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This article is part of the Main Preservation Methods Overview series. Check out the rest of the series here!
Freezing your harvest is another great way to preserve it. Even better, it is one of the most accessible methods since most refrigerators nowadays have an attached freezer, and most homes, including rental homes, have one of these fridge-freezer combos.
Freezing Methods
Freezing produce and herbs can be accomplished in a few different ways. Some foods can be frozen whole such as peaches. Others, like onions, can be diced and frozen without any further treatment.
Some foods need to be blanched before they can be frozen. This is especially true for many greens like kale and spinach.
Blanching involves boiling the vegetable for a short time, usually 2-4 minutes, and then plunging it into ice water. Learn more about blanching here.
Some foods, including the kale and spinach mentioned above, can be frozen whole or in pieces without blanching if they will be consumed within a short period of time, usually 2-6 weeks depending on the plant, without losing much quality. But if you are freezing them for longer than that, they should be blanched first.
Some foods can be frozen as ice cubes. This works especially well for certain herbs like peppermint, basil, thyme, and others.
To freeze an herb, simply place 1-5 leaves (depending on the size of the leaf) into a slot of an ice cube tray. Fill the tray with water and place it in the freezer. You may choose to cover it with plastic wrap or another airtight covering to reduce freezer burn.
Finally, freeze drying quickly turns the water content of the food into vapor. This is mainly done in 1 of 2 ways:
- using a freeze-dryer, a machine that uses a vacuum to quickly remove the food's moisture while simultaneously freezing it
- thinly slicing the food and placing it in the freezer uncovered
Similarly to dehydrating, a freeze-dryer allows you to control the food's environment more precisely, including its temperature and humidity. But since freeze-dryers are much more expensive than dehydrators (starting at around $2,000), I do not recommend this method for most people.
A future Plant to Plate article will expand on the second freeze drying method that uses a freezer alone since this is more realistic for most gardeners.
When the Freezer is Full
As mentioned above, most refrigerators come with a freezer. But that space can get used up quickly during harvest season!
If you, like me, find yourself running out of space in the fridge-freezer, I have a few recommendations for you. All of these are highly rated but are just different options to account for differences in size, budget, and preference:
- this Krib Bling freezer for a budget option, on sale for around $100 at the time of this post, 3.5 cubit feet
- this Igloo freezer if you prefer a recognizable brand, also 3.5 cubic feet
- this Frigidaire freezer, another trusted and recognizable brand in a larger size, 6.5 cubic feet. This one is upright, meaning it is taller than it is wide, therefore a good larger-capacity option for smaller homes.
- this Tabu freezer that comes in the following sizes (click on the size for the link to that size), all with high ratings:
Storing Your Frozen Produce
For foods that are frozen whole, diced, or blanched, it is best to use freezer bags. I usually double-bag them in case the main bag is incorrectly sealed or develops a leak. Double-bagging also provides an extra layer of insulation.
I use either these Ziploc freezer bags or Target's generic version. Be sure to get freezer bags, not storage bags, as the storage bags will not preserve the quality or freshness of your produce as well. Storage bags are also much more susceptible to freezer burn since they are thinner.
The shelf life of frozen fruits, vegetables, and herbs varies widely by species. But as a general guideline, most retain their best quality for about 6-12 months.
Next in this series, we'll discuss another category of preservation techniques, canning. Check out the canning overview here!