth that a frost makes any difference to a parsnip. Still I have always thought it did and will continue to try and leave the parsnips till after the first frost (as long as it dosen't come to late).

Ian

[Florence Fennel]

I only know that compared to shop bought, the parsnips I pulled from my raised bed on Christmas Day last year (and it was quite a feat getting them out of the ground which was frozen hard) tasted incredibly sweet and were no problem crisping when roast. Yum.

[Bren In Pots]

I dug up two parsnips yesterday and bunged them in the freezer for the afternoon I may be biased but they tasted the best parsnips ever.

Or was it just because I'd been eating shop bought ones lately.

[Shadylane]

From a recent article that I read somewhere, it is a myth that a frost makes any difference to a parsnip. Still I have always thought it did and will continue to try and leave the parsnips till after the first frost (as long as it dosen't come to late).

Ian

They can call it a myth if they want but the ones we had in autumn last year were definitely not as sweet as the ones we had in winter after the frosts. If you can taste the difference then it's not a myth Personally I'm not even thinking about eating parsnips yet, to me they're a winter veg and eating them is like admitting that summer is over(not that we had much of one). Still warm(ish) and sunny(ish) here so deffo not in the mood for snips yet.

[kittyvonsometime]

Heres the science bit.
The reason parsnips taste better after a frost is that the process turns some of the starch into sugars. Hence the sweeter less bitter flavour.

However if you roast the parsnips slowly they come out sweet anyway

[BUFFS]

Heres the science bit.
The reason parsnips taste better after a frost is that the process turns some of the starch into sugars. Hence the sweeter less bitter flavour.

However if you roast the parsnips slowly they come out sweet anyway

yea,roasted with the beef,tatties,the whole works,oh yes,as much as i enjoy pastas,curries,barbies,etc,the smell and taste of the roast dinner,especially on a cold day,the thought has me drooling,and as has been said,your own stuff always seems to taste better....