Spring gardens may be bursting with fresh peas and carrots. So how can they be preserved beyond the spring season?
Both vegetables can be preserved by canning, freezing and dehydrating. Carrots can also be pickled. Always start with fresh picked produce at the peak of maturity for best results. Wash with water. Use small sized carrots, scrub and peel to remove areas where dirt and bacteria can hide. Edible pea pod varieties are best frozen. Green and English peas can be frozen, canned or dehydrated since they are removed from the pods.
If freezing or dehydrating peas and carrots, both need to be blanched to achieve the best quality, texture, color and flavor.
For canning and freezing peas and carrots, see Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe—Vegetables.
For dehydrating peas and carrots, see https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/uga_dry_fruit.pdf.
Peas and carrots must be pressure canned. Pickled carrots are water bath canned. Learn more at www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation/index.html
