Parsnips - lift or leave

[Elle's Garden]

I have a great row of parsnips in my raised bed of which I am really proud. But I am a little concerned, I have pulled about half a dozen or so now and I am finding brown grooves/runs down the outside. It looks as though something has munched its way down the outside and then it has gone a bit brown around that. It peels straight off with the peeler and fortunately the parsnips are large enough that it is not a nuisance - but should I lift them now to prevent further damage? I really want to keep some for Christmas if nothing else because that was my aim this year - to grow Christmas Dinner!

Appreciate your thoughts,
Elle

[Chantal]

Hi Elle

In my experience that problem will only get worse. But, it is possible to lift now then blanch and freeze them down in bags for roasting etc.

I cut into lengths and blanched for 5 minutes or so a whole pile of them early this year and have just roasted off the last of them. I couldn't tell that they weren't fresh picked.

[Beryl]

I would go one step further than Chantel and par-roast them before freezing. If you boil in chunks firt, then drop them in a pan of hot oil until just going a pale golden, lift and drain on kitchen paper. Open freeze on a tray then -pack in a poly bag. To use put in hot oven thawed or frozen till crisp. I still have some from last winter and they are perfectly alright. I do this with celeriac and potatoes. They can all go on the same tray and saves a whole lot of bother.

Beryl.

[Monika]

What a good idea, Beryl! I shall do that with our pasrnips, not least because I am desperate to dig over the ground they are in at the moment (I know, not very good planning, that). It will also mean I don't have to don wellies, walk right down the other end of the village and across a field in order to get one parsnip when I want it! And they will probably also be in a better condition than much later - see Elle's Garden's original question.

[Elle's Garden]

Thanks for the ideas ladies. I will just make some space in the freezer and then get going! Ironically I picked one today for some parsnip mash and it was perfect.