The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [14]
cooking tip Frozen, unblanched vegetables are best cooked by stir-frying. To do so, melt 1 teaspoon of butter per serving in a heavy, preheated skillet. When the butter has melted, add the frozen vegetables and stir and toss the vegetables over high heat to the de sired degree of tenderness. Cook until all moisture is evaporated. If more moisture is needed to cook to desired stage of doneness, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
drain washed beans
julienne beans
pack beans in bag
Make sure your work area and all equipment are spotlessly clean. Assemble your equipment and set your tools where they will be most useful. You will need a scrubbing brush, towels, freezer bags, a small pillow (optional), and a labeling pen and tape.
Select vegetables that are slightly immature. Wash the vegetables and drain on towels.
Prepare the vegetables: slice, dice, chop, julienne, or leave whole. Leave berries whole; peel and slice or chop other fruit.
Pack in freezer bags, expelling as much air as possible. Label with name of product and date.
Freeze in a single layer in the coldest part of the freezer.
Vegetables and fruits frozen this way should be used within 6 to 8 weeks. The best methods of cooking vegetables frozen in this manner are stir-frying and steaming.
tip The more accessible the proper tools for food processing are, the faster, easier, and more enjoyable the job will be. After using large appliances, such as food processors, I always wash and set them back up again. I cover my strainer with a plastic bag to prevent dirt and bacteria from collecting in the open funnel top.
BOILABLE FREEZER BAG METHOD: Twelve Steps
This method of freezing often produces the best-tasting vegetables. Since the vegetables never come in contact with water, all color, flavor, texture, and most nutrients are preserved. Adding butter to the bag, when desired, coats the vegetables with a protective film that further enhances the quality and flavor of the finished product. Experiment with combinations of vegetables, such as peas and tiny onions, or peas and carrots. Sliced, diced, or julienne vegetables work best. Whole carrots and beets do not freeze well by this method. Strong-flavored vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and turnips, should not be frozen by this method.
Time is saved with this method because bags of food can be blanched in multiples; cooling requires no special timing or handling (allowing you to continue packing); and since all vegetables are processed within the package, pans need only to be rinsed and dried, making cleanup a snap.
I tested this method against the standard freezing method with green beans. After the initial washing and trimming (time for both was the same), I timed the balance of the freezing procedure. I was able to pack, blanch, and cool a half-bushel of green beans by the boilable freezer bag method in 29 minutes, versus 1 hour and 25 minutes for the standard method. Try it yourself!
The real challenge with this method is locating a bag sealer and suitable freezer bags. If you can’t find a source locally, check the mail-order listings on page 224.
Make sure your work area and all equipment are spotlessly clean. Assemble your equipment and set your tools where they will be most useful. You will need a scrub brush, towels, a chopping board, knives, a food processor, a widemouthed funnel or large spoon, freezer bags, a small pillow (optional), a bag sealer or electric flat iron, an indelible marking pen and freezer tape, a large roaster half-filled with water for blanching, a large kettle for cooling, ice packs, cubes, or chunks of ice, tongs, potholders, and a timer.
Select young, fresh vegetables that are just table-ready or slightly immature. Wash well; drain on towels.
Begin heating water in the roaster for blanching.
Prepare vegetables