August 26, 2011
Let’s talk about freezing. I’m not talking about what happens when the snow flies in the dead of winter. I’m talking about food. This is a quick, easy way to make some of your groceries last longer. In our house, we freeze corn and make sure we save some for holidays; there’s nothing like sweet corn out of a garden for Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, it makes me ALMOST look forward to cooler weather. On second thought, I like summer.
First, some foods that do not freeze well: cabbage, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, cooked pasta or rice, meringue, sour cream, mayo or salad dressing, gelatin, and fruit jelly.
You need to choose containers that will protect flavor, color, moisture, content, and nutritive value from the freezer’s dry climate. Fruits and vegetables should not be frozen in containers with a capacity over 1/2 gallon, as foods in larger containers freeze too slowly, and this will decrease the final product. Look for containers that are: moisture vapor resistant, durable and leakproof, resistant to oil, grease or water, easy to seal, easy to mark, won’t become brittle and crack at low temperatures, and will protect foods from absorption or off flavors or odors.
Rigid containers are made from plastic or glass and are especially good for liquid packs, but work for all packs. They can be reused and stacked in a freezer. If you use glass jars, choose wide mouth dual purpose gars made for freezing and canning, which will stand up better to extreme temperatures. Be sure to allow some headspace for foods that will expand as they freeze to keep the jar from breaking. Covers should fit tightly or reinforced with freezer tape at the seal.
Freezer bags, wrap, paper, or heavy-weight aluminum foil work for dry packed products with little or no liquid and work best for foods with irregular shapes. Bags can be used for liquid packs. Before you close your bag, remove as much air as possible.
When freezing vegetables, you will have to blanch them first, as it stops enzymes that effect flavor, color and texture. It will also brighten the color, soften or wilt the vegetable, and help with vitamin loss. To water blanch, use one gallon of water per pound of prepared vegetables. Put your vegetables into a blanching basket (if you have one) and lower it into vigorously boiling water. After you place a lid on the pot, it should return to boiling within one minute (otherwise you used too many vegetables). Time it as soon as the water returns to a boil. Broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and winter squash can be blanched using steam or water. Steam blanching will take about 1-1/2 times longer than water. A basket holding the foods should sit at least 3 inches above the bottom of a pot holding an inch or two of boiling water. Foods should be placed in a single layer, and begin timing as soon as the lid is put back on with heat remaining on high. Microwave blanching may not be effective and does not save time or energy. Underblanching is worse for the vegetable than not blanching at all because it stimulates the activity of enymes. Overblanching can make a food lose flavor, color, vitamins and minerals. After blanching, quickly and thoroughly cool the food to stop the cooking process. You can do this by plunging your vegetables immediately into a large quantity of cold water (60 F or below). Change the water frequently or use cold running water or ice water. When using ice, one pound is needed for each pound of vegetables your are working with. Cooling takes about the same time as blanching. After you cool the vegetables, drain them thoroughly. For the necessary blanching times, go to: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/blanching.html.
Frozen fruit can be stored for 8-12 months, poultry for 6-9 months, fish for 3-6 months, ground meat for 3-4 months, and cured or processed meat for 1-2 months, all at 0 F or lower. Use the “first in, first out” method for your frozen goods: rotate in a way that causes you to use the older items first.
A few more pointers: *Freeze foods at 0 F or lower, and lower the temperature at -10 F or lower for 24 hours in advance for a more rapid freezing. *Pack foods in “single meal use” portions. *Remove as much air as you can before closing the container. *Some foods may require headspace to allow the food to expand as it freezes; be sure to save room if necessary (foods that do not require it are loose packed- like broccoli, asparagus, bony pieces of meat, tray packed foods, breads).*As soon as you pack and seal foods, put them in your freezer. *Meats may be packaged using “butcher wrap.” *Label each package with: name of product, added ingredients, packaging date, number and size of servings, and the form of the food (whole, sliced). Use freezer tape, marking pens/crayons, or gummed labels that are made for freezer use. *Do not overload your freezer with unfrozen food, as this will slow down the freezing rate, putting your food quality in jeopardy. *Leave a little space between packages so air can circulate freely until food is frozen.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the food preservation articles this month, maybe even feeling braver and more inspired to try something new! I think I speak for most when I say that throwing food away is painful and expensive. Now you can find ways to safely keep many foods around longer. Have a happy, healthy week!
