Freezing Foods for the Long Haul

Just about anything can be frozen; the trick is simply to understand how to properly prepare foods for the freezer. A large amount of food is wasted each year due to improper freezing techniques and the resulting freezer burn that occurs.

Just behind improper freezing techniques, coming in a close second, is time frozen. For different types of food, there are different maximum freezing times. For instance, cured meats, like bacon, prosciutto, and panchetta can only be frozen for a few months because the salt used to cure those aids in the breakdown of the meat. Vegetables on the other hand, if properly prepared, can three to six months in the freezer.

Another important fact to remember is to get as much air out of the packaging as possible. This reduces the amount of oxygen that can get into your food and dull the color and flavor, while allowing the water inside to freeze and create the nasty freezer burn.

Here are some preparation techniques for some of the more common foods, which you may not have thought about.

Vegetables

Vegetables freeze extremely well, under one condition – they are first blanched for anywhere between two and seven minutes depending on the vegetable. After the blanching, the enzyme action ceases and the vegetables will retain their color and most of their nutrients. Blanching also protects the texture and gives the vegetables a good cleaning on the outside, before they are put into the freezer. It is important to let all the vegetables cool before attempting to package them, otherwise the inside of the packaging material will condensate and you will end up with freezer burn.

Fruits

Most fruits start to oxidize, or turn brown, when they are cut open and left to the air. In order to keep this from happening when preparing to freeze, usually fruits are stored in simple syrup with a little ascorbic acid. The ascorbic acid helps to stop the oxygen from adhering to the flesh of the fruit and helps to keep the colors pure. If you cannot find ascorbic acid, a little lemon juice will usually do the same thing.

Meat

Meat is probably the most expensive thing that people freeze. It is extremely important to pay close attention when freezing meat, so that it does not go bad in the process. It is best to cut the meat into individual portions before freezing because the meat could spoil if it has to be thawed and reheated numerous times. Once the meat is cut, it should be chilled, covered, to about 40 degrees, and over-wrapped with a thick plastic wrap before being put into an airtight container.

For more information on freezing certain foods, make sure you check out the proper regulations imposed by the United States Department of Agriculture or other national agency where you are. This will make sure that you are protected against improper food handling techniques, which could lead to sickness.