Preserving peas doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are 2 ways to preserve peas without canning.
This might comes as a shock, but I am not a fan of peas. However, my entire family absolutely loves them.
And, when a generous neighbor drops off a 5 gallon bucket full of peas from their garden, there is only one thing to do…get to work!
Now, I’m gonna be honest, shelling peas is slow work. Thankfully, my sister was visiting, and I volunteered her to join in the fun of shelling.
Fast forward two hours later and we had a large bowlful of peas from that huge 5 gallon bucket.
Great, I have a bowl full of peas, what next? Well, there are 2 easy ways to preserve peas that don’t involve canning. The first is freezing. My kids love frozen peas, they pop them in their mouths throughout the day like candy. I know, it is amazing right?
The second method is dehydrating. This is great if you like peas in winter soups. Dehydrated peas can also be ground into a powder and used as an addition in making pasta.
Both of these methods are super simple and take little time, which are my kinds of methods!
How to freeze peas
Start by boiling water in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, pour the peas in the pot, making sure all are submerged. Let boil for 3 minutes.
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While it is boiling, grab a large bowl and fill it with ice water.
When the peas have finished boiling, strain out the water, and pour the peas into the ice water.
Leave them to cool and then strain again. These peas are now ready to be spread on a baking pan. Make sure the peas are not crowded or they will stick together.
Place the pan in the freezer until all peas are frozen.
Once they are frozen, take them out and put them in a freezer bag.
Freezing them on a pan first instead of pouring them into a freezer bag, keeps the peas from clumping together.
How to dehydrate peas
Follow the same method for freezing peas. Once you have finished straining them from the ice water, spread them onto a dehydrator tray.
I use this dehydrator and I love it! I can dehydrate in bulk due to the large trays, instead of having to dry them in stages. Plus, I can choose an exact temperature, instead of Low, Medium, High.
Dehydrate at 125 degrees for 8-10 hours. The peas will be ready when they are hard to the touch.
Once the peas have finished dehydrating, store in a jar.
Looking for other ways to preserve the season? Try my 4 Ways to Preserve Strawberries!