Freezing

[RSJK]

hello all, l am looking forward to getting plenty of veg off the two lotties l have taken on , and l am sure l am going to have to freeze some of the things that l will grow but,and this is a big but..l have been reading about blanching before freezing is there any need to do this and if so why.  Sorry to sound a bit thick on this subject.
     

[tim]

No! - but it does delay the rotting process.

And some things you can't - raspberries, for instance?

And toms - never! Here are the very last Santa. Shame!  = Tim

[Tenuse]

There is a good book I bought called "how to store your garden produce", which goes through all sorts of veg and how to blanch them (minutes etc) or if they can be stored dry, or in a clamp.

Some things will freeze brilliantly without blanching, including:
- peas
- raspberries
- broad beans (ugh!)

Other things need a few minutes blanching, depending on size, the thing I have found here is that it is important to put them straight into ice cold water, otherwise they carry on cooking after you have taken them out of the water.

Some things like courgettes, mange tout or tomatoes are better used up and frozen as part of a cooked meal, or made into yummy preserves and sauces.

Ten x (who is about to invest in a GIANT freezer for expected 2004 produce!!!)

[tim]

Depends on your mood, Ten?  For instance, we never blanch sweet corn or runners; or new potatoes; sometimes french beans. As you say, courgettes, and aubergines are better in a ratatouille type thingy.

How big is 'giant'? - what sort? = Tim

[Tenuse]

I would LOVE a chest freezer, but we simply don't have the room for one.

We are going to look for an upright chest freezer, if such a thing exists!! 6ft of freezer space required...

Of course when you freeze veg/fruit it depends what you are going to use it for later, it is much harder to freeze things so that they appear "as new" but easy peasy (hehehe) to freeze things that are later going to be in a stew etc!

I've found frozen french beans don't last long, only a month or so, before they get "freezer burn", but maybe they are in the wrong place.

Strawberries don't freeze at all well, but I have always frozen a bag of PYO because there is NOTHING better than grabbing a frozen strawberry on a hot day and eating it like an ice lolly!

Ten x

[tim]

Yes - some things don't last too long. But we all do it? Bad labelling, bad listing, bad routine. But long term storage is not the purpose of a freezer?

Strawberries - a mush, or ice-cream? One thing we always do, is save some Sevilles in case we run out of marmalade - or need Nigella's seville ice-cream in the summer.

Plenty of 6+cu ft uprights about, Siemens etc, but not too sure what an upright 'chest' is. They all have drawers? If you can afford it, 'frost free' - such a joy.

We're looking around in case our 18 cu ft upright does a wobbly. The anti-ice element around the door has ceased to function. We must have shelves in the door as well, for easy access. In ages of trying, I've only found one - Harrods, of course - American, of course - stainless steel, of course - price? They have to be joking? £5000!! I think, maybe our current one will see us out? No EU (of course) freezer, I learn, may have shelves in the door. What next? If anyone can prove me wrong, PLEASE do. = TIM

[Tenuse]

Oh dear Tim, I think £5000 is far too much for a freezer!!

Yes I suppose an upright "chest" freezer will need shelves won't it, otherwise everything would tumble out when you opened the door!!

The strawberries are just as they are, if they are defrosted they become mush, but if nibbled frozen they are just like an ice lolly, albeit one with seeds.

Mmm! Roll on summer!

Ten x

[tim]

Price? Yes - but fortunately you don't want that size, or f/f perhaps, or  door storage. We have 4 cu ft in the door alone. I shall miss it. I thought the EU had messed us about enough in the pesticide/fungicide area.

Straws - a lovely idea - I was just thinking of other ways. = Tim

[budgiebreeder]

I freeze my Stawberries on a tray then bag them up when frozen. They can be used in jellies  with the juice being used to make the jelly.

[tim]

Nice one - and open freezing should be used for so many things. Even my new potatoes! = Tim

PS : Alpines, of course, freeze or dry better than most?
When should one cut/have cut the foliage down??