This is how I do it. Yes, there are lots of ways.
1. Wash your spinach, of course.
2. Fold each leaf in half and cut off the thick part of the stem/rib. The stems are tough once frozen so I like to remove them.
3. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of your blancher (a normal pot works, too, but you won’t have the steamer basket).
4. Bring the water to a boil.
5. Meanwhile, load the steamer basket with spinach.
6. When the water is boiling, place the basket full of spinach in the pot and slap the lid on.
7. Check the spinach every 15 seconds or so, stirring a bit to evenly steam it.
8. When all the spinach is wilted (should take about 30 or 40 seconds), remove it to a strainer over a bowl. Press on it to remove some of the water.
9. Spread the squeezed spinach out on a cookie sheet.
10. Once the spinach is cooled to room temperature, pop the cookie sheet into the freezer.
11. Once frozen, scrape the spinach into freezer bags, however much in each bag that suits your taste.
12. Forget to take a lot of pictures along the way.
13. When there is not a green to be seen the wintery garden, pull out the spinach and enjoy!
Great idea to remember, once our spinach is ready in the garden. Just a note…I think there is a typo in #7. Shouldn’t it read “check every 15 seconds” instead of minutes?
Oops. Thanks Carlyn! All fixed