Can it! Start Canning and Preserving at Home Today. Jackie Parente

      Some enzymatic processes that are harmful to flavor and nutrition need to be blanched out of vegetables before they can be frozen.

       Choose a freezer container suitable to the the product being frozen:

      • Fruits in syrup, stews, and any food that is liquid at room temperature must be packed in a rigid container with sufficient space for expansion.

      • Pack vegetables in moisture- and vapor-resistant freezer containers such as freezer bags or rigid containers.

      • Wrap meats as tightly as possible in freezer wrap or butcher’s paper, and secure the wrapping with freezer tape.

      • Frozen meals can be put in any appropriate freezer-safe container, as long as you take care to remove excess air and seal the container completely.

       Label all containers—yes, including the see-through ones, even though you know you will remember what’s in there—with the contents, amount, and “date in” and “use by” dates (for example, “1 pint green beans, sealed August 15, 2012, use by August 15, 2013”).

       Keep an inventory of all of the food in your freezer (see the appendix for a sample). Include the item, size, date in, and date to use by, and post this on your freezer door. Unless you have a photographic memory, it’s very easy to forget exactly what’s in your bounty chest. It can be as simple as a hand-written piece of paper or as elaborate as a color-coded spreadsheet, but as long as you can track your consumption, you won’t be caught empty-handed when that blueberry pie you were sure was in the freezer isn’t available for a last-minute dinner party. (Be prepared to suffer a bit of teasing by folks who may find this a bit obsessive!)

       Check the freezer regularly to be sure that it’s running and that the temperature is set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. (Better safe than sorry and surrounded by spoiled food!)

       Twenty-four hours before freezing large amounts of food, set the thermostat back to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help ensure that the new food freezes rapidly, preserving color, texture, and flavor, and helping to prevent spoilage in the case of meats and prepared meals. Once new foods are frozen, return the freezer thermostat to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

       Cool any hot foods as quickly as possible before freezing—avoid putting hot dishes directly in the freezer. For example, after blanching vegetables, immerse them in ice water. For prepared meals, remove them from the stove and put them in a cool, clean place. I use my breezeway during the winter; we call it our “EcoFridge.”

       Leave a little space between packages when first putting them into the freezer to allow freezing air to circulate around them. Once they freeze, push them closely together to promote freezer efficiency.

       Add only two to three pounds of new food for each cubic foot of freezer capacity to avoid creating unnecessary strain on the freezer motor or raising the freezer temperature.

       When ready to use a food, thaw it carefully using only safe thawing methods (see the sidebar below).

       Thaw Safely!

      Freezing is a very safe form of food preservation because the microorganisms that cause food spoilage and food-borne illness do not grow at freezing temperatures. However, these organisms are only put into a state of suspended animation! When the food is thawed, the organisms wake from their deep-frozen sleep and multiply. If not thawed properly, frozen food can be extremely dangerous; this is especially true for low-acid foods, vegetables, shellfish, and precooked dishes.

      According to the US Department of Agriculture, there are three safe ways to thaw; the best is to thaw in the refrigerator. This requires planning ahead, yes, but it has more advantages than just food safety (though food safety is the best advantage!). You also save energy when you thaw in the refrigerator. The energy that was used to freeze the product is not wasted but is actually reused in your refrigerator. That is, your frozen pound of hamburger that sits in your refrigerator overnight to thaw is helping to keep your refrigerator cool, thus your refrigerator doesn’t have to work so hard and uses less energy. If you put that pound of hamburger on the counter to thaw, not only are you potentially creating a safe haven for dangerous microorganisms to breed, but you are also wasting all that cold energy. In addition, foods that are thawed in the refrigerator—especially those high in water content—tend to be less mushy.

      Cold-water and microwave thawing are also safe. Cold-water thawing involves, as you might guess, submerging the food in cold water. But this is more involved than it sounds. The food must be in a leak-proof package. If you get water in the food, you have two potential problems: The first is introducing bacteria into the food and therefore creating the possibility of food-borne illness. The second is water-logging the food. This may not make the food unsafe, but it will likely make it less appetizing.

      To thaw food in your microwave, use the defrost setting on your microwave to safely and quickly defrost your food. Make sure you eat or cook the food immediately. Never hold partially cooked or defrosted food for any length of time. The bacteria that were present when you froze the food now have an optimal environment to grow. Because of this, never refreeze thawed food without fully cooking it to kill the bacteria.

       EQUIPMENT

      Except for perhaps a separate freezer, there are few things you’ll need to purchase to start freezing food. Here are the basics:

       Freezer: chest, upright, or the freezer that’s part of your refrigerator (see the next section “Freezers and Freezer Facts” that starts on page 41).

       Two or three large pots (at least 6- to 8-quart capacity, preferably stainless on the inside), one with a steamer insert or basket. Use these for blanching, washing, rinsing, and cooling. Do not use galvanized, copper, or iron pots because acid reacts to these metals.

       An assortment of bowls ranging in size from very large (more than 6 quarts) to small (1 quart) for mixing and staging

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