The Frozen Vegetable Bobby Flay Swears By

Fresh is best when it comes to vegetables. When this food group is in season, it is at its sweetest, crunchiest, and tastiest; however, for Bobby Flay, there is one veggie that's better frozen. The "Throw Down" host revealed in an Instagram post that he prefers frozen peas over fresh. Flay said, "Green peas are one of those things where I have to say, 90% of the time, I like frozen peas better than fresh peas."

That might seem sacrilege, but the cookbook author and chef went on to share his rationale, noting, "Frozen peas are frozen at their very, very peak sweetness. Fresh peas are wonderful, but they become starchy very, very quickly. So if they're not utilized almost immediately ... they just get a little starchy."

This is because the moment peas are picked, the sugar they exude begins to convert to starch, leaving you with peas that are not as sweet as their frozen counterparts. In as little as a day, you may find your fresh peas have become pale and hard and no longer viable for your soup or your pasta with peas and cream sauce.

Bobby Flay is not alone in his assessment. He further stated, "A lot of chefs will tell you that frozen green peas sort of trump fresh peas." But you aren't wrong if you feel frozen peas are full of pitfalls. Whether you are a seasoned chef or a newbie cook, there is a tendency to overcook these little green orbs. This is a mistake everyone makes when cooking peas, so don't feel too bad. Why do frozen peas fall victim to overcooking? 

It helps if you understand how they are frozen. Freshly picked peas are flash-steamed before they're turned into green icicles. You really don't have to cook frozen peas long to warm and restore their color, but if you ever have, then you probably discovered they don't taste sweet, nor do they maintain their perfectly round texture. In fact, they may take on a shriveled appearance as if all the life has been sucked out of them. It takes just a minute or two to sauté, blanch, or cook frozen peas however you enjoy eating them, so if you are making split pea soup or braised duck with peas and want a guaranteed sweetness, stick with frozen and give yourself 60 seconds on your timer.