Instructions

1. Shell the peas into a large bowl. Fill your kitchen sink or a second large bowl with ice water before beginning the blanching process.

2. Pour 5 quarts of water into a large pot, then place the pot onto a burner on your stove top. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil.

3. Drop no more than 1 pound of peas at a time into the boiling water and place a tight-fitting lid onto the pot. Use a clock or a stopwatch to time how long the peas are in the water.

4. Remove the peas from the boiling water after 1 1/2 minutes with a blanching basket or a slotted spoon. Immediately submerge the peas in the ice water and leave them there for approximately five minutes, or until they have completely cooled.

5. Take the peas out of the ice bath and allow them to drain. Place them into zip-close plastic freezer bags, and write the current date on the outsides of the bags before putting them into the freezer.

6. Repeat the blanching process if you have more than 1 pound of peas that are going to be frozen.