No, you do not have to blanche okra. It grows so tall that it usually isn`t even gritty. I just wipe with a damp paper towel and bag it whole. An older lady told me she did it this way and I wouldn`t use any other method. It tastes like just picked any way you cook it. I bag it according to size, smaller for boiling and a bit larger for fried. I grow the clemson spineless and it can get pretty good size before getting tough. Much better than the ribbed.
