It’s not something you can often pick up in your local supermarket. Instead, it’s something you’re more likely to grow. And when you do, it seems to grow in abundance… So, how should you store sorrel?
Can You Freeze Sorrel?
Yes, you can freeze sorrel for up to 6 months. Finely mince the sorrel and then press the minced herbs into an ice cube tray. Top the cubes off with a little water, and then allow them to freeze. Pop the cubes out of the tray, and transfer them to a freezer bag.
Do Does Sorrel freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Sorrel? Yes
How to Freeze Sorrel
Freezing sorrel isnāt too tricky, but we recommend following our steps to ensure you donāt get mixed up.
- Chop Up: Mince the sorrel as finely or chunkily as you would when using it in your recipes, and then transfer it into the slots of an ice cube tray. Donāt be afraid to press the herbs down into the trays – it pays to pack them tightly and ensure that youāre not wasting space.
- Add Water: To ensure the frozen herbs stay together, top off each of the cubes with a little water and place them into the freezer. After around 24 hours, the water in the cubes should have frozen.
- Bag Up: Pop the individual cubes of sorrel ice out of the ice cube tray, and then transfer them all into a large freezer bag. Take care to avoid crushing the ice cubes during this process.
- Seal and Freeze: Press out any excess air from the bag to avoid the sorrel losing flavour, and then totally seal the bag. Label it, and place the bag into the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Sorrel
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing sorrel to have the best results:
Remove Excess Air
Removing as much excess air as you can from the bag that youāre freezing the sorrel in is a wise move, as it allows you to ensure that the sorrel loses as little flavour as possible during the freezing process.
Make a Herb Mix
If youāre already chopping and freezing herbs, buying other herbs and creating a small bundle might be a wise idea. You can easily combine a range of your favourite herbs to make a blend personalized to you and freeze the cubes for later use – itās both simple and highly efficient!
Combine With Other Veggies
If you know what youāre going to be using the sorrel for at a later date, you could consider freezing the sorrel cubes alongside other items that will be used in that final dish. For example, if the sorrel cubes will be used in a soup dish, you could freeze the other veggies from the dish with the sorrel cube.
How Long Can You Freeze Sorrel?
You can freeze sorrel for up to 6 months with ease.
The great thing about freezing herbs is that youāre not really trying to maintain texture, only flavour. Therefore, when the sorrel is within the ice, youāre ensuring that it keeps its flavour for when youāll use it later.
How Long Does Sorrel Last in the Fridge?
Sorrel will last for around 3 days in the fridge before it loses any texture or flavour. It will then begin to go a little limp but will still maintain its flavour for around 1 week.
How Do You Defrost Sorrel?
The best way to defrost the sorrel cubes that you made is to add them directly to the food that youāre cooking.
The ice should melt almost instantly before the sorrel starts to simmer in with everything else that youāre cooking. The cubes can be added to a frying pan, roasting tray, or any other tool in the kitchen.
Can You Refreeze Sorrel?
Yes, you can refreeze sorrel.
To do this, we recommend refreezing it within the ice cube tray, packing the leaves in, and adding a small amount of water all over again.
Does Sorrel Freeze Well?
Yes, sorrel does freeze well! Even after very long freezing, it can be easily thawed and added to food to impart some flavour.
The texture is not maintained over this time, but the water forms a barrier that allows the sorrel to maintain its flavour, which is ideal for a herb.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing sorrel or sorrel in general, then these may help:
Can You Freeze Sorrel Drink?
Freezing sorrel drink is not a good idea. You’ll lose a lot of the flavour and be left with a fairly bland liquid. Instead, keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Do You Need to Blanch Sorrel to Freeze It?
No, there’s no need to blanch sorrel before freezing it because you’ll ruin the texture. Instead, it’s better to freeze it finely chopped.
