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If you haven’t decided just how you will be preserving your harvest, glance ahead to chapters 3, 4, and 5 to assess which methods will best meet your needs. There is no point in investing in equipment you won’t use.

THE EXPENSIVE APPLIANCES

In my kitchen, I have found that I really save time by using my freezer, dish washer, food processor, and microwave oven. Of course, you can preserve food without these appliances, but their year-round uses justify their costs.

Freezers

Although a freezer is a major investment, freezing is very often the fastest method of food processing, and it generally gives you a product that is closest to fresh.

Small freezers contained in refrigerators are not cold enough to freeze and store foods. Your freezer must be a separate unit that maintains a temperature of 0°F or lower to stop the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Temperatures this low will also greatly inhibit the enzyme action that can cause discoloration and destroy the fresh flavor of frozen foods.

Costs. When you buy a new freezer, research more than just the name-brand models and take their operating costs into consideration. New energy-efficient models cost much less per year to operate than older models, a consideration if you are contemplating a used freezer. Each new freezer should list the approximate amount of energy the unit consumes per year, so be sure to do some comparison shopping. Self-defrosting freezers may not cost more to operate than manual-defrosting models. Accumulated frost in a manual-defrosting model acts as an insulator between the cooling coils and the interior, so additional energy is required to keep the unit cold and to recool the entire freezer after it has been defrosted.

Chest Freezers Versus Upright Freezers. Chest freezers tend to be colder since cold air does not rise quickly when the lid is raised. They hold more food overall per cubic foot and usually cost less than upright models. Upright freezers use less floor space, and they make reaching for food more convenient. But cold air spills from them when the doors are opened; therefore, operating costs are greater. Much of the space in an upright goes to waste since it must be packed so that food won’t fall out when the door is opened.

Microwave Ovens

Microwaves perform many time-saving functions when it comes to preserving food. Where they really shine is in the preparation work for freezing — blanching vegetables and heating sugar syrups. They are also quite handy for cooking fruits before puréeing for fruit leathers. And, of course, microwaves are great for the year-round tasks of cooking fresh and frozen vegetables for the table and rehydrating dried foods.

Any microwave, however, is limited in its versatility, and it should not be used for making preserves or drying most foods, despite the recommendations of some people. Some books do include recipes for microwave preserves; these recipes usually work in quantities no greater than 4 cups of fruit. The cooking times are comparable to larger batches done on top of the stove, and the hot fruit mixture has a tendency to boil over the top of the cooking container and make a mess inside the oven. Also, a tremendous amount of steam is generated, which can be hazardous.

Microwave drying is not recommended by some oven manufacturers, as removing all of the moisture from the oven creates what’s known as a “no-load” situation that can damage the machine’s magnetron tube over time. Microwave drying can also cause a “volcanic effect.” That is, the food feels very hot and dry on the outside but is still moist on the inside. If food is stored in this state, the moisture can turn into mold or cause the food to become rancid. In addition, the intensity of a microwave makes it very easy to overdry foods, resulting in a burned or charred flavor. Some foods, such as herbs, may even catch on fire.

So while drying foods in a microwave oven is possible, it is not always wise. Be sure to consult the manufacturer’s instructions before attempting to use your microwave oven to dry foods or herbs.