Freezing Summer Squash
General preservation or storage guidance
Young yellow summer squash or zucchini freezes for cooked dishes after a short blanch; choose tender fruit before the seeds enlarge.
Method
- Choose young, firm yellow summer squash or zucchini with tender skins. Wash, trim the blossom and stem ends, and cut into 1.3 cm (½ in) slices.
- Blanch the slices in boiling water for 3 minutes, timing once the water returns to a boil.
- Cool promptly and thoroughly in cold water, then drain well.
- Pack into freezer containers, leaving about 1.3 cm (½ in) headspace. Seal, label and freeze promptly.
- Use from frozen in cooked dishes; the slices will soften. Keep continuously frozen and do not refreeze thawed squash.
Storage
Freezer at −18°C or colder · Keep continuously frozen; no exact quality period stated
Sources and scope
- Freezing Summer Squash — National Center for Home Food Preservation
Method-specific source recorded in the prior content audit
Pickling Summer Squash
General preservation or storage guidance
Zucchini, a summer squash, can be made into a tested bread-and-butter pickle with measured 5% vinegar and a specified boiling-water process.
Method
- This tested recipe is specifically for zucchini. Measure 16 cups sliced fresh zucchini, 4 cups thinly sliced onions, ½ cup canning or pickling salt, 4 cups white vinegar labelled 5% acidity, 2 cups sugar, 4 tbsp mustard seed, 2 tbsp celery seed and 2 tsp ground turmeric.
- Wash the zucchini, trim ends and slice; peel and thinly slice the onions. Cover the slices with 2.5 cm (1 in) water and the measured salt; leave 2 hours, then drain thoroughly.
- Combine the measured vinegar, sugar and spices in a large pan. Bring to a boil, add zucchini and onions, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Fill prepared jars with the hot mixture and liquid, leaving 1.3 cm (½ in) headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and fit lids.
- Process hot pint or quart jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes up to 305 m (1,000 ft), 15 minutes from 306–1,829 m (1,001–6,000 ft), or 20 minutes above 1,829 m (6,000 ft). Do not change the vinegar proportion or jar size.
- Cool jars undisturbed and check seals. Refrigerate any unsealed jar; store properly processed sealed jars cool and dark, and refrigerate after opening.
Storage
Cool, dark storage for properly processed sealed jars; refrigerate after opening or if unsealed · Follow the tested NCHFP recipe; no additional shelf life is claimed
Sources and scope
- Pickled Bread And Butter Zucchini — National Center for Home Food Preservation
Method-specific source recorded in the prior content audit
Relish for Summer Squash
General preservation or storage guidance
A tested summer-squash relish combines shredded yellow squash or zucchini with onion, 5% cider vinegar, sugar and spices before canning.
Method
- For about five pint jars, measure 4 lb (1.8 kg) firm yellow summer squash and/or zucchini, ½ cup diced sweet onion, 2 cups cider vinegar labelled 5% acidity, 2¼ cups white sugar, 2 tsp celery seed, 2 tsp turmeric and 4 tsp mustard seed.
- Wash and rinse the jars and keep them hot; prepare lids as directed by their manufacturer. Rinse squash, remove blossom and stem ends, and shred it. Peel, rinse and dice or shred the onion.
- Combine vinegar, sugar and spices in a pan and bring to a boil. Carefully add squash and onion, return to a boil and boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Pack the hot vegetables and liquid into hot half-pint or pint jars, leaving 1.3 cm (½ in) headspace. Remove air bubbles, ensure liquid covers the pieces, wipe rims and fit lids.
- Process in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes up to 305 m (1,000 ft), 20 minutes from 306–1,829 m (1,001–6,000 ft), or 25 minutes above 1,829 m (6,000 ft). Let jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours and check seals.
- Refrigerate any unsealed jar, leftover relish and opened jars. Store only properly processed sealed jars in a cool, dark place; do not alter the tested ingredient proportions or process.
Storage
Cool, dark storage for properly processed sealed jars; refrigerate after opening or if unsealed · Follow the tested NCHFP recipe; no additional shelf life is claimed
Sources and scope
- Summer Squash Relish — National Center for Home Food Preservation
Method-specific source recorded in the prior content audit