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falseharmonix · 03-23-2011, 02:32 PM

Im growing a veggie garden again this year, and will hopefully have more food to store. I'm going to have some peas that I will want frozen (canned peas suck, not an option) but I'm not sure how to go about long-term freezing them, or what to store them in while in the freezer. Anyone have suggestions or tricks?

**bkt** · 03-23-2011, 04:29 PM

Get a vacuum sealer to remove all air so they won't get freezer-burned. You should be OK.

Consider getting a dehydrator, too.

**Yunus** · 03-23-2011, 04:44 PM

Vacuum sealer is probably the best way. However if you want to be really cheap, Alton Brown taught me a trick that works well. Place a straw in a zip lock bag and squeeze the air out with the straw in the bag sticking out the top. You can get way more air out using a straw than without. It's not a vacuum sealer but it's better than nothing.

**JonM** · 03-23-2011, 09:20 PM

try this page:

National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Freeze

**bizy** · 04-27-2011, 12:47 PM

In the past we used the 1 gal ziploc baggies. We blanched the vegies and then sealed the ziploc. We mashed out the air when zipping the bag. But the straw sounds like a great idea also..

**CA357** · 04-27-2011, 04:13 PM

Thanks for the link Jon, I bookmarked it.

**winds-of-change** · 04-27-2011, 04:25 PM

I agree, get a vacuum sealer. And for long term food freezing, get a freezer that is not a defrosting one. That defrosting cycle is not good for the food. The freezer attached to my fridge is a self defrosting one and I only put short term freezer stuff in there, like the stuff I'll be using up in the next couple months. In my basement I have a small freezer that is not a defrosting one. That I use for longer term frozen foods.

**Yunus** · 04-27-2011, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winds-of-change

I agree, get a vacuum sealer. And for long term food freezing, get a freezer that is not a defrosting one. That defrosting cycle is not good for the food. The freezer attached to my fridge is a self defrosting one and I only put short term freezer stuff in there, like the stuff I'll be using up in the next couple months. In my basement I have a small freezer that is not a defrosting one. That I use for longer term frozen foods.

I'd never thought about the defrost cycle being bad for long term storage. Is it the temperature change that causes problems?

willshoum · 04-27-2011, 04:41 PM

Freezing short term is the logical thing to do. Add water to stop freezer burn. As for peas its the type that makes the difference in canning or freezing when it comes to taste. Your purple hull peas are better for canning. the longer they sit on the shelf after canning the better they are. Canning tomatos is the way to go. you can add all your spices to it be for canning. Besides canning is more fun and you don't have to worry about the freezer going out.......

**winds-of-change** · 04-27-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yunus

I'd never thought about the defrost cycle being bad for long term storage. Is it the temperature change that causes problems?

Yes. The defrosting cycle does exactly what the word implies. It slightly warms up the freezer to above freezing point to get rid of the frost. The food won't really defrost because it is much more solid than the frost but it will wreak havoc on the freshness and taste of the food over time. That's what freezer burn is, really.

Use a freezer considered a 'deep freeze'........one that doesn't self defrost.

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