Sounds like you might have picked it a bit late as it is starting to go to seed. ;) It is still safe to eat. If you want to blanch it and freeze just shave off the buds as much as possible (they can be bitter) and go ahead with your plans.

Dave

Try it first. I find flowering broccoli to be flat-out gross, but the peeled stems are still delicious.

Peeled stems?
Could you elaborate, please.
Thanks,
Gumby_CT

gumby,

Broccoli stems are nice to eat, but if your heads are so mature that they are flowering, the stems are probably beginning to get tough and fibrous on the outside.

Peel off the outer portion of the stem with a potato peeler or knife and cook and eat the insides of the stems. They are delicious, I like it much better than the florettes.

Second that... I actually composted all the heads off my broccoli this year because they were too late.. ate the delicious stalks though - wonderfully tender and sweet.

Thanks Murky, I will have to try that. Nothing to loose right? Well except more seeds.

This entire 4x4ft. bed are volunteers from plants I let go to seed last year. Made planting this year a breeze. Nature at it's finest ;-)
{{gwi:101180}}

Thanks for all the advice..........I tested the broccoli before steaming/freezing and there was no diff. Will try to blanch/freeze next year the same day it is picked....Still learning..........big 40 x 120 garden so am still learning with all the vege's. :)

You can also use the stems for stir frys too. Just make sure you boil it for a few minutes first. It goes great with sliced beef.

Also shredded stems make great cole slaw type salad.

If you're done harvesting heads, you can also eat the leaves. They are similar to loose cabbage leaves or collard greens. They are all very closely related.

I imagine you aren't growing cabbage or collards, or at least not letting them bloom at the same time as your brocolli, since they will cross pollinate and the resulting seeds will produce a mix in the next generation. If you are just after the greens, then the mixing probably doesn't matter much.

i always cut off the stem, then peel and eat them raw! they are great and mild!!!