Freezing veggie's for the winter.

[blanq]

I don't have a garden, but have access to good fruits and vegetables at the St Paul Farmer's Market. I have not moved to canning, but do quite a bit of freezing. I make jam, spaghetti sauce, applesauce, salsa and freezer corn. Earlier this spring I made loads of jam (blueberry rhubarb, cherry rhubarb, apricot rhubarb) in 8 oz containers. Finally, I like to cook and freeze onions and peppers; I then use them in recipes for other things.

For the person who mentioned the straw to suck out the air from freezer bags, it is a great trick and one I use. I put my corn, applesauce, spaghetti sauce, peppers and onions in freezer bags and freeze them flat for easy storage. My jam and salsa go into plastic freezer containers with lids that screw on tight: http://www.amazon.com/Ball-8-Ounce-Plastic-Freezer-Containers/dp/B000SMYZ2O

 

[sunnyday123]

I don't have a garden, but have access to good fruits and vegetables at the St Paul Farmer's Market. I have not moved to canning, but do quite a bit of freezing. I make jam, spaghetti sauce, applesauce, salsa and freezer corn. Earlier this spring I made loads of jam (blueberry rhubarb, cherry rhubarb, apricot rhubarb) in 8 oz containers. Finally, I like to cook and freeze onions and peppers; I then use them in recipes for other things.

For the person who mentioned the straw to suck out the air from freezer bags, it is a great trick and one I use. I put my corn, applesauce, spaghetti sauce, peppers and onions in freezer bags and freeze them flat for easy storage. My jam and salsa go into plastic freezer containers with lids that screw on tight: http://www.amazon.com/Ball-8-Ounce-Plastic-Freezer-Containers/dp/B000SMYZ2O

So you just put your salsa in and freeze in these containers? I've been looking for something for salsa. How is it after being frozen?

 

[janey99]

I freeze raw grated zucchini and yellow squash in 2 cup portions, so I can make my zucchini bread recipein the middle of winter!

I also blanch, skin and seed various types of tomatoes in various portions, depending on different recipes I will make (sauce, chili, jumbalaya, etc.)

I vacuum freeze portions of edamame and just boil when someone wants some.

I will make tons of pesto later in the summer and freeze it.

Last year I made tons of sweet, fermented and cornichon pickles, but this year the cukes are not doing well - lucky I still have several jars of last year's pickles!

Jane

 

[beansmom]

So you just put your salsa in and freeze in these containers? I've been looking for something for salsa. How is it after being frozen?

the salsa is just fine after freezing. As it is cooked before freezing, it really loses nothing in the 'translation'. I freeze salsa altho now that I can can, I am going to do a huge batch of Pace 'copycat' and can that. I love pace.

 

[beansmom]

deleting duplicte posting.

 

[wlake]

Thanks for the info on the green beans! We grew them for the first time this year and I've frozen two batches (unblanched) already -- oh well! I have a vacuum sealer, so maybe that will help? I hope!

I love having chopped frozen onions and peppers because they make dinner prep so easy.

This year I've frozen mostly fruit, so we have peaches, strawberries, raspberries, and pounds and pounds of blueberries for muffins and yogurt this winter.

 

[D&DDisney]

I have frozen carrots and green beans. Never blanched them. Just cut them up fresh out of the garden, place them on cookie sheet, freeze and put into ziplock bags.
They have always tasted fresh, crispy and as sweet as the day I picked them. Never had a problem freezing veggies this way.

 

[neatokimmo]

We put 300 ears of corn in the freezer on memorial day and I've put about 40 red/yellow/orange sweet peppers in the freezer. I dice them up and put a cup in each bag.

I have a crock pot cooking now with about 20 diced skinned tomatoes in it. I added peppers too. I can't decide if I should spaghetti sauce it now or leave it plain.

If I had a deep freeze, I would raid the farmers market at closing time.

 

[annsteere]

I froze green peppers, banana peppers and I am finishing up green beans tomorrow. I canned salsa and spaghetti sauce yesterday with plenty more to can this weekend. I also have dehydrated zucchini and tomatoes this week. The garden is keeping me plenty busy. I am thinking of trying to can potatoes but havent gotten my courage all the way up yet.

Unless you have NOTHING else to do, I'd pass on canning potatoes. Lots of work for small reward. Spuds are pretty cheap and it is very difficult to can them without major texture changes.

 

[MineMail]

I have a crock pot cooking now with about 20 diced skinned tomatoes in it. I added peppers too. I can't decide if I should spaghetti sauce it now or leave it plain.

I don't have a big freezer, so I've been jarring my tomatoes as enough ripen in the garden to fill a jar or two. I've put up around 6 jars, not bad.

