Kale Preservation

1. Wash, de-stem and chop kale leaves to desired size.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.
3. Add water and ice to another large bowl.
4. Add a couple handfuls of kale leaves at a time to the boiling water, cover and blanch for 2 ½ minutes.
5. Using tongs or a strainer pluck the leaves and stems and place them in ice water for the same amount of time. Repeat until all leaves are done. Drain.
6. Squeeze excess water from leaves.
7. For bulk storage, quick-freeze small clumps of kale individually on a cookie sheet. After they are frozen, place clumps into a large freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible from bags before sealing. Or store into individual packages before freezing. Choose the right size freezer bag to suit your serving-size portion. A vacuum sealer system works well with kale.

Kale can be frozen without first being blanched, but if so, it should be used within 4 weeks of freezing or it will become bitter. Blanching greens before freezing stops the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves. This will ensure that the leaves taste fresh and will not develop a bitter taste. Blanched kale will last up to 1 year in the freezer.

Frozen kale blends well into quiche, crock pot stews, and soups. You can also use frozen kale in smoothies for a healthy kick or sauté with seasoned rice vinegar. For a spicier dish, sauté kale in olive oil with garlic. Before serving, top with crushed red pepper. You can also cream it for a special treat or use it to create nutritious pesto.

The key to dehydrating kale in the oven is to use the lowest temperature possible (or 125 degrees Fahrenheit, if yours goes that low).  If your oven doesn’t go below 200 degrees, you might want to leave the door open a crack to prevent the kale from getting too hot and burning.

1. Remove the thick central stem, if desired.
2. Place the clean kale leaves on baking trays in a single layer.
3. Cook in an oven, set on the lowest heat setting, until dry and crispy.
4. You may need to turn the trays and flip the leaves a couple of times to get an even dry.
5. Allow to cool completely before storing

If you want to make kale chips, season and lightly oil after washing and before beginning dehydration.

So your kale is dried… now what?

• Store in an airtight container and reconstitute by adding to soups and stews or dipping in hot water.
• Grind into a powder and add to smoothies to pack it full of nutrients
• Grind into a powder and combine with other herbs and spices to make a spice blend