# Sugar snap peas



## Leslie (Oct 13, 2010)

Does anyone have a clue how to preserve sugar snap peas? We had a bumper crop and are rolling in them. I heard they cannot be blanched and frozen with good results.


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## Laura (Oct 14, 2010)

I always buy sugar snap peas frozen, as I've heard that more often than not the "fresh" grocery store kind are old and tough. Commercial quick-freezing is almost always going to be better of course, but according to this site and other county extension sites blanching and freezing is just fine.


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## Leslie (Oct 16, 2010)

Thanks. I'll try to blanch and freeze a small amount. It's encouraging. These are from our garden, location Ethiopia. The rainy season and the peas are just finished.


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## JBaldwin (Oct 17, 2010)

Have you tried freezing them in the new vaccum seal bags? I had good success doing that with my veggies this summer.


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## Leslie (Nov 4, 2010)

Several people have suggested freezing. Please tell me about the vacuum seal bags. I'm in southern Ethiopia so it won't go any good for this season. However, next time we go to the States, I could look into getting something like this.


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## Laura (Nov 4, 2010)

If you have a straw and good lungs, I think you can get a very similar result to vacuum seal by just closing the bag most of the way, sticking a straw in, and sucking the remaining air out while you close the bag completely.


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## Leslie (Nov 4, 2010)

Thanks. Do you mean that these are ordinary zip-lock bags?


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## Laura (Nov 5, 2010)

Yes, absolutely. The thicker freezer kind if possible, but regular ziplocs.


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## JBaldwin (Nov 5, 2010)

Leslie said:


> Several people have suggested freezing. Please tell me about the vacuum seal bags. I'm in southern Ethiopia so it won't go any good for this season. However, next time we go to the States, I could look into getting something like this.


 
The straw method works, but they are making the freezer bags with a vaccum pump for not much more than the price of regular freezer bags. You only have to buy the pump once, and it costs a couple of dollars. They are made by ziploc, you might be able to order them somewhere online.


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## Leslie (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks. I can't order anything online but hope to go to the States within the next 4 months or so. Sounds like a good deal if the pump is not too bulky or heavy.


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## JBaldwin (Nov 6, 2010)

Leslie, the pump is light and small and stores easily.


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