Couldn't one just cut the flesh off and eat it in strips like that straight?

Like not eat the inside but just the green outer skin of Flesh with the meat right underneath the flesh?

Also, would it hurt to cut the flesh off and freeze it for later use, even months ahead of time?

If you could actually stomach a whole cactus then yes, but you most definitely would have a much more challenging time getting it down then just making a tea and having just a shot or two of liquid to deal with. You can freeze cactus, or already prepared tea indefinitely. IME the cactus itself just turns into a mess after you freeze it. Some think it helps extract more alkaloids because it breaks the cells walls down of the plant material, but it makes no difference as long as you cook it for minimum 24hrs IMO.

This is how I prepare my cacti:
0) cut out the thorns
1) cut the cactus horizontally in stars (not vertically in stripes)
2) let the stars dry for 2-3 days (mod. temp & dark), till the waxy skin is easy to peel of
3) seperate the thinn layer of dark green cacti flesh and let it dry
4) powderize (take care of the dust, it is all good stuff!)
5) happy travel


tseuq