The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [15]
Plug in the bag sealer or iron. Fill four boilable bags with vegetables in meal-size portions, making sure that when the vegetables are distributed, the package is no thicker than 1 inch. Add butter and seasonings if desired. Use as much as you would use if cooking for a meal.
Expel as much air as possible and seal with the automatic bag sealer. Or place the bag on a towel, cover with a damp cloth, and seal with an electric iron. Label and date bag.
When four bags are packed, drop them into the boiling water and blanch with the pan covered. (The bags will float on top of the water. This is all right, as long as each bag has one side in contact with the boiling water.) Check the timing (see chart on page 220) and set the timer. A rule of thumb is to blanch for double the length of time suggested for the standard blanching method. Use a slightly shorter time for tender young vegetables, and a slightly longer time for more mature ones. Start counting the time as soon as you replace the cover.
pare produce
slice produce
expel air from bag
seal with electric sealer
Fill the cooling kettle with cold water and ice packs (see page 31) or cubes or chunks of ice.
Continue packing while the first batch is blanching.
When the blanching time is up, remove the packages from the blanching kettle and place them in the ice water. Make sure the ice holds the bags down in the water, since air left in the bag tends to make the bags float. During the chilling time, occasionally knead the bags to move the cold into the center of the packages.
Add four more bags to the blancher and continue as before, until all the vegetables are blanched. Leave the processed bags in the ice until you are completely finished, unless you need the space for more vegetables.
When all the vegetables have been blanched, leave the bags in the ice water for an additional 10 minutes. While the bags are cooling, clean up your work area.
Remove the bags of vegetables from the water and dry with towels.
Freeze the vegetables in a single layer in the coldest part of the freezer. Remove the ice bags from the cooling kettle, pat dry, and return to the freezer.
Foods frozen this way can be cooked in the bag or removed and steamed or stir-fried for faster cooking.
drop bag into boiling water
prepare cooling kettle
chill bags in ice water
dry bags with towel
tips Instead of blanching your favorite vegetables, try stir-frying them in a little butter for a few minutes. Then package the vegetables in boilable bags. To prepare these vegetables for the table, reheat the bagged vegetables in boiling water. You will enjoy the stir-fry flavor and texture.
When pouring large quantities of boiling water into the sink, run the cold water to prevent the steam from scalding you.
To save confusion and mistakes when working with seasonings, always work from right to left or vice-versa. As you use a seasoning, move it to the other side.
MICROWAVE BLANCHING METHOD FOR FREEZING:
Nine Steps
This method of freezing often produces great-tasting vegetables. Since the vegetables are not immersed in water, all color, flavor, texture, and most nutrients are preserved. Adding butter to the vegetables coats them 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 julienned vegetables work best. To promote even cooking, most vegetables require stirring halfway through the blanching process.
Please note: Microwave blanching for the freezer is not a tried-and-true method. Your local County Extension Service agent won’t recommend it, as research has shown that all enzymes may not be destroyed by this method. This probably relates to the differing efficiencies of various microwave models, plus how evenly the vegetables were placed in the blanching container and whether or not the vegetables