I have a new trick this year - I write the contents/date on the top of the jar with a permanent marker. I've never had enough jarred tomatoes to last the entire winter, but once I opened a jar, I had to find a way to keep the used lids from getting mixed up with the new ones. (You can't reuse the lids for jarring.) Now I can tell and I don't have to buy a new box of lids to be sure.


Someone gave me a giant Costco-sized can of tomatoes that was sitting in the pantry for almost a year. I had no use for something that big. I had the bright idea to make a quadruple batch of tomato sauce with it and put it in a jar. Now I understand why people use jarred tomato sauce - it's so much easier to open a jar than to make a pot of sauce. Tastes the same.

I usually par-cook corn around halfway and then freeze it on the cob. The cob gets mushy when defrosted, but the corn is fine and not overcooked.

 

[sunnyday123]

the salsa is just fine after freezing. As it is cooked before freezing, it really loses nothing in the 'translation'. I freeze salsa altho now that I can can, I am going to do a huge batch of Pace 'copycat' and can that. I love pace.

oooh...do you have a recipe??

 

[Colleen27]

I freeze a bunch for winter - green beans, peas (pods and shelled), corn on the cob, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, berries of all sorts, and veggie blends for fajitas, stir fry, etc. I would much rather freeze than use the pressure canner. The only things I can are tomatoes, salsa, pasta sauce, and fruit jams.

 

[Evi]

I freeze pesto, pasta sauce, garlic scape cubes and some soups over the summer. I've never had good success with freezing veggies even when I've blanched them. Though I have frozen lots of blueberries that I happily devour over the winter.

 

[sunnyday123]

I never thought about pesto....I have a ton of basil all ready to go. Does the oil freeze ok?

 

[thenewgirl]

We have frozen (fresh from our garden and after blanching) green beans, lima beans, broccoli, black eyed peas, field peas, and garden peas. We will soon have peppers, corn, okra, and eggplant.

I have some questions for you pros...

anyone have a good/easy recipe for spaghetti sauce (to freeze)?

when you freeze green peppers and onions, do you just slice and freeze? no blanching or other early preparation?

any ideas for how to preserve jalapenos? cabbage?

TIA

 

[thenewgirl]

I'd also love an easy dill pickle recipe for saving cucumbers!

 

[rockiesfan]

I'd love the pesto recipe for freezing!

 

[SDSorority]

I'd love the pesto recipe for freezing!

And the salsa recipe too please!!!!

 

[Evi]

I never thought about pesto....I have a ton of basil all ready to go. Does the oil freeze ok?

I think it holds up well but the garlic does mellow out alot from freezing so I usually add a little more fresh when I use it. I also add a little olive oil to my garlic scapes when I freeze them.

I don't have exact amounts I just eyeball it but I wash and drain about 4 cups of basil leaves and then I lightly toast pine nuts and add about 1/2 a cup, probably about a half a cup of parmesan cheese and 2-3 cloves of garlic salt and pepper to taste and then I add olive oil while blending. The most important thing when you freeze is to make sure you have about 1/2 inch of olive oil on top of the pesto when you freeze it. I like to use those little disposable plastic containers they hold about a cup maybe a little less of pesto. Its always bright green when I defrost it.

For pasta sauce I play with whatever I have fresh from my garden. Just blanch and peel tomatoes first and deseed them. Then you can roast them for more flavor or just dice them and set them aside. I like to grill 2 med onions cut in half and 2 bell peppers I let them blister. In saucepan I use olive oil and add 2-3 cloves of garlic minced till lightly golden then I add the onions also minced, when onions are translucent I add the peppers peeled, seeded and chopped. Then you can play with other stuff sometimes I'll add olives or zucchini, etc really its up to your taste. I'll finish with tomatoes and just cook till they essentially kinda burst or melt lol I really don't know what tech term for it is but you can tell when they have cooked. I add about a cup of red or white wine depending on what I added to that batch and season to taste with some fresh basil, oregano, salt, pepper, sometimes paprika sometimes Parmesan cheese sometimes capers lol. I'm really bad at giving an exact recipe because it really does change on what I have on hand.. But anyhow when your done just let it cool off and it will freeze really well. I use alot of heirlooms like this and the sauce tastes super fresh when I use it in the winter. Far better then canned sauce.

You can also make a simple sauce with cherry tomato's I use about 2 pints cut them in half to deseed don't worry about the skin. Heat olive oil add 2 minced garlic and 1 onion cook till golden add the tomatoes cook till tomatoes are soft then add 1/2 cup of minced basil and season to taste you can serve as is or blend for a smoother sauce and it freezes really well. Just add fresh parmesan or ramono when you serve or you can also blend it in.