How To Preserve Asparagus

Learnhow to preserve asparaguswith easy drying, freezing, and canning techniques. Find ways to keep this amazing Spring vegetable available year-round for delicious recipes!

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Asparagus

Whether you’vejust returned from the farmers’ marketwith a beautiful bunch or harvested stalks from your own garden, you have wonderful options beyond refrigeration:

• Dehydrating spears for crispy vegetable chips and soup ingredients
• Blanching and freezingto lock in vibrant color and nutrition for winter stir-fries
• Pessure canning for pantry-stable asparagus ready for quick sides and salads

Thesecret to successful preservationlies in understanding this delicate vegetable’s needs—catching it at peak freshness,preparing it properly, and choosing the preservation method that best matches your culinary goals and storage space.

When To Harvest

Harvest the second year after planting. Harvest when the spears are 6-8 inches tall, before the tips begin to separate.

How To Store

In the refrigerator

Dehydrating

• CUT:Wash thoroughly. Cut large tips in half.
• DIPPING:Water or Steam blanch —Water Blanch: 3-4 min. Steam Blanch: 4-5 min
• DEHYDRATOR (hours):4-6 hours
• APPEARANCE WHEN DRY:brittle

Canning

QUANTITY:An average of 24½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 16 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A crate weighs 31 pounds and yields 7 to 12 quarts—an average of 3½ pounds per quart.

PREPARE:

1. Wash asparagus and trim off tough scales.
2. Break off tough stems and wash again.
3. Cut into 1-inch pieces or can whole.

HOT PACK

1. Cover asparagus with boiling water.
2. Boil 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Loosely fill jars with hot asparagus, leaving 1-inch headspace.
4. Adjust lids and process

RAW PACK

1. Fill jars with raw asparagus, packing as tightly as possible without crushing, leaving 1-inch headspace.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired.
3. Add boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace.
4. Adjust lids and process

Freezing

I recommend using quality freezer bags or a vacuum sealer with packaging for freezing food.

1. Select young tender spears.
2. Wash thoroughly and sort into sizes.
3. Trim stalks by removing scales with a sharp knife.
4. Cut into even lengths to fit containers.
5. Water blanch small spears 2 minutes, medium spears 3 minutes and large spears 4 minutes.
6. Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving no headspace.
7. Seal and freeze.

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Expert Tips

• Store properly after preservation: Frozen asparagus is best used within 8-12 months for optimal quality. Dehydrated asparagus should be stored in airtight containers away from light and heat and will keep for 6-12 months. Properly canned asparagus can last 1-2 years when stored in a cool, dark place.
• Consider pickling for long-term preservation: Pickling asparagus in a vinegar brine with spices creates a delicious preserved product that can last 12-18 months when properly processed in a water bath canner. The acidic environment prevents spoilage while maintaining the vegetable’s crisp texture.
• Flash freeze individually first: I like to freeze asparagus so that I can take outdifferent amounts as needed. Here’s how: Lay the blanched spears in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours before transferring to freezer bags or containers. This prevents the spears from sticking together, allowing you to take out only what you need later.

Did you use any of these preserving tips? Leave a note below in the comments or share it onInstagram,Facebook, orPinterest!