Freezing Preparation Chart

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Kitchen Ade

Freezing Preparation

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Kitchen Ade
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Freezing Prep Chart

 
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Food Safety
The Well Stocked Pantry
Healthy Habits
Basic Cooking Methods
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Preserving Food

Properly preparing foods for freezing will keep them healthy and attractive and provide the longest storage life.

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Freezing Preparation Chart

Product

Pre-freezing Preparation

Tips

Fruits
Apples Wash, peel, core and slice Dip in acidulated water (see eggplant) or toss with fruit fresh to prevent browning
Berries Hull if necessary, wash gently and pat dry Flash freeze for best results
Cherries Stem and pit Flash freeze for best results, freezing pit can produce bitterness.
Cranberries Freeze in bags they are sold in
Peaches/nectarines Blanch for 30 seconds. Remove skin  Dip in acidulated water (see eggplant) and pit then slice. or toss with fruit fresh
Pears Wash, peel, core and halve or slice Dip in acidulated water (see eggplant) or toss with fruit fresh
Plums Sort, wash and pit, blanch only if you want to remove the skin
Rhubarb Wash and cut off both ends, cut into l-inch (2.5-cm) lengths

Product

Pre-freezing Preparation

Tips

Meat and poultry
Small cuts of meat Wrap tightly in 2 layers of heavy-duty plastic wrap. Defrost in plastic wrap overnight on a plate on the lower rack of refrigerator.
Large cuts of meat and poultry Wrap tightly in 2 layers of heavy-duty plastic wrap.  Defrost in plastic wrap overnight or over several days on a plate on the lower rack of the refrigerator

Product

Pre-freezing Preparation

Tips

Fish and seafood
Fish fillets and shrimp Wrap tightly in 2 layers of heavy- duty plastic wrap. Defrost shrimp by running under cold water until ice crystals disappear. Defrost other shellfish and fish fillets overnight on a plate on the lower rack of refrigerator.

Product

Pre-freezing Preparation

Tips

Vegetables    
Asparagus Trim and blanch for: 2 to 4 minutes depending on thickness Alternate tips and ends in packages to get a tight fit
Beans (wax or green) Blanch for 3 minutes
Beets Wash, boil for 15 minutes then peel and remove roots and stems Freeze only whole, sliced or diced baby beets since larger beets lose texture and flavor when frozen
Broccoli Blanch florets for 3 minutes and drain well before freezing Pack heads and stems alternately to ensure a tight fit
Carrots Blanch whole baby carrots for 5 minutes and diced or sliced carrots for 3 minutes
Cauliflower If fresh from the field, soak in salted water for 30 minutes to remove insects; blanch florets for 3 minutes
Corn kernels Blanch ears for 4 minutes and  cut kernels from cob Flash freeze for easy use later
Corn on the cob Blanch for 7 minutes Wrap each ear individually, then group together in plastic storage bags; do not defrost, boil  for 15 minutes
Eggplant Blanch for 4 minutes in acidulated water (1/2 cup/125 mL vinegar to each liter of water). Pat each piece or slice dry and freeze between pieces of plastic wrap
Herbs No need to blanch. Just wash and spin dry Place chopped herbs in ice cube trays then transfer to zip-top bags when frozen
Peas Shell and blanch for 1 1/2 minutes Best flash frozen
Peppers (sweet or hot) No need to blanch, just quarter, remove seeds and ribs, then freeze
Tomatoes Remove stems and flash freeze Only good for cooked dishes once frozen, skins slip off when melting

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