Topic: Now harvesting crop - need a chest freezer to freeze some of it

[shambasarfi]

Hi,

We're starting to reap the rewards of our hard work since getting our allotment in June.  There are carrots, beans, raddishes and beatroot galore and, although we are keeping my partner's Mum and Dad in veg as well, there is still going to be too much.

So any advice on getting a chest freezer?  Preferably an A energy rated one and not too expensive or too big.  What does anybody recommend?

I know there are certain vegetables you can't freeze but my Mum used to freeze beans by boiling them rapidly for two minutes and then rapidly freeze them by putting them in a container standing in ice cubs and then freeze them and they turned out lovely when it came to eating them.

We picked over a kg of beans last weekend and will have about the same to pick this weekend.

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Shamba

[betula]

I blanched my runner beans last year for a couple of minutes,left to cool,packed and frozen.Tasted great.

Can't help with freezer info :)

[PAULW]

SHAMBA
The problem with a chest freezer is stuff goes in and gets buried, we use upright freezer with drawers you can still lose stuff but they are more accessable to a search

[tim]

This is quite helpful?

http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/Storing_the_Surplus_Freezing.php

There are many others.

The chilling is almost the most important part.