Jams and jellies specifically formulated for freezing
Almost any food stuff for which you want to extend the shelf life. For example, when your favorite orange juice is on sale, stock up and stick the half-gallons in the freezer.
We’ll go into specific how-tos for each major type of food category. But first, let’s look at some general guidelines and guidance.
Berries are one of the most versatile types of produce that you can freeze. Use them for pies, jellies, jams, dessert toppings, or simply as a cool snack on hot summer nights.
DON’T FREEZE THESE
Some foods don’t do all that well when frozen. The list is subject to personal preference, but here are the foods I (and many others) believe become unappetizing when frozen:
Salad greens and crisp raw vegetables will wilt and get soggy.
Eggs in the shell will expand and crack; cooked egg whites get tough and rubbery; and meringues and icings made from egg whites get tough and weepy. The exception among eggs is the separated egg white, which does fare well.
Soft dairy products (cottage cheese, whipping cream, and sour cream) and foods made from dairy, such as custard or milk sauces, will separate and become watery. Milk, however, can be successfully frozen. Just shake well after defrosting.
Potatoes, when frozen raw, become mushy; when cooked or mashed, they get waterlogged and mealy.
Pastas, when frozen alone for later use, get mushy and taste stale. Frozen pasta dishes, such as lasagna or macaroni and cheese, freeze reasonably well.
Sandwiches generally don’t freeze well. Some may differ, but I won’t waste my time making and freezing most sandwiches only to have them become soggy.
Except for French fries and fried onion rings, fried foods lose their crispness and get soggy.
Salt loses its flavor in prepared meals.
Hot and bell peppers, cloves, and artificial vanilla become strong and sometimes bitter in prepared meals.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
While in most cases freezing is as simple as putting your product into a freezer-safe container, here are some general guidelines:
Use freshly picked, unblemished, fully ripe produce. The freezer is no place for second-rate, albeit bargain, products.
Most vegetables must be blanched to stop enzyme action. See “All About Blanching” in the appendix for details and individual recipes for appropriate blanching times. Exceptions include vegetables used exclusively for flavoring, such as onions, peppers, and horseradish.
Fruits do not need to be blanched, but light fruits should be treated to prevent darkening. See “Treating for Discoloration” in the appendix for details.
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
