Freezing: An easy way to preserve

By Roberta McQuaid
Turley Publications Columnist

STURBRIDGE - My husband came in to grab some lunch just now and said, “You froze more broccoli.” The sulfury smell gave me away again! He is not a fan of this particular veggie. I, on the other hand, am. My all-time record for “most bags frozen” is 54. By midwinter that year he was so sick of it he began to douse it with hot sauce just to stomach it. Even I began to dread its appearance on my dinner plate. Then I got creative and found it to be great in soup, lasagna and on pizza. This year, unless Mr. or Mrs. Woodchuck say otherwise, I hope to beat that record.
Freezing fruits and vegetables is an easy way to preserve the harvest. More nutrients are retained by this method of food preservation than any other, and the color, flavor and texture are as close to fresh as you can get. Freezing works by curbing the growth of organisms that cause food to spoil. The key to longevity is to use packaging that will keep out air and moisture. Thick plastic freezer bags, tight-fitting plastic containers (square make better use of freezer space than round), or boilable bags that are made for vacuum sealers are all great options for that purpose.
Here is how you do it: Grab a pot from your cupboard to blanch your produce - this part of the process will help to retain the desirable characteristics mentioned above. You can blanch by steaming or boiling. Reportedly, steaming is superior for nutrient preservation. While you wash and chop your veggies to bite-size pieces, bring a few inches of water to a boil in a covered pot equipped with a steamer basket. When the water begins to boil hard insert a single layer of veggies into the basket and replace the lid (this part is critical). Blanch for 3-6 minutes, depending on thickness, for broccoli and 4 minutes for green or yellow beans. Don’t have a steamer pot? Try boil blanching instead. Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil then carefully immerse your vegetables to avoid spattering. When the water returns to a boil begin timing. Broccoli will take 2-3 minutes using this method; beans need 3.
Once blanching is complete, you must cool down the produce as quickly as possible to stop the cooking process from going any further. This is accomplished by plunging the food into a waiting bath of ice water. I remember reading somewhere that it should stay in the bath for about as long as it took to blanch it. Once cooling is complete, drain the veggies and allow them to air-dry on a clean towel. This next step is a must if you are freezing in big bags rather than exact dinner-sized portions: Line a cookie sheet with freezer or waxed paper. Arrange your dry produce in a single layer and pre-freeze for an hour or two, then fill your bag. This way you will be able to grab exactly what you need when making a meal - pieces won’t be frozen together in a big block.
Vacuum packers are great for freezing dinner-sized portions. Simply pack the bags with your blanched, air-dried veggies and seal. Without one you can do a good job of removing air from your freezer bags by simply squeezing out as you can manually then inserting a straw into an unsealed corner and inhaling to draw out what remains. The kids will find this part of the preservation process to be a lot of fun! Be sure to label the contents with the date - most produce will keep for at least a year at zero degrees.
For a more detailed look at freezing and other types of food preservation consult these great books by Storey Publishing: “The Beginner’s Guide to Preserving Food at Home” by Janet Chadwick and “The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest” by Carol W. Costenbader.

Roberta McQuaid graduated from Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. For the last 18 years, she has held the position of staff horticulturalist at Old Sturbridge Village. She enjoys growing food, as well as flowers. Have a question for her? E-mail it to journalregister@turley.com with “Gardening Question” in the subject line